Few Tips for Getting Good (or Better) Grades

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by Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D.
 As a college professor, I am often asked for my advice on how students can get better grades. And after a couple of years of refining my ideas, I have developed these 10 tips. And by the way, these tips will work for you — whether you are a first-year student or a senior, whether at a small college or a large university. These tips are universal.

So, if you are struggling with grades and interested in raising your grade point average, take a close look at these 10 tips for getting better grades.

1. Attend All Your Classes


Now, you might think this was an obvious one. But I speak from experience when I say that many students skip classes for one reason or another. But if you want good grades, there are several reasons why you should attend all your classes:
  • Absorb classroom material. Even if the professor follows the textbook pretty closely, sitting in the classroom and listening to the lectures/discussions will help you absorb the materials.
  • Make presence known/participate. One of the benefits of going to college should be that you form a mentoring relationship with some of your professors, and that’s not going to happen if you don’t attend the classes. And often faculty have participation points (or bonus points), so beyond just attending, make an effort to be involved in the class discussions.
  • Earn attendance points. Many professors have attendance policies, so you can have a direct impact on your grade simply by attending.
Don’t forget to sit close to the front — historically, those who do are usually the best students.

2. Master Your Professors

Every professor has a different personality and system for running his/her classes, so it makes sense as early in the semester as possible to learn what the professor wants. Here are some ways to master your professors:
  • Understand course expectations. Most professors give out a class syllabus during the first week of classes — and it is your responsibility to know deadlines and all the requirements for the course.
  • Understand professors on personal level. Rather than viewing the professor as some figurehead at the front of the class who decides your fate in some abstract way, get to know your professor as a person. Visit him or her during office hours, or stay after class.
  • Communicate with professors when you are struggling. Especially at larger colleges and universities, the professor won’t know when you are struggling, so if you are having problems with the course work or the tests, schedule an appointment to meet with the professor and get the help you need.

3. Get/Stay Organized

You may have been one of the lucky few who has never needed a planner before, but college is all about multitasking, and you can easily get overwhelmed with due dates, team meetings, and other demands on your time. Here are some tips for getting organized:
  • Use a planner or other organization system. I’ve had my day-planner for years and cannot go anywhere without it. Others are that same way with their personal digital assistants.
  • Stay current with due dates/course calendars. It’s not enough to have a system — you have to use it! So once you have some sort of system, get in the habit of using it (and it will soon become second nature).
  • Keep homework, tests, and class papers in central location. Don’t just throw old homework assignments or tests in the back of your car or the floor of your dorm room. You’ll need these for studying for future tests, for meeting with your professor to discuss them, and for figuring your grade in the class… so, keep all your class materials in a central location.

  • 4. Use Time Wisely

    Even if you do not procrastinate and are the most organized person in the world, time can be one of your biggest enemies in college. Here are some tips for using time wisely:
    • Tackle harder work first. Yes, tackle the harder stuff first so that you are sure to have enough time to complete it. You’ll feel a greater sense of accomplishment completing the work in this order.
    • Take breaks as reward for work. Reward yourself for completing a major task by taking a break and chatting with a friend or watching some television. Not only are the breaks good motivation to help you complete something, you’ll also be more refreshed to tackle the next bit of work after a break.
    • Break larger projects into smaller, easy-to-accomplish pieces. If you have a massive term paper due at the end of the semester, break up the work into smaller chunks and assign deadlines to each part.
    • Do not overextend yourself; learn to say no. Besides all your academic work, you will also be asked to get involved in all sorts of clubs and organizations while in college — and at some point, you will have to learn to say no to some requests of your time.
    • Work hard to play hard. One of my favorite students used to say that she worked hard so that she would have the time to play hard — and that’s a good balance. Just make sure you do the work FIRST.

    5. Become “Noteworthy”

    Another reason for attending class is recording the class notes. These notes are vital clues to what the professor thinks is the most important material for you to learn, so besides taking notes, learn how to better use them to your advantage. Here are some specifics:
    • Be an active listener in class. Don’t read the newspaper, gossips with friends, or text your roommate during class. Instead, listen attentively and actively — and ask for clarification when you need it.
    • Take good notes in class. Whether taking notes from scratch or following a professor’s outline, the key for you will be to get the most important details down so that you can refer back to them when you need them.
    • Rewrite or organize notes on your computer outside of class. This suggestion may sound a little extreme, but the writing-to-learn literature shows that you can increase your understanding and retention of material by rewriting it

    • But after considering all of this,

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