Anything we do has a plan. We cook following a recipe. Buildings are built according to a map. Teams work following a working model. Similarly, studying requires a plan. But this plan must be according to you.
You cannot evaluate and track your progress without a study plan. However, it is important to make a personalized study schedule tailored to your specificities and learning style to improve your General Weighted Average (GWA).
Personalized Scheduling for GWA Improvement:
You have a specific style, environment, time, and other conditions. Most people are more efficient in calm and quiet environments. An environment free of noise, small talk, cell phone notifications, and other distractions is ideal for focusing on your GWA improvement. You need to find a place if you don’t have your personal space.
Some people are more focused in libraries where other students are also studying. This study environment motivates some students, helping them keep studying without distraction, fatigue, and procrastination.
Some students feel more focused and relaxed in solitude. They like to study in their personal space. This self-study is way more focused and effective if you don’t need extra help. Most of the students follow this method, especially for revision and daily study.
Similarly, some students need help quite often. They need a mentor or a senior to help them when they get stuck. Such students need a tutor to get them going.
You have to decide which category you fall into. Then schedule your studies accordingly. For instance, if you like to study in a library, you should include the travelling time in your schedule to avoid disrupting your GWA improvement plan.
Remember, the three categories mentioned above are not the only ones. There are other learning environments as well, like group studies. Once you have decided on your learning environment, the next step is to decide on your study time.
Study Time
Everyone has a specific study period with peak performance. Some students like to study in the late hours when the world is preparing for bed, some early in the morning with the dawn, some in the midday, and some in various time zones.
Especially if you are a Muslim, then your day has five breaks according to the Muslim prayer timetable, and you have to adapt accordingly to maintain consistency in your study schedule.
Spread your topics over your study schedule in a way that suits you. For example, you may like to study the difficult topics in your schedule so you are left with the easy ones. Or you may want to finish all the easy ones before so you have less work left, then move to difficult ones. In the third case, you may distribute them in your own order.
Whichever style you adopt, always prioritize the topics according to their difficulty level, weightage, and exam point of view. You can adopt a three-column technique which I used. In that technique, all the chapters or topics are written in three columns, namely; easy, medium, and difficult.
The topics that are super easy and are 100% exam-ready are placed in the column under the title Easy. Those which are between 80% to 100% are placed in the second column named Medium. While those below 80% are placed in the third column. The moderate or medium ones are studied first to increase the number of Easy topics. Finally, the Difficult ones are studied, ensuring a balanced study schedule to boost your GWA.
This technique is very useful because you have complete calculated control over your studies and schedule. You know at your fingertips how many topics are ready and how many require your attention. Remember, this is my personal style, and you can always adapt it according to your preferences.
Study Conditions
This is the last step before scheduling your studies. Remember to have all your things in place, like books, notes, stationery, etc. There should be no distractions like kids around, mobile phones, any party, or noise. Your study environment should be set up to support your GWA goals.
Keep the following things on your study table:
1. Set of pens and other required stationery
2. A bottle of water to keep yourself hydrated
3. All the required notes and books
4. Flashcards and sticky notes
5. Any other thing you may require during the study session
How to Make a Study Schedule
When all the above steps are taken, now it’s time to create the study schedule. Let’s assume you have six subjects and 5 to 10 chapters each. You have three months left before exams. Here is how you will make one to improve your GWA.
Time Allocation for Activities
– Sleep: 6 hours
– Exercise: 1 or 1/2 hour
– Traveling (if applicable): 1 hour
– Study: 14 hours
– Rest: 1 hour
Time Allocation for Subjects
Subjects and Difficulty Level
– English: (Active/passive voice, direct/indirect speech, comprehension, précis writing, essay writing) Easy
– History: (4 chapters) Medium
– Organic Chemistry: (11 chapters) Difficult
– Inorganic Chemistry: (10 chapters) Difficult
– Botany: (10 chapters) Medium
– Zoology: (8 chapters) Easy
Total chapters: 43 plus five topics
Time Allocation Subject-wise:
– English: 1 hour
– History: 1 hour
– Organic Chemistry: 3.5 hours
– Inorganic Chemistry: 3.5 hours
– Botany: 3 hours
– Zoology: 2 hours
Study Schedule
A total of 43+5 topics are to be covered in 90 days. You have to complete 2 topics/chapters daily. Now it’s up to you to divide the subtopics accordingly.
GWA Calculator 2024
While you make a schedule and dive deep into it. Never forget the importance of knowing where you stand to plan accordingly. The GWA calculator is a great tool to help you calculate your GWA for whatever application you need whether it is for job application, scholarship, or admission.
There are web-based GWA calculators and Chrome and Firefox extensions available on our site. Whichever suits you the best can help you with GWA calculation. The best thing about these GWA calculators is they are automatic and optimized. All you have to do is enter your grades and credit hours and click “Calculate”. No hassle of manual computation and frustration.
If You Want to be Super Productive
To learn the latest study tips and techniques then read this article that will guide you through the latest and scientifically proven methods which will surely make your study time more effective and enriched.
For further study, here is an article discussing the top 10 study tips which are extremely useful and practical. These tips are easy to follow, very productive, and interactive.
