Like I said on the page before, DO NOT CHEAT. The material you will learn is FASCINATING.
Academics counts for 25% of your overall grade.
When you get to TBS you will register for the academic portal, where most of your work is done. There are some intro pages, and then sub pages for each Week of TBS. Hint, if a Week subpage has no academic material due that week, this is most likely a week that you will be at the Range or in the field, hint hint.
Academic grades are made up of mostly quizzes and exams, along with a couple papers and random small assignments. Quizzes are done through the portal, and are INDIVIDUAL EFFORT. Lts have been kicked out for doing these quizzes together. Don't be one of them. They are a few questions, timed, and a very small portion of your grade. You'll have a few a week, and they are on the readings in the portal. Some of the readings are very long. Obviously, I cannot get too much into the quizzes, but I have always done well in academics because I have tried and true study habits. If I ever see something bolded, it's important. If there's ever a list, I write it down and hang it up somewhere. These tips aren't for passing the quizzes, but for picking out important information and retaining it.
The readings and quizzes can sometimes be overwhelming, but in general, I thought the pace was okay. If you ever have a week with not a lot of work, I suggest reading ahead. You can't take quizzes too far ahead, but you can definitely get a week or two head start.
Some readings that would be useful to read ahead are:
Squad munitions-Why? It's super long, and the material is super important. It basically spells out the weapons specifications. This reading would be much easier in chunks. I would make little notecards with weapons specifications and hang them up. Not to pass the quizzes, but so I retain the information. I think I learned the capabilities and limitations of an M240 while brushing my teeth, because I hung that card on my mirror.
The combat orders and tactical planning-there's a bunch of readings on this, and you'll be writing a lot of orders. Get good at it!
Obviously other readings are important, but those two topics will benefit you greatly the sooner you become familiar with it.
We had four exams. I can't go much into detail, but if the staff academic rep holds a study session, GO TO IT. These were SUPER HELPFUL. Another thing that helped me for exams was knowing tactical planning process and combat orders REALLY WELL. During TBS you'll write a lot of orders, and you'll have "sand table exercises" (STEX) where a volunteer gives an order and demonstrates an operation on a sand table.
You know who was horrible at orders at OCS? ME. You know who was scared about writing orders at TBS? ME. You know who decided to get good at writing orders at TBS? ME. You know who briefed at 3/5 STEXs? ME. You know who was told they had the best orders out in the field? ME. You know who rocked the exams because they knew combat orders and tactical planning? ME. I'm not bragging. I just knew my weakness and decided to step out of my comfort zone. Don't be the person who hides during STEX. Why not practice, so that when you MUST give an order in the field, you at least knock that part out of the park so when your execution goes to shit, at least something goes right? I'll explain more about orders and the field later.
Bottom line-go to the study sessions, hang up notecards around your room, get good at writing orders, and DO NOT CHEAT. PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSEEEEEEEEEEEEE.