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R.J. Jenkins, Sara Remedios, and Josh Edwin

This course aims to help you be successful in your college studies, highlighting effective and practical strategies for study. These strategies, from note taking to active reading, from time management to understanding how you learn, will help you achieve your academic goals, and to allow you to make the most of your college education.

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This course aims to help you be successful in your college studies, highlighting effective and practical strategies for study. These strategies, from note taking to active reading, from time management to understanding how you learn, will help you achieve your academic goals, and to allow you to make the most of your college education.

This online curriculum may be used in a variety of ways, including, but not limited to, as a start-to-finish, self-directed online experience. We also invite you to utilize this resource as a library/toolkit of academic success strategies, a tool for flipped classroom pedagogy, or a companion text for on-the-ground transition courses.

This course was created by the Columbia University Center for Veteran Transition and Integration. Contact us https://veterans.columbia.edu/.

What's inside

Learning objectives

  • Foundational academic and study skills for achieving academic success in college
  • Strategies for more effective reading, writing, test preparation, and time management
  • Proven tips for students taking stem and other technical courses
  • Metacognition and academic mindset

Syllabus

Metacognition and Mindset
Active Reading and Note-Taking
How to Study for Technical Courses
Hard Reading, Good Writing
Read more
Effective Time Management
Navigating Campus Culture

Good to know

Know what's good
, what to watch for
, and possible dealbreakers
Offers a comprehensive overview of essential academic and study skills
Proven strategies and tips for STEM courses
Suitable for self-directed online learning or as a supplemental resource
In-depth coverage of effective time management techniques
Interactive and multi-modal course format
Created by the Columbia University Center for Veteran Transition and Integration

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Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Learning Success with these activities:
Read 'Making the Most of College'
Read 'Making the Most of College' to gain insights into effective study habits and strategies for academic success.
Show steps
  • Read Chapter 1: 'The First Year of College'
  • Read Chapter 2: 'Studying for Success'
  • Read Chapter 3: 'Time Management'
  • Read Chapter 4: 'Making the Most of Your Professors'
Explore Online Resources for Study Skills
Explore online resources such as articles, videos, and tutorials to learn about effective study skills and strategies.
Browse courses on Study Skills
Show steps
  • Search for articles on study skills and learning strategies.
  • Watch videos on how to improve your study habits.
  • Follow tutorials on how to use specific study techniques.
Develop a Study Schedule
Create a study schedule that will help you stay organized and on track with your coursework.
Browse courses on Time Management
Show steps
  • Determine how much time you have available for studying each week.
  • Identify the most important tasks that you need to complete each week.
  • Break down large tasks into smaller, more manageable chunks.
  • Schedule in breaks and rewards to help you stay motivated.
Four other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all seven activities
Attend a Study Skills Workshop
Attend a study skills workshop to learn about effective study habits and strategies from experts.
Browse courses on Study Skills
Show steps
  • Find a study skills workshop offered by your school or local community.
  • Register for the workshop.
  • Attend the workshop and take notes.
  • Implement the strategies you learn in the workshop.
Study Reading Comprehension Techniques
Practice reading comprehension techniques to improve your ability to understand and retain information from your textbooks.
Show steps
  • Identify the main idea of each paragraph.
  • Summarize each paragraph in your own words.
  • Identify the key supporting details for each main idea.
  • Make connections between the information in the text and your own knowledge.
Join a Study Group
Join a study group to collaborate with other students, share notes, and quiz each other on the course material.
Browse courses on Study Skills
Show steps
  • Ask your professor or classmates if they know of any study groups.
  • Join a study group that meets regularly.
  • Participate in study sessions and contribute to the group's discussions.
  • Help other students in the group understand the material.
Create a Mind Map of Course Concepts
Create a mind map of the key concepts covered in the course to help you visualize and understand the relationships between them.
Browse courses on Metacognition
Show steps
  • Identify the main topics covered in the course.
  • Create a central node for each main topic.
  • Add branches to each node for the supporting concepts.
  • Add sub-branches for specific details and examples.
  • Color-code or use different shapes to categorize the concepts.

