College is almost nothing like high school.
Aside from the fact that you are getting an education, pretty much nothing in college is the same as high school.
You don’t HAVE to go to class, nobody yells at you for being late, and nobody nags you about doing your work.
Your grade could plummet, and you would never know unless you were paying close attention. However, there are a couple of ways to ensure your knowledge and earn higher grades
Communicate.
Having friends in a class is an invaluable tool. Study with them, do homework with them, and exchange notes.
Not only is it much less boring to study with a friend, but they may be able to teach you things you don’t know or catch you up on items you may have missed.
TA’s are also very helpful as they know exactly what to expect on exams. Your professors will usually be very helpful as well. If you come to them with a problem, they will most likely help you out.
Tutoring groups.
See what kind of services are offered in your area.
There may be tutoring groups offered by the college, or for charge at a downtown location. You may be able to hire a private tutor if you can afford it as well. Ask your tutoring center for resources.
I found many exam reviews helpful in classes, as the entire curriculum would be overviewed in a 4 hour period with extra practice problems given out as well. Certain departments may offer reviews for exams as well.
Internet.
Google (and let’s be serious, Wikipedia) is your best friend. If you don’t know something, Google it.
Sometimes typing entire questions into Google will lead you to questions already asked on different websites or through Yahoo Answers or a similar Q&A forum.
YouTube even has many series explaining concepts in different subjects. The internet, along with the find function (control F on PCs, command F on Macs), is a powerful learning tool.
YouTube has great tutorials/videos on many subjects, but especially biology. If you aren’t sure how the Potassium-Sodium Pump works, there is a YouTube video for that (and many more like it).
Get in the zone.
Many people have trouble studying. In fact, I used to have an awfully hard time studying, and would only make productive use of one out of every four hours.
If you find yourself distracted, try eliminating the sources.
If it’s facebook, block facebook and other addicting sites on your computer. Clean off your work area, leaving only things important to your studying.
Try studying at different places or different times. Vary things up until you feel focused and ready to roll.
