Never miss class, even if it is easy and you know the material. The professor usually will cover points in ways that you hadn't thought of before. Correlating the new viewpoints with your own will allow deeper mental processing, increasing your understanding and retention of the material. Another, less important reason is; if your grade is borderline, many professors will bump your grade up if you have attended and participated in all their classes.
Sit up front. That way you can hear what is said and ask questions. If you have done the required reading or homework, there will be points you will have questions about and the professor will probably cover those points in class, but if not - ask. It is easier to follow along, with fewer distractions, in the front rows.
Ask questions. Professors appreciate it and will realize that a real effort is being made to understand their course. That could make a difference in their evaluation of your grade. If the reading and homework are done, there will be points that you need clarified. Asking questions will allow you to have more control of your learning environment, and by participating in your learning process the class material will become even more interesting. In some classes the instructor will try to involve students who do not usually take an active part by asking them questions in class. By asking questions, not only will students have confusing material explained, but will not be in the position of being surprised by a question they are unprepared for.
lf there is a study guide for the text book, and if it has true/false and multiple choice sample questions, get it. Many of the professors take their tests from a bank of questions that comes with their book. The study guide will have sample tests containing questions that are similar to the test. If you understand the material in the self-tests, then you can conclude that you are understanding the material of the course.
Computers in the computer labs will sometimes have tutorials available for courses. As an example, there was an excellent tutorial available for accounting in the business computer lab. If the questions in the tutorials are understood, then you will be able to answer test questions.
Most important -- NEVER GET BEHIND. If you allow yourself to get behind, it will be very hard to catch up. So make a rule (and a schedule) - study time comes first and that time is sacrosanct. The success of your long-term goals depends upon it.
Importance of a course? There is no such thing as an unimportant course. Each course has a purpose which comes into its own as it is correlated with the rest of the curriculum. The professors teaching the courses are working hard for you, the student, trying to share with you knowledge that they find enjoyable and rewarding, hoping that the knowledge will serve you well throughout your life. And just like you, the professors enjoy having their efforts appreciated and accepted.
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