Teach Your Teen How to Study Before College

"Go study."

We say it all the time.

But what exactly is a teenager supposed to do after walking upstairs?

Many students interpret studying as rereading a chapter, highlighting notes, or staring at a study guide. Those activities can create familiarity without producing strong recall.

Teach students to retrieve information instead.

Read one section and close the book. Write down five things you remember. Answer questions without looking at the notes. Explain a concept aloud. Create flashcards that require an actual answer. Return to difficult material tomorrow instead of trying to learn everything the night before the test.

Then add one more important skill: planning backward.

If the test is Friday, studying shouldn't begin Thursday night. Divide the material across Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, with a short cumulative review each day.

These habits become especially important in college, where students receive far less supervision.

Take-away: "Study harder" isn't a strategy. Teach students exactly how to study, and then give them enough practice to discover which strategies work best for them.

For families who want to teach these habits systematically, The Capable Scholar's Study Skills for the College-Bound Student extends this kind of preparation across an 18-week program. The goal isn't simply better test scores today. It's helping students develop habits they can carry into college.