Improve Your GPA

Your GPA is one of the most important things in high school and college when it comes to the rest of your academic career. It can mean bigger and better opportunities, leading to more money, better jobs, and ultimately a better life. But don't fret – a low GPA can still be rectified if you start right now.

Steps

Setting Yourself Up for Success

  1. Get organized. If your locker or desk looks like a natural disaster went unreported in your area, you can't exactly expect your GPA to seem any different. The more organized you are, the easier it will be to study, to get good grades, to improve your GPA, to focus, and to be on top of your game.
    • Buy a planner. Write down your homework every night, project deadlines, and anything else that's on your to-do list. Cross it off as you go, keeping an eye on what you need for tomorrow. This way your mind is allowed to not worry about what's happening next Tuesday, because you already have it written down.
    • Invest in some folders and binders. Keep your syllabi at the ready for each subject for easy access later. You can also keep old homework and readings available, too, for when you need them for study reference come test time.
    • Keep a pocket or bag for your studying tools, like highlighters, white out, pens, pencils, rulers, and scissors. The less time you spend searching around needlessly, the better.
  2. Take the right classes. Let's face it: you are not superman (or superwoman). You cannot take every AP class ever offered, 4 language classes at a time, some college classes, and get all straight As. While you may feel the need to be uber-competitive, don't burn yourself out. Only take the classes you can handle. If that means 3 AP classes instead of 4, good. Your GPA will thank you for it.
    • If every class of yours is difficult, you'll get exhausted. Don't begrudge yourself the ability to take a study hall or even gym. Everyone needs a bit of down time, and it'll let you concentrate on the classes you really need to concentrate on.
  3. Retake classes if need be. Plenty of schools have "retake" options. If you get a grade you're not happy with and you have the room in your schedule (be sure to think long-term, here) to retake it, consider this as a second chance. That C, D, or F could get wiped from your record permanently.[1] And it'll definitely be easier the second time around.
    • Find out what any of your options are, not just retaking the class. Can you retake a specific test? Complete another project? Take another class that's related in lieu of a different course? Most schools want to see their students succeed – and there's certainly no harm in asking.
  4. Go to class. You'd think it'd be simple, but so many students don't do it: just go to class. Even if you're just there in body and not mind, go to class. Many teachers offer points just for attending. Some even give out the answers to bonus questions to reward the students that show up.
    • And when you get there, sit in front. You'll be more likely to pay attention and your teacher will be more like to know your face. While that may seem awkward, it's going to be very helpful if and when you need help later (or when they're thinking about nudging you up to an A- from that B+.
  5. Participate in class. Imagine if you were a teacher and you had a class full of silent duds. No one talked, no one looked interested, and no one really seemed to care. How would that feel? Pretty terrible. Now think if you had a kid who paid attention to you, listened to what you said, and participated – even if they were wrong. How much better would that be? Teachers don't care if you're right – they care if you care.
    • Show them you care by participating. Why? Well, for starters, they'll like you more. You'll be a student who tries and deserves the benefit of the doubt. And apart from that, participating means the information is actually processing in your mind and it'll be harder to forget later on.

Studying Smart

  1. Find a way to study that you love. In the same way that no two people have the same results on the same diet plan, no two people have the same results on the same study plan. You need to find a way that works for you. Does that mean recording lectures and listening to them over and over? Does that mean turning your notes into pictures and charts? Does that mean typing out your notes into a book you can review later on? Does it mean quizzing with friends? Everyone is different – what helps you remember?
    • How do you learn? Odds are you probably know how you remember things. Is it by hearing? Seeing? Using your hands? Whatever helps you, do it. Find a friend and relay facts to them. Create your own mnemonic devices and draw pictures to help your brain remember. Anything to engage you will do the job.
  2. Do a weekly review. From now on, your Sunday nights are time for Sunday weekly review (SWR). This is when you sit down at your super clean, well-organized desk, bust out your folders and binders, and review everything you covered in your classes from Monday through Friday. Whatever you don't remember deserves extra time and whatever you do remember you can gloss over. This way you and your GPA are up to snuff at all times.
    • And at the end of your SWR, take a quick look at your syllabus. What will you be covering next week? Do you have any tests or project deadlines? If there's anything you should write in your planner, write it now.
  3. Take breaks while you study. Research shows that the mind easily gets saturated and stops processing information at 100% if you don't give it a rest.[2] Ideally, you should study for about 50 minutes and then take a 10 minute break. This allows your brain to recharge, and also giving the information a second to sink in.
    • Turn your phone off while you're studying. Just do it. Then, when you're on your break, turn it back on and do everything you've been dying to do for the past 50 minutes. Your break time should be the only time you're "multitasking" and getting distracted from the topic matter at hand.
    • Break down larger projects into hour or so chunks. This way you have clear stopping points where you can stop, take a breather, grab a bite to eat, and get back to it ready to go.
  4. Grab your (smart and focused) friends and form a study group. Research shows that studying in groups is a highly effective way to study – so long as the group is around four people and they're actually focused. Why? It's because talking about the subject cements it in your mind, forcing you to listen, think about, and speak about it all at once. All these skills being used together makes the concept process in your brain at a deeper level. [3]
    • Designate a leader for the group to keep everyone on track. Bring some snacks and have some questions ready. Cover all your material, and then be sure to circle back to what stumped the group. Make sure to utilize individual's strengths as much as possible, too.
    • And don't mess around. Study groups are not beneficial if you're just sitting and gabbing, gossiping about your friends and munching on snacks. That's why a leader is so beneficial – sometimes you'll need someone to wrangle you back to the correct path.
  5. Don't pull an all-nighter. The fact of the matter is that cramming does you no good. Studies show that students who study the night before and don't sleep actually do worse on tests than those who study less and actually get some shut eye.[4] This is because the brain needs sleep to get all gears functioning properly – if you don't get any sleep, that study session won't do you much good.
    • If a test is coming up and you're not ready for it, all you can do is study for a bit the night before, get a decent night's rest, get up, study a little bit more, eat a protein-packed breakfast, and do your best. During the test, pop a piece of peppermint or gum into your mouth for an awakening blast – studies show that it could improve academic performance.[5]
  6. Find a study spot you love. Sitting in the middle of your dorm while your roommate is watching TV and eating nachos isn't going to do your GPA any favors. You need a spot that makes you feel calm and is enjoyable enough that you can spend hours there without consistently looking at the clock.
    • Find a couple of study spots you love. Research shows that studying in multiple locations actually solidifies the information in your brain. It's thought that in a new environment, the brain has to take in more stimuli – and the information comes along with it.[6]

