6 Tips for Bringing Up Your Grades

BY JANE HURST

Being a college student isn’t all fun and games. You need to make sure that you are getting the education that you are paying for, and that you are making the most out of it (not just the social scene). Most college students face times when there grades aren’t where they should be. If this is happening to you, it is time for you to take charge of your studies, and take steps to make sure that your grades improve. Here are some tips that will help.
1. Figure Out Your Shortcomings – The first thing you need to do is figure out what areas you are doing poorly in. Then, you can begin to create an action plan that focuses more on these areas. It may be that there are only a couple of subjects you are doing poorly in. These are the subjects you need to focus on the most. Look at your grades over the past year or so and see if there are any patterns. Maybe there has been a steady decline in your overall grades, or you just have one problem subject. The more you know about your shortcomings, the easier it will be to overcome them.
2. Stay Positive – One of the first things you need to do is adopt a positive mental attitude. Obviously, when you are getting low grades, it is going to make it difficult to maintain a positive attitude. But, even if it feels hopeless, don’t give up. If you are going to make any improvements in your grades, you need to stay positive. Instead of considering yourself a failure, start thinking about ways that you can turn things around and start getting better grades.
3. Take Extra Classes Online – There are plenty of online courses that you can take in conjunction with your regular college studies. If you are doing poorly in a particular class, take an online class in the same subject. That way, you will be getting double the study and classroom time, and you are going to be able to absorb more of the information you are receiving. Learn more about online courses at Coursera, 280Group and Edx.
4. Discuss it with Your Teachers – Your teachers should be the first people you turn to when you want to find ways to bring up your grades. Talk to them about the problems you have, and ask how they think you should go about improving your grades. They will be able to offer advice on how you can create an action plan that will bring up your grades.
5. Don’t Miss Classes – You may be tempted to sleep in on some mornings, or find something that you think is more important than being at a particular class. Stop doing this. If you want good grades, you need to attend all of your classes. When you are attending classes, you are better able to absorb the material that is being taught. You get to participate in class discussions and projects, and you develop relationships with your teachers. You also earn attendance points, which can greatly affect your grades.
6. Get and Stay Organized – While it may seem like a little thing, being organized is one of the keys to great study habits. When you aren’t organized, it can be next to impossible to be able to concentrate on what you are studying. Start using a daily planner to keep your classes, assignments, etc. organized. Update calendars so you always stay current, and hang onto old homework, tests, and papers to use as reference later on. Get yourself an accordion file, and keep your various classes organized by having each one in a different section.

Byline:

Jane Hurst has been working in education for over 5 years as a teacher. She loves sharing her knowledge with students, is fascinated about edtech and loves reading, a lot. Follow Jane on Twitter