How to Create a College Study Plan: 23 Smart Tips
Are you wondering how to study in college? Are you unsure how to create a study plan that will let you achieve all your goals?
A college study plan helps you look ahead so that you can submit assignments, complete projects, and finish papers on time—so you succeed in college!
College is full of many challenges, and learning how to study more effectively is one of them. Having a structured study plan will help you achieve your academic goals.
You can create a personalized study plan that works for you. Whether you struggle with a long reading list or with revising complex papers, you can create a unique study plan that will help you succeed.
Managing your courses, social life, and campus activities in college is much different than going to high school. You may have more free time in college, but you also have a lot of commitments.
The key to creating a study plan that works for you is scheduling time for everything you need to do in college. This blog post will help you learn how to study in college.
1. Assess Your Goals
Before you can create a study plan, think about your learning goals and academic priorities for the semester.
Think about what you want to achieve in your courses.
Consider short-term goals like acing a test, completing a project, and getting good grades.
Also think about long-term goals like completing the courses you need for your major and graduating in four years.
Of course, college isn’t just about your academic performance. There’s socializing, work, clubs, committees, and life.
List all of your commitments so you can see where your time goes and how you can fit in enough quality study time.
2. Choose a calendar or planner that works for you
As you start to think about how you will find time for all your school work and activities, you’ll need a good planner to help you keep track of your schedule.
Do you want a calendar that breaks down each day into half-hour blocks? Or is a basic square per day sufficient for you to note what you need to do when.
Many students find it helpful to use a calendar that offers a monthly, weekly, and daily view so that assignments that seem far away don’t sneak up on you.
You can start with a study planner that includes a weekly planner spread, as well as pages of daily planners. Then you can see how much detail you need to include in your study timetable.
You can also use an online calendar, an app, or whatever works best for you.
Here’s a great list of planners for college students with ADHD that are actually great for all college students.
3. create a study plan By Planning for the Semester
College is basically guaranteed information overload. One of the best study strategies is to break all your courses down into manageable chunks.
Look carefully at the syllabus for each class you’re taking this semester.
On your calendar or planner, write down each lecture and lab for every class.
If you have any online classes, note the class times in your planner.
Also note the times for office hours with your professor, tutoring sessions, and anything else that you need to attend to better understand the material.
Writing down every required assignment, exams, and due dates for papers, as well as optional events like office hours and tutoring, will help you plan for the semester.
This is a key step in having an organized schedule!
4. Plan Backwards
After you write down each class assignment, plan for all the steps that go into completing each assignment.
Work backwards to decide what you need to do when, in order to turn in the assignment on time or be ready for your test.
This way of creating a study plan helps you break each assignment into smaller achievable chunks. Checking off each task will keep you on track to meet your overall goals.
For example:
History of Modern France Mid-term Paper, due October 15
Study plan:
October 1: Brainstorm topics
October 2: Preliminary research
October 3-5: Finalize topic and continue research
October 6: Draft an outline
October 8-10: Begin writing
October 11: Finish first draft
October 12-13: Make revisions and edits
October 14: Proofread and submit
Planning backwards may feel like a long, tedious process, but this will prevent an assignment from sneaking up on you, leaving you stressed out, with not enough time to complete it.
Planning for your college workload like this will also make you aware early in the semester if you have two (or more) big projects due at the same time, so you can adjust your schedule.
The key to time management is knowing what to do when, so breaking down each paper, exam, or assignment will help you stay on top of studying when life gets hectic.
Be sure to create a study map with assignments and due dates for each class.
5. Plan enough time for each subject
Be sure to allow time each week for reading assignments, writing papers, doing homework, or studying for exams.
You can expect to spend three to five hours a week (and maybe more!) studying and preparing for each subject.
One way to organize all those assignments and due dates is to create a folder for each class with a detailed weekly study schedule or a simple list of things you have to do each day.
6. Refresh your Schedule Weekly
At the beginning of each week, update your schedule for the week.
Include anything you didn’t get to last week, check off things you finished early, and schedule extra time where you’ll need it.
