Secrets of Straight Secrets of Straight A StudentsA Students

They aren’t always more They aren’t always more intelligent, but they do work intelligent, but they do work

smarter: Here’s how!!smarter: Here’s how!!

Set PrioritiesSet Priorities

o Top students allow no intrusions on Top students allow no intrusions on study time.study time.

o Once the books are open or the Once the books are open or the computer is booted up, phone calls computer is booted up, phone calls go unanswered, TV shows go unanswered, TV shows unwatched, snacks ignored. unwatched, snacks ignored.

o Study time is business: Business Study time is business: Business comes before recreation.comes before recreation.

Take Good Notes—And Use Take Good Notes—And Use ThemThem

• Reading the textbooks is important—but the Reading the textbooks is important—but the teacher is going to test you on what he/she has teacher is going to test you on what he/she has emphasized from the book. That is the info. you emphasized from the book. That is the info. you should find in your notes!!should find in your notes!!

• The top students take notes while reading the The top students take notes while reading the text assignments. One student draws a line down text assignments. One student draws a line down the center of a notebook, writes notes from the the center of a notebook, writes notes from the text on one side and those from the teachers text on one side and those from the teachers lecture on the other side. lecture on the other side.

• When the bell rings, this straight A student When the bell rings, this straight A student writes 2-3 sentence summary of the lesson’s writes 2-3 sentence summary of the lesson’s principal points, which she scans before the next principal points, which she scans before the next day’s class.day’s class.

Clean Up Your Act—Clean Up Your Act—Neatness Counts!!Neatness Counts!!

• Neat papers are likely to get higher Neat papers are likely to get higher grades than sloppy ones.grades than sloppy ones.

• The student who turns in a neat The student who turns in a neat paper is already on the way to an A.paper is already on the way to an A.

Speak Up!!Speak Up!!

• If I don’t understand the principle If I don’t understand the principle my teacher is explaining , I ask my teacher is explaining , I ask him/her to repeat it. Class him/her to repeat it. Class participation goes beyond merely participation goes beyond merely asking questions, though. It’s a asking questions, though. It’s a matter of showing intellectual matter of showing intellectual curiosity.curiosity.

• Better grades come from better Better grades come from better understanding!understanding!

Study Together!Study Together!

• Group study sessions have proven to Group study sessions have proven to be beneficial for some students in be beneficial for some students in their overall grade. their overall grade.

• When studying together students When studying together students discussed homework problems discussed homework problems together, tried different approaches together, tried different approaches and explained their solutions to one and explained their solutions to one another.another.

Test Yourself At HomeTest Yourself At Home

• One student, as part of her note-taking One student, as part of her note-taking method, highlights points she thinks may method, highlights points she thinks may be covered during exams. Later she be covered during exams. Later she frames tentative questions based on frames tentative questions based on those points and gives herself a written those points and gives herself a written examination before test day. examination before test day.

• Students who make up possible test Students who make up possible test questions often find many of the same questions often find many of the same questions on the real exam, and thus questions on the real exam, and thus score higher.score higher.

You Can Be An “A” You Can Be An “A” Student!!Student!!

Do more than you’re Do more than you’re askedasked

• One student says she always does a few One student says she always does a few more homework problems than she’s more homework problems than she’s asked. It helps her. If the math teacher asked. It helps her. If the math teacher assigns 5 problems, she does 10. She assigns 5 problems, she does 10. She gets a better understanding that way.gets a better understanding that way.

• If they are assigned 8 pages to read in If they are assigned 8 pages to read in history, she reads 12. Part of learning is history, she reads 12. Part of learning is practicing. The more you practiced the practicing. The more you practiced the more you learned!!more you learned!!

Study Anywhere or Study Anywhere or EverywhereEverywhere

• Study time is strictly a matter of Study time is strictly a matter of personal preference. Some of the personal preference. Some of the students worked late at night when the students worked late at night when the house was quiet. Others awoke early to house was quiet. Others awoke early to study. Still others studied as soon as study. Still others studied as soon as they came home from school when the they came home from school when the work was fresh in their minds. work was fresh in their minds.

• All agreed however on the need for All agreed however on the need for consistency. Whatever you decide consistency. Whatever you decide follow that schedule everyday.follow that schedule everyday.

Get Organized!Get Organized!

• It Reduces Stress!It Reduces Stress!• It Saves time!It Saves time!• One student maintains 2 folders-one One student maintains 2 folders-one

for the days assignments & one of for the days assignments & one of completed and graded papers. completed and graded papers.

• Another student immediately files the Another student immediately files the day’s papers in color-coded folders by day’s papers in color-coded folders by subject so they be available for review subject so they be available for review at exam time. at exam time.

Read & Learn to Retain the Read & Learn to Retain the Information!Information!

• The best class I ever took, Tom said, was The best class I ever took, Tom said, was speed reading. I not only increased my words speed reading. I not only increased my words per minute, but I also learned to look at a per minute, but I also learned to look at a book’s table of contents, graphs and pictures book’s table of contents, graphs and pictures first. Then I began to read, I had a sense of first. Then I began to read, I had a sense of the material, and I retained a lot more.the material, and I retained a lot more.

• Gordan W. Green, Jr’s book, Getting Straight Gordan W. Green, Jr’s book, Getting Straight A’s, says the secret of good reading is to be A’s, says the secret of good reading is to be an active reader—one who continually asks an active reader—one who continually asks questions that lead to a full understanding of questions that lead to a full understanding of the author’s message. the author’s message.

Schedule Your Time!Schedule Your Time!

• Use a Calendar.Use a Calendar.• Make time for each subject.Make time for each subject.• Don’t wait until the last minute: It Don’t wait until the last minute: It

creates stress.creates stress.• Research and outline your reports Research and outline your reports

first. first. – Get it done early so you have time to Get it done early so you have time to

polish and REVIEW your work.polish and REVIEW your work.

STUDYSTUDY•Study even Study even when you are when you are not asked!not asked!

Make this your best Make this your best semester ever!semester ever!