Success and Grades Take Planning

School can be tough for any age group. With the Internet, cable television, gaming opportunities everywhere, cell phones – wow, it’s difficult to put life on hold and hit the books. But you must. You have to, if you want decent grades. Yes, grades.

You might not like it or agree with it, but the world uses grades as a way of measuring your abilities for success. How you perform in school will be used for you or against for much of your life. Your performance will affect your available college choices and your career choices. So instead of fighting it, why not just buckle down and show everyone that you can get good grades?

 Now that that is settled, wouldn’t it be nice to get some help and improve your grades? Maybe you could use some tips on how to study better - for yourself, a friend or a loved one?

Well, check these out and see how you score.

RECORD

First of all, get a notebook or start a section in one just for monitoring your progress. List the courses you need help with and specific areas in which you need to focus on for improvement. For instance, maybe you need to catch up on reading the lessons, interpreting your class notes, completing your assignments, etc. List items for each course.

SEARCH

Next search for tools to help with each item you’ve listed above. Maybe speeding reading would help, so head to the library for a book or video course on how to speed-read. Maybe you could use help from a fellow classmate to make sense out of your notes and to help with your homework.

Contact your instructor for a class list and advice on how to get help.

DO IT!

Then put your tools to work. Use a daily planner and make yourself set time aside to catch up on reading, meet with your study buddy, complete your assignments – one step at a time. Don’t give up. If something doesn’t work, go back to the SEARCH step above and find an alternative solution:

• find a study group
• ask for supplemental reading to help you better understand your lessons
• get a tutor

stop the late night television and weekend parties and get our homework done – and in A+ condition.

GRADE YOURSELF

When you’ve finished, it’s time to evaluate yourself. How’d you do? Did your scores improve? If so, great! Use the same methods and keep at it! If not, go back, find out why and make changes or improvements.

Maybe you need a different study partner, a study group or a tutor. Maybe the course’s reading load is too heavy and you need a lighter course. Ask your educational advisors for help, too. That’s why they’re there.

So before your grades take a dive, take the plunge yourself and kick your studies into gear. Plan your success and take charge of your future.