Note if you have an upcoming exam or any last minute events. Add in work shifts, exercise classes, and time with friends.
Looking at your weekly schedule at the beginning of each week will help keep you on task and accountable.
Write out a daily schedule for each day of the week. Include each hour of class time, your work time, extracurricular activities, and time for studying.
Remember, your study plan isn’t set in stone. If something’s not working, don’t be afraid to adjust your schedule, change your goals, or try different study techniques.
You might need to update your study schedule on a daily basis. You’ll almost certainly have to account for unexpected events during the semester.
College is all about learning, after all, and that includes learning how you study best.
7. Consider what commitments (besides studying) you have
Balance is essential! Make sure you allocate the right amount of time to classes, study, friends, and, of course, some ‘me-time’. College isn’t just about grades; it’s about life experiences too.
You might need to plan time for a job, fun with friends, commuting, other specific activities, or appointments (doctor visits, haircuts, etc.).
You’ll have a lot of important things to include in your schedule. Write it all down in your planner!
8. Use Apps and Tech to Manage Your Time
The amount of material you have to learn in college over the course of a semester can be staggering. Add to that the exams, quizzes, papers—it can be overwhelming!
However, use calendar reminders, alarms, and productivity apps to help you stay on track.
Set reminders for when you should start your next study session or take study breaks.
If social media is too much of a distraction, you can use an app to limit your social media time, delete social media apps from your phone, or set your phone to “do not disturb” when you study.
9. Use the Pomodoro Technique 🍅
The Pomodoro Technique is when you set a timer and work for twenty-five minutes, then take a five-minute break. It’s a game changer for staying focused during study sessions.
Pomodoro is Italian for tomato. 🍅
Here’s how it works:
- Decide what you’re going to work on.
- Set a timer for 25 minutes. Focus on a single task until the timer rings.
- Draw a little pomodoro.
- Enjoy a five-minute break.
- Then set a timer for twenty-five more minutes and repeat.
- After four pomodoros, take a longer 15-30 minute break.
The Pomodoro Technique helps you focus by asking you to block out all distractions for 25 minutes.
This study technique makes the time spent studying go by more quickly and helps you break down complex projects. The short break after each 25-minute session, plus the longer breaks, gives your mind a chance to rest.
10. Don’t procrastinate
Procrastination is sneaky! It steals your study time and leaves you with regret.
Use the time management techniques above and hold yourself accountable to your weekly schedule.
Keep your goals front and center to help you avoid distractions.
You might think you have so much time to study for upcoming tests or write end-of-term papers, but if you don’t set aside dedicated time to get the work done, the time will slip away before you know it.
11. Optimize your study space
Create a dedicated study area in your dorm room, with a great study aesthetic. Having an area that is conducive to studying will help you want to be there and stay focused.
Basically, you want create a study oasis that is quiet, comfy, and helps you focus. Be sure you have good lighting, a comfortable chair, and a tidy desk.
If you work well with background noise, play a podcast or some music. If you like quiet, minimize all sounds or consider running a white noise machine to drown out any dorm noises you can’t control.
For some college students, the best place to study might be the library instead of their dorm or apartment. Others might prefer the atmosphere of a coffee shop or the student center.
The main thing is finding a good place to study and prep for final exams that works for you!
12. Find study partners
Make friends with the people in your classes. Schedule time to meet at least once a week during the semester and more before exams.
Talking through difficult problems and concepts with a study partner is a great way to reinforce your knowledge or get new insight into a topic.
In study groups, you can summarize what you’ve learned, ask each other questions, and explain concepts to each other.
Studying with a friend will give you a chance to learn from that classmate and let you explain the things you know. This active learning will help you remember concepts better.
13. Make studying a habit
Study at the same time and in the same place so studying becomes part of your regular routine.
Also, get in the habit of using free half hours or even hours as study time, instead of just scrolling your socials. Successful study sessions can happen in little bits of free time.
Studying in small increments of time won’t feel overwhelming, and it will free up larger blocks of time for study sessions with friends or fun activities.
Put a study schedule in your calendar and make study plans part of your daily routine.
