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Running head: COLLEGE SUCCESS
Succeeding:
Tips for College Success
Danielle A. Fernandez
Liberty University
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Abstract
In the article titled “Optimizing Learning in College: Tips from Cognitive Psychology,” Putnam,
Sungkhasettee, and Roediger have done research and learned from their own experiences to
provide readers with effective strategies to succeed while in college. First the article will be
summarized to provide an overview and thorough understanding of the topic. The article will
then be evaluated on whether or not it is effective in providing college students with success. The
evaluation focuses on the topics of preparing for class, what to do in class, what to do after class,
how to study effectively, and how to live your life outside of classes. This article is believed to be
effective to succeeding while in college.
Keywords: study skills, succeeding in college, time management, preparing for college
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Succeeding: Tips for College Success
Putnam, A., Sungkhasettee, V., and Roediger, H., drew up research on strategies to
survive in college and came up with “Optimizing Learning in College: Tips from Cognitive
Psychology” (2016). This article is an all-inclusive guide to getting you through college,
whether it be two-years or four. You could even apply some of the tips while still in high school.
The original article has been backed up with research and support from studies done from other
scholarly journal authors. The article by Putnam, A., Sungkhasettee, V., and Roediger, H. is
believed to be effective for providing tips for the reader to help them succeed in college.
Summary of Article
In “Optimizing Learning in College: Tips from Cognitive Psychology” (2016), Putnam,
Sungkhasettee, and Roediger are providing readers with tips and tricks to achieve success while
in college. They provide learning techniques, study strategies, tips for test preparation, and other
strategies, with research and experiences to support those ideas, to optimize your college
experience. The authors are looking at how students are studying, managing their time, and
attending class, and how they should be studying, managing their time, and attending class. They
explain how to use the strategies they are providing for one course, which you can apply to all
courses you may take while enrolled in college. The authors go in order from how you should
prepare before the semester, to preparing for each class, how you should be attending class, how
you should use your time after class, test preparation, and how you should live your life when
you are not in class.
Time management and how-to study are two big areas in which the authors focus. Before
the semester begins, the authors advise that you should purchase your books, read all of the
syllabi, and pick a study place. For class preparation, they advise that you read over the slides the
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professor will use and read the chapters that the professors will be teaching on before class. In
that reading they encourage you to answer the questions you find at the end of the chapters, or if
the book does not provide questions, to formulate your own questions. If time allows it is
suggested that you formulate a summary of your pre-class readings, focusing on the big ideas so
that when you go to class and there is a discussion you may actively participate in it. Once you
are prepared for class, you need to show up to all of your lectures and take notes. They
recommend writing your notes by hand rather than typing them on a computer. After class, you
should go over your notes, by rewriting them and organizing them. Going over your notes and
organizing them helps with studying. The authors suggest that studying a little bit over a long
period of time rather than cramming all of your studying into one night helps you retain
information better. To study for tests, it is suggested that you go back to the notes you made
when you were reading before class and quiz yourself on them; answer the questions that you
asked when you were reading the first time. The last point the authors touch on is how you
should be prioritizing and managing your time outside of classes. They mention ideas such as
putting studying before partying, exercising, and making sure that you are getting enough sleep.
Evaluation of Article
This article is effective in providing research and experience-based tips for college
students. Sure, anyone can go to college, but succeeding is where it is difficult. This article
provides you with successful tips to survive and succeed while in college. “A high achieving
student is usually independent, proactive and possesses the ability to employ learning strategies.
Note taking, time management, and ways of cognitive management of material so as to process it
is very important” (Eniko & Szamoskozi, 2017).
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Time Management
In the article “Optimizing Learning in College: Tips from Cognitive Psychology”
(Putnam, Sungkhasettee, & Roediger, 2016), it was suggested to purchase your books ahead of
time, read all of the syllabi, and pick a study place. The authors of the original article also
suggest going through all of the course calendars and write down the due dates of all assignments
you will have. According to a study done by Alsalem, Alamodi, Hazazi, Jabri, and Albosruor,
students who had better time management skills had a better academic performance than that of
students who did not have time management skills (2017, p. 3048-3049). The better performance
was probably because they managed their time well so that they did not have to stay up late at
night to get assignments done or study (Putnam, Sungkhasettee, & Roediger, 2016). It was
recommended that you purchase a planner or a calendar to track all of your assignments and due
dates. Having all of your due dates written down somewhere that you check regularly helps you
stay on top of assignments. You could also download an app on your smartphone and input all of
your assignments there. I suggest that for people who are tech savvy and don’t like writing things
down. The sooner that you establish good time management skills, the more likely you are to
succeed because it would have become a habit. “Student’s habits and skills in learning contribute
to their academic performance” (Eniko & Szamoskozi, 2017, 46). Be on top of your assignments
and schedule as soon as your professors post the syllabus. In the article, the authors suggest
purchasing your books before the semester begins; however, sometimes there are books on the
course list that the professors end up telling you that you don’t need. You almost never use your
textbooks on the first day of class anyways.
