 Choose instructors who favor active learning. The more you’re asked to participate in class, the more you’ll enjoy learning. Ask upper-class students who these instructors are.

 Assess how you learn best. Discover learning style theory, which suggests that we are all individuals with differing approaches to the world around us, the information we receive, the decisions we make, the way we choose to live. Perhaps you’ll understand why you hate math and love English, whereas your best friend is just the other way around, and you’ll learn how to accommodate for your weaker learning preferences.
 Improve your reading, note-taking, and study habits. Starting with a time management plan, make every minute of every day count. Master the most effective methods for reading textbooks, listening and taking notes in class, studying for exams, and using information sources on campus. If your campus has an academic skills center, visit it whenever you need help with your studies.
 Develop critical thinking skills. Challenge and ask why. Seek dependable information to prove your point. Look for unusual solutions to ordinary problems. Never accept something as fact simply because you found it on the Internet or someone tells you it’s true. And don’t be swayed by your emotions when your logical thinking powers are at work.
 Improve your writing. Instructors – and employers – want people who can think and write. Learn to rehearse your thoughts, put them on paper, and revise them till they sing! Remember, the more you write, the better