How to Make a Good Grades
Getting good grades requires hard work, but it's within your reach. Here's how to make it.
(1) Stay organized. A lot of people say this, but it really does help! Organizing your locker helps you remember to bring your supplies to class and to your house to do your homework and study. Organizing your notes will make them much easier to understand later on. Also, keep your desk/study space tidy, and make sure you have a clean, quiet place to study and do homework that is withdrawn from the main part of the house.
(2) Keep a calendar. Whether it's a day planner you carry in your backpack or a calendar on your wall at home, it can help you keep track of when assignments are due and stay organized. At the beginning of the term, when you get a syllabus, write down every test, quiz, and assignment due date. Do this for each class. Every day when you get home from school, check your calendar and see what needs to be done before tomorrow, as well as what's on the horizon for the next few days.
Try to do your homework immediately after school. Time management is essential. If you're given an assignment that's due next week, don't procrastinate; get started the same day you get the assignment (see more about this in tips).
If possible, try to get assignments finished at least 1 whole day before the due date. Most teachers will deduct points for each day your work is late.
Homework counts for a large portion of your grade. If your teacher has any extra credit assignments, do them! It won't hurt if you try it out. Even if you get some wrong, have confidence that your teachers will still give you some points back.
(3) Take notes on everything. For most courses in middle school, high school, and junior/community college, most of what is on the tests and homework will be discussed in the class. If your teacher draws a diagram on the board, copy that down - it can help you remember the information. Don't just copy what they write on the board, either; take extensive notes on everything. Most of the time in middle school, though, the teachers will take it easy and ask you to copy it down or give you specific instructions. Still, if you want to get the best marks, copy it down.
Notes should be short, and, if possible, get pens with colored ink or scented pencils as it aids the memory. These are useful and fun tricks that help with note taking and studying.
Write good, legible notes. Colored pens are fun to write with if you want to get more creative with your notes, but use them only for sections of your notes that you feel will be on a test or are important. It makes them stand out. Use highlighters if there's something you need to find easily flipping through your notes, but don't highlight too much text or it destroys the point.
(4) Keep track of your grades. You won't get a high score if you don't aim for one. Some schools have an online place where you can check your grades whenever you want. Utilize this and make sure that you have a username and password from your teacher. If not, ask your teacher for your grade. You can average it yourself if you're desperate, or you can wait until the next progress report.
(5) Put homework first. Set yourself goals and make sure you reach them before you go out and party. Having a social life is important, but your grades can affect a lot of your choices for the future. Schedule time each day to study, just as you would schedule dates or parties.
(6) Ask for help. If you're not sure what's required for a good grade or are struggling with the coursework, ask your teacher for help. It doesn't have to be a complex question; your teacher is always happy to help you. Ask after class or in an e-mail for assistance. If your teacher is unavailable (i.e. on a vacation), ask the substitute, your parents, friends, or anyone else! Some people seem to think you are stupid if you ask questions, but ignore them. Asking questions will improve your grades and help your understanding.
If he or she doesn't have time to help you, at least ask for a recommendation on a good tutor.
(7) Know how to take a test. These tips can help you score well on your next exam:
Take the notes and make a study guide. Look in the textbook and put all important ideas and details in your notes.
Review the study guide. Go over it until you feel like you know the material well.
Make someone test you on the study guide. You can try to sing the question and answer or whatever else you like to do.
Use memory tricks. If you think you've got the material down, try to do some synthesis with what you know, like writing an essay.
Do sample problems. Make sure you did it right.
Ask your teacher if you can do an essay or extra sheet of problems for extra credit. If she says yes, hand it in the next day. If she hands it back before the test, you'll see your mistakes and be able to fix them.
Review your notes every night, so when the big test comes, remembering what you learned is a snap.
Invent fun ways to study. Don't study all in one night; study a bit each night. Your brain cannot take in so much information all at once. Make flash cards, have a friend over, or join an after-school homework club if you can for help from a teacher or friend from the same class. You can make a board game to make studying fun and easy, or you can just type up your notes if it makes it easier to read. Do as much as possible to make sure you know the material.
Relax. If you're fidgety or worried that you'll fail the test, you won't be able to fulfill your complete potential. If you studied for it long enough that you know the information, then you shouldn't be worried about getting a low grade.
