1. Go to Class - You can’t learn the material if you are not there. Miss too many days and you could lose your driver’s license and even ruin your chances of graduation. Excessive tardies are a bad thing, too. If you do miss class, follow up with your teacher to see what you missed and ask a friend for the notes.

P. S. Showing up and being on time are skills you’ll need when you get a job. Employers want to hire people they can depend on.

2. Get organized - Find a place at home where you can study and store all of your school materials. Use folders or binders to hold your notes, handouts and assignments.

3. Use your planner - Use your planner or a calendar to keep track of test dates, assignment due dates, study time, etc. Make it fun and use different colored highlighters for different subjects.

4. Keep everything - Keep all quizzes and homework assignments to help you prepare for upcoming tests. Save old tests so you can learn from your mistakes and study for exams. Keep your old essays, to help give you ideas for writing future ones. Start a file to keep track of your GPA, awards and involvement. When it’s time to fill out admission or scholarship applications, you’ll have your records handy.

5. Do your homework - Homework counts toward your final grade and it actually helps you learn the material. You’re preparing for the test a little bit each day when you complete your homework.

6. Explore your interests - It’s never too early to think about careers. Seek out ways to explore your interests. Shadow someone, Volunteer. Research summer programs you may like to apply to. Introduce yourself to your guidance counselor. Start talking to your parents about your plans after high school.

7. Get involved - Getting involved on campus makes the transition to high school smoother. Also, colleges admissions officers look for well-rounded students. In addition to good grades and high test scores, they want students who have been involved in extracurricular activities including clubs and sports.

8. Make the grade - Freshman year grades do matter—they are part of your official transcript that you will send to colleges in a few years. Take the most challenging course you can. Develop study skills that work for you. Don’t wait until you’re failing a class to speak up for help.

9. Make good friends - Try to surround yourself with positive people. Try to make friends with students who are different than you, too. Don’t be afraid to branch out.

Much of this information was obtained from ”Next-Your Future After High School in Florida”

More Tips...

No silent reading. Say the information out loud instead. This increases the sensory input to the brain and will help you remember.

Spread your knowledge. Try teaching the material to someone else.

Be a flasher. Flash cards are portable study notes, great for quick 15-minute study sessions. Recite the cards until you can remember the ideas without looking.

Tune out. Half the time we study with the radio blasting or the TV taking up our attention. Instead, isolate yourself and study where you will give the subject ALL of your attention

Use the force. Since you are forced to do your homework anyway (nobody does that stuff because it’s fun), use it as an opportunity to test yourself. Try to answer questions without looking at notes or the book. This is good test practice.

Avoid the cram clan. You know those people who frantically try to memorize their notes with other students minutes before the test. Cram sessions are more confusing and stressful than they are helpful.

Links

http://www.how-to-study.com