Study Groups - the smart way to get your grades up
How sad is it to climb a long ladder all the way to the top only to find it was leaning against the wrong wall!
It would be great if there was a secret formula that could magically transform your brain capacity to genius. As such a formula does not exist, you will have to consider the next best thing - working smarter. Like the ladder, it would be a disaster if you study long and hard on notes which were incorrect, had gaps or of poor quality.
One of the best ways to work smarter on your grades is by forming a study group.
1) Make sure you are committed to this process. You will see why shortly!
2) Make sure you know exactly how you are going to organize the work.
3) Identify the students in your class who has the highest grades and ask them to join your group. This is a crucial step!
You have now done a few really important things. Not only did you make a commitment to get your grades up, you have now made yourself accountable to the smartest students in your class. Now is not the time to loose your nerves. You are halfway there.
The Plan
Meet up with your group as soon as possible to plan your work. This is the WAY you are going to do it(a great number for your group is four);
EACH member will read the WHOLE chapter and use the main headings as the outline of the notes.
EACH member in the group makes notes on the SAME CHAPTER, under the main headings, focussing on only ONE of the following areas:
1) ONLY focus on important people, places, dates etc in the chapter.
2) ONLY focus on numbers, statistics, costs, graphs etc in the chapter.
3) ONLY focus on the big picture - change, impact, influence etc.
4) ONLY focus on summarizing each paragraph under each subheading in one sentence.
All members meet up again the next day or so and bring a set of their notes to the rest of the group. Each member "talk the rest through" there notes and make sure everybody understands it. Repeat the process for all the chapters, rotating the focus between you.
The old way of study groups meant that every now and again one of the group made bad notes which means you will flunk out on the whole chapter. This new process ensures that your notes are not only thorough, but also done in record time. Now you are ready to study!