How to Improve Your Reading Comprehension Skills in College

Let’s be real: College reading is a whole new game compared to high school. No one’s giving you cliff notes, there’s no teacher to break down every paragraph, and you’re expected to understand dense, complex texts all on your own.

Whether you’re tackling a psychology textbook or digging into literary theory, good reading comprehension skills are essential.

The truth is, that many college students struggle because they never built strong reading skills in high school.

In fact, according to the National Literacy Institute, about 54% of U.S. adults have literacy skills below a 6th-grade level, while 20% are below a 5th-grade level.

That’s right — over half the population struggles with basic comprehension, and around 130 million adults can’t even read a simple story to their children. Imagine how much more challenging it becomes when you’re faced with scholarly articles or advanced texts.

1. Find Your Ideal Reading Environment

You know what they say: location, location, location. Where you read can make or break your focus and comprehension.

Some people can read anywhere — on a crowded bus, in a noisy coffee shop, or lying in bed. But most of us need a dedicated space to really dig into complex material.

What to Look For in a Reading Spot

2. Preview the Text Before You Dive In

Imagine walking into a movie halfway through — confusing, right? The same thing happens when you dive into a dense text without a game plan.

Skimming is like scanning the movie trailer before committing to the whole film. It gives you a roadmap, so you know what to expect and where the major plot points lie.

To skim effectively, start by reading the headings and subheadings, as they provide an outline of the text’s main topics. Next, check the introduction and conclusion, as they often summarize key points and give you a sense of the author’s main argument or objective.

Don’t overlook visuals such as charts, graphs, and images, since they frequently contain critical data that supports the text. Additionally, take a moment to read captions and sidebars because they offer context and supplementary insights that can deepen your understanding.

The benefits of skimming are substantial. It provides you with an overview of the content, setting your brain up to absorb information more effectively.

By breaking the text into manageable parts, skimming reduces the feeling of being overwhelmed and helps you get into the right mindset before diving deeper into the material.

You’re essentially giving yourself a mental framework, which makes detailed reading far more efficient and less daunting.

3. Develop an Active Reading Strategy

You need to make the material your own, interact with it, and question it as you go.

Strategies for Active Reading

Break Up Long Texts: Don’t try to read an entire chapter in one sitting. Divide it into sections and take breaks.

Use the SQ3R Method

4. Annotate and Highlight Wisely

If your textbook ends up looking like a rainbow exploded on it, you’re doing it wrong.

The purpose of highlighting is to make key ideas stand out, not to color every line like it’s your art project.

Annotations, on the other hand, are about actively interacting with the text, and marking down your thoughts, questions, and reactions.

When you highlight, focus on essential concepts, definitions, and main ideas.

Try using a color-coding system to separate concepts, examples, and vocabulary. One color might represent key theories, while another highlights supporting evidence.

Annotate in the margins to summarize points or ask questions. This way, when you review later, your notes make sense without needing to re-read the entire text.

Annotation is more than just underlining and coloring — it’s about engaging critically with the material. Think of it as having a conversation with the text. What is the author really saying?

Do you agree? Is there a connection to something you’ve read before? Writing brief comments or summaries helps reinforce the information and makes revision a lot more efficient.

5. Take Notes That Make Sense

Learning how to take Cornell Notes! 😊 I’ve heard about this strategy and have always thought it would be an effective way to take notes that you would actually use. Maybe I’ll teach it to my students as a comprehension strategy while they read. 🤔https://t.co/E7KsD4adRK

— Rebecca Huff (@RebeccaHuff9) June 15, 2023

Taking good notes means capturing the essence of what you’re reading without overwhelming yourself with every tiny detail. Instead of just copying sentences from the book, focus on summarizing and rephrasing information in your own words. Try different note-taking methods to see which works best for you:

Taking notes like this ensures that you’re not just mechanically recording information but truly processing and internalizing it. When it comes time to review, you’ll thank yourself for making things clear and organized from the start.

6. Build Your Vocabulary as You Read

Building a strong vocabulary is crucial, especially when tackling college-level texts. One unknown word can throw off your understanding of an entire paragraph. So, don’t just gloss over unfamiliar terms — make them your own.

When you encounter a word you don’t know, look it up immediately. Bookmark an online dictionary for quick access, or use apps like Merriam-Webster or Vocabulary.com to build a digital word bank.

Once you understand the meaning, write the word and its definition in your notes. Better yet, create a flashcard and practice using the word in sentences of your own. This helps cement it in your memory.

It’s also useful to pay attention to context clues. Sometimes, the words around an unfamiliar term can hint at its meaning.

Train yourself to spot prefixes, suffixes, and root words.

This analytical approach not only builds your vocabulary but also enhances your reading comprehension by making sense of complex sentences.

7. Make Connections to Reinforce Learning

One of the most powerful ways to enhance comprehension is by making connections between what you’re reading and what you already know. It’s like weaving a net in your brain — the more connections, the stronger the understanding.

There are three main types of connections you should aim for:

By building these connections, you turn abstract ideas into something relatable and memorable. It also makes discussing and writing about the material a lot easier since you have practical examples and contexts to draw from.

8. Summarize and Recap Regularly

Summarizing isn’t just something your teacher makes you do for kicks — it’s a proven way to lock information into your long-term memory.

After you finish a section or chapter, take a few minutes to write a brief summary. You don’t need to go overboard — a few concise sentences will do the trick.

Instead of merely repeating what you’ve read, put it into your own words.

This forces your brain to process the material and make sense of it. You can summarize verbally as well.

Try explaining the main points to a friend or even just talking it out to yourself. Teaching someone else what you’ve learned is one of the most effective ways to retain information.

If you’re more of a visual learner, create a quick infographic or concept map that visually represents the key ideas. Whether it’s verbal, written, or visual, the act of summarizing solidifies your grasp on the content.

9. Quiz Yourself to Reinforce Understanding

Self-quizzing is an excellent way to identify weak spots before a formal exam catches you off guard. Create flashcards with key concepts, formulas, or vocabulary words, and quiz yourself regularly.

Digital tools like Quizlet make this easy, allowing you to build personalized decks and practice wherever you are. You can also write down potential test questions based on the reading and then try answering them without looking at your notes. If you can explain a concept out loud without stumbling, you’re in good shape.

Challenge yourself with different types of questions:

Making quizzing part of your study routine helps reinforce your understanding and boosts your confidence.

10. Discuss and Teach What You’ve Learned

You don’t have to be an expert — just explaining what you’ve learned to a friend, classmate, or even your pet can help clarify your thoughts.

When you discuss new concepts, you’re forced to organize your understanding and put complex ideas into simpler words.

Form study groups or participate in class discussions to bounce ideas off others.

Sometimes hearing how someone else interprets the same material can give you a new perspective. Plus, teaching or discussing the topic reveals any gaps in your understanding, which you can then revisit and strengthen.

If you’re feeling ambitious, create a brief presentation or write a summary post for a study group or social media platform.

Teaching forces you to break down concepts logically, which is invaluable for long-term retention.

Final Thoughts

Improving your reading comprehension skills in college is less about speed and more about strategy. Take your time, read actively, and don’t be afraid to experiment with techniques to find what works best for you.

Whether you’re annotating textbooks, building vocabulary, or summarizing content, every little effort adds up to a big payoff in understanding and retention. In fact, students at the hardest colleges to get into often rely on these strategies to stay ahead of their demanding coursework.

Remember, the goal is to make reading feel less like a chore and more like a journey of discovery. Keep practicing, stay curious, and don’t hesitate to try new methods to make your study sessions more effective.