Career center

Learners who complete Learning Success will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:
College Professor
As a College Professor, you will have the responsibility to educate your students in higher education. The material you teach may be very technical, requiring you to apply the skills you have learned in this Learning Success course. Likewise, a Professor must be able to manage their time in order to fulfill their duties and must have excellent reading and writing skills in order to conduct research and compose publications.
Career Counselor
As a Career Counselor, you will help people find the right career path to follow. You will need to assess their skills, interests, and goals in order to help them make an informed decision. This Learning Success course would be helpful to you in this role by providing you with strategies for reading through files and case history, providing you with time management tools to help you stay organized and on-time for meetings, and providing you with skills to better teach your clients about career opportunities.
High School Teacher
The role of a High School Teacher is to instruct students in secondary education, ranging from 9th to 12th grade. Depending on the courses that you teach, you may need to have a deep understanding of specific subjects, like Math, Science, English, or History. Therefore, the technical reading component of this course may be of high value to you in your career. Additionally, skills in time management, reading, and writing will help you in your daily life as a Teacher.
Research Scientist
As a Research Scientist, your role will primarily be conducting research in a scientific field, such as chemistry, biology, or physics. This course may be of use to you if you are early in your career or are working towards an advanced degree, and it will help you to develop strategies for reading through scientific literature, managing your time, and learning new technical material.
Technical Writer
As a Technical Writer, you will be creating instruction manuals, reference guides, and other technical writing materials. This course will be of use to you because it will help you to develop your reading skills so that you can better understand complex materials, and it will also help you to improve your writing skills so that you can create clear and concise documentation.
Librarian
As a Librarian, you will need to help the users of your library find the books, articles, and other resources that they need. This Learning Success course would be helpful for you because it will help you to learn strategies for reading through materials quickly and efficiently, as well as strategies for managing your time so that you can get everything done on time.
Editor
As an Editor, you will review, edit, and proofread written material for clarity, accuracy, and consistency. Many Editors work freelance, meaning that you will need to manage your time wisely in order to meet deadlines. This course may be helpful to you in developing the skills needed to be successful in this role.
Data Analyst
As a Data Analyst, you will use data to solve problems and make recommendations. You will need to be able to read and understand data, as well as be able to communicate your findings to others. The technical reading and writing components of this course may be helpful to you in this role.
Instructional Designer
As an Instructional Designer, you will design and develop instructional materials, such as online courses, workshops, and training manuals. This course may be helpful to you because it will help you to understand the principles of learning and how to create effective learning experiences.
Software Developer
As a Software Developer, you will use coding languages to create software programs. This Learning Success course may be helpful to you if you need to improve your reading comprehension or writing skills, and the course may be particularly helpful if you are working towards an advanced degree.
Web Developer
As a Web Developer, you will design and develop websites. This Learning Success course may help you to stay organized and manage your time, as well as improve your reading and writing skills.
UX Designer
As a UX Designer, you will design the user experience for websites and other digital products. This course may be useful to you if you need strategies to improve your reading and writing skills, and the emphasis on time management will help you to stay organized.
Graphic designer
As a Graphic Designer, you will use visual elements to create designs for websites, logos, and other marketing materials. This course may be helpful to you if you are interested in improving your reading and writing skills, and the focus on time management in this course may help you to stay organized.
Journalist
As a Journalist, you will write news stories and articles for newspapers, magazines, and websites. This course may improve your reading comprehension and writing skills, but it is not a perfect fit because this course is not specific to journalism and does not provide training for specific journalistic tasks.
Copywriter
As a Copywriter, you will write marketing and advertising materials. This course may be helpful to you because it can help you improve your writing skills. However, this course is not a perfect fit because it does not focus on marketing or advertising.

Reading list

We've selected 16 books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Learning Success.
Presents evidence-based study techniques for effective learning, such as spaced repetition, retrieval practice, and interleaving. It provides practical strategies for improving memory and comprehension.
Provides a comprehensive overview of learning strategies for technical courses, including STEM courses. It emphasizes the importance of metacognition and mindset in achieving academic success.
Emphasizes the importance of metacognition and self-directed learning. It provides practical tips for setting goals, managing time, and developing effective study habits.
This classic guide provides a systematic approach to reading and understanding complex texts. It offers techniques for active reading, critical thinking, and summarizing information, which are essential skills for academic success.
Explores the concept of growth mindset versus fixed mindset. It emphasizes the importance of embracing challenges, learning from mistakes, and developing a positive attitude towards learning.
This productivity guide offers a system for managing tasks and projects effectively. It provides techniques for capturing, organizing, and processing information, as well as strategies for prioritizing tasks and achieving goals.
Emphasizes the importance of deep work, which is the ability to focus on demanding tasks without distractions. It provides strategies for creating a distraction-free environment and maintaining high levels of concentration.
This memoir recounts the author's journey from chess prodigy to martial arts master. It offers insights into the process of learning and achieving mastery in any field.
This classic self-help book provides a framework for personal and professional effectiveness. It emphasizes the importance of principles, integrity, and continuous improvement.
This practical guide introduces the Pomodoro Technique, a time management method that involves alternating focused work sessions with short breaks. It provides tips for implementing the technique and maximizing productivity.
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Explores the concept of grit, which is the combination of passion and perseverance. It emphasizes the importance of setting ambitious goals, developing a strong work ethic, and overcoming challenges.
Examines the cognitive science behind attention, memory, and decision-making. It provides practical strategies for managing information overload, improving focus, and making better decisions.
Challenges the prevailing cultural bias towards extroversion and celebrates the strengths of introverts. It explores the unique contributions that introverts make to society and provides strategies for introverts to thrive in a world that often values extroverted behavior.
This memoir chronicles the author's year-long experiment in happiness. It offers insights into the factors that contribute to happiness and provides practical tips for improving one's well-being.

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