Archive for May, 2011

The Best Study Techniques

Studying is an art that must be developed. Many folks in university do not know how to study and this has become a serious problem to them. It is good to know how to study because outside the walls of the university, you would need the skills you have developed to gain professional competence after you have left the university. Many professional programs and certifications can only be passed by those who know how to study.

Studying for exams is not the same as studying to understand a subject or piece of material. While the latter requires the use of the mind to go through key information, the later encourages skimming. It is a good thing to understand the secrets of effective study. There are quite a number of study methods which can be used to advantage but we shall be discussing just one of them for the time.

SQ3R – This means Survey, Question, Read, Recite and Record

SURVEY – When you open a piece of material, you should endeavor to skim through the piece of material. Doing this helps you gain a lot of information about the material.You have to look out for basic points and note them. It should be understood that for any study time to be useful, there has to be a dialogue between you and the author. As the mind engages in the to and fro movement, understanding and assimilation is the result.

QUESTION – This is one of the most important parts of this method.Here, you develop questions from this piece of material. Questions that have been asked by the author can also prove to be a very useful form of questioning. Questions aid assimilation.For those who always complain of not been able to recall any material they have read, they should endeavor to make good use of this.

READ – At this stage, you read with the key points you have gathered from the survey and question stage.

RECITE – Here, you do some recitation. Going through the material without looking at the piece. It is seen as ‘cramming’ sometimes. This would tell if you have gained proper understanding of the subject you have studied.

RECORD – Record what you have studied in a note and do your revision on what you have written.

These methods can be developed and used anyway they suite you. Other methods and techniques are discussed later. It is said that reading makes a man and understanding a perfect man.

Finding the Right MBA Part Time Course

You’ve decided that an MBA part time course is the best option for you. There isn’t enough time in your day to handle a full time course load or you will be fitting your coursework in around other obligations such as children or a full time job. You have made the right decision for yourself and now it is time to make one more decision: what school will you choose?

There are a few different things that you have to keep in mind as you choose your MBA course:

  • Is the school accredited and will it be acknowledged by employers upon graduation?
  • Does the school offer classes at times that fit well with your lifestyle and other obligations?
  • What is offered from the school beyond academics? Do they have a rich student life that will provide motivation and enrichment for your studies?
  • Is there the option of doing some part time coursework online or outside of campus?

You have to consider all of these things before you make that final determination of where you want to take your MBA course.

If the school is not accredited or is not reputable with most employers, you will waste your time and money attending the classes. You have to make sure that your MBA degree will be recognized and valued in the eyes of employers later on.

You also have to make sure the class times will correspond well with the time you have available to attend. If you end up missing a lot of classes you will fall behind and fail out of the MBA part time course. This doesn’t look good for your future career and can delay your graduation.

If you can do some of your part time coursework off campus or through the Internet, it may help you make it through even while working or taking care of other demanding responsibilities. Not everyone needs this, but make sure to check into the options if it would make things easier for you.

Finally, make sure there is a rich student life offered before you sign up for any MBA part time course. Institutions that offer clubs and other student activities outside of the coursework provide immense motivation and learning resources for students. You will have the help of study groups and other students and will enjoy yourself outside of the classroom.

You may even make valuable business connections while attending an MBA part time course that has a rich social environment for students. Don’t downplay the importance of the life outside the classroom. This is where networking occurs so you can enrich one another’s career after graduating from the MBA part time course.

If you pay attention to all of these things you will find the right MBA part time program for your life and your budget. While what you pay for the coursework is important, it is not nearly as important as what you get out of the part time course.

Since you aren’t studying full time you don’t have any time to waste. You need the fastest avenue to success possible and that means going with the right institution with the right MBA study program.