According to "MSNBC," one-sixth of the 3.2 million students who are enrolled at a higher education institution took least one online class last fall. With gas prices hurting students' wallets, and schools saving money by virtue of needing less space and professors, it's no wonder that more and more students are learning electronically. I'm trying out the new online kick one class at a time this summer and this fall.

Of course, there are plenty of students who probably choose to sign up in order to have a flexible school schedule so they can work or be more involved in other activities. But then again, they may just have wanted to be able to rescue Princess Peach on their Nintendo while pausing to glance at a droning professor on their computer screen.

With so many distractions, what's the trick to learning effectively online? How can you prevent watching the entire "semester" of lectures during the same two-night marathon?

To start, it's impossible to schedule your online learning obligations at the exact same time each week. You've got things that randomly come up, friends who randomly want to hang out, and moments where you randomly just want to watch old Pokémon episodes on YouTube.

So rather than constraining yourself to marking your schedule up with classes and sad smiley faces each week, give yourself limited versatility. This means that you will still tend to your coursework each week, but during different chunks of time.

Each Tuesday (because I personally hate the dreadful association of Mondays with school) you can mark your schedule for what times you will dedicate that week to your online course. Give yourself different chunks of time so you can relax in between. And give yourself more chunks of time than you need, so if randomly your friends decide to reenact the finale of WrestleMania, you can join 'em.

I would also suggest studying on Wednesday or Thursday because those are the times when random things, friends and moments are least likely to happen. And, of course, it's nice to not have to work on the weekends.

If you think you've got it together, what suggestions do you have to keep online students from watching 10 lectures on the night before the final?

Why relying too heavily on practice tests can have an adverse effect on your actual test performance.

As I wrote in my last entry, taking practice tests is the best way to study. However, there is one major pitfall that all avid practice test takers must avoid; we'll call it the "one trick pony syndrome." The point of practice tests is to ensure that you can apply what you learned in class to paper, to ensure that you aren't the guy with a 50-inch vertical who can't make a shot to save his life.

The point is not to bond yourself to the practice test to the point where switching numbers will result in temporary brain paralysis.

Many students will run through the teacher-provided practice test five, ten or even twenty times as their only form of studying. Doing this can easily result in an inability to solve questions with slight modifications. Sure, knowing the steps to solve problems may be more important when taking a test than knowing the theory behind the steps, but don't put all your eggs in one basket.

"Man, you sure can ace that practice test… but can you do anything else?"

Don't be that guy. Know the methods to solve test questions but also understand why step A leads to step B. Two-story houses need a staircase. Trust me.

Ever fallen into the practice test trap? Any thoughts on strategies to avoid the trap?

Why practice tests should be the first and last step in the studying process.

I'm sure you've all seen the bumper stickers or posters that read, "I'd rather be fishing." If I were to stick one of these on my car I'd supplant fishing with golfing. You might choose "singing," "eating" or "grooming my chia pet." Regardless of what activity you'd rather be doing, it's pretty safe to say that activity isn't studying.

Whether or not you consciously ask yourself before hitting the books, the paramount question when studying is "How can I maximize the time I spend doing this?" Or, in other words, it's all about efficiency, baby.

In my humble opinion it all starts and ends with the practice test. When you sit down to study, you have a good idea of where your strengths and weaknesses lie, but that doesn't mean you should head straight to your notes to solidify what's lacking. Start by taking a practice test (usually provided by your professor, textbook publisher or frat brothers).

You may realize that while you find the material on circuits to be hazy, the test questions on circuits all progress similarly. Spending a short amount of time with the method employed to solve these questions will get you to where you need to be. Think of it as inductive versus deductive studying.

So start with the practice test, understand what you need to focus on, do what's necessary to grasp that material, then take a second practice test (or even re-take the first one). If you can complete all of the problems without assistance or peeking at the solution page, you are good to go. If a certain problem still trips you up, repeat steps 2-4. Consider yourself enrolled in the Brian McKnight school of studying.

Just make sure you don't fall victim to the practice test trap.

Are practice tests your go-to guy for studying? On the contrary, think they are overrated? Share your thoughts!

Before the test you can study alone or in a group – which option is the way to go?

Everybody has their preferred method of studying. Some are a.m. studiers, some are more nocturnal. Some power through with no nourishment, others make their desk look like the dinner table at a Bavarian holiday party. But no matter when, where or how, studying can always be broken down into a dichotomy: studying in a group or studying alone.

Study groups pool the brainpower of several classmates. Granted, this pool might only amount to slightly more knowledge than you possess yourself, but at other times the pool can be akin to the Mensa JV team. That's why you should always hedge your bets with a decent amount of self-studying. Knowing a bit about the material beforehand will ensure that the group functions as a study group and not an extra class session that your syllabus didn't warn you about.

On the bright side, study groups can normally be relied on to alert you about a section you missed or to steer you away from the incorrect method you were using to solve a certain problem. You may not get the most bang for your buck, but you should walk away with tidbits you wouldn't have discovered alone.

Studying alone is usually the best option if you are in power mode. If you have a load of material to cover and/or multiple hours ahead of you, self-study is probably the best option. In my experience, studying alone helps me learn and comprehend the material while studying in a group helps reinforce and solidify the material.

My favorite strategy has always been to study alone for the majority of the time and then join a study group the night before the test to make sure I haven't missed anything.

And even if that study group turns out to be pointless… hey, at least I walk away more confident about my chances against the curve.

Studying in a group or studying alone: Which method is better? What are the benefits of each method that the other can't achieve?

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?