While there is no course on how to study, college students have access to many tools and tips to help them succeed.

Lexie Jones, coordinator of tutoring and transition services at Butler County Community College, said there are no hard and fast rules.

“It really varies from class to class,” Jones said.

There are several services, however, that Jones recommends BC3 students use.

BC3's tutoring center offers one hour of tutoring per subject per week at no cost to students in credit courses.

“It is a very excellent resource,” Jones said.

The center has 60 tutors on staff, and about 450 students use it per semester.

BC3 also has a number of labs open to students, offering supervised help at no charge.

The college has an Academic Center for Enrichment, which offers workshops on study skills and time management.

Jones said the best study tip is to attend class.

“That can't be emphasized enough,” Jones said.

She said this allows the student to develop a relationship with the teacher and become more comfortable asking questions about the material being taught.

Jones said that for best studying results, students also should learn to manage their time, try to stay on top of assignments and projects, and study in a well-paced manner.

Mark Campbell, an assistant professor of academic services at Slippery Rock University, said most students going from high school to college struggle with time management.

“There are no study halls or people telling them to study. They have to make that time themselves,” Campbell said.

To help, SRU offers a tutoring center that is free to students taking classes. About 80 tutors work at the center. Most of the requests for help involve freshmen taking math and science classes.

SRU offers a first seminar class, which 95 percent of freshmen take. This one-credit course teaches students about the academic services that SRU offers.

“It's an excellent orientation to the university and its services,” Campbell said.

The university also offers workshops on taking notes, taking objective tests and writing essays.

When it comes to independent studying, students should look at course requirements and read class syllabi carefully, prioritize time and use of as many campus resources as possible, including professor's office hours, Campbell said.

At some of the residence halls, there are floors designated for different majors, including honors floors and math and science floors.

Campbell said one goal of the tutoring center is to have some tutoring available in the residence halls.

He said students who feel they are struggling should stop in at the tutor center as soon as possible.

“We really encourage people to access help early on in the semester,” Campbell said. “Don't wait.”