Developing Good Study Habits

Lower grades can often be attributed to poor study habits. You can help your student develop good methods for studying.

In addition to learning more about developing good study habits, read more about National College Savings Month and a chance to win money for college in a guest article from Treasurer of State, Roby Smith.

Why It Matters

Good study habits are often the key to good grades.
As your student improves study habits, better grades for higher quality homework and more correct test answers will follow. In addition, many of the habits that work for the classroom will help your student adequately prepare for standardized tests that have importance later.
Effective studying means less wasted effort.
Students can get frustrated by spending hours preparing for a test or doing homework, only to receive a score that was lower than expected. Improved habits can help your student spend less time while earning better grades.
The cycle reinforces itself.
Anxiety over assignments and tests can arise from not knowing the correct information well enough. By preparing well, your student can face these moments with more confidence, and better results will further reduce anxiety in the future.

What Your Student Can Do Now

Understand good studying habits.
The Steps to Good Study Habits information we’ve included can help set up a guideline for good study habits. In addition, your student should try different methods of studying to find strategies that are personally effective.
Identify the best learning environment.
Every student learns differently and with different methods. Some are able to study with family members close by doing their usual routines, while others need absolute quiet in a room with the door closed. Your student should try different settings for different subject matter and then evaluate each one’s effectiveness. For example, your student could read different textbook chapters in two different settings and determine how much more time was spent reading it in one versus the other. You can determine how much information was comprehended by asking for a summary of the content. More than likely, the proper study environment will be very evident after this type of exercise.
Practice makes perfect.
Knowing which study method to use for each class or subject matter is very effective. Does pacing around a room speaking out loud while holding notecards help your student practice a speech? Does a video or movie help your student remember which president was in the White House when the 13th Amendment was passed?
Try new methods.
Not many of us remember much of what we hear, but we remember more of what we see and write. Help your student establish a system of note-taking, such as an outline, to pinpoint important information from a textbook. The SQ3R strategy for reading textbooks improves understanding, recall and retention of textbook material.
Make a study plan or schedule.
Your student should take full advantage of study guides or extra study sessions the teacher offers. A large amount of material can be broken into smaller chunks, which can then be scheduled on a written study plan. Group similar topics together so that skill sets are being layered and strengthened to be ready for future skills. For example, rather than memorizing the dates of every Civil War battle that took place between 1861 and 1865, focus first on those that occurred within the first two years; or break them down by the states in which they occurred while marking them on a map.

What Your Student Can Do Later

Take a class on good study habits.
If a class on studying is offered by the school, your student should sign up for it as soon as possible. If such a class isn’t offered, your student may benefit from talking with one or more teachers about how to best study for specific classes or upcoming assignments and tests.
Join or create a study group.
While a large group can be a distraction for many students, smaller groups of focused students can be beneficial in limited doses. Your student can see how other students study and discuss the topics they are studying for greater comprehension.
Continue to refine skills and planning.
As your student learns what is most effective, study sessions can be tailored to get the most benefit in shorter amounts of time. More efficient studying will help your student avoid boredom, frustration and anxiety.
Be mindful.
Harvard professor Ellen Langer defines mindfulness as “the simple process of noticing new things.” Help your student become a lifelong learner by being a watchful observer. Watchfulness develops detail-oriented skills and builds empathy, which are necessary for nearly every profession. Encourage your student to pay attention to people’s interactions and mannerisms and imagine what emotions are occurring. The first step, however, is setting aside the electronic device for a few minutes.

What You Can Do

Provide feedback.
Discuss the Steps to Good Study Habits with your student and watch for times when your student starts to stray from them. In addition, keep an eye out for excessive boredom or frustration. If you see any of these behaviors, be ready to step in with some reminders or suggestions for beneficial changes.
Encourage progress.
A feeling may develop that the extra effort to build study habits is not worth it, especially if your student does not see immediate large increases in scores. Be willing to support any positive changes you see, not just higher grades.
Help your student find a balance.
If your student does not have time to study effectively, you can help by talking over the other things taking up time. Ideally, your student should be able to strike a good balance between studying enough to achieve high grades, social or free time, family commitments and school and other activities. If something needs to give, be prepared to help your student decide what that will be.
Create a successful learning environment.
After discussing with your student, create the learning environment where successful studying can happen. Then make sure other family members are aware of and respect it. Take note of research from experts that indicates a cell phone ruins concentration, is very distracting from academic work, and limits self-regulatory behavior.

Supporting Tomorrow, Together: Help Build a Child’s Educational Future

Every child’s future is shaped by a village of people who encourage, inspire and invest in their dreams. Parents, grandparents, family members, educators, mentors, friends and community organizations all have a role to play in helping children build a bright future.

This fall, ISave 529™ is celebrating the power of a village with the Supporting Tomorrow, Together Giveaway. Register at Iowa529contest.com for the chance to win a $1,000 contribution to an ISave 529 account and help build a child’s educational future. The giveaway ends September 30.

An ISave 529 account can help families save for qualified education expenses at eligible institutions, including colleges, universities, apprenticeship programs and trade schools. Funds may also be used for qualified expenses beyond tuition, such as K-12 expenses, room and board, books, supplies and a computer.

The earnings grow tax-free while in the account, and there are no federal or state taxes on qualified withdrawals. Iowa taxpayers have the added benefit of deducting up to $6,100 in contributions per account from their 2026 state income taxes.

Whether you’re a parent saving for your child, a grandparent looking for a meaningful way to give, or a mentor who wants to make a difference, every member of a child’s village can help build their tomorrow. Learn more about how ISave 529 can be part of that village at ISave529.com or contact us at (888) 672-9116.

Roby Smith
Iowa State Treasurer

About the Author: Roby Smith is the State Treasurer of Iowa and administrator of the ISave 529 education savings plan. He serves as the State’s banker, coordinates bonding and invests Iowa’s money. Treasurer Smith is also the administrator of Iowa’s unclaimed property and Iowa’s ABLE plan for individuals with disabilities. To learn more about the Treasurer, visit IowaTreasurer.gov.

For additional details about ISave 529, read the Program Description. ISave 529 and the ISave 529 logo are trademarks of the Iowa Educational Savings Plan Trust.

Next Steps

Be sure to complete the survey questions at the end of this article to be entered into the 529 deposit giveaway!

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