What is your study habit grade?

It is time for the final Study Tipping Tuesday of the semester! 

And it won’t be long before you find yourself logging onto your college’s web site, entering in your password, and opening up that link that posts those ominous words:

Final grades.

But while grades are obviously important, the bigger picture is that grades and courses are meant to help you develop positive habits of study and thinking that you can take with you the rest of your life. 

So while you can’t open that web page with your final grades just yet, you can see how you did this semester when it comes to developing those positive study habits.

And since Study Tipping Tuesday will be on hiatus until the fall semester (lots of other exciting things to come in the summer, though), let’s see how you did with your study habits. 

Review the questions below and honestly evaluate yourself. Your answers to these questions will correlate pretty well with your final grades. 

• Did you work on your core? 
• Did you get organized and build a filing system?
• Did you overcome the all-nighter and make the most of your early mornings?
• Did you prepare your presentations?
• Did you build a task list?
• Did you make test review work for you?
• Was time on your side?
• Did you work on developing the little habits?

And as you look back on this semester and look forward to the next, I hope you'll commit to improving your study habits every day. 

Because success requires continuous effort. 

And you deserve that success – so get pumped up and go get it!

And if you haven’t yet, get revved up for your final exams :) 

Revving up for finals

It's exam time! (did you just groan? It's okay...we've all been there). But exam time means it's time to shine in your classes for one last time before you go on break. 

Exams typically cause the universal student-groan because they takes work. Often a lot of work; but doing exams right means the difference between stressful work that leads to mediocre grades and an invigorating, albeit challenging, workload that leaves you feeling satisfied after an exam-well-done.

So below are three tips to ensure your exam time is a satisfying acceleration and not a crash and burn.

Study Tipping Tuesday - Exam Edition 

1. Study by yourself first - then engage in a study group a few days before the exam to review and test what you know.

Getting ready for a test is like getting ready for any performance. Musicians have to practice by themselves - then they get together to rehearse as a band (I admit, all I know about being in a band comes from what I learned from Jesse and the Rippers on Full House, but, I consider them an authentic source). 

I danced in high school and a little bit in college and it worked the same way. If I didn’t work on the choreography by myself, I was constantly distracted by what others knew, copying their movements, and not really knowing if the movements were ingrained into my brain/body. 

Then when I came back to dance with the team, I could see where I still needed to work, and where I was good to go. 

Groups are for review – they should test what you already know. So study on your own and use that study group time as a stress-free session with friends to go over the test material.

2. Create your own practice tests.

Okay I know, why would you create another test to take? I promise you - this is the single best thing you can do to ensure satisfying exam grades and a focused and engaged study-time.

Creating your own practice tests helps you engage with the material, anticipate what's going to be on the test, and gives you an opportunity to test yourself and see what you still need to focus on. 

There are tons of ways to approach this.

You can start with learning any terms you have to know for the test. Quizlet is a great tool for that – and it has an app you can use on your phone.

I also suggest making some practice multiple choice and short answer questions – they can help you flesh out what a real test might look like. Here are some more tips for creating a practice test.  

3. Study a little bit every day, never more than 50 minutes at a time, taking 10-minute breaks every hour.

The worst mistake students make when it comes to exams is all-nighters. Start studying for exams now. It will help you maintain your grades and your sanity.  

If you're relying on caffeine to get you through exam time then you aren't doing it right. It should definitely be a challenge, but it shouldn't break you down or cause you immense stress.  

Because never forget – you control what you know, how you prepare, and how you will do – you just have to take the steps to make sure that you stay in control, and get started early. Don't let the exams control you. 

And most importantly – on behalf of everyone who misses summer vacation – finish the year on a high-note so that you can enjoy that feeling when you turn in your last exam with the unique confidence and satisfaction that comes from knowing you got a good grade -- and knowing that you earned it.   

Good luck!

Strengthening your core (classes)

Study Tipping Tuesday

Strengthening your core (classes) 

Raise your hand if you’ve ever asked yourself (or someone else) this question:

Why do I have to take this class if my major is [insert your major here]?

Quite a few of you I see. ;)

The “what is the point of gen eds” question is something I hear all the time. 

I am not a curriculum specialist, but I do know that within every gen-ed (and yes, sometimes buried way deep) are the skills that will be required of you to reach your dream career.  And if those skills aren't where they need to be now, it is time to sharpen them at this early stage.  

So there is a way to check yourself right now and see how you are matching up. Below is a screen shot of a really basic chart I created for you to help you think about how you are doing right now in preparing for your major and future career based on your core classes (you can download the chart by clicking the down arrow in the box at the bottom of the post). 

It is vital to examine your strengths and weaknesses every semester so that you can reassess your major and your goals, and then plan your future schedule accordingly. 

