Ready? Set? Go! 

This undergraduate learning framework was first developed in the 1970’s as an effective way to get the grades needed to get into medical school.  At the time, Mark Fromberg and several of his university classmates developed a three-phased strategy to improve the likelihood that they could significantly enhance their grade-point average enough to gain entry to law school or medical school.

Having such a clear vision is a hugely important step by itself. And yet, once they became committed to pursuing the best grades possible, they quickly recognized that there were several layers to this onion, all of which needed a comprehensive appraisal. It turned out that, more than just having good study habits during a given semester, there are several important predictors of academic success that need to be assessed, often well prior to the first day of classes.

The infographic above summarizes these pre-semester steps pretty clearly: Are you READY for a semester or more of school? Are your study parameters clearly SET prior to the term beginning?

First, to become a successful student, you need to be honest about what might limit you during your next semester. Are you focused and motivated, or ambivalent? Are there (or will there be) significant distractions in your life?  Do you have all the resources you need? Will you be working?  Do you have significant travel requirements?  Do you have reliable and supportive accommodation?  Are you Ready for this?

Second, if you are confident about being ready, it is time to look seriously at what courses you need, what courses are available, and how they are scheduled.  And just as important, you will need to look at each offering carefully, in terms of the reading, the textbooks, and the course work that will be required, and how you will be evaluated.  Start by reading the online course outlines of the courses you are considering, and if necessary, get confirmation and/or clarification of any unclear details with the professor teaching the course.  When you know completely that what you are getting into is doable for you, you will be Set, and ready to register.

And third, the moment you commit to your courses is the moment you can start diving into coursework–you can Go!–and this can be fully 1-2 months before the semester begins. If there is any one secret to academic success, it is simply securing as much time as possible to study for exams, and to read (and re-read) the materials necessary to finish near or at the top of your class.  Remember this: There are no rules that say that your study time starts on the first day of classes.  And think how prepared you will feel, how confident you will feel when asking questions in class, and how knowledgeable both your classmates and your professors will think you are with such solid preparation.  And when you start getting this kind of feedback from your peers,  you will almost certainly improve your belief in yourself, enough to deepen your commitment to this process even further.  You may start daring to dream that anything is possible for you!