How to Get Good Grades in

College

Making the Grade

• Attend Every Class Meeting

• When you miss class, you miss:

• Lectures, notes, class discussions, homework assignments, quizzes and exams

• Don’t kid yourself to think that missing class won’t matter

• You cannot make up what you miss in class

• Coping notes from someone else is not the same as being in class

Be Organized

• Use an assignment notebook

• Record each assignment under its due date

• If it is a large assignment

• Use your assignment to break up into smaller parts

• Feb 5: Complete research

• Feb 9: Finish Outline

• Feb 15: have a rough draft

• Feb 21: turn in final draft

• Get your syllabus and record all due dates

Be Organized

• Use three-ring notebooks for class notes

• Work well because you can insert handouts

• Keep important information (course syllabus) in front

• Keep grade sheet for each class in folder

• Eliminates surprises at the end of semester

• Save all computer files on a memory USB drive

• Create folder in your memory USB drive for each class

• Keep returned papers, quizzes and tests

• Insert these in your notebook

• Old quizzes can help you study for future exams

Be Organized

• Record phone numbers

• If you have to miss class, will help you get in contact with students to see what you missed

• Helpful if you have a question about assignment or upcoming exams

• Maintain a neat and organized study space

• Make sure you have everything you need

• Calculator, dictionary, thesaurus, outlet close by, pens, highlighters, etc.

Manage your Time Well

• Do not overextend yourself• Look at your life and see where your time is spent

• Plan ahead• Look at what you need to do, think how you can get it done, write

down your plan and revise your plan as needed

• Be organized• Efficient vs. Effectiveness

• Make efficient use of your time• Look at your time wasters

• Limit yourself on some daily activities

Be Successful in the Classroom• Learn how to adapt to different instructors

• Instructors bring different teaching styles

• Evaluate your learning style

• Visual, Auditory, Kinesthetic

• Be prepared for each class

• Sit in front of the class whenever possible

• Communicate with your instructors

• Be on time to each class

• Participate in class

Take Good Notes

• Be an active listener

• Go from passive listening to active listening

• Take notes to help you pay attention

• Remember that you think faster than you can talk

• This is why your mind wanders when you’re listening to a lecture

• Taking notes, gives your mind something additional to do

• Recognize important information

• Listen to ‘cue’ words from an instructor

Take Good Notes

• Take notes that are easy to read• Use pencil or erasable pen to keep your notes neat

• Write on every other line:• Easier to understand and have space if you want to add something

later

• Use symbols and abbreviations whenever possible• This will help you take notes faster

• Leave a wide margin on the left of each page• Use margins for key words (main topics, names of people, places,

terminology, etc.)

Take Good Notes

• Go over your notes as soon as possible after class

• Since information is still fresh in your mind

• Clarify anything that is confusing

• Opportunity to eliminate unimportant information

• Better retention of information if you read/redo information

Know How to Read a Textbook

• Use the SQ3R system• Survey

• Skim and Scan

• Question• Develop questions and look for answers

• Read• Look for answers to your questions

• Recite• Recite the information (subchapter) you have finished reading

• Review• Review your reading and see if you can answer your questions

without looking at your notes

Get involved: Study Groups

• Find out who is serious about the class and form a study group

• Plan to have a first meeting

• discuss expectations

• What will you study, how long, when

• Meet and make agenda

• Things you may do in a study group

• Distractions

Use Testing Taking Strategies

• Get off to a good start• ASAP when you get test, write anything you want to remember

(dates, facts, formulas, memory cues, etc.)

• Develop a plan• Look over entire exam and develop a plan

• Answer easy questions first: Helps build confidence

• Increase your odds on multiple-choice questions• Try to come with answer without looking at choices

• If unsure, make an educated guess

Use Testing Taking Strategies

• Look for key words in True/False questions

• Always, never, every, all, none

• Check your answers

• Go over all returned exams

• Check to make sure your exam was graded correctly

• Instructors sometimes make mistakes

Use Available Services

• Academic Advisor

• Career Planning

• Counselor

• Computer Labs

• Financial Aid

• Libraries

• Placement Office

• Tutorial Services