1. You think you deserve an A but you always get a B.
If you study and study but you are consistently disappointed by your test results, you probably need to change the way you study. A partner will come up with new strategies that incorporate active study. The more active you are, the more information you remember during test time.
If you study and study but you are consistently disappointed by your test results, you probably need to change the way you study. A partner will come up with new strategies that incorporate active study. The more active you are, the more information you remember during test time.
A partner might give you another edge. He or she may have a better knack for thinking like the teacher and predicting test questions.
We all have different strengths, so two heads are better than one when it comes to preparing for exams.
2. You study for hours and still can’t retain the information well enough to ace the exams.
One of the most effective methods for retaining information is using practice exams. It just stands to reason that practice exams will be more effective if you don’t write the questions and answers yourself!
You and your partner can create practice questions and quiz each other. Flash cards are more effective when used with a study partner, as well.
3. You have forgotten about a scheduled test.
There’s nothing worse than showing up for class and realizing it’s test day and you’re totally unprepared! When you have a good communication agreement with a supportive study partner, you can rely on each other to send reminders when tests are approaching.
4. You procrastinate and start every project at the last minute.
Oddly, we tend to be OK about letting ourselves down when we slack off, but we tend to feel really bad about letting down a friend.
You will be less likely to procrastinate if it means disappointing your partner.
We can all use some extra motivation now and then. You and your study partner can motivate each other. Yare less likely to procrastinate when you have somebody else relying on you for their success.
5. Your class notes don’t make much sense when you read back over them after class.
This happens all the time. You may think you’re taking terrific notes as you listen to the math lecture, but then you get home and you have no idea how to repeat a process, and your notes don’t help a bit.
When you study with a partner, you can compare notes and fill in the missing parts. You can benefit from the strength of your partner, and your partner can benefit from your strengths.
6. You forget to bring your finished homework to school with you.
Another nightmare scenario: you spend hours on an assignment and forget to take it to school with you!
You can set up a reminder system with your partner to work as a safety net. Share a Google Calendar (or similar) and note every task and due date. You and your partner can keep an eye on each other and send a quick text if a project or a paper is due.
7. You’ve messed up on an assignment because you didn’t understand the instructions.
It is easy to misunderstand or misread a teacher’s instructions. But it’s unlikely that two people could make the same mistake. If you get together with your partner and realize you have two very different ideas about an assignment, you can check with the teacher. Without this checks and balances system, one of you would have blown the assignment!
8. You struggle with fill in the blank questions.
Fill in the blank questions are challenging. Again, it’s best to study with a pre-test, and a study partner can help you do this. This is important if you have a teacher who likes to use fill-in questions.
Each of you can write five sentences using key words from your readings, leaving the key word blank. Then swap papers and see if you can fill in the blank space with the correct term. You’ll find that you are able to predict many of the questions that appear on your exam.
9. You forget to write down assignments so you can't do the work.
What student hasn’t forgotten to write down the assigned page numbers for a reading assignment? If you can’t ask your teacher, you are clueless about what to read!
It is so important to have somebody to call or text if you need to ask questions about an assignment the night before it’s due!
10. You have a friend who could use your help.
If you have a good friend who struggles constantly with any of the problems above, maybe you could step in and lend a hand!
If you come up with a study partner agreement, you can both benefit. Everybody wins!
We all have different strengths, so two heads are better than one when it comes to preparing for exams.
2. You study for hours and still can’t retain the information well enough to ace the exams.
One of the most effective methods for retaining information is using practice exams. It just stands to reason that practice exams will be more effective if you don’t write the questions and answers yourself!
You and your partner can create practice questions and quiz each other. Flash cards are more effective when used with a study partner, as well.
3. You have forgotten about a scheduled test.
There’s nothing worse than showing up for class and realizing it’s test day and you’re totally unprepared! When you have a good communication agreement with a supportive study partner, you can rely on each other to send reminders when tests are approaching.
4. You procrastinate and start every project at the last minute.
Oddly, we tend to be OK about letting ourselves down when we slack off, but we tend to feel really bad about letting down a friend.
You will be less likely to procrastinate if it means disappointing your partner.
We can all use some extra motivation now and then. You and your study partner can motivate each other. Yare less likely to procrastinate when you have somebody else relying on you for their success.
5. Your class notes don’t make much sense when you read back over them after class.
This happens all the time. You may think you’re taking terrific notes as you listen to the math lecture, but then you get home and you have no idea how to repeat a process, and your notes don’t help a bit.
When you study with a partner, you can compare notes and fill in the missing parts. You can benefit from the strength of your partner, and your partner can benefit from your strengths.
6. You forget to bring your finished homework to school with you.
Another nightmare scenario: you spend hours on an assignment and forget to take it to school with you!
You can set up a reminder system with your partner to work as a safety net. Share a Google Calendar (or similar) and note every task and due date. You and your partner can keep an eye on each other and send a quick text if a project or a paper is due.
7. You’ve messed up on an assignment because you didn’t understand the instructions.
It is easy to misunderstand or misread a teacher’s instructions. But it’s unlikely that two people could make the same mistake. If you get together with your partner and realize you have two very different ideas about an assignment, you can check with the teacher. Without this checks and balances system, one of you would have blown the assignment!
8. You struggle with fill in the blank questions.
Fill in the blank questions are challenging. Again, it’s best to study with a pre-test, and a study partner can help you do this. This is important if you have a teacher who likes to use fill-in questions.
Each of you can write five sentences using key words from your readings, leaving the key word blank. Then swap papers and see if you can fill in the blank space with the correct term. You’ll find that you are able to predict many of the questions that appear on your exam.
9. You forget to write down assignments so you can't do the work.
What student hasn’t forgotten to write down the assigned page numbers for a reading assignment? If you can’t ask your teacher, you are clueless about what to read!
It is so important to have somebody to call or text if you need to ask questions about an assignment the night before it’s due!
10. You have a friend who could use your help.
If you have a good friend who struggles constantly with any of the problems above, maybe you could step in and lend a hand!
If you come up with a study partner agreement, you can both benefit. Everybody wins!
