New year, new you.
How many times have you ever heard that cliché? Among many of our New Year resolutions is the desire to boost our GPA. The good news is that you don’t have to reinvent yourself to make stellar grades! By making a few subtle changes and starting good habits early in the semester, your hard work will begin to reflect on your averages.
Making the grades is about making the time, but if you create clear study goals and ask for help when you need it, you will be well on your way to academic success!
Get Organized
First things first. Before your notes and handouts begin piling up, designate a separate notebook or folder for each subject and keep a copy of the class syllabus in each. This way, you will always know where your papers are, and if you have a question about course requirements you can reference your syllabus with ease.
Keep Track of Dates
In addition to the syllabus, most professors post a semester schedule complete with test dates, special out-of-class events and project deadlines. To make sure you don’t forget anything, pencil deadlines into your planner or personal calendar now and cross them off the list as they pass. Though many things are likely to change with weather cancellations, having these dates written in more than one place will help prevent procrastination, and keep you on track with your work.
Schedule Study Time
We all have at least one high priority class every semester that takes a lot of extra time and effort to keep up. Whether it be organic chemistry or accounting, make it a goal to schedule a day or two per week where you spend extra time re-copying your notes, studying in a group or outlining the text. It’s easy to make time for homework and projects with a due date, but for those super challenging courses, an hour or two of review can go a long way.
Talk to Professors
Your professors are there specifically to help you understand the material and be successful in the class. Take advantage of office hours. Stop by to ask questions, have them read drafts, and generally get to know you. If you struggle with a subject, asking for help early can help you more so than coming in after a bad grade or the last two weeks and begging for extra credit. Speaking with professors in your major is especially valuable in gathering insight in your prospective career area and even getting recommendations for jobs and internships. There’s no time like the present to start networking!
Take Advantage of University Resources
The university does a lot to ensure students excel. Did you know that you can have a librarian help you gather resources for a research project? You can make appointments here to get some help from the library staff navigating the confusing cyber world of online sources and academic journals. The University Writing Center is also a great place to get feedback on a paper or project before you turn it in. The Writing Center is a free service available for walk-ins during the week that can help you at any stage of the writing process, whether it be planning an outline or editing your final draft.
For more regular in-depth help, contact the University Tutoring Services. It is another free service that matches you with a personal tutor for a variety of different areas of study. For help specifically in math, sciences, accounting, or computer science, during certain hours, you also have the option to stroll into Departmental Help Labs without an appointment.
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