Instructor Blog: Key Study Habits of “A” College Students

After teaching for over seven years, I wanted to share some common habits of successful college students. All students have challenges with work and family obligations, but there are characteristics that “A” students share despite obstacles and commitments.

Plan, Plan, Plan

One of the best practices of my most successful students is looking over assignments early in the week. This allows plenty of time to email instructors with any questions as well as produce your best possible work.

Print the Tracking Calendar

We don’t want our students to be surprised. Instructors spend time creating a tracking calendar that outlines assignments and due dates. Spending the time writing assignments on your personal calendar can prevent end of session stress!  Also, often times the directions for a major assessment such as a portfolio project or midterm will be posted early. My best students begin looking at the directions and asking questions, even in week 1!

Read Instructions Carefully

This may seem obvious, but there have been many times where students have submitted an assignment with missing components. Beginning an assignment early allows for time to review the instructions after completing the assignment. If an assignment requires a reference page or annotated bibliography, failure to include one may mean you can’t pass the assignment at all. If a rubric is included, it is worth spending time understanding the categories. There will likely be language that has to do with quantity (page length or number of sources, for example) and quality (sufficient depth of information). This is what your instructor will look at when grading, so having a rubric is like having a player’s guide for an assignment!

Know How to Navigate Blackboard

While instructors are happy to answer questions, an understanding of how to navigate Blackboard can often help you locate needed information. My best students know how to check their grades and read feedback on assignments. This is critical to be able to identify missing assignments or areas where improvement is needed. The Student Resources tab also contains very helpful information for students.

Contact Instructors

My most successful students email if a family emergency prevents them from submitting work on time. While each instructor will have different ideas about late penalties, it is always best to provide an explanation for late work. Not providing an explanation demonstrates a lack of commitment. In the workplace, it would be unwise to submit work late without explanation.

There’s no deep dark secrets here. But these are the tried and true good study habits of my most successful college students. Many students who do not do well exhibit few or none of these habits. More importantly, the thoroughness and dedication of these habits will translate to success in the workplace. Incorporating these study habits for college into your life will help you succeed at Bryant & Stratton and your career!

Not currently attending Bryant & Stratton? Learn more about how studying at Bryant & Stratton can help with your career on our degree page.