By: Amani Teshome, Boston College student
Let me be the first to tell you that what worked for you in high school to get good grades will not work for you in college. It may have worked then, and you’ll surely have good study habits as a result, however it’s up to you to develop new study habits to get the “A” in college. All college professors will stress the first day of class that a “B” is considered very good work and to really get the “A” you have to go above and beyond. Think about it, that’s pretty fair for them to say considering they can’t give an “A” to everyone and so only the truly best pieces of work can get the “A”. So don’t get stressed out but definitely don’t be complacent with your work. Here are some sure-fire ways to get on the right path to getting the “A” you want and most likely deserve.
1. A little bit a day goes a long way. There’s a famous saying that “Rome wasn’t built in a day,” this is true with your grades as well. You are most definitely not going to get the “A” by only studying the day before your exams. Rather, study a little bit each day. It doesn’t even have to be that much but it will go a long way. For example I asked my Finance professor last semester how to get an “A” in the class and he said to devote at least an hour to an hour and a half each Sunday to only Finance. As the financiers would say, this yielded high returns (i.e. It worked).
2. Go to office hours.Your professor will list their office hours times each week they will be available for you to stop in and talk to them. Take advantage of these office hours because they will do two things. They will build your relationship with your professor and show your legitimate interest in the class, which they love to see. Secondly, if you are sitting on the edge between say a “B” to a “B+” or a “B+” to an “A-“, your professor will be more likely to give you the little nudge to move you to a higher grade because they will realize that the work you have put in warrants you receiving a better grade.
3. There’s no such thing as a “stupid question.” Oftentimes you will get caught up on the in class material, don’t be afraid to ask a question when this happens. You’re there to learn and you owe it to yourself to make sure that you are not only learning, but also understanding the material. More often than not, your peers will have the same question and will be thanking you for asking the question they may have been to nervous to ask. Professors also love when their students are engaged in class.
Follow these tips and you’ll be sure to end up with an “A” in that tough class!
