Talk to an advisor (9 AM-9 PM EST): 866-442-6062

Talk to an advisor (9 AM-9 PM EST): 866-925-2803

You may be a stellar student, but there's more to earning  

good grades

  than great test scores. Pat Grove, acting university director of the learning centers at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, offers some caveats...

First off, explains Grove, consider your course syllabi sacred. Many college professors will not remind you every time an assignment is due, however, such information is usually listed in their course outlines.

If you're unsure of something, though, it's OK to rely on your classmates. Exchange e-mail addresses and phone numbers with at least two or three students from each of your classes, suggests Grove, in case you are ill or need clarification on class discussions.

Of course, don't make it a habit to depend on others. Ultimately, it's up to you to be familiar with the rules and regulations of every course, as well as your college's official policies. Many have attendance requirements or penalties for lateness, for instance, and the age-old "but I didn't know" excuse won't get you off the hook, warns Grove.

Finally, request an unofficial transcript each year and check it over carefully to be sure your grades are recorded correctly.

As for keeping that GPA up...

Start by pyschoanalyzing your study habits. That's what 127 students at Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, TX, did recently in order to find out which study strategies were most effective for a great GPA.

Under the tutelage of Professors Donald Dansereau and Charles Lord, psychology students theorized that achieving a grade goal is easier if you use "direct thinking."

That means thinking through a plan of action rather than just agonizing over the reasons why you should study.

Some of their top study action examples include making notecards, cramming in comfortable surroundings, making up study games, forming study groups, and rewarding yourself after a designated study session is completed.

As Lord says, "imagining the steps you can take to reach a goal makes it seem achievable." So start thinking about how you're going to pull off that A+ paper, and follow through.


http://www.collegesurfing.com/blog
Dawn Papandrea is the Managing Editor of The CollegeBound Network. Learn more about finding a school that's right for you.

Sound Off! Post Your Comments