Steps to Improving Your Grades at College

Everyone wants good grades, but in higher education, it's not always an easy process-even if your working desperately for it! The trick is in the habits. Good work and study habits can save you time while still getting you better grades.

1) Go to class, everyday

I had significantly higher grades my second semester of college just because I did one major thing differently than first semester. I went to class...all the time. It's easy to think you can sleep through class and still learn all the material through your online coverage, the book, and recitations. In reality though, you can't. Your professor is going to cover material that is not only not in your other sources, but material that is more in depth than your book will go. Your professor will review things and give hands-on experience with the information. If you go to class all the time, you will see a difference, guaranteed.

2) Study everyday

Just for 5 to 10 minutes. Go through every class and go over notes and additional material. You will retain information better, and in more detail. When you need to learn new material, you don't have to learn the background information for the new stuff; you already know it. By spending a little bit of time everyday, you will save hours of time later on. As an additional benefit, you won't need to cram an entire night for a test, or an entire week for a final.

3) Take better notes

Through experience, you will learn to take better notes. However, the first step is to actually take them! Don't just sit in class, print off the notes, and try to retain information that way. Write important topics down, even if it's not in detail. Just writing the topic down will remind you of the lecture in class. When the test comes around, and your reviewing your notes, you can look up more details on the topic in your book or ask specific questions in class.

4) Stay on a regular schedule

Staying on a regular schedule will help you get up for class, keep you focused, and lessen stress. Get up at the same time everyday. Once you sleep in that extra 15 minutes, you will want to sleep in a half an hour, then you just stop going to class altogether. Go to bed when you need to to get up the next morning. You can stay up late on weekends. Eat close to the same time everyday. You will feel hungry when it's most convenient for you, not during class where it's there to distract you. Study at the same time everyday. This will mentally put you in 'study-mode' once that time rolls around, and you won't need to find more motivation to get things done.

5) Know what needs to be done

Stay organized, keep a planner, and do every assignment. Yes, even the reading assignments. Little assignments can rack up points fast, so don't skip out on them. Doing smaller assignments are the basis of the bigger ones, and you can complete big projects faster and more efficiently. Again, doing small, short assignments now will save you time later.

Keep all these in mind, and start making new habits for school. Once you get used to it, it's not hard at all to get good grades!

Kayla Knight http://www.pink-panda.org