Are study groups effective? More often than not, we are forced to study by ourselves. It isn’t often that you have a friend in the same class as you, and making friends in large classrooms can be difficult, especially finding one you trust enough to study with. However, experts agree that studying by yourself is just not as effective as studying in a group. Typically, the subjects you want to create study groups for are the subjects you aren’t entirely comfortable with. If you don’t know very many people in your group, it can be awkward and embarrassing admitting how little you know about the potential test material.
Don’t be Embarrassed What you don’t realize is that everyone else in your study group is having the same insecurities. No one is perfect, and if they are opting to study in a group there is a chance that they are uncomfortable with some of the study material as well. However, when efforts are combined you can prove just how much you do know by answering their questions, and them answering yours. Everyone gets something different out of a single lecture.
Push the Limit When you study by yourself, you are not able to challenge yourself very much. On the other hand, study groups encourage critical thinking while being cooperative but also competitive. Interacting with others is a good way to see just how much you should be pushing yourself with the course material.
No Distractions Eliminate the things that would typically distract you, such as friends or Facebook. When you have organized as a group for a shared cause, none of you have much time to waste. You are all on a schedule based on everyone else in the group’s schedule. Get down to business as soon as you meet, and stay on track the whole time. Study groups are only as effective as the people that make them up. If your classmates are a bunch of goof-offs, you might not get anything done. Instead, invite people that inspire you and motivate you to do better. If you don’t know anyone in the class,
choose the people that you can tell are paying attention, even if it means they are constantly asking questions.
Too Many Members Be careful of inviting too many people to your study group, though. If there are too many opinions it can get out of hand, with no one able to agree about what the right answer to a question is or how to solve a certain problem. This can waste more time than you might studying by yourself and justifying your procrastination. On College Campuses all over from Nampa to Miami, more and more students are beginning to realize the importance and effectiveness of working in study groups. Not only does it save lots of time, studies have shown that on average, students that study with at least one other person score higher test grades. Don’t let your pride or your fear get in the way of getting the highest score possible for yourself.
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