How to Prepare for Class

Being prepared for class makes you more relaxed, pleases the instructor and generally ensures good overall class performance.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Academic Counselings
• College Textbooks
• Dictionaries
• Thesauri
• No. 2 Pencils
• Calendars
• Colored Pens
• Folders
• Highlighter Pens
• Personal Organizers
• Spiral Notebooks
• Staplers
• Colored pens

1. Buy your course books immediately after your first class meeting and take them to every class. Buying them before that is risky, since some classes are canceled for lack of attendance or the reading list is changed.

2. Review your class syllabus carefully, marking assignments and due dates in highlighter or colored pen. Jot down any extra assignments your instructor gives during class. Transfer this information onto a large home calendar.

3. Purchase all of the items you'll need for science or computer lab assignments well ahead of time.

4. Skim tables of contents to see how long each reading assignment is. Plan accordingly.

5. Take enough paper and writing implements for quizzes and essay exams even if your instructor has not announced any.

6. Make sure you finish all of the assigned reading for that day before showing up to class. An assignment written next to a date on the syllabus means to finish the reading by that day, not to start it.

7. Look up any words you don't understand as you read. Asking your instructor for a definition during class will not always get a favorable response.

8. Mark your text with your own comments, questions, underlinings and arrows. Prepare to ask one intelligent question as well as answer one.

9. Buy and keep ready at home your own dictionary, stapler, paper, writing materials and folders.

Tips & Warnings

• Always be on time.
• Exchange phone numbers with another classmate in case you must miss class and you need to get notes, assignments or handouts.

[jukia]

on 7/12/2008 I find it especially helpful to at least outline or write down main points the reading before class. This way (especially in lectures where the professor is basically going over the reading) you can follow along and if you get lost spacing off (which is my habit, *my excuse ADD*) you know what you missed and need to recap later. It works even better if you write up the key points from the reading before hand, then when the lecture occurs all you need to do is star key points or fill in anything that you missed or the teacher adds, rather than writing everything down at that time the teacher says it.

[jukia]

on 7/12/2008 I find it especially helpful to at least outline or write down main points the reading before class. This way (especially in lectures where the professor is basically going over the reading) you can follow along and if you get lost spacing off (which is my habit, *my excuse ADD*) you know what you missed and need to recap later. It works even better if you write up the key points from the reading before hand, then when the lecture occurs all you need to do is star key points or fill in anything that you missed or the teacher adds, rather than writing everything down at that time the teacher says it.

[jukia]

on 7/12/2008 I always found it extremely helpful, especially in lecture classes, to at least skim the reading and take a few short notes. Often times instructors are going over the assignment and sometimes they even go in order of the book. If your instructor does this and you accidentally get lost or space off (which is a tendency for me *my excuse is ADD*) you know what you will need to go back and review.
One instructor that I had did this and I only had to add a thing here or there and star key points, rather than miss things because you cannot write fast enough.

on 11/22/2005 This is most effective in big lecture halls. I always sat far away, but after switching, I was amazed at what I was missing. Not only do you hear and see everything, you get a sense of what's important by the professor's body language. It's pretty incredible.

on 11/22/2005 The most important thing you can do to ensure success in college is to attend classes. Even if you never read the text, if you go to class and take notes you're guaranteed to get at least a 'B'. But, going to class means nothing if you keep spacing out and dozing off. That's why the number one most important thing you can do in college is get enough sleep! Keep pushing back your bed-time until you can wake up an hour before your first class refreshed and ready to go. It wasn't easy for me to train myself to do this, since I'm normally a night owl, but it really pays off.

As for reading assignments, some people find it helpful to read before class, some people find it helpful to read after. Try both and find out what's best for you. However, keep in mind that attending class is way more important than doing the reading, since what the professor has to say in class is more focused and applicable to your assignments. If you have to choose between staying up late to finish the reading and going to bed to wake up refreshed for school, just go to bed!