New Study Habits for the New Year

New Study Habits for the New Year
  • Type: Study Habits
  • Opening Intro -

    Are you satisfied with your academic progress? Specifically, are your grades where you want them to be?

    Let's face it: students with a high grade point average (GPA) stand a better chance of landing a job or receiving grad school acceptance than those with average scores.

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Businesses and schools aren’t looking for average prospects, therefore “making the grade” is important while you can.

Here are some methods for raising your GPA:

1. Retake a course. If you have a “D” grade in any course you should take that class over. Even a “C” grade can drag down your GPA. Most colleges will allow students to repeat a course and may require you to stipulate a new grade replacement option. What this means is that the first grade is not computed into your GPA, while the second one is. Imagine the impact of turning that “D” into a “B” or a “C” into an “A” grade.

2. Get some help. Whether you need to retake a class or not, you may find that you won’t make an improvement without some outside help. And that help should come from not just your professor, but a student tutor who understands what you are learning. Likely, your school has a tutoring lab that is open during set hours. The labs, however, are typically geared toward lifting up students’ basic skills. If you have an advanced class that you need help with, ask your professor to recommend a student that might assist you.

3. Study with deliberation. Perhaps your studying methods could use improvement. After all, if you must cram before testing, you are not really retaining what you have learned. Moreover, you’re making it harder on yourself. When in class, take notes and highlight the professor’s salient points. When you participate in discussions, you’ll retain more too. Seek clarification on matters you do not understand. Review your notes as soon as your class is over and make a point to study on a consistent basis. Set aside time to study with your classmates too.

4. Attend every class. Make a point to attend every class. After all, your priorities in college has everything to do with learning. You should also know that some professors give your attendance weight in deciding your final grade. If you’re doing C+ work and are on the cusp of a B-, your faithful attendance and class participation just may push you to the higher grade.

5. Choose with care. You can’t choose your core classes, but you do have choices when it comes to electives. Read course descriptions, find out which courses count toward your graduation, understand what you can handle, and try to satisfy some personal interest too. For instance, you may be a business major with an interest in the natural world. A field biology course may be the right elective for you.

6. Embrace wise research practices. The Internet generation has so much information at their finger tips. Unfortunately, much of the stuff posted online does not pass the scholarly “smell” test. When working on your term and other papers, be careful to cite only trusted sources. Your professors have guidelines that you must follow and just as the Encyclopedia Britannica was not acceptable when he or she was in school, the same can be said for Wikipedia today.

7. Follow a plan. As soon a semester starts, begin to fill out a planner showing the first and last dates of that semester. Then, fill in every important deadline including term paper due dates, reports, tests, and other events of note. Stay on top of your schedule and revise your plan as needed.

8. Finish strong. Your final academic year or last semester is no time to take your foot off of the gas. Easing up can cost you dearly, perhaps dropping down your GPA enough to the point where you miss out on certain academic recognition. Finish your college years strong as it will soon be over. And once it is over, your GPA is set in stone.

A New Year

And remember this: a new year means a new beginning or a chance to wipe the slate clean. It won’t immediately effect your grade point average, but it can put you on a positive and much needed road to improvement.

See AlsoRaise Your GPA With Summer Courses

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Categories: Study Tips