Starting The Semester Off Right, Part 2

In part 1 of the blog series, the CLEP study guide specialists at SpeedyPrep gave you a few lifestyle tips to get your semester started on the right foot. In part 2 of this series, we’ll talk about making solid academic choices—ones that help your work smarter, not harder—so you can get a hot start to your semester and cruise all the way through to your final exams.

Go down the YouTube rabbithole.

About to start a gen-ed psychology class? So are tens of thousands of other college students across the world. There are plenty of online resources (especially on YouTube) that can help you get a grasp on the most basic concepts of a subject before you ever set foot in a classroom—so take advantage of these educational resources to give you a base knowledge of a subject, and to be a step ahead of course content and your classmates.

While we certainly enjoy reading educational blogs, it’s much easier to “nerd out” on a topic by watching videos—after all, it takes no effort at all to plop down on the couch, place your laptop on your stomach like an otter playing with its food, and let the videos roll.

Get ahead.

Falling behind in a class puts you at risk for further academic and mental struggles—you’ll have more work to get done in a shorter amount of time, and the idea “digging yourself out of a hole” can leave you feeling stressed and rushed.Not exactly the way you want to kick off your semester.

Don’t get too far ahead of yourself—but reading forward in the textbook or skimming what’s next in the syllabus will keep you from being overwhelmed by course content, and will give you added context when your professor flies through lectures in record time. Plus, getting ahead provides you with a safety net, just in case you get tied up with other classes, or miss class because of sickness or other personal issues.

Befriend new classmates.

Classmates don’t just have the potential to be your new buddies—they can become excellent educational resources, study group members, and professional resources in the working world. You might not want to go on spring break with these classmates (or even have lunch with them), but they can certainly come in handy when you need help with a class concept, or when you forgot to write down the due date for that big research paper that’s coming up.

Introduce yourself to your instructors.

Sometimes, students forget that teachers are people, too—and while they don’t want to be best friends with their students, they at least like to know a little bit about the students they interact with on a daily basis because it makes them feel more confident and comfortable as teachers.

During the first week or two of classes, find the time to introduce yourself to each of your new instructors—it’ll help you get a read on how your professor thinks and operates as a teacher, and it shows your teacher you really care about their class. That can go a long way, especially in classes with lots of students—and your teacher will appreciate the kind gesture more than you might think.

Take advantage of CLEP exams.

Knocking out college credits via CLEP tests can ease a lot of the pressure during your semester of school, saving you time and money, and helping you learn concepts and cruise through coursework faster than ever before. Students who take CLEP tests for college credit can shave semesters off of their college career, save thousands of dollars, and achieving learning permanence more efficiently. It’s a great way to get a solid start to the semester—after all, you can earn college credit well before finals week comes around!  Passing out of Gen Ed classes with CLEP also clears time for that extra class you’d like to add to strengthen your major or because it’s a class you would just enjoy taking. 

But that doesn’t mean CLEP is easy. You need the best CLEP prep materials so you can pass your CLEP exams with flying colors—and that’s where SpeedyPrep can help. Our CLEP test prep resources and study guides make studying for CLEP exams easier than ever before—and with a 100% Pass Guarantee, you’ll be smiling all semester long. Get started with SpeedyPrep today, and take control of your college career!