Putting in the Time

  1. Do extra credit. Almost every teacher is willing to give extra credit, even if it's not something they talk about openly to the entire class. If you'd like to raise your grade, talk to them in private. Ask if you can do some extra work for a few extra points. They'll likely be impressed that you want to work so hard – most students are dying to work less.
    • And if you're a good student already, this can get your grade up to above 100%. What's that mean? Wiggle room for a different, harder class. Now that's a win-win.
  2. Drop an activity. Sometimes in order to get a rockin' GPA you've got to make some sacrifices. If you're taking a hard class load, play soccer, do gymnastics, are in the school play, participate in jazz band, and head the debate team, something's gotta go – you're spreading yourself too thin. Take a step back and think about what matters the least to you. What could you live without the easiest? Then you can re-allot that time to studying.
    • In other words, make time. Is one of your activities a daily afternoon nap? That could be cut, too. It doesn't necessarily have to be connected to your school. What it boils down to is that you need time for studying and studying well. If time isn't in your schedule to do that already, you'll need to make it.
  3. Talk to your teachers. Turns out teachers are human beings, who knew? If you're a good student who wants to do better, they're going to want to help you out (when their students do better, it makes them look good, too). Don't be shy – talk to them. Ask them for pointers. Ask them what you can do to get your grades up. They may have the answer.
    • Some schools have something that's called "Course forgiveness." They'll let you retake a class or drop the lowest grade from a class. [7] Talk to your professors if something like this might be available for you.
    • Sometimes students are on the cusp of a better grade. If a teachers knows and likes you, you may get the benefit of the doubt – a 79% could be upped to a C- instead of a D+. If nothing else, talk to your teachers to get into their good graces.
  4. Use your teachers' office hours. Developing a relationship with your teacher, as you can probably tell by now, is important to get your GPA as high as it can be. Most teachers have office hours, so use them. Not just to ask for extra credit and to brown nose them, but just to talk about the coursework. Ask them questions about what you're finding difficult, talk to them about concepts that you want to know more about. Friends are great, but your teacher is your ultimate resource.
    • Teachers have connections, too. If you show you're made of the right stuff, they may be able to get you into a different class, connect you to an advisor at a college, or pull some other string for you you didn't even know could be pulled. There are plenty of reasons getting to know your teacher works in your favor.
  5. Get a tutor. Even with being organized and studying, sometimes school is hard. We can't all be Einsteins at everything, so you may have to buckle down and admit "I need a tutor." If you don't know where to start, ask your teacher or a student counselor. Most schools have tutor programs to help their students who need it and to give students credit who are offering the help. It's a win-win for both sides.
    • There's no shame in it. Even some ridiculously smart students get tutors so they can be even ridiculously smarter. Competition is getting more and more fierce, and any leg up you can get is the right way to go.
    • Some schools offer free tutors. However, if you can't find one that fits your budget, even working with a friend, or older sibling or neighbor will be helpful. Two minds are always better than one.

Tips

  • Always ask questions if you're confused.
  • Always participate in class.
  • Take a 5 minute break for every 30 minutes of studying; you will retain more information if you allow your brain a bit of rest.
  • If you ask questions, it will show your teacher you are thinking about the topic that you are discussing. It is the truth.
  • Sunday reviews help you remember what you studied the past week, and will make the memories fresh in your brain.

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ https://www.collegemapper.com/blog/2014/05/improve-high-school-gpa/
  2. ↑ http://web.mit.edu/uaap/learning/study/breaks.html
  3. ↑ http://news.wustl.edu/news/Pages/5642.aspx
  4. ↑ http://debatewise.org/debates/873-cramming-before-exams-is-a-bad-idea/
  5. ↑ http://www.mprnews.org/story/2012/04/18/mca-boost
  6. ↑ http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/07/health/views/07mind.html?pagewanted=all
  7. ↑ http://www2.aamu.edu/office_of_retention/docs/How_to_Raise_Your_GPA.pdf
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