How to Have an Effective Study Group

Final exam season is quickly approaching, and with it will likely come many long hours of studying.

If you’ve found that you typically study best when you’re alone, you probably don’t want to experiment with a study group right before finals. However, if you can’t focus by yourself or need others to help you better understand certain concepts, a study group may be your key to success.

If you’ve never participated in a study group before, or if your past attempts haven’t been successful, there are a few ways to ensure you get the most out of your study group experience.

1. Enforce a no cell phone policy.

For many, cell phones can be irresistible. If the urge to post a selfie on Snapchat or update your Twitter feed creeps in during study time, it can be almost impossible to ignore the distraction if you’re alone.

To avoid these distractions in your study group, enforce a group-wide no cell phone policy. Collect all cell phones each time a study group session begins, and don’t redistribute them until you’ve finished studying for the day.

This way, your group members can prevent you from succumbing to social media cravings while studying, and you can do the same for them.

2. Ask the entire class to attend.

You may have a few close friends in your class who would be willing to form a small study group. However, if none of you are familiar with the class material, the study group probably won’t be very beneficial to anyone.

In this case, asking the entire class to participate can make the group much more successful. Send out a class-wide email listing the dates and times of each study group session, and let everyone know they are welcome, and encouraged, to attend.

Chances are, there are some students who are struggling with concepts that other students in the class have mastered. Learning the material from a student instead of a teacher provides a fresh perspective that can be easier to understand and apply in a test environment.

3. Prepare for the group beforehand.

While there is no need to cram for hours on end before your study group begins, it would be wise to skim your notes and the study guide before going to a study group session.

Doing this is important because you want to make sure you are supplying your group members with accurate information if you’re asked to explain a particular concept. Simply assuming you understand something is not the same as actually understanding it.

If you explain something wrong to your study group, the group members will probably incorrectly answer test questions on the subject. Not only will your own grade suffer, but the grades of your classmates will, as well.

With a little perseverance, determination and help from your study group, you will surely be able to overcome finals and finish the semester on a high note.