1.     Develop a plan to manage your time.

Have you ever put off studying until the night before the test?  You pump up on caffeine, study bleary-eyed all night, and kick yourself for not starting earlier.  Or do you have trouble finding enough time to do homework?  You vacuum, make dinner, watch a little TV to relax, and then get into a jam by not having your homework ready.

The solution is to make a study plan to manage your time.   

How to Make a Weekly Study Plan

a.      On a sheet of paper (or word processor) create a weekly planner with seven columns for days of the week, and about 15 to 30 rows for time of day. (See example below.)

b.     Fill in spaces with times when you absolutely have be somewhere (work, school, church, etc.)  Also include meal times, and times for family and personal activities.

c.     Use this formula to figure out how much time you should study per week.  Math and writing classes = two hours homework a week for each credit (3 credits = 6 hours).  In other classes you should spend at least one hour of homework for each credit (3 credits = 3 hours).

For example:        

d.     Fill in study times with these considerations:

I.                   Never study longer than an hour at a time.  After an hour you become fatigued and lose your focus.

II.                Decide your best time to study.  Some people study better in the morning than at night.

III.             Divide the time across as many days as possible.

Sample Study Plan