College Study Groups Help Students Succeed

By Katherine Ferrer

     Beginning a new school year is always somewhat intimidating yet exciting. However, after the first test or even after the first quiz, students begin to lose motivation in their studies. A study done by CBE Life Science Education found that almost 14 percent of students always use study groups, while 55 percent of students have never used a study group. These numbers show that students are willing to learn through study groups, yet they may be too shy or too busy to become involved in one.

     Tips from The Huffington Post have found that study groups help students divide and conquer work and reduce their workload. A study from Montclair has found that study groups not only avoid procrastination, but they also help students understand the information more effectively and develop new study skills. These few ways of being involved in a study group can tremendously benefit a student who is not doing so well in a class or who just needs more confidence in his or her studies.

     Starting a study group can be very intimidating, but after stepping up and asking others to be in a study group with you, it will pay off quickly. One way to begin a study group is to pick willing participants. After you establish your study group, the next step is to exchange methods of communication with the other people in your group. Finally, to get your group started, you will need to establish a location to study. These few steps not only help students become acquainted with other students, but it helps to begin the semester with studying and learning the material better and easier.

     From personal experience, I have found that forming study groups helps others gain different perspectives, and they also help students make new friends. One advantage to being in a study group is that it ensures you are learning the correct material, and if you and your colleagues stumble upon an unanswered question, you will know that you are not the only one who is facing it. Furthermore, it helps students manage their time, either personally or professionally. Being in a study group is not necessarily a goal to compete, but it does give students some incentive to do better than the other students in their group.

     In all, study groups help keep students focused in their studies. Being involved in a study group helps students learn and understand the material more effectively. With no question, students who are not involved in a study group should be because it will only help better their educational skills, and it will help them gain confidence in fields that they did not even think would help them.