Sometimes getting A’s is really easy. Sometimes it seems nearly impossible. Sometimes you feel like you’re absolutely busting your ass and still not getting an A. This post is especially for those sometimes.
I’ve done quite a few posts on getting A’s and excelling in school, but I thought a sort of troubleshooting guide to getting A’s could be handy. Sometimes you’re busting your ass and just thinking, “How do I not have an A in this class?!” Sometimes it’s hard for you to self-analyze and realize where you’re going wrong.
1. You Haven’t Read the Syllabus
They’re boring, but they’re the best way to find out exactly what you need to do, what it counts for, how to do it and when you need to do it by. If there’s a course schedule, take special note of it. If there’s a long list of guidelines for your papers, read them. Highlight them. Professors are often extra tough when they find mistakes on exams or papers that could’ve been avoided had you read the syllabus.
Really, before submitting anything or emailing your professors with questions, check the syllabus. You might find important format details or answers in it.
2. You Aren’t Asking For & Listening to Feedback
As soon as you receive a grade that you either are not happy with or do not feel you deserved, go to your professor’s office hours. Don’t go in ready to fight and debate but do go in asking how they came up with that grade (again, that’s probably on the syllabus but if your grade seems off it’s best to ask in person). Ask them how you can do better next time or what you can improve on.
This feedback will not only help you to do better but also it shows your professor that you care and are trying. Like I often say, professors value effort and when you show effort it can help you in small ways.
3. You Aren’t Showing up Prepared
Showing up is one thing and showing up prepared is another. Showing up half asleep, hungover and having not done the readings is better than not showing up at all, but it’s not great. Preparation means being awake and ready to participate, discuss or at least diligently take notes in your course. Having done the assignments and readings is extra important in discussion classes. For most classes, it’s difficult to intelligently contribute to class without knowing what anyone’s talking about. Put an extra shot of espresso in your morning latte, wake up earlier to complete the readings—do what you need to show up prepared and ready to work.
4. You Aren’t Participating
Not all classes explicitly factor participation into your grade, but most do. Even if participation isn’t a numerical factor, it can still help you earn an A. If a professor knows your name and knows you’re active and try in class, it can be the difference between an A- and an A. It can be that little extra something.
Building relationships with your professors is important, and participating is one way to do this. Even if it doesn’t factor into your grade, showing you’re a good, active student can help you later on when you need letters of recommendation for internships or help with grad school. Think about it—wouldn’t you be more inclined to help the student who never spoke or the one who contributed in almost every class?
5. You Aren’t Tracking Assignments
I know that some professors make this harder than others. Who else has had a professor who announces assignments the day before they’re due or is super vague about what they actually entail? Fun stuff. BUT, some professors make it ridiculously easy, like a matter of printing the syllabus and adding dates to your calendar. A missed assignment or a late one can cause your GPA to take a huge hit, so keeping your planner and calendar up to date can come in handy.
If you take a sick day, text two other people in your course and see what you missed. I say two because usually, you’ll get two very different responses. I did this last semester and one girl said “You didn’t miss much” and the other gave me a list of all of the readings we did, the homework assignment and a photo of her notes. Good thing I texted two people.
Also, try to text students who actually pay attention and do the work. If they never pay attention, you’re probably going to miss out on a lot of key info and due dates. You can also email your professor to let them know you’ll catch up on missed notes and ask if there’s any other important things you may have missed.
6. You’re Taking Classes on the Assumption that They’re an “Easy A”
A lot of the time, the professor is terribly aware that their class is painted as an “Easy A” and, no surprise, they don’t like it. Example? I took the class “Marriage & Family” and I took it to fulfill a requirement because it sounded interesting enough but most kids took it because it sounded like a joke. The first day, the professor cracked down. It was a very difficult class that required a lot of effort, so the kids who assumed it would be an easy class either dropped out or fell behind. Go into every class ready to work, no matter how trivial or easy the class seems.
To be entirely honest, every class I went into assuming it’d be super easy ended up being ridiculously difficult (ie: Environmental Issues was NOT just about how the world has a lot of problems! I learned about a million types of energy and fracking and blah blah. It was not easy.)
7. You’re on your Laptop During Class
Sometimes it’s necessary, sometimes you’re actually using it for notes. Sometimes. But, sometimes you’re often using it to shop online, check Pinterest or Facebook chat with your friends. If you find yourself getting super distracting and not actually taking notes, opt for a notebook and pen.
I’m not perfect — there have been some classes where I spent the whole class on my laptop blogging and taking BuzzFeed quizzes. BUT, I still participated and did all the work. And still got an A.
I shouldn’t be telling you this, but there are some classes that just have sucky professors and nothing to gain. Here are some tips for getting that A, even if you plan to sort of mess around on your laptop in class:
- Try a few classes without your laptop. If you’ve noticed you’ve taken barely any notes and have learned nothing useful or pertinent to your life, the subject or the class itself, you’re probably safe with tuning the class out.
- Sit toward the back. Some kids want to pay attention and laptop screens are incredibly distracting. When I sit near someone with a laptop I often find myself watching his or her screen to see which shoes they’re buying or which posts they’re reading on BuzzFeed.
- Look up and type. If you’re blatantly just staring at your screen and not typing you’re going to give yourself away. Look at the professor and nod or type (even if it’s gibberish in a Google Doc) every now and then.
- Participate. Answer questions or ask questions once or twice during classtime.
- Have a backup screen open. In case the professor comes around, have a screen with notes on it that you can quickly switch to.
WITH SOME CLASSES, as long as you’re sneaky. participate and get your work done, you can still pull out an A. Before doing this, make sure you’re on track to getting an A and have a professor who just isn’t teaching. I’m not telling you to not pay attention but I’m also not telling you every class is worth paying attention in.
What’s your trick to getting A’s?
