Just because you’re in grad school doesn’t mean you’ll be an expert in every grad school class you take. Maybe you’ve been in the corporate world and have forgotten how to play the academic game. Perhaps your success as a college student was mainly due to your good test-taking or essay-writing skills, and you managed to graduate despite your tendencies to skip class or pay attention. However, grad school is another level entirely, and you have to do your best during class to survive. Here are some tips on what you can do if you’re having trouble in a grad school class.
Choose your seat wisely.
Don’t set yourself up for failure by sitting at the back of class with all the other students constantly texting and being late. Do yourself a favor by sitting up front, making sure the teacher knows who you are and increasing your chances of paying attention. You should sit with people you know won’t distract you, since you’ll need to pay close attention in every grad school class.
Take master notes.
Even if you won’t be going over your notes later, you’re giving yourself an assignment during class that involves listening to the teacher. If you intend to study your notes, be sure to take the time to organize your work to make it easier to find later.
Have a snack.
There is nothing wrong with eating in a graduate class. Just make sure this doesn’t bother your teacher and that you’re quiet enough to be polite to other students. Giving your brain and body a little boost during a boring lecture can do wonders for your retention and memory later on. A hidden benefit is the management of your time; You are saving time eating and learning!
Ask questions.
Asking questions produces several benefits. First of all, asking questions forces you to listen to what your teacher is saying. Also, you are more likely to retain the information because you are an active participant in the grad school class lecture. Eventually, your professor will believe that you really care about your course (whether or not this really is the case).
Make friends.
Having connections in the graduate school class is invaluable to your education. For example, if you have to miss a day of class, you can ask the other students you’ve gotten to know for any material you missed. Meeting other students is another factor that will encourage you to attend each class. Also, friends can become study partners later on; Getting to know the students in each class is also one of our networking tips.