Strategies for Academic
Success
Jackie Rautio
Grand Valley State University
How do you
define Success
as a Student?
Successful students:
 Have Good Study Habits
 Understands themselves as learners
 Are persistent
 Learn from their mistakes
 Are willing to ask for help
 Find an internal/personal reason to learn
material
 Set goals and put the necessary time and
effort toward them.

Different types of learning
styles:
 Visual – learn best by seeing and
visualizing
 Auditory – learn best by hearing
 Kinesthetic – learn best by doing
 Reading & Writing –often associated
with visual learning
 Mixed Modality Learning Style
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1. learn with a little of all styles – no strong
preference, or can easily adjust to the situation
2. Need to use all 4 types of styles
Visual learners
 Keen sense of visual media and art
 Remember information presented in pictures
or diagrams
 Strong visualization skills. They can look up
and ‘see’ the information
 Make ‘movies in their minds’ of the
information they are reading
 Pay close attention to the body language of
others (facial expressions, eyes, stance, etc.)
Study tips for visual learners
 Avoid visual distractions in study environment
 Use colors often when studying
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Note – the brain remembers Red the longest.
Draw maps, charts, diagrams
Use bright colored ‘sticky notes’ Post where
you will see them often.
Create flash cards with colored pens
Turn your notes into mind maps
Watch the teacher
Draw pictures and symbols
Look at diagrams and pictures in textbooks
Use whiteboards
Example of
mind-mapping
Characteristics of auditory
learners
 Accurately remember details of
important information from
conversations or lectures
 Have strong language skills and a
well-developed vocabulary
 Often have an interest in music as
they can hear tones, rhythms and
individual notes
Auditory
 Avoid auditory distractions
 Talk about what you are learning
 Study in groups
 Repeat material out loud when studying
 Read textbooks out loud
 Use rhymes and songs to learn
 Make auditory tapes of important information
 Use flashcards – recite the answers out loud
 Ask questions
Characteristics of kinesthetic
learners
 Work well with their hands
 Are often well coordinated and have
a good sense of timing
 Learn by movement
 Often wiggle/tap feet or move their
legs when seated
Tactile/Kinesthetic Study Tips
 Walk around or pace when memorizing
 Find a safe/non distracting “fidget” tool
 Try studying when laying on your back or
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stomach or in a comfortable chair
Study with music
Use your favorite color to highlight
Make games out of learning material
Use flashcards actively
Vary your activities
Write/type lists or information over and over
Use whiteboards and markers
Short intense study periods
Characteristics of read/write
learners
 Like lists and words and often use
“To Do” lists
 Remember information that is
displayed as words
 Like reading and writing
Read/Write Study Tips
 Take notes as you read
 Rewrite ideas into other words
 Use dictionaries and make
flashcards to remember vocabulary
 Write things out again and again
 Re-read things (silently)
 Write out the steps for solving
problems
Multi-Modal
 Some multi-modal learners choose a
single mode to suit the occasion or
situation.
 There are others who are not satisfied
until they have had input (or output) in all
of their preferred modes. They take
longer to gather information from each
mode and, as a result, they often have a
deeper and broader understanding.
Test taking Strategies
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Be Prepared – there is no substitute
Study material over several days.
Take a deep breath before the test and
think positively.
Read the test over before starting, pay
attention to how many points each
section is worth.
Answer the questions you know first
and then go back to the ones you don’t
know.
Test Taking Strategies cont
6. Read each question all the way
through before answering.
7. For multiple choice questions:
1.
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Try to answer the questions yourself before
you look at the answers.
First eliminate the obviously wrong answers
and then make your choice from the
remaining ones.
Read the question with the answer in it to
see if it makes sense.
Test-taking strategies cont
8. True/False questions: make sure both
parts of the statement are true and
related.
9. Short answer/essay:
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Jot notes as soon as you get the test to
keep focused and remember.
Just write the key points
Make sure you answer the question.
Test Taking Strategies cont.
10. Don’t panic if you draw a blank, try to
relax and recall what you know about
the subject.
11. If you have time, review the test before
turning it in to make sure you have
answered all the questions.
12. Keep things in perspective.
Some thoughts about test anxiety
 Some anxiety is okay – it helps motivate us to
do our best.
 When anxiety gets in the way:
 What is the stressor?
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Fear of failing
Parental disapproval
Self-pressure
Lack of preparation
Difficulty of material
 Remember that your grade on a test is not a
measure of your worth as a person. It is a
measure of your performance in one class on
one day.
General Study Strategies
 Find a study environment that works best for you.
 Schedule regular study time and keep it.
 Study in short blocks of time and take breaks
 Study the most difficult subject first
 Look at the rubric before, during and after the project
 Keep track of your grades and progress.
 Learn from your mistakes on tests and assignments.
 Edit all papers for grammar and spelling.
 Ask for support from your friends and family.
 Reward yourself for work well done!
Thank you!