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What are some of the ways of succeeding in college? Do we have to study at all times or is there an effective way of doing that (how many hours)?

Your question is a very broad one.  As a college graduate that struggled during my undergraduate, my advice to your question would be to find out what works best for you.  I say that with hope that you will actually try different study techniques and evaluate if they did you any good or not.  It is frustrating as a teacher to see students fail at a particular study method, (say highlighting text and then re-reading highlights before an exam), and then continue to study the exact same way!  There are a myriad of resources on study habits and techniques for you to try; just see what works!

Most people that found success in college classes will tell you that they found out what worked best for them.  I think that some students find the transition from high school to college difficult because of the different approach most professors take versus high school teachers.  In college, (generally) the student must take more of the responsibility for their learning.  This means that "studying" is not something you do just for exams!  Studying is LEARNING the material.  You have to learn it and KNOW IT.  If you have intimate knowledge of your topic, it makes exams much easier to prepare for.

As to how many hours you need to study, that is up to you.  Some students can simply listen to lectures and make "C"s while others have to review the material 1-2 hours for every hour spent in class.

I hope some of this information helps you!

Having just completed my second master's degree while working full time I have to say, you have to use your time carefully. Don't wait till the last minute to get assignments in, and have them ready with all of the requirements. My rule of thumb is usually three hours of study per hour of class time. You will find that some classes require more and some less.

I think a good rule of thumb is to break down your reading assignments into parts but work on the reading daily. Don't fall behind in your reading or you will regret it.

One more tip I have is to break the tasks down into smaller segments and work on them as you have time. I kept all of my due dates in my planner and it would send me e-mail updates of my deadlines so I wouldn't forget anything.

Remember that your professors have office hours for a reason and give you e-mail addresses so you can communicate with them. Don't be afraid to ask questions, make appointments with your advisor or your instructors, and know there is always tutoring available on campus if you need it.

I hope that helps!

Angie

"Studying all the time" is definitely not the right approach for doing well in college. However, it is worthwhile remembering that while studying in your college your main occupation should be studies. People with regular jobs have to work 40 hours a week. This is the minimum time that one should devote to studies. I believe spending up to 12 hours of a studies a day, including in classroom and outside it, will give you benefits in proportion to the time you spend on it. However more than that tends to lower your ability to learn. It is best to engage in some regular physical and other activities which enables you to relax and go back to your studies refreshed.

The best approach is to study throughout the term rather than intensive periods of studies near the end of term. Also it is a good practice to make your own short notes as you study, and use them for revision. It is best to revise the material you study at periodic intervals such as the next day, after a week, and after a month. Of course revision before tests and exams is also very important.

I approached college with the same attitude as I  had all other education before -- and did not do as well as I had hoped. Partly because I wanted to explore new things, partly because doing everything the same way I had put me in a position of falling behind in classes when something happened (and for many of us "something happened") In my case I wound up blacked out and on the floor three times in a quarter and everyone tested for diabetes until one doc said "You'll think I'm crazy, but I want you to go to the hospital and sleep." Tiurned out I had petite mal epilepsy and had it for years before stress and overload knocked me down.

Grades were always hard to keep up as we spent literally years adjusting medications.

I approached my masters differently: I planned ahead, had the reading lists and books in advance, spent a lot of time pre-reading what I knew would come up and getting it over with before it was assigned so I could study for the tests and write the papers and do the projects without having to spend additional time reading and "studying all the time" and it made a huge difference in the way I was accepted by instructors and by fellow students.

I would suggest a similar attitude to one of my children or any student going to college today. Who knows what your body, the economy, or anything else might dump on you. If you can think ahead and plan ahead like that you will be better off than those who try to cram it all in and those who try to study all the time. You may need the time to work a side job, to learn a skill you never knew about, to experience things you had not done before.