9 Tips on How to Get Good Grades in College

Participating in Class and Other Tips for Improving a GPA

In addition to taking notes and studying for exams, there are several other ways college students can raise their course grades and impress their professors.

In college, most final course grades are based on several different factors. A few of the common factors that help to determine a student’s final grade are homework completion, exam grades, and paper grades. These factors are often based on numbers, which can be difficult to dispute.

However, if a student’s final grade falls between two grades, the instructor must choose the grade to assign to the student. Therefore, other factors can influence a student’s final grade. The following tips provide other ways students can improve their course grades (which influence the GPA).

1. Go to Class

If you are ever teetering between two grades, and the instructor must decide which grade to choose, your chances of earning the higher grade are greater when the instructor can remember you had a good attendance record.

Also, some instructors devote a small percentage of the overall term grade to class attendance. So some students ask for a college paper help in paperhelp.nyc to improve grades and do well in the exams. If you attend every class (or you do not exceed the allotted number of absences), then you will secure a perfect record for at least that particular percentage of your final grade.

2. Introduce Yourself to Your Instructor

In smaller classrooms, you will most likely be obligated to formally introduce yourself to the instructor and the class on the first day of school. However, this is uncommon in larger classrooms. Therefore, it is helpful to introduce yourself to the instructor.

An introduction is important, because, in a class of over a hundred students, it is difficult for an instructor to match a student’s name with his or her face. If your name is known and you attend class regularly, this might benefit you when final grades are decided.

3. Get a Good Seat

A “good seat” refers to one that is near the front of the room. Sitting near the front helps you to focus on the instructor and not the other students sitting in front of you. Secondly, if you sit in the same seat throughout the term, this will help to ensure that the instructor sees your face and knows that you are in attendance (this is especially relevant in large lecture halls).

Also, many students believe that sitting in the same seat throughout the term is helpful when taking exams because they are better able to recall lectures and notes they have taken.

4. Participate in Class

Many college instructors devote a percentage of their students’ overall term grades to class participation. Although this percentage is relatively small, earning the maximum number of participation points can help students earn good grades in their classes.

One of the most obvious ways a student can participate in class is to answer a question or to provide the information requested by the instructor. In addition to this, there are several other ways a student can participate in class. The following tips describe other ways to participate in class.

• Ask a Question

If a student is unable to answer a question in class, then he or she can ask the instructor a question. Asking a question will not only help to clarify the information but also help in showing the instructor that the student is actively participating in the class.

Students can ask questions about lectures, assigned books, assignment sheets, class activities, etc. Students can also ask questions about their work, such as asking the instructor for advice on how to revise a paragraph that they have written.

• Comment on the Reading, Activity, or Homework

Another way a student can participate in class is to comment on a particular aspect of the course. He or she can comment on the assigned reading, class activity, or homework assignment.

For example, a student can comment on a piece of information from the assigned reading by relating it to a lecture the instructor had previously delivered. Commenting on the reading and its relation to a past class will show the instructor that the student is actively participating in class. This also informs the instructor that the student has read the assignment.

• Relate the Material to Another Concept Outside of the Classroom

To participate in class, students can relate the material covered in their courses to other concepts, such as topics outside of the classroom. For example, a student can relate an idea in the assigned reading to a story in the news or an idea presented in a different field.

Also, for example, a student can relate the subject of a lecture to a current event in the news. Relating the material to another concept outside of the classroom will show the instructor that the student is actively participating in the class, as well as thinking about the material outside of the classroom.

• Bring an Article to Class that Relates to the Classroom Material

Students can participate in their classes by sharing outside articles that relate to the material covered in the classroom. For example, a student can bring to class a magazine or newspaper article that relates to the assigned reading.

In addition to articles, a student can also tell his or her instructor and classmates about a website that relates to the course, such as one that provides additional information on the subject of the classroom material. Relating the classroom material to an outside source will show the instructor that the student is actively participating in the class and learning the subject.

Overall, there are several ways college students can earn participation points in their classes. In addition to answering questions, students can also participate in their college classes by asking their questions, commenting on some aspects of the course, relating the classroom material to an outside concept, and sharing related outside sources with their instructors and classmates.

9. Schedule an Appointment During Your Instructor’s Office Hours

If you ever have a question about something you are studying, you should make an appointment to meet with your instructor during his or her office hours. The instructor will most likely remember this when assigning grades.

Also, even if you do not have a particular concern, it is still beneficial to meet with your instructor at least once during the term. You can ask for a suggestion on additional reading materials or an explanation of an assignment sheet. Making the effort to speak with an instructor is another way a student can attempt to improve his or her grades.

While it might be difficult to perform well on exams in a particular course, performing well in other areas of that course, such as by regularly participating in class, might help to improve a student’s final grade, as well as impress the instructor.