Whether you want to be the next Bill Nye (with tenure!) or you just want to learn as much as you can without going to a formal school, being a scholar is easier than it sounds! With some work and determination, you too can bring learning into your life. Read the article below to find out how!

1

Read a lot.

  1. The best way to learn without getting a formal education is to read a lot. Read as much as you can at every opportunity. This, in and of itself, can make you a scholar (since a scholar is really just someone who is learning all the time). You can read books that you buy, but don't forget that you can also go to your local library and get loads of books for free! The internet has made lots of library systems much easier to use, letting you find, order, and renew books right from your home.[1]
    • There are also loads of books in the public domain, which you can get free digital copies of to keep. Project Gutenberg is the most famous, but you can also get many through Amazon's Kindle program.
  2. Advertisement
3

Try online schools.

  1. Many new online schools with free classes are springing up all over the web. You can take classes from top universities, and some are even working towards offering certificates of completion. You can learn all sorts of skills and topics, from history to computer programming. Popular options include Coursera, CreativeLive, OpenCulture, or even Mental Floss' Youtube Series (featuring John Green!).[3]
    • Try using College Board or Khan Academy to help you learn common subjects or to prepare for the SAT or ACT.
    • You can also learn languages online for free. Good sites include LiveMocha, Duolingo, and the Foreign Service Institute's online resources.
  2. Advertisement
4

Learn more than one language.

  1. Speaking a language is not only helpful for you in your life, it also is often a requirement for degrees! Show a college that you're ready by learning a language. Choose a language that will be useful, as choosing an non-useful one doesn't really entice a college as much. Some languages are more useful than others in certain regions or for certain degrees. You can take lessons privately, at your school, at a local college, or for free online! Good online options include LiveMocha and DuoLingo.
    • Skills in 1 or 2 foreign languages may be helpful as well, in order to read older scientific papers that haven't been translated into English. The most helpful languages to learn include French, German, Spanish, Italian, Latin and Russian.
    • You may need to learn Arabic, Persian and Turkish. Many scientists and scholars have passed in Arabian Peninsula, Southeast Asia, Ottoman Empire and Persia (Present day Iran).
9

Take classes.

11

Spread the knowledge you have.

  1. Write articles, papers, books and/or give lectures about your own field of knowledge like other great authors and scientists. You will write articles for journals, papers for conferences,and essays and books for publishing. The hope is that your original research will be significant enough to gain notoriety for the university you work for, attracting more students and grants.
    • When you work in academia, you will usually be required to continue researching in your field, writing papers and books at regular intervals.
    • Sometimes you will be allowed to take a sabbatical, or a paid, year-long break in order to work on your research.
  2. Advertisement
14

Get good test scores.

  1. Getting good SAT (or equivalent) scores will make a huge difference in what schools you are able to get in to. Get better scores to get in to better schools. Get good scores by studying ahead of time (well in advance of your test date) and take practice tests. You can also take the test more than once if you want to.
    • Don't feel like getting a bad or average score will keep you from doing the things you want. You can always start at one college and transfer to a better one.
    • Set up a quiet study area without any electronics or distractions so you're able to focus.
16

Spend time studying.

17

Befriend your professors.

  1. Befriending your professors is about more than getting a better grade because they like you more. You professors can often be your ticket into a good grad school, and they may be your colleagues later in your career. Get to know them by taking advantage of office hours. However, be sure you aren't wasting their time. Come in with actual questions and pay attention to what they say.
    • You can also get to know your professors by being engaged in class. Sit near the front, answer and ask questions, and be good about participating in general.
    • You can also just talk to them and ask for advice. They want to see you succeed and should be more than happy to give you some pro tips about working and getting ahead in the field.
  2. Advertisement
18

Get all of your necessary degrees.

  1. For some academics, a master's degree is enough to do what they want to do. Some will need to get a PhD. This means that if you really want to spend the rest of your life as a scholar, you'll need to go to graduate school. Keep in mind that all of your schooling together can be 8 years or more after high school!
    • Doctoral programs take about 6 years to complete after obtaining a bachelor's degree. This may includes time used for earning a master's degree and completing a dissertation.
    • Don't get scared about this though. Graduate school is very different than normal school and, in some ways, it's easier. If you can get in, you can probably handle it.
19

Stay on top of the latest research in your field.

