How Do I Develop Good Study Skills for High School?

Developing good study skills for high school requires patience, flexibility, and even trial-and-error work. You’ll need to determine the best times and places to study. Prioritize your classes, your homework or study requirements, and your activities unrelated to school or studying. Make sure you have the necessary tools for completing your assignments, and recognize when it’s best to work by yourself or with a study partner. Teachers and third-party learning centers can help you by providing study tips for high school.

As you’re fostering good study skills for high school, consider the best times and places for you to study. These will depend on your schedule and available resources. For example, you might complete homework in your school’s library during a study period or you might study for a test in a quiet room at home or in your town’s library after school. Keep in mind that a certain degree of flexibility sometimes is necessary for maintaining good study skills for high school. Extracurricular activities, family obligations, and appointments might keep you from studying every day or require you to study on a day you normally wouldn’t.

Learning to set and manage your priorities will help you develop good study skills for high school. Creating a schedule of priorities will depend on your personal study habits as well as fluctuations in class requirements. For example, if you have both a test and a research paper due on a Friday, you might write the paper during the first part of the week and study during the last part to better retain the information. On the other hand, it might work better for you to spend a little time each day writing the paper and studying for the test. Regardless of your schedule of priorities, take care not to push anything until the last minute, in case emergencies arise and you’re unable to study.

Note that you must also prioritize your activities unrelated to school or studying. If you’re a cheerleader, you can’t skip practice to complete homework. You can, however, skip a party or a date to study for an important exam. It might be tough the first few times you do it, but the good grades and feelings of accomplishment and pride will begin to pay off. Too, once you become comfortable with your schedule of priorities and familiar with your teachers’ requirements, you can plan ahead to make time for the other activities.

Having the appropriate tools is essential for developing good study skills for high school. Common study tools include textbooks, paper, and writing utensils, but there may be times when you also need a computer, access to the Internet, or a special calculator. Certain kinds of homework, such as art projects, might require tools you must purchase or borrow from school. If you don’t have the tools you need, you can check with friends, the libraries in your school and town, and even your teachers. Just be sure to give yourself enough time in advance to obtain the tools you need to study or complete your homework assignments.

You might discover you study better alone or with a friend or a study group, or that you need assistance studying. Studying with friends and study groups can be beneficial, as long as you stay on track. When you spend more time socializing than studying, it’s time to change your routine. If it’s difficult for you to study alone or with a group, or you’re having trouble with your subjects, consider talking with a teacher or visiting a third-party learning center. These professionals can help you develop a study skills curriculum that works with your strengths and weaknesses.