When you go to work, your reward is your paycheck at the end of the week. When you got to school however, your reward is your grades. But what happens when you put all your effort and energy into your study but your grades don’t seem to reflect your zeal. It can become very discouraging to say the least. Apparently you and your professors aren’t seeing eye-to-eye. For many students a poor grade means adding an extra hundred hours of study to an already busy schedule but that kind of drastic step may not always be necessary. The key is not always squeezing in more time for study but instead may just be learning how to be more effective in what you do with your study time. Here are a few suggestions.
Make Sure You Know What Your Professor is Looking for
Sometimes lower grades are not always reflected in how well you know your subject but how well you can show that you know your subject. At the beginning of every school semester, the professor usually provides students with a breakdown of how they will determine the final grade. This could be based on test scores, assignments, exams, and sometimes even attendance. Instead of taking the paper and setting it aside, make sure that you know exactly what the professor is looking for in the class. If you have any questions, make sure that you ask. The more you understand what he is expected of you the easier it will be for you to deliver.
Be in Class
It may be tempting to skip a class or two when you know the professor is not going to be taking attendance and calling your mother later to see if you should really be in school. Even without attendance, every class you miss is vital information you need to improve your score. Remember, attendance always counts even.
Use Your Notes
When you attend a lecture don’t just take notes or record the speaker. Afterwards, make it a habit to reread the notes the same day to refresh your mind. Make sure that they are legible and you understand the concepts discussed. Then try to explain the notes to another student and see if they understand the points discussed. You can remember anything better when you have to teach it to someone else. Why do you think universities often use peer tutoring to help their students. It’s a win-win for both.
Review
Make a habit of reviewing your past assignments and exams. Don’t just look at the points you got wrong, it also helps to refresh your mind when it comes to those exercises that you got right so you don’t forget them. See if you can complete your incomplete answers or improve on others. This will help you to recall previous lessons and prepare you for new ones.
Get Organized
Most students do not get poor grades because they don’t know their subject but because they lack organization. When you have a regular schedule that incorporates your study time along with goals and expectation you can be much more focused on the task at hand. A university student often has many responsibilities that must be met but those who take 30 minutes each week to organize themselves will miraculously discover that they have more time than they originally thought.
There is no question that university life is a challenge but those that take the time to implement these five simple guidelines will find that they are better equipped to tackle those challenges than many of those who don’t.