Study groups are very common in undergraduate and graduate school. Many business schools encourage, and in some cases, require study groups.
Advantages of Study Groups
By participating in group study, you can supplement your individual study and gain a greater understanding of class material. Study groups also provide the opportunity to:
- Share notes, study tips, and ideas.
- Learn class material faster and easier.
- Complete class projects more quickly.
- Make new friends and network with other students.
- Familiarize yourself with business practices by learning how to work as part of a team.
Study groups can take on many different forms. You can organize a study group with students from your class or you might also try participating in an online or virtual study group.
A well-formed study group can ease the stress of homework and class projects, but a poorly formed group can quickly become a frustration and a waste of time. Here are some tips that can help you get the most out of your study group:
- Make sure that the size of your study group is appropriate. You don’t want to have too many people, but you want to have enough so that if one member can’t make it, you can still carry on.
- Choose people who will be committed to the group. Avoid slackers.
- If possible, choose one person to head the study group or make arrangements to share/rotate duties.
- Set meeting times that are conducive to everyone’s schedule.
- Decide how long each study group meeting will run and set a starting and ending time.
- Create an agenda at the beginning of each meeting. This will keep your study group focused.
