Falling behind can be very easy because the pace of college classes is very fast and the demands from juggling multiple classes can be very challenging. Doing what you can to not fall behind is important for two reasons.
First, many classes will teach material that builds on the information previous provided. For example, chapter two is built on concepts and terminology introduced in chapter one. When this is the case, if you do not completely understand chapter one, it may be difficult for you to keep up when you get to chapter two. Math, science, and business are examples of the classes that typically utilize a structure where the material continues to build.
Another reason to not fall behind is that it can have an impact on your performance on exams. The reason why is that if you fall behind the pace of the class, you will either need to catch up at some point or you will stay behind. If you get on a schedule where you are playing catch up, it is likely that your studying will not coincide with the lecture where the material is being discussed, which will decrease what you are able to get out of the lectures.
In addition, if you have to catch up, it is likely that you will be trying to absorb the information in a smaller amount of time. This can put you in a less favorable position to grasp and understand the material. This all adds up to a decrease in the ability to get the best possible scores on an exam.
Below are some college tips that can help you to prevent falling behind.
Attend class: Missing a class is the easiest way to fall behind. Not only do you miss valuable lecture discussion on the subject, but you can miss assignments as well.
Read the material: Reading the material either before or after the class that it is discussed in can help you to stay on pace with the class.
Tutor: If you are attending class and reading the material and still having trouble understanding the material and keeping up, working with a tutor can help keep you on track.
Study groups: Working in study groups with other students in a class will not only allow the group to help each other to understand the information, but it can also help force you to keep up with class by creating accountability between the group members.
Do the assignments: Most textbooks will have questions and problems at the end of each chapter. Some classes have you work through these and some classes don’t. Whether your class makes you work the chapter exercises or not, work through them as this can help you to understand the material and keep up.
Following these tips should help you to stay with the pace of the class, which will have an immediate impact on your academic performance.