• Plan! Student-athletes are busy, so use a planner to stay organized. Jackson says it is easier to work studying and classroom projects around your game schedule when you can see it all in one place.

• Group work works. According to Jackson, studying in groups is especially effective for student-athletes. "When you set aside a specific time and place to study with others, you are [more committed] to being there," she explains.

• Don't cram. You can't memorize the playbook in one night, so why try with chem? "While students can memorize facts [quickly], they won't retain them," she says. "So when the final comes, they're less likely to [be able to] recall the material.

• Make time management a must. Student-athletes have more things to juggle, so time management is more challenging for them. “Set aside study time for each subject,” Jackson says. “And schedule more time than you expect to need.”

• Go to class prepared. Know what to expect. “Review the chapter headings, key terms and questions,” Jackson advises. “Then you’ll know what to expect and be more focused in class.”

• Take a break. You’ve been going hard all semester; when it comes to studying for finals, take some breaks. “The average attention span is only about 20 to 30 minutes,” Jackson says. “After that, you’re less likely to retain information. Taking a short break to stand up, stretch, walk around or get a snack refreshes your mind.”

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