15 Study Tips to Help You Do Your Best in School

Studying can help you achieve your academic goals. But hitting the books can be a challenge for many high school and college students. It’s more fun to hang out with friends or spend time on extracurricular activities.

Thankfully, there are steps you can take to study well and still have time for social activities.

What are the most effective ways to study? 

To succeed in school, you need to have study strategies in place. Here are 15 practical ways to make the most of your study time. Keep in mind that these are likely to be most helpful to people who are neurotypical. If you find that these strategies don’t work for you, work with your healthcare provider to identify other things you can do to study effectively.

1. Create a study space

A study space can be anywhere — from the corner of a kitchen counter to a desk in your bedroom or dorm. The key is to make it comfortable, well-lit, and free from distractions. Keep study supplies, like extra paper, writing tools, and a calculator, on hand. 

2. Get organized daily

Avoid tossing class documents into your book bag. Instead, use separate binders or folders for each subject. Look through them every day and put your handouts and homework assignments in order. 

3. Schedule study time

Set aside a block of time to study every day. Use this time to review notes from the day’s classes. You may retain new material better if you review it on the same day. Then work on homework assignments and prep for tests. 

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4. Try the Feynman Technique

The Feynman technique is a learning strategy developed by Nobel Prize-winning physicist Richard Feynman. Here’s how it works:

• Grab a sheet of paper and write down the topic you’re studying at the top.

• Explain the subject in simple terms as if you were teaching it to someone else. You can do this in writing or verbally with a classmate.

• Review what you’ve written or said. Identify concepts you need to correct or clarify.

• Simplify any complex concepts with understandable language.

• Repeat the process until you’re confident you know the material. 

5. Organize study groups

Studying with classmates is a great way to work through challenging material. Try to work with students who are good at staying focused. Take turns asking and answering questions. Students who respond to questions out loud are more likely to retain information than those who only ask questions or listen. 

6. Keep a calendar

Your calendar can help you plan ahead. Use one to keep track of deadlines and test dates. You can also use shareable calendar apps, like Google or Cozi, to coordinate activities with classmates and study groups.  

7. Break up material into smaller chunks

You may have a better chance of remembering information if you break it into bite-sized chunks. For example, let’s say you have to get through 10 textbook pages. Study one page at a time. As you study each page, look for keywords and then paraphrase the page. When you feel good about it, move on to the next page. 

8. Read, recall, repeat

If you’re working on learning a list of new words, try this exercise: Study your list until you can remember each word three times spread throughout a 30-minute study session. In research studies, students who used this method were better able to remember the words than those who only scanned the list or recalled the words three times consecutively and moved on. 

9. Test yourself

Take advantage of chapter quizzes and online quizzes. Space them out throughout the semester and take them multiple times. The more you review the material, the better you’ll remember it for final exams. 

The Quizlet app is another way to quiz yourself. Use it to create your own flashcards or pick from existing flashcards. 

10. Turn off distractions

There’s a lot vying for your attention these days. It’s easy to get sidetracked while trying to study. 

Eliminate distractions by:

• Putting your phone on silent

• Turning off notifications on your computer

• Removing items you don’t need from your study space

• Using noise-canceling headphones

• Listening to white noise

• Chewing gum or playing with a fidget toy

• Avoiding social media

• Telling friends you’ll be unavailable during your study time

11. Take breaks

Your brain can take only so much information at a time. Studies suggest that short breaks can help you learn new material. Try 25 minutes on, 5 minutes off, or 50 minutes on, 10 minutes off. 

During your breaks, refresh your mind by:

• Taking a walk outdoors

• Meditating or practicing breathing exercises

• Stretching 

• Listening to music 

• Dancing to your favorite tunes

• Making a healthy snack

• Doodling 

• Taking a shower

12. Try mind mapping

Mind mapping provides a way to organize material into a diagram. 

Here’s how you create a mind map:

• On a blank sheet of paper, write your main topic in the center. For instance, “rock formations.”

• Look through your notes from class or your textbook for the major categories within this topic. For example, “sedimentary rocks.” Then write these down and draw a line to each one, branching off from the main topic.

• From there, write down sub-branches, like “sandstone,” “limestone,” and “shale,” and connect them to the categories they fall under.

• Use different colored markers for each branch. 

You can also check into online mind-mapping tools, like MindMUp and Miro or get this printable guide.

13. Don’t wait until the last minute

If you tend to procrastinate, you’re not alone. However, studies suggest you may earn better grades if you don’t delay. 

These tips can help you overcome procrastination:

• Recognize that you procrastinate and reflect on why you do it.

• Create a to-do list, broken down into tasks.

• Reward yourself after completing each task. 

• Ask someone to hold you accountable. 

• Do the tasks you like least first.

• Stay motivated by telling yourself why it’s important for you to commit to your schoolwork.

14. Exercise before studying

Moderate to vigorous exercise just before you hit the books may improve your thinking and memory and lower anxiety. Go for a brisk walk, a run, or a bike ride. And think about making physical activity part of your daily routine in order to keep your brain sharp and your body healthy.

15. Get plenty of sleep

A good night of sleep can help you remember things you learned during the day. Researchers say that sleep before school preps your brain for learning. Meanwhile, sleep after studying cements the information. High school students up to 18 years of age need 8 to 10 hours of sleep daily. Students over 18 should get at least 7 hours of sleep.

What note-taking strategies can help you study?

Taking notes is an important part of learning. It engages your mind while organizing the main points of a lecture or textbook. 

These tips can improve your note-taking skills:

• Start notes about a new topic on a fresh sheet of paper. This will make it easier for you to study the main points separately.

• Create lists or outlines to organize information.

• Try the Cornell method by creating two columns on a sheet of paper. The column on the left is narrower than the column on the right. Jot down main points and keywords on the left. Write down more detailed notes in the right column. Save the last 2 inches at the bottom of the paper for a summary of the information.

• Copy down anything your teacher writes on the board. 

• Use abbreviations and symbols for certain words or concepts. You may want to create a key to decipher what they mean.

• Use colors to organize your notes. Studies suggest that color-coded notes can help students retain information. Jot down main points in red instead of black. Highlight key information in yellow. Organize topics by putting them in different colors.

• Review your notes within a day after class. Fill in any details you may have missed or talk to your instructor about any concepts you don’t understand. 

When should you talk to a doctor about difficulty studying?

If you struggle with studying, you may have a medical condition or a learning disorder. Understanding your symptoms and potential diagnosis can help you develop strategies to study more effectively, get academic accommodations if needed, and find more support.

Visit your healthcare provider if you have any of the following symptoms: 

• Trouble reading and spelling out words

• Poor handwriting

• Difficulty doing math calculations

• Problems with focus and concentration

• Experiencing anxiety or depression

• Trouble organizing and expressing thoughts or ideas

• Problems with hand-eye coordination

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Written by:

Ana Gascon

Ana Gascon has over 15 years of writing and editing experience, with 8 years in health and medical content work. She is a versatile health and medical content creator who writes about acute conditions, chronic diseases, mental health challenges, and health equity.

Edited by:

Renée Fabian, MA

Renée Fabian is the senior pet health editor at GoodRx. She’s worked for nearly 10 years as a journalist and editor across a wide range of health and well-being topics.

Reviewed by:

India B. Gomez, PhD

India B. Gomez, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist with a certificate in Latin American Family Therapy. She completed her doctoral education at the California School of Professional Psychology/Alliant International University.

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