Did you hold off on dropping that class because you didn’t know your actual grade before the withdrawal deadline, only to find out it’s way lower than you expected? Maybe you didn’t do too hot on the test you took the day before you left for Miami? Don’t worry; it’s not too late to pull your grade up a letter. Check out the strategies below to see how you can rescue your GPA within the next five weeks. Now that you’re back from break, it’s time to buckle down!
Go to ALL of your classes.
It’s easy to say you don’t need to go to that class that you already have an A in, or skip the 8 a.m. class that you know you can’t do much better in. However, you can gain pertinent information from sitting in just one lecture, even if it’s something as simple as what will or won’t be on the test. Some professors give easy pop quizzes when attendance is low, and many classes include attendance and participation as part of your grade. Participation is an easy category to gain all the points in, and can easily pull up your grade by five or ten points. Even if you don’t understand your professor and “teach yourself” the material, just having the book out while listening to them talk can help reinforce material and clarify small facts. Extra credit opportunities may also be explained during class. Besides, someone (whether it’s you or a scholarship donor) is paying a lot of money for you to take the classes you signed up for. Missing one class is easily wasting at least $150. You’re in college to get an education; there isn’t anything more important than being in the classroom.
Fight for every point you can get between now and finals.
Don’t miss out on extra points or in class quizzes. Everything you do adds up in the end. If you think you should dispute any grades, do it now before the last week of classes. Professors typically do not change grades during this week because they have so much to do.
Manage your time wisely.
There’s no reason you can’t study in between classes, or knock out a homework assignment a few days ahead of time during lunch. Even if you understand the material for one class, you can study it and memorize it during your free time during the day. As soon as class is over, take a 30-minute break and then hit the books. Studying during the day will allow you to get more sleep at night, and studying on and off from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. is a lot more effective and healthier than studying from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. Try to put some boundaries and time limits on the hours you spend partying or doing nothing with your friends, especially if you already have non-academic obligations throughout the week. Be honest with yourself if you and your friends have “study sessions” that only result in books waiting to be read while you all catch up and laugh for hours.
Take advantage of the services offered to you.
Tutoring, office hours, and supplemental instruction (SI) are just a few of the many resources available to you at Georgia State. Your fees pay for these services and they are for your benefit, so use them! This will also give professors a favorable view of your hard work, and you might even be told what kinds of questions will be on the exams.
Study for tests at least a week in advance.
Cramming has been proven to be ineffective, and you can’t master big concepts overnight. Use at least seven days to clarify and memorize everything you need to know for your exams. This will give you more time to practice the material and ask questions.
Excel in the classes you are already doing well in.
In the end, your GPA is dependent on all of your classes. Get those A’s up to an A+ so you can compensate for any grades that were harder to pull up. Take those small electives just as seriously as you take your core and major classes.