9 Study Tips for Successful Online Learning 

Congratulations on enrolling in the University of Cincinnati Online to start the next chapter of your life. As you know, UC Online makes it easy to obtain your degree while you’re hard at work on your career. We know our online students are busy, active, and career-focused, and you don’t have time to come to campus to take classes or study.

So, now that you’re finding yourself both taking online classes and studying off-campus (though of course, you’re welcome to come to campus any time!), you’ll need to learn the best practices for both being a successful online college student as well as how to maintain successful study habits.

Successful study habits are key to becoming a success in your chosen degree path. To help you on your journey, we’ve pulled together 10 study tips for college that are sure to set you on the right path to earning your degree through the University of Cincinnati Online.

9 Study Habits for College Success

1. Make a schedule/routine. Just like you know when you will attend classes according to your class schedule, you should also make a note of when you will study. Don’t leave study time to chance. If you know you’re at your most attentive in the morning, then that’s when you should focus your energies on school. The same goes for the evenings. Knowing you have a set routine will set you up for success because you’ll know when you’re going to study and how.
2. Get organized. It won’t benefit you to set aside a two-hour block of time to study in the morning if you spend the first 30 minutes looking for a notebook, a pen, a computer file, or even a good wifi signal. Make sure you know where and how to access everything you’ll need for each class so you can find it easily and maximize your study time.
3. Take notes. Again, the more you expose yourself to the class material, the better chance you have of retaining it when test time comes! Taking notes (whether longhand or typewritten) helps you to focus on the task at hand and can even boost your comprehension of the coursework. Don’t skip this important study tip.
4. Minimize distractions. Oh, distractions. We live in a world of so many distractions. When you only have a few precious hours in which to focus on your studies, it’s of utmost importance that you minimize as many distractions as possible. This means silencing your phone (or even putting it in a different room), staying off social media while on your computer (or turning off the Internet if you are studying printed notes), and asking anyone in your household to respect your study time and to not interrupt you.
5. Carve out a place to study that’s all your own. It won’t do you any good to try to minimize your distractions if you are trying to study in your family’s living room or a crowded restaurant. Try to study in a room where you can close a door or go to a quiet coffee shop and use headphones or earplugs if necessary. Return to the same place as often as possible and use it only for studying for online classes.
6. Have a study plan. Now that you know where to study and at what time is best for you to study, you should also know what to study. Draft a plan at the beginning of the semester using your course syllabus as a guide so you know when all assignments, quizzes, tests, and group projects are going to occur.
   Work backward from that schedule and use discipline to study and work toward those course milestones.
7. Ask questions of classmates/professors when necessary. As an online student, you’ll have just as much access to your peers and teachers as on-campus students, because our classes are very interactive. While studying, have your classmates’ and professors’ contact information handy. If you have questions on an assignment, you can reach out for further clarification without wasting study time trying to find their information. Speaking to your classmates and professors also helps you connect better with your class, and can help you to leave a good impression on them as a serious student.
8. Take breaks. If you find yourself going over and over the same sentence and wasting time, unable to focus, take that as a signal that it’s time for a break. Step away from your study space, stretch, do a breathing exercise, go outside, take a short walk, or even meditate with an app. Breaks as small as five minutes can really be a boost to your concentration in the long run.
9. Make sure your bodily needs are met (restroom breaks, snack breaks). On the flip side, if you want to minimize distractions during study time for your UC Online Degree, try to go into your designated study time-space having already gone to the bathroom, had a meal or snack, and have a drink at the ready if you know you get thirsty as you study.

How Attending University of Cincinnati Online Can Aid Your Study Habits

UC Online has an entire cohort of online students who have gone before you and are also attending online classes (virtually) beside you. They have found and are finding success in their program by utilizing all that the University of Cincinnati Online has to offer, including:

• • Online flexibility
  • Online library
  • Professor availability and dedication

• Career coaching
• Dedicated support team (academic advisor and Student Success Coordinator)
• The ability to work on your timeline
• Online student resources

Ready to get started on your degree? Apply today!