Speed Reading Is A Must For College Students

It’s funny how quickly you figure out the difference between being a high school senior is from being a college freshman. All of the things your parents did for you back at home are your responsibility now. Think the towel on the floor is going to clean itself on its own? Your free time you were hoping to have with new friends is now on the back burner until you have done laundry. Lectures, office hours, study groups, and studying become your entire life, leaving you strapped for time. That is until you learn about speed reading and all the benefits that come with it. 

Speed reading is when you use techniques to help you rapidly absorb phrases and sentences all at once versus reading text word-for-word. The average reader reads up to 500-words per minute, while speed readers can ready twice that amount. Now you can quickly get your homework done and enjoy time with friends. But that’s not the sole reason speed reading is a must for college students. Take a look at all the added benefits that come with this increasingly popular skill.

You train yourself to focus better

Right off the bat, you’ll find out how distracting taking a college course can be. Whether you are doing so in person or online, you’ll be enamored with your new setting after being in a high school setting for four years. Speed reading requires a lot of focus to work correctly. The more experience you get at becoming a more focused individual, the better. Now when your dorm gets loud, you can work through the noise and complete your schoolwork. 

You learn not to multitask

At first, multitasking seems like it is the best way to increase productivity. However, it hinders productivity and increases the probability of making mistakes. In a study at the University of London, researchers found that multitasking lowers your IQ. Multitaskers’ IQs were as bad as those who smoked marijuana or stayed up all night. In some cases, adults’ scores reduced to that of your average eight-year-old. College students who speed read quickly learn that they need 100% of their attention dedicated to the text they are studying. In turn, they can complete assignments successfully and promptly. Getting high scores in classes is more motivation to continue to strengthen your speed reading skills.  

Your comprehension skills increase

Contrary to what you may think, speed reading improves comprehension. This is because when you read faster, you have to focus more. The brain needs to concentrate and work harder to understand what the eyes see. The more focus leads to better comprehension. Another reason why comprehension increases when reading speed increases is that your mind has no time to wander. Without a wandering mind, you no longer have to go back and reread, which can cause confusion and hinders comprehension. This is one of the least known but best reasons why speed reading is a must for college students.

If you are off to university this coming fall, these are all the reasons speed reading is a must for college students. In our Advanced Comprehension & Memory course, you’ll learn how to remember even the dryest reading material! When you sign up for this lesson, you get lifetime access to tips on correctly reading the various types of material, taking proper notes, and implementing daily habits to make you a more productive student. Click the link for more information today!