Study Tips

Transitioning to college-level work requires a shift in mindset. The most successful dual enrollment students don't just "get through" their classes—they take ownership of them. 

This page will give you some research-backed tips to help you navigate your dual enrollment journey as you build your toolbox for success.

Remember, you are not alone on this road.  You can always reach out to the ECA team by emailing earlycollegeaccess@e2ccb.org for assistance of any kind - we are here to help you every step of the way.

Are you wondering what it takes to thrive in dual enrollment? 

It’s a mix of academic readiness and personal grit. Successful students are self-directed learners who know how to communicate and manage their time like pros. 

How to Excel

• Be Proactive: Ask questions early and often.

• Stay Tech-Ready: Ensure you can navigate all digital classroom materials fluently.

• Be Your Own Boss: Complete assignments without waiting for a nudge from your instructor.

• Commit to the Clock: Dedicate the necessary time to master complex reading and writing tasks.

• Build Resilience: Stay patient when coursework gets challenging.

Source: Wallace Community College: What Skills Do I Need? – A checklist of maturity and responsibility markers for dual enrollees.

Check the Portal

Ask yourself, have I logged into my college LMS (Canvas/Blackboard) today?  (Your class might be in your high school LMS like Google Classroom or Schoology; every school is different.)

The 2-for-1 Rule

Ask yourself, have I scheduled 2 hours of study for every 1 hour of college lecture?

Email Scan

Ask yourself, did I check my college email address (not just my personal/HS one)?  If all communication is through your high school email, be sure you are checking there

College courses typically require 2–3 hours of independent study for every 1 hour spent in class. For a dual enrollment student, this means your "homework" time needs to triple compared to a standard high school class.

• The Pomodoro Technique: Research shows the brain maintains higher focus when working in short bursts. Study for 25 minutes, then take a 5-minute break. This prevents the "burnout" that often hits students juggling two campuses.

• Task Batching: Group similar tasks together (e.g., doing all your college reading on Monday and all your high school math sets on Tuesday) to reduce the "switching cost" of moving between different academic mindsets.

• The 24-Hour Rule: Review your college lecture notes within 24 hours of the class. According to the Forgetting Curve, you lose about 50–80% of what you learned if you don't revisit it within one day.

Source: Penn State Learning & Harvard Summer School

Sometimes students struggle in dual enrollment because they use high school habits (like re-reading a textbook) for college-level exams that require deep analysis.

• Active Recall & Testing Yourself: Instead of reading a chapter three times, read it once and then close the book. Write down everything you remember. Create flashcards or use practice tests to activate your memory.

• The SQ3R Method (Survey, Question, Read, Recite, Review): Use this for dense college textbooks. Survey the chapter headings, turn them into questions, and then read specifically to find the answers.

• Mnemonics & Visualization: Use acronyms (like HOMES for the Great Lakes) or mind maps to organize complex information into "picture form" to help with long-term retention.

• The Feynman Technique: Try to explain a complex college concept (like supply and demand or cellular respiration) to a friend or family member in simple terms. If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it yet.

• Color-Coded Organization: Keep high school assignments in one color and college assignments in another. This visual distinction helps your brain "shift gears" and ensures no deadlines are missed between the two different portals.

Sources: 

Edutopia: Science-Backed Study Techniques

SUNY Buffalo State Learning Tools

Source: SUNY Buffalo State

Additional Resources: 

K12 Success Guide – Strategies for "chunking" large amounts of information.

University of Kentucky: Effective Study Habits for Dual Credit – Detailed tips on dedicated study spaces and active recall.

Dual enrollment students often find themselves studying in "limbo"—in high school libraries, coffee shops, or at home.

• Designate a "College-Only" Zone: If possible, have a designated spot where you exclusively work on your college tasks. This builds an environmental trigger for higher-level focus.

• The "No-Multitasking" Rule: Research from the University of Kentucky highlights that multitasking is actually "micro-tasking," which makes assignments take 40% longer to complete. When working on college-level papers, put your phone in another room to avoid "toggle fatigue."