(8) Pay attention to your instructor's teaching style and use the same method to learn the information. If they write on the blackboard, take notes; if they lecture, listen hard or record the lecture to listen to multiple times. This sounds simple, but many will find it hard to stay focused for an entire class period. Here is where the hard work comes in: staying focused!
(9) Get a good night's rest. You need sleep in order to stay focused, and without it, you will have a hard time staying on task and may forget what you just learned.
(10) Improve your memory. Give your brain a workout - try some fun puzzle exercises everyday such as crosswords, Sudoku, and other games which are easy enough to for anyone. This will boost your brainpower and you will be able to memorize more information at school.
(11) Eat a good, healthy breakfast everyday. It is known that if students eat a good and healthy breakfast every morning, they generally get good grades and are able to focus better in school.
(12) Think about your future. Think about it whenever you are in a hard test/quiz. People will see this, and the people will mean something to the rest of your life. The things that you do now, especially the ones that count for your grades, will be important and count for your whole life, career, college, and more. Get good grades, do your homework, and remember, homework isn't actually for "home work." It is for the teachers to know that you know the topic well and for you to get some more practice of what you need. Never slack off on something when it comes to school and think more about the future then the moment you are in during that moment in time. Keep working hard!
(13) After reading one line revise it ten times without seeing. It will stay in your mind for a longer time .It is particularly effective when you have less time for studying.
Always do your homework every night. It can save your grade if you fall short on homework or tests,and even if you did well it will help your GPA.
Ask a lot of questions in class! This will clear up anything you're unsure on, and possibly give you new information to spice up a paper. Also, participating actively in class can actually raise your grade! Your teacher will see you are active in class, there is participation grades you know!
In math if you see a problem you don't know how to do, or didn' t understand, write it down and look it up when you get home or, you can go to your teacher and ask them about the question. When the test comes around those problems will be very useful.
Organize your work area. Make sure everything is neat and you can find it easily. As any college student will tell you, working in an untidy environment will only lead to distraction. Make sure you have all of the supplies you need for class.
Don't be ashamed of being smart or needing a tutor. Tons of smart kids get picked on, but being smart always pays off in the end. Also, don't be afraid to get a tutor because it doesn't mean you aren't smart. It just means you need a little help and that you are learning at a right pace for you, which is perfectly okay. Some teachers will even recommend tutors and add to your grade for getting tutoring: if they do this, be sure to get the tutoring! A couple extra points to your grade can never hurt.
It's not about how long you study, its about how well you study. Skimming a book for five hours doesn't help as much as reading your notes and the book for two hours.
Stay focused on the goal.
When taking tests, you have to relax. Easier said than done? Remember - you have all of the answers in your head already! The only challenge is getting them out! Your first instinct is nearly always correct. Don't go back and change answers. If you are really not sure, skip it and come back later.
If you're uncertain about the wording of a rest question, go and ask the teacher what they mean! As long as you don't flat out ask for the answer to a question, just what they meant by the question, they will usually answer.
Use your time wisely. If you are given an hour to complete a 120 question test, that's 30 seconds per question. 30 seconds can be made into a lot of time. Many of the questions will take far less than 30 seconds, so apply the balance to a tougher question. Don't think too deeply on the time, and don't let yourself get distracted by the ticking of the clock.
If you have any questions, don't be afraid to ask the teacher! You have the right to learn. Plus, they'll be happy to help you. Also remember that you're smart if you ask questions.
Do not procrastinate. Don't do a project the night before or on the morning of. If it seems like a huge project, then break it into little steps and do a couple per day. Or, find a partner to work with, if your teacher allows it, and split the work between you two.
Don't cram right before a test. Study well in advance. This will allow you the luxury of breaks between study sessions and to study with friends once in awhile.
Study with a friend as much as possible. Plan a weekend study session, or weekday sessions and help each other. This tends to work best when you are in the same class and not just with the same teacher - one class can be further ahead than the other.
Look to the future, and make sure you see what the benefits of actually studying are.
Sometimes it helps if you reward yourself. if you've gotten good grades, take a day off of studying. Just don't slacken too much.
Having small goals also helps. Your goals should try to improve slowly and finally an A. Aiming for an A right away leaves you feeling unrewarded and makes your goal seem unreachable.
Read from the text book (if you have one). There are sometimes things in there that the teacher didn't mention or you didn't hear.
Always follow instructions on assignments, tests, math problems, etc.! It may not seem necessary sometimes, but reading the instructions beforehand is crucial.
