Read textbooks BEOFRE class

After yesterday's study tips courtesy of College Lifestyles, I thought about one more very important piece of advice that a very wise man once gave me and a bunch of other first generation and low income college students during a summer bridge program that I attended before starting college: Read your textbooks before class.

Photo credit: www.darton.edu/

Chances are in high school and even at community college if you are/were a transfer student that you could get away with reading the chapters from the textbooks covered in class after class. Change this (bad) study habit immediately! The syllabus should lay out what chapters are being covered when, so plan accordingly and read before class.

There are some awesome advantages of reading before class--and some professors will expect you to anyway, even if they don't say it or it's not clear from their syllabus. First, you will already have a familiarity with the material when your professor goes over it in class. This means you won't feel so lost and confused if you you had questions and it gives you the chance to ask those questions while it's still fresh in your mind. (If you didn't think of any questions during class, but have them later on, go to your professor's office hours!)

Reading before class also helps you build a road map for your notes because you already know what to expect. You might be able to pick up on the important concepts and key words already, and now you know what to look and listen for. So now go be productive and have a great day of academic achievement while you are reading before class.

Got questions? Please feel free to ask The Advisor about it.