How I Earned Over 100 Credits in Seven Months

Editor's note: Today we're hosting a post by one of students. Hudson has made a remarkable amount of progress in a very small time frame. We recognize that his timeline is rare. We encourage students to take their own pace for their studies.

Share By Hudson Vanderhoff, CollegePlus! student

Hudson Vanderhoff “What? Did I hear you correctly? Did you say you finished college in under a year?”

People tend to ask these questions when they hear of my success. Old and young people alike quickly follow up their first question with a multitude of new ones.

“How did you do it?” is one of the questions I get asked most often.

How did I do it? First and foremost, I did it by the grace of God. It is only by His grace and sustaining power that I was enabled to finish so quickly. Second, I studied as efficiently as I could.

1. Know what study sources you learn best from.

Know what study materials you learn the most efficiently with. For me, I used the LearningNetwork and InstantCert as my main sources. For CLEPs, you can find what resource you like, and use it over and over again for different tests. Whether it is the Learning Network, REA, etc. use what works best for you, and you will be able to learn more efficiently.

2. Put your priorities in order.

This is a key to success. Do you want to earn a degree or live on Facebook? If you want to finish college in a reasonable time, I’d suggest scraping Facebook and other networks that distract you from study and consume your time. Bible study and church on Sunday were my only main activities outside the home. Also, put family before studies. Period. Your books will become moldy. Your brain will forget what you learned fifty years from now. Put family before studies, no exceptions. Give up your personal activities, not family time. Also, put your time with God before study. It doesn’t pay to study worldly ideas while forsaking the important study of the Bible.

3. No Excuses!!!

Many times we are tempted to procrastinate. We’ll “study tomorrow”. That’s fine, but you will not get anywhere using that method! Skip the movie, study instead. Devote certain times of the day exclusively to study. Turn off social networks, put your phone on vibrate, and study! Most of these tips are probably not new to you. They are not original. However, perhaps seeing them again will refresh and inspire you to reach for God’s highest in your life.

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