Once you have a regular study routine in place, you’ll find it easier to keep going and accomplish everything you need to do.
14. Stay Organized
Keep your study materials and your study space organized and tidy.
Be sure your notes, textbooks, lecture notes, or digital files are accessible and in order.
Being able to find the information you need will save you from wasting time or getting stressed when you have to take your precious study time to find lost materials.
15. Use digital Organization tools
Use apps for note-taking and task management. Use cloud storage so your files will be available from any device whenever you need them.
16. Review regularly
Go over your notes from class at the end of each day, or even right after class, while the information from class is still fresh in your mind. A quick review session can be an effective way to retain information.
If you’ve already forgotten what you meant when you wrote something down, it will be easier to figure it out by asking the professor or a classmate about it the next day, rather than realizing weeks later, that you don’t understand your notes.
By reviewing your notes from lectures, readings, or study sessions regularly, you will retain the information better than if you try to do a cram session before exams.
17. Go to class
Obviously, it’s a lot easier to learn in class if you attend class.
If you’re having a difficult time focusing in class, figure out what it takes to get yourself to pay attention in class.
Do you need to sit up front? Have a coffee during class? Have something to fidget with?
Being able to focus in class is essential to processing and understanding the material.
18. Maximize your Resources
Use all your resources, including course material, textbooks, online modules, lecture notes, and study guides. If you still don’t understand, do your own research at the library or on the internet.
Sometimes you need to get information from different resources to help you understand it.
19. Get help
If you’re struggling, seek help!
Go to your professors’ office hours, seek out tutoring, talk to your academic advisor, and ask the TA all your questions.
Get help if:
- You don’t understand the content
- You aren’t sure what to study
- It’s unclear what topics will be on the test
- You don’t know what the professor expects
- You have any other questions about the material
Getting extra instruction can be the best way to finally understand difficult subject matter.
20. Self-Care
The not-so-secret secret to college survival is managing stress and taking care of yourself. Self-care is essential to managing college life and succeeding at your classes.
- Get plenty of rest. Try to get eight hours of sleep a night. Take time to relax.
- Make time to exercise. Take a gym class, get in a workout, or go for a run. Just move your body.
- Eat healthy food. Yes, even some vegetables. A healthy diet will make you feel better.
- Try stress management techniques like deep breathing and meditation.
Take care of yourself and your studying will be much more effective.
21. Understand how you learn best
Think about your learning style and figure out how you learn best.
Are you a visual learner who loves charts and diagrams, an auditory learner who absorbs info through lectures, or a more hands-on learner who needs to make models?
Tailor your study habits so that you’re studying in a way that helps you retain the information you’re studying. Everyone has different learning styles, so the best study plan for you will match your style of learning.
The more you understand about how you learn the best, the more you’ll be able to study successfully and remember all the information you’re being taught!
22. Make a study plan for exams
You know exams are coming at the end of every semester. Use the good study habits you developed over the semester to create a timetable for study for exams.
Allow time to review material from earlier in the semester, catch up on readings you missed, and study any new material.
Lots of students find it helpful to calculate what grade they need on their final to know how much they need to study to achieve their goal grade.
23. Reward yourself
Give yourself a reward when you meet your study goals, get a great final grade, or just pass a particularly difficult class!
Go have fun with friends, treat yourself to a fancy coffee drink and a brownie, or watch a movie with your roommate.
Even if you don’t meet your study goals, be easy on yourself. Regroup and make a new plan for the next day. College is supposed to be fun—not just hard work!
Final Thoughts on Creating a Study Plan for College
Being organized and having an effective study plan in place will take away a lot of the stress of studying.
Setting goals, learning time management skills, using technology for your benefit, staying organized, and monitoring your progress will help you level up your study skills.
Once you have a study schedule and good study habits in place, you’ll feel much better about everything you have to do for your college classes!
The tips and strategies in this article will help you create an effective study plan for your college classes, including math, history, the sciences, and more. These study strategies will and ultimately help you with your goal of earning a college education.
Great advice for parents too!