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Preparing for Class
In the article it suggests that you heavily prepare for each class before you attend.
Putnam, Sungkhasettee, and Roediger suggest reading the chapters of what the professor will be
going over in class, before you go to class. Doing this can help you to be familiar with the lecture
material. The authors tell you to answer the comprehension questions before you read the chapter
and while you are reading. While you are doing the reading the authors suggest writing down any
questions you may encounter during your reading. Once you finish reading, if you did not find
your answers, you can either ask about them in class or research them. Doing all of the
preparation before class can be extremely beneficial for success. Since it will not be the first time
you are hearing about or learning the subject you will be able to comprehend the information the
professor is teaching better; therefore, learning and retaining more information (Putnam,
Sungkhasettee, & Roediger, 2016).
What to do While in Class
In the original article the authors suggest to first and foremost, attend class. “Class
attendance is highly correlated with success” (Crede, Roch, & Kieszczynska, 2010). When you
hear material more than once you retain it, so attending class and going over a topic multiple
times will help you learn (Putnam, Sungkhasettee, & Roediger, 2016). While you are in class and
taking notes, it is recommended by the authors of the original article and other supporting
authors to take notes by hand rather than on a computer. It is also suggested to keep your phone
put away. Using a phone and being on social media negatively effects grades (Putnam,
Sungkhasettee, & Roediger, 2016).
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What to do After Class
After class review is something students seldom do. Once class is over, they check out
from that subject and move on to the next. However, Putnam, Sungkhasettee, and Roediger tell
us that you should come back to your notes later in the day (2016). Give your brain a quick
refresh. After all, the more you look at or read something, the more likely you are to be learning
and retaining information. The authors suggest you rewrite your notes from memory, focusing on
the main ideas. This is the one section that was not backed up by research and used more
personal experience from the authors. It’s up to the readers of the article to see what works best
for them.
How to Study Effectively
The authors are giving suggestions on how you should be studying so that you do not
waste time if you are studying ineffectively. Putnam, Sungkhasettee, and Roediger (2016) have
done a thorough job of researching and compiling all of their experiences to make this ‘how-to’
article for people in college. Study skills are methods of acquiring, recording, organizing,
synthesizing, remembering, and using information for ideas (Proctor, Prevatt, Adams, Reaser, &
Petscher, 2006). It is recommended to space your studying out and not cram in all into one study
session.
Lifestyle Outside of Class
How you live outside of class is important. Many students when they are out of class,
they don’t think about it anymore. Students are all about having fun, hanging out with their
friends, and any other activity that can take you away from school. Having fun is important, but
your studies should be your first priority. Exercise and sleep are the two main things mentioned
by Putnam, Sungkhasettee, and Roediger (2016). You should be on a proper sleep schedule, so it
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is guaranteed that you’re getting enough sleep. Sleep deprivation can impair your cognitive
function; therefore, sleep deprivation can affect your attention, focus, and memory (Goel, Rao,
Durmer, & Dinges, 2009)
Conclusion
The article presented many tips and tricks to help someone achieve success while in
school. By preparing for class, knowing what to do in class, what to do after class, how to study
effectively, and how to live your life outside of classes, every student who reads this article
should be prepared to succeed in college. The extra study strategies and tips might seem more
time consuming compared to what the average student does now, but in the long run, the students
who practice these strategies will be thankful. To conclude, students need to practice effective
strategies to succeed in college; therefore, receiving a copy of this article upon starting to attend
school should improve the success of students all over the nation.
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References
Alsalem, W.S.Y., Alamodi, L.A., Hazazi, A.M., Jabri, S.A., & Albosruor, Z.A. (2017). The effect
of time management on academic performance among students of Jazan University.
Egyptian Journal of Hospital Medicine, 69(8), 3042-3049. doi: 10.12816/0042853
Crede, M., Roch, S.G., & Kieszczynska, U.M. (2010). Class attendance in college: A meta-
analytic review of the relationship of class attendance with grades and student
characteristics. Review of Educational Research, 80, 272-295. doi:
10.3102/0034654310362998
Eniko, M. E., & Szamoskozi, I. (2017). Predictors of academic success in college: Actual
learning skills. Transylvanian Journal of Psychology, (1), 43-63. Retrieved from
EBSCOhost
Goel, N., Rao, H., Durmer, J.S., & Dinges, D.F. (2009). Neurocognitive consequences of sleep
deprivation. Seminars in Neurology, 29, 320-339. doi: 10.1055/s-0029-1237117
Proctor, B.E., Prevatt, F.F., Adams, K.S., Reaser, A., Petscher, Y. (2006) Study skills profiles of
normal-achieving and academically-struggling college students. Journal of College and
Student Development, 47(1), 37-51. Retrieved from EBSCOhost
Putnam, A. L., Sungkhasettee, V. W., & Roediger, H. L. (2016). Optimizing learning in college:
Tips from cognitive psychology. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 11(5), 652-660.
doi: 10.1177/1745691616645770
