How to Create a Study Plan

While choosing a reputable, accredited school with experienced, competent teachers will certainly increase your chances of career success, they are not enough on their own. You need to create a solid study plan if you expect to meet your deadlines, pass tests, and graduate with good grades. Thankfully, creating an effective study plan is not as hard as it may seem. Following are important steps that will enable you to schedule your time wisely.

1. Map Out Syllabus

Write down important deadlines related to the course. As the course progresses, write down deadlines for handing in assignments. It is crucial to start mapping out these important dates as soon as you get the syllabus for your class.

2. Analyze Your Schedule

If you hold down a part-time job, write down the times when you will be working. If you have a family, note exactly when you will be busy watching your kids or taking care of an elderly parent. Take note of when you eat, what time you go to bed, and what time you get up.¹ A detailed daily schedule will make it easy for you to see when you can set aside time to study.

3. Carve Out Quality Study Time

It should be easy to see what time is available for study if you have drawn up a daily study plan. However, it is important to not just choose a time because it seems to be free. Make sure the time you choose is quality study time. You need to be well rested in order to get the most out of your study time. Finding a quiet place to study is also a wise idea as distractions can make it hard for you to concentrate. If you need to get online to study, choose a spot with good Internet access.

4. Allow for Breaks

Be sure to allow for breaks if you intend to study for long stretches of time. Your schedule is up to you, but you may want to consider studying for 50 minutes and then taking a 10-minute break, or studying for 90 minutes and then taking a 20-minute break.³ Do an activity you like, and then come back to your studies. Breaks help you better assimilate new information and enable you to focus without getting distracted and/or discouraged.

5. Set Specific Goals

It can also help to write down what you intend to study at any given time. In many instances, you may want to study the material you learned that day. On the other hand, you may want to set aside additional time to study for an upcoming quiz or certification exam. If you do poorly on an exam, you may want to set aside additional time to shore up your weak areas.

6. Adapt the Plan as Needed

Generally speaking, you should stick to your study schedule as much as possible. However, the fact is life gets unpredictable. A sick kid or pet, unexpected work-related issues, and many other factors can interrupt your study plan. If you realize that you are no longer able to adhere to your original study plan, do not get discouraged. Simply write down your new daily schedule and set aside different times for studying.

As a vocational college student, you are responsible to determine when and how you will study. HVAC is a challenging field and there is a lot to learn, so be sure to make time in your schedule to go over what you have learned in class. The more you study, the more likely you will be to remember the course material and fare well in the class.