Set a study schedule. May seem overrated but it actually works. Give yourself 15-20 minutes to wind if you feel stressed from school, unless you can stay in *school mode* right after you get home. Do not save your homework for 9 p.m.
Remove all distractions. Although it may be okay to listen to music or leave the TV on while doing simple work, it is best to be in a quiet environment, preferably alone. Make sure you have plenty of space and good lighting.
For new college students coming out of high school, it helps to not become overwhelmed. The work is not any more difficult, there's just more of it. Break large assignments down into sub components, divide and conquer.
Keep a small notepad or even loose paper will do. Write down any and all assignments, due dates, and have a check box next to each one. If it helps, break things down into as many smaller components as possible. Instead of taking on large tasks, the more things you can accomplish and check off, the more refreshed you will be and you will maintain a better outlook toward the assignments.
Study for one subject at a time, you'll get better grades that way. It's better to make sure you know one subject really well and then move onto the next when you study, than go into an exam with a basic knowledge of all of your subjects.
Study even if you do not have a test until a week or so, if you study a night before you will be nervous and not do close to as good. Study your notes and vocabulary also because you never know what will be on the test.
Don't feel bad if you didn't get the grade that you wanted. There will likely be more opportunities in the future. Just persevere and believe that you can do it! Don't let anyone bring you down!
Don't be afraid to look up extra information about anything you're studying. Your teachers will be impressed if you can add information that you didn't learn in class into the essay or test.
It is proven that studying before you go to sleep can help you remember things. Try studying closer to your bedtime, or even just read through all your notes before you go to bed; just don't stay up too late and lose precious hours of sleep!
Most importantly, have fun when doing it. If you enjoy one thing more, you can learn more easily. Just believe in yourself and anything can happen!
You should work hard to improve the ability, and knowledge after this just trust yourself!
Listen to peaceful noises that help you focus more or go to a favorite place you want to be to study or to do homework.
Don't hang around with friends who are not serious in their education. Always stay close to the smart guys, even if your friends laugh at you. It is your grades and future, what you put in it is what you get out of it.
You may have to cut down on entertainment in order to succeed. The best students know how to say, "No, I can't hang out because I have to study." Some friends might tease you, but your real friends will understand. Remember though that you do need to relax every now and then or you will get too stressed out and get worse grades. It is important to balance out your studies and social life.
Do not compromise your future with anyone. There will always come a time in your life where you will face "Should I or shouldn't I?".
Try to avoid using "rote memorization." That is where you repeat something over and over again until it finally sticks in your brain after the 100th time. It is the worst and most inefficient method of memorization. Instead, search for and read about memory tricks such as The Link Memory System, Method of Loci, or acrostics.
Even if it is not your turn to work on a group project, or a component thereof, make sure you have a backup plan. This is simply because you cannot depend on other people. Many people at two-year colleges especially are plain lazy and will drag your grade down with their minimalist attitudes if you rely on them to do their part. If possible, avoid working in groups larger than two people.
Try to ensure completion of assignments at least seven days prior to the due date, if possible. This will create a buffer in case of absence, poor communication, illness, family emergency, etc. Have an alternate way to get in touch with the professor and members of your project group, such as e-mail addresses and telephone numbers.
Don't be afraid to be great. Don't worry if people think you are a perfectionist or an overachiever. Be persistent with your work while everyone else is screwing around in class. In four years you will more than likely never see these people again, but you will see the C's and D's on your transcript that could have been A's and B's.
Study groups are a good mental reinforcement, and it is helpful to exchange knowledge and information. Do not, however, get lazy and subdivide all the homework assignments ("You do problems 1 through 5, you get 6 through 10, I will do 11 through 15..."). Remember that you cannot collaborate on exams and the deficiency your understanding will resurface when exam time comes.
It does not matter how much you study if you still believe that you are not capable of getting good grades. No matter what your past results or current results are, you must start focusing entirely on success at school. Do not let anything else enter your mind apart from success.
Make sure you STUDY, STUDY, STUDY alot and not just cram it all in the night before. Revise over the work you have already learned so you can learn it faster and have an advantage when it come to the exam. Also, try to do some extra work by going to tutoring classes or find an online tutor.
If you didn't do the homework for some reason, talk to your teacher and if you go to he or she, will know that you care about your grade and she might give you another chance at improving.
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