A Sense of Obligation

The ability to work alone unsupervised is a sign of maturity. However, in the modern world, there are so many things that detract from our ability to work. Even if we find the perfect atmosphere for studying, our minds can wander and not stay focused on the task at hand.

As a member of a study group, you are obligated to show up and participate. This will help you stay in the moment and in the right frame of mind for learning. With a number of people on hand ready and interested in studying, procrastination is not an option.

Identify Mistakes Now

It can be quite embarrassing to make mistakes in front of other people, but would you rather do that or make a mistake on an exam? Isn’t it better to find out beforehand that you are doing something incorrectly, rather than suffer the heartbreak of a low mark?

While there can be some competition, study groups are invariably friendly get-togethers where no will humiliate you for making a mistake. This is not only common courtesy but common sense: chances are these individuals will also get things wrong!

Motivation and Inspiration

Studying feels like drudge work if you are not invested in the material. Working with other people lets you connect with someone genuinely enthused about the subject. That energy and some lively discussion can help you understand the importance of the topic and how it will benefit your educational goals. You may even find yourself with a whole new point of view!

That said, an excessive number of people can cause you to go off topic. Try to limit your group to five or six participants.

Learn Things That You Missed

Even attentive note takers don’t get everything important down on paper. That thing you missed might be on the exam or, worse, be the key to understanding the central concepts of the course.

Being in a study group allows you to compare notes with other people. Between everyone present, you more than likely have all of the pertinent details and can easily share them.

Improve Your Group Skills

Chances are your eventual job will find you working with colleagues at least part of the time. The time you spend in a study group teaches you about group dynamics. You will also become learn what does and does not work for you in such a setting. This is valuable knowledge going into an employment role as you already know what to expect and how you can either benefit or work around it.