The first step is to think about your major and your dream job. If you could do anything in the world with the major you're pursuing - what would it be? (If you're still undecided, I recommend starting with a simple find a major test). 

Then, open up your unofficial transcript on your student center and start assessing yourself. What skills used in each gen-ed are required in your dream job? The most common skills gen-eds develop are: critical thinking, analytical thinking, problem-solving, communication, social awareness, writing, speaking, etc. 

For example, if you plan on pursuing a career in law or political science, but are struggling in English or speech, you need to address those issues immediately, because those subjects are vital to that career path. 

The same goes for engineering or a STEM-field job – if you are struggling in math or science, you need to get help now or adjust accordingly. 

If you're not sure - start researching by looking up the job online and (the best) talking to someone in that job. 

Unfortunately too many people wait to assess themselves until they're feeling lost and overwhelmed and directionless. Do not wait until you have finished 60 credits to realize you don’t enjoy or excel in the classes required of your desired degree.

And flex your core - if you want to excel in a career that expects you to use communication skills to thrive, expect yourself to excel in those courses right now and accept nothing less. 

The same is true for any subject - you can't expect success if you don't expect yourself to work in pursuit of that goaly, always evaluating and adjusting to your strengths and sharpening your weaknesses.

And of course always remember that a class not playing a vital role in your future job is no excuse for futility - you will carry your GPA with you into your transfer process and any scholarship or leadership opportunity you apply for; expect excellence from yourself and fulfill that expectation every day, with joy. 

You deserve the opportunity to chase your dreams - make sure you use that opportunity to the fullest. Even, or rather, especially in the early stages.

Happy flexing ;)

To read more about Isa's personal story & how you can build relationships to: make positive friends, be more successful in academics and work, find the right people to connect with, and access the hidden job market, grab a FREE e-copy of the first chapter of Community College Success: How to Finish with Friends, Scholarships, Internships, and the Career of Your Dreams! Claim your free copy on the Facebook page! Or if you're just amazing - you can buy your paperback or Kindle copy on Amazon.com right now :) 

Take my early morning challenge

It's Study Tipping Tuesday, and today I've got a study challenge for you.

Your challenge, if you choose to accept it, is to take your alarm clock, phone alarm, trained pet rooster, bugle player, or whatever else wakes you up...

...and tell it to wake you up at 5:45 AM. 

Crickets. 

You still here? Awesome. Now let's get down to the why. 

Here is why I know this challenge can help you: 

Staying up ridiculously late, having to pull all-nighters, and not experiencing the hours in which the drive-thru still serves breakfast are all propagated as stereotypes of college students.

And while I think its important to have a social life at night (it is part of the college experience) and I understand that work is going to go late at times, extreme late night desperate studying is just not as productive or healthy.   

I never studied later than eight o’clock when I was in college. Even on nights when I had to work. 

Why? Because late at night homework had a lot of competition - sleepiness, social media, fav TV shows, late-night delirium, and friends asking me to hang out. 

You know when you are never going to have to turn down a friend to hang out because you have to study? At 5:45 AM.

You aren’t losing sleep – you are losing distractions.

I think you will be surprised at how energized you will find yourself when you begin to utilize those early morning hours.

And (although your body and mind will have the function of a zombie at first) you can learn to adjust to the early morning routine; you just have to force yourself to make that first step and get your body used to it.


People ask me how I was able to write a book while having a full-time job, speaking, and getting a Master's degree. And I have the same answer every time - I woke up at 5:30 AM almost every morning this past year. Waking up early literally made my dreams possible, and it can make yours possible too. 

There are small steps to take as well:


Eat breakfast. Understand that an early morning might require more sleep at night or a built in nap during the day. Exercise to get your brain moving. 

Don’t just wake up and vegitate for three hours. I’m challenging you to get moving earlier – get up, start your morning routine, and use the extra hours in a valuable way.

Use those morning hours to get your work done – review your notes, work on your homework, write that paper that has been waiting for you. 

Even if your first class is at 8:30 AM, you are giving yourself a few extra hours to get your work done – hours that don’t have to be squeezed in on afternoons when your boss is calling you to come into work or your friends are calling you to hang out. 

And it is amazing how much more ready for the day I am when I wake up that early - it provides the chance to focus on what is really important to you that day. 

When you give yourself a few hours to focus and work in the morning before class, you'll show up to class more engaged and focused, already feeling accomplished, rather than thinking about how much you'd like to go back to sleep. 

So I want you to give it a try. I double-dog dare you ;)


Wake up at 5:45 AM – get some work done, eat some breakfast, exercise, and be ready for your first class.

(And remember, you can always work in a power-nap later in the day if you need to.)

How to ace your presentations

Study Tipping Tuesday

How to ace your presentations

Today’s study tip revolves around one of every college student’s "favorite" things – presentations! ;)

This is such a huge concept with so many tips; and since a lot of presentations are given in the middle of the semester, I’m going to take the next few Tuesdays to unpack the skills needed to increase the A’s and decrease the anxiety when it comes to giving presentations in front of the class.

