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10 Steps to Help You Get Straight A’s

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The school’s choice for “Most Likely to Succeed” was easy.

Gary always seems to have everything going in his direction. In all his classes, Gary is the first to raise his hand when the teacher asks a question, the one who always gets the highest grades. He’s a straight-A student.

He’s also active in his Scout troop and in school activities and plays baseball in the spring, tennis in the summer, football in the fall and basketball in the winter. How does Gary do it all and stay so relaxed and happy?

Here’s the secret to his success: Gary believes in himself, takes things seriously, works hard