Many boys arrive at Hargrave smart but struggling. Why? It’s not a lack of intelligence—it’s a lack of study skills, time management, and organization. Hargrave’s How to Study program transforms academic performance by teaching boys how to learn.
What Makes It Different
This isn’t generic study tips or occasional tutoring sessions. It’s a comprehensive, proprietary curriculum developed and refined over decades, specifically designed for teenage boys. It teaches concrete, practical skills used daily throughout their academic careers and beyond.
The program teaches specific techniques: note-taking strategies for effective class notes, identifying key information, and organizing material for review; text reading strategies for approaching different types of texts; homework organization for managing materials, assignments, and deadlines; test preparation for studying for exams in different formats; and study environment optimization for creating effective study spaces and maximizing concentration.
Methods are reinforced through study halls, homework sessions, and peer tutoring—daily practical application, not just theory.
How It Works in Practice
Daily mandatory supervised study halls provide structured time to complete homework and reinforce How to Study methods. Faculty monitor and assist, ensuring boys apply the techniques they’ve learned.
Individual Instruction Time is built into the daily schedule, allowing one-on-one teacher time for questions, clarification, and deeper understanding. Alternate-day homework assignments allow deeper focus on subjects—not rushing through six assignments in one night.
The Academic Learning Center, directed by Janice McLaughlin, Ed. S. provides assessment and proper placement in Math, Reading, and English; faculty facilitation for online learning; accelerated learning support for advanced students; struggling student intervention and support; and multiple tutoring formats, including faculty, peer, group, and collaborative sessions.
Results: Transformation
A common story: A boy arrives getting C’s and B’s, capable of more. Mandatory study halls, the How to Study program, and Individual Instruction Time transform his performance. Within a semester, many make the Dean’s List, gaining confidence and competence they previously lacked.
As one parent shared: “Our son was always smart but disorganized. He lost assignments, forgot due dates, and studied for tests the wrong way. The How to Study program gave him the tools he needed to succeed. He went from C’s and B’s to straight A’s.”
Preparing for College and Beyond
The skills taught in the How to Study program are essential for college success and beyond. College professors don’t teach how to study—they expect students to already know. Hargrave graduates arrive at college already possessing time management, study skills, organizational abilities, note-taking expertise, and test preparation strategies.
These skills have been practiced for years within a supportive environment with adult supervision and guidance. By college, they’re automatic habits, not new skills to learn.
Beyond Academics
Study skills learned at Hargrave transfer to other life areas: project management in professional settings, personal organization, goal achievement, and time management. Teaching boys how to learn, organize, and prepare equips them for lifelong success in any field they pursue.
One alumnus shared: “The How to Study program was one of the most valuable things I learned at Hargrave. I use the skills it taught me every day in my career, not just in school.”
Technology Integration
While teaching fundamental study skills, Hargrave incorporates technology appropriately. Personal computers are required for every student. We provide Google Drive campus-wide access, 44 reference and research databases online, 19 reference eBooks in our virtual library, subject-specific learning programs like Boxer Math, Blackboard teaching platform, and integrated SAT prep programs.
Technology is used as a tool to enhance learning, not as a replacement for fundamental study skills and discipline.
Not Just Tutoring
Tutoring helps students struggling with a specific subject. The How to Study program teaches a comprehensive approach to learning, succeeding academically, and managing responsibilities.
Tutoring is reactive, addressing problems after they occur. How to Study is proactive, preventing problems by teaching the skills needed to succeed independently.
Many schools offer tutoring. Few teach actual study skills as systematically and comprehensively as Hargrave does.
The Academic Support Infrastructure
The How to Study program is surrounded by an academic support infrastructure: faculty with over 50% holding advanced degrees who are invested in student success; small classes averaging 12 students for personalized attention; accessible teachers with after-class office hours; and a collaborative learning environment with study groups and peer tutoring.
Everything is designed to support academic success—teaching boys not just what to learn, but how to learn.
See It in Action
Ready to learn more about the How to Study program? Schedule a visit to sit in on a study hall, talk with faculty about the program, observe students applying the techniques, see the academic support infrastructure in action, and talk with cadets about how the program transformed their academic performance.
Contact us at 866-994-4582 or admissions@hargrave.edu.
