The length that some students go to make up for lost class time is befuddling.

It's often said that when creating a business plan, if you understand the people you'll be catering to and are really in tune with their tendencies and preferences, marketing your service or product will be a piece of cake.

In my opinion, there's no better example of this than "Review Session Gurus," as I like to call them. There are guys that previously attended my university who make an inordinate amount of money by helping under-prepared college students cram for exams.

Their service isn't anything special; in essence, they teach the testable material in a condensed form, provide their own notes and practice test and shoo students out the door to prepare for their next session. These "reviews" last anywhere from two to four hours, cost $60 a pop and are attended by up to 100 students.

$6,000 in one night for what? Using your old lecture notes to teach notorious class-skippers what happened over the past month? Man… I should really consider a career refocusing.

The point of this entry is to tell you to avoid these sessions. You'll constantly hear rave reviews about how a said review session "saved someone's life." Keep in mind that, without a crash course in everything that was covered in class, these people would have likely failed the test. So if they walk away with a C that has to be considered an accomplishment.

Secondly, last time I checked, studying for tests is a way to get a leg up on classmates. Most math-based courses are graded on a curve and thus the goal is to be more prepared than girl A and guy B. Sure, the students who attend these review sessions might be learning material and gaining insight on test-taking strategies, but they are learning the same material and same strategies as everyone else in the room. Maybe it's just me, but I don't want to pay $60 to be placed on the same level as 99 other students taking the same test.

Lastly, skip out on these sessions as a testament to your rationality and pride. Going to class really isn't a formidable task. You win out on all fronts by attending class in lieu of going to these paid review sessions as a last ditch attempt to make the cut.

Besides, $60 is a lot of money! Take it and go see a game, or use it to treat your significant other to a nice dinner. Heck, utilize the aerodynamic force of U.S. currency and enter a paper airplane throwing contest.

Now THAT is money well-spent.

Thought and/or comments about these types of review sessions? Sound off!

With all due respect to essay questions, math, science and engineering students can't tip-toe their way around answers. Test questions are most often multiple choice or free response… and don't let the "free" fool you – there is only one correct answer.

Besides "That test sucked," the most common complaint I've heard exiting the myriad math-based tests I've taken over the years is, "You know that long problem at the end? I didn't even know where to start. SO unfair."

I think what's really unfair is that person's right to use the same language as the rest of us… but I digress.

Truth be told, it's safe to say we've all had our trying times with lengthy, intricate word problems where it's as much of a challenge to figure out what the professor wants as it is to solve the problem.

Here are some tips on common mistakes to avoid:

Mistake 1: Reading through the whole problem first to see what you're faced with.

Correction 1: Make a note of each important piece of information and write down each number given to you as you go. That way you'll have a short-hand visual representation of what you just read once you're finished.

Mistake 2: After reading the problem, you sit back and decide where to start.

Correction 2: Start at the END. The last sentence of these problems is always the prompt – it tells you what is desired in the end.

Mistake 3: Assuming it is logical to tackle the problem in the order it's written.

Correction 3: It is often easier to work backwards. Once you've figured out what the problem is asking for, think about what step is required to get you there. Once you've written this out, no matter how many unanswered variables are on your paper, decide what step is required to get you to that point. Now that you have the final three steps written out, you have a solid roadmap for handling the problem.

Mistake 4: Staring at the problem and assuming there's no way you can answer it.

Correction 4: Answering word problems isn't some magical skill where either you have it or you don't. If you start writing down whatever information you can gather, there's a better chance your mind will be triggered by something it sees. All of those lectures and all of that studying is locked somewhere in the back of your brain, so do your best to unleash the caged beast inside.

How do you tackle lengthy word problems? Any tips for success?

How to "fight the fade" during terribly boring lectures.

One minute your eyes are locked-in on your professor and you are taking notes. The next minute, your hand is slowing as your eyelids are being forced down involuntarily. The next minute, your head is making its way backward, ready to bottom out on the notebook of the kid behind you. Suddenly your slumberous motion startles you awake and you are primed to repeat the process.

Easy to describe because we've all done it before… and seen it done by the kid next to us countless times more.

Some start to snore, some appear severely hypnotized, some seem to be doing subconscious calisthenics and some look like Pauly Shore when… well, whenever.

So how to avoid this most common of classroom fates?

The key is to keep yourself involved somehow in the lecture. Taking notes doesn't qualify because you are simply regurgitating information instead of actively processing thoughts.

The best advice I can offer is to ask a question. It doesn't matter what the question pertains to, as long as it can be linked to the topic at hand and doesn't make you look like a kid who has zoned out for the past 10 minutes (or past 10 lectures).

Anytime you have to present yourself to the professor, you'll need to stay awake. It'll keep you alert and give you the stimulation needed to make it through another energy-sapping lecture.

If that still doesn't work, you can always fall back on electroshock therapy…

What helps you stay awake in the most boring lectures? Strategies or tips to share?

Can listening to music while studying make you more productive?

I think one of the most underappreciated joys of college living is the exposure to your neighbors' music tastes. Never having met the two guys living below you, there's a good chance you could still create a fairly accurate profile of them after listening to their… diverse collection of Styx, Ace of Base, Lou Bega and Chingy.

I've lived with people who study to Broadway show tunes, Disney classics and Kelly Clarkson ballads. I'm not kidding. I've also lived with people who study in complete silence with nothing but a dim desk lamp to remind them of civilization.

There are myriad studies out there on the benefits of listening to music at different times. It calms nerves. It helps you to pump iron. It helps you to study effectively. But it's nearly impossible to "prove" these theories as it always comes down to individual preference.

Me? I listen to music while studying only if I need a break in my routine. Sometimes I'm just struggling through my coursework and feel as if boredom is consuming me – a near impossible state to be in if you hope to get any solid work done. At that point I'll put on some low-volume music to provide slight diversion and get my mind back on track.

How do you use music as a study aid? Does music really help you to study more effectively?