10 Habits of Highly Successful RVU Students

  1. Maintain a “big picture” perspective. They are mindful of the importance of what they’re learning and understand that the pay-off for their sacrifice and hard work will be the ability to accurately diagnose and treat their future patients. 
  2. Have a “deep” approach to learning that guides how they study. They are intrinsically motivated to learn as much as possible. They avoid rote methods that are based purely on repetition and rehearsal, and instead strive to develop an organizational framework for new knowledge that focuses on ways to integrate what they’re learning with what they already know.  
  3. Avoid “cramming” for exams. They keep up with the material and have a regular study routine. Many successful students plan to not study the day or evening before the exam. They put their books away early because they know they are prepared. One routine that has been proven successful with students is adapting to a power study hour. 
  4. Self-regulate effectively. They set goals, plan, monitor their own progress, seek feedback from multiple sources, and make adjustments as necessary. They are generally self-aware and have well developed metacognitive skills. They know what they know and they know what they don’t know. 
  5. Manage their life well. They are organized and time efficient without sacrificing effectiveness. They understand the difference between important and urgent and are good at prioritizing. They know what needs to be done and they do it. 
  6. Maintain balance in their lives. They understand that by prioritizing well they will still have time to do the things that are important to them and the things they love to do, including hobbies, socializing, maintaining relationships, spiritual enrichment, volunteering, participating in school and community, etc. They also know that sleeping, eating a healthful diet, and exercising are not luxuries, but rather important activities for maintaining emotional, cognitive, and physical wellbeing.  
  7. Continually strive for self-improvement. They seek feedback from external sources on their performance, take advantage of opportunities, and aren’t afraid to step out of their comfort zone to learn a new skill. 
  8. Delay gratification. They know that the reward comes after the hard work. 
  9. Practice what they want or need to learn. They know that deliberate practice is required to learn anything well. 
  10. Have a positive outlook. They are resilient and see mistakes as a growth opportunity, not the end of the world. 
Source:  com.msu.edu/students/academic_guidance