  1. You should be reading publications in your field every day -- which shouldn't be too difficult if you have a true passion for that area (and if you don't, you may want to reconsider becoming a professor for that subject). You need to continually expand your specialized knowledge in that field if you want to become a good professor. Things can change from what's printed in the textbooks, and you want to be able to share that information with your students. It's better not to be one step behind your students and peers.
    • Networking with the experts in your field will also bolster your own research endeavors.
  2. Advertisement
20

Attend conferences.

  1. Conferences are special gatherings of lots of scholars in a particular field. They get together to present their research and learn from each other. You may present things that you've been studying but mostly you'll listen to the presentations of others and talk with your colleagues. Some conferences may be local or regional, but sometimes you may get to go to international conferences.
    • Believe us, conferences are more fun than what they sounds like. Realistically, most are just a bunch of scholars getting drunk together.
27

Keep learning.

  1. Real scholars spend their entire lives learning. Just because you finished school doesn't mean that you'll stop. Continue to read in your spare time. This usually means reading academic journals, since this is where you'll be able to keep up with the latest developments in your field. Travel to study in other countries. For many fields, it may be beneficial to take trips overseas, to see what your colleagues in other countries are working on or to gain access to materials that you may not have where you live.
    • Try getting other degrees. Sometimes scholars will go back to school and get degrees. This is often so that they can get further in their career, or if their research area overlaps with another field.
  2. Advertisement

Community Q&A

  • Question
    How do I keep learning after finishing school?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Set a fixed time every day or week to sit down and learn something. Take continuing education courses. Surround yourself with people with a similar drive to learn and grow.
  • Question
    How do I manage my study time if I am busy all the time?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    You'll have to cut some things out so you can prioritize your studies. I had to cut out acting and sports for two years.
  • Question
    Which language is the best to learn if I want to be a scholar?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    English is used around the world, so that could be helpful to learn depending on where you want to study.
Advertisement

Warnings

  • Being a scholar or typically requires lots of patience. There are equal chances of failure as that of success, hence you should be ready to accept the results as they come.
    ⧼thumbs_response⧽
  • It may be difficult to balance cultivating a strong family life while conducting extensive research. Moving to places to meet job opportunities can also take a toll on your family.
    ⧼thumbs_response⧽
  • Don't base your decision on where to teach solely by prestige of university. Some smaller universities can be top-notch niches in certain fields, and others can have excellent faculty and resources to work with.
    ⧼thumbs_response⧽
  • Be wary of online schools that require money. Make sure that they are accredited and that their reputation is good.
    ⧼thumbs_response⧽
  • Due to the larger number of PhD candidates for professorship and commercial positions, prospective scientists and scholars may find themselves having to take a series of postdoctoral positions before landing a permanent position.
    ⧼thumbs_response⧽
  • The pay is not always great, and the work can be isolating. When you seek the tenure track, the first 6 years on the job are intense.
    ⧼thumbs_response⧽
Advertisement

About This Article

Arash Fayz
Co-authored by:
Test Prep Tutor
This article was co-authored by Arash Fayz. Arash Fayz is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of LA Tutors 123, an academic consulting and private tutoring company based in Los Angeles, California. Arash has over 10 years of educational consulting experience, managing the tutoring of students of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds to score higher on standardized tests and gain admission to their target schools. He has a BA in Applied Mathematics and Computer Science from the University of California, Los Angeles. This article has been viewed 308,040 times.
How helpful is this?
Co-authors: 29
Updated: March 10, 2023
Views: 308,040
Article SummaryX

To become a scholar, try to question everything you hear or read instead of taking it at face value. If information seems wrong or questionable, do your own research to find the facts. Also, try to cultivate your curiosity since scholars are always on a quest to learn new things. Since a scholar is someone who is learning all the time, try to read as much as you can, and attend classes or take online courses to broaden your horizons. To learn how to get good grades in school and get into college, scroll down!

Did this summary help you?
Advertisement