I’m going to take you through my entire A+ presentation process that has helped me and will help you create and give presentations that are fun, interesting, easy, and most of all - engaging!

The first step, however, is to focus on the basics.

When you get the assignment to create a presentation, read the assignment. Read it carefully and answer these questions to yourself (either in your head or in writing – just be sure to do it):

1. What is the core message I am going to present?
2. How is the professor measuring my success?
3. Why aspects of this core information is best shared in a presentation?
4. What can I do to “wow” the audience while staying directly on-topic?

The worst mistake students make is getting off-track from the very beginning. Too many just throw too many words or too many images/animations on slides and then read from note cards – often missing the main point.

So after you answer these questions open Word first (not PowerPoint) and create an outline. Do the research and document any specific quotes or sources you’d like to use in your presentation. And then type out everything that you think you want to present about, relating to the main topic. 

The early process you go through for a presentation should be very similar to that of an essay. You need to brainstorm your ideas and then focus them on your key points (that will eventually turn into slides).

Once you've asked yourself the questions above and finished your outline you need to ask yourself, would I want to listen to me speak about this? The answer may be “no” initially, but the goal is for you to make that answer “yes.” How do you make your presentation entertaining so that you help your fellow students learn something new and you get an A? I’ll tell you next week! :)

Study Tipping Tuesday – Building a Practice Multiple-Choice Test for Review

It's Tuesday – which means it is time for some more study tips for the week :)

As I've mentioned in previous posts, one of the most effective ways to study is to create a practice test. So I thought I'd share an easy way to create one. Because remember creating the practice test itself is just as effective (if not more so) than actually taking it. 

There are a few practice test methods that I'll eventually share, and I'd like to start with the multiple-choice.

In education, one of the most effective methods to learn something is to associate it with its meaning and differentiate it from what it isn't -- a logical, but incorrect answer (i.e. what can sometimes feel like a "trick" question on a test but is really there to make you think hard). It's called a “non-example.” By building your own questions, you allow yourself to interact with the material on a deeper level by defining terms and non-examples. 

Okay, are you ready? Here's what to do: 

First, choose key details from the sections that you are reviewing; for example, focus on things that you may have highlighted during your reading. 

Next, try to think about the kind of questions that could be associated with that topic. There are generally two types of MC questions.

The first type is usually easier to answer – those questions that simply require you to distinguish between definitions. 

When creating these questions, the rules are simple: generate a sample question, providing the correct answer as one option.

Then choose terms that are related to or similar to the correct answer – terms that have something to do with the correct choice but have a distinguishing characteristic. Have fun and be sneaky about it. Pretend you're a professor trying to "trick" students (i.e. really trying to make them think hard). 

Use those answers to build the incorrect multiple-choice answers for the question. 

As you do this you will be thinking deeply about the term and how it is different from other closely related examples. This will dig it deep into your brain, ready to recall come study time. 

The second type of question you'll want to develop – the more common – and difficult – is the example-based question. 

The process for you will be exactly the same.  

The only difference is you'll be dealing with the practical application of theories instead of definitions. For example, in most psychology, science, and business classes professors will ask you to apply theories, postulations, or laws to a set of circumstances. 

So, in order to simulate this, you'll work towards understanding the theory enough to predict what type of question could be asked with it and what mistakes could be made. This takes practice.

For example, if you are studying gas laws in chemistry, you'd want to generate a sample question that will require you to go through the process of applying those laws to a situation correctly. 

Come up with a scenario and choose the correct theory application. Then, start to build non-examples that show the incorrect steps in the process – or an incorrect interpretation of that theory or concept. In the chemistry example, your incorrect  choices might be an instance of applying a different gas law, or a non-example where you skip or misplace a step in the process or formula. 

Again, the purpose here is very focused (and very effective). 

Studying isn’t just preparing for correct answers. It is preparing to be able to see why the incorrect answers shouldn’t be chosen. 

This isn’t always easy at first. It shouldn’t be. If this process was always easy, professors wouldn’t be able to challenge their students. And everyone would get 100's on their tests. 

But, once you start analyzing the way that questions can be formatted – rather than flipping through definitions on flashcards or thinking that staring with dead-eyes down at your books counts as studying – you can build your preparedness and confidence (and test scores) to new heights you might not even realize are possible. 

And remember, the goal isn’t to get a “C” or even a “B” on a test. The goal is a to get a perfect score. The 100%.

Because you can.

It's not about perfection. But trying your hardest is about always striving for perfection, knowing that your self-worth lies in the striving itself. 


So strive. Create multiple choice questions. Make your study time stimulating and valuable. And then maybe even trade tests with your friends to see if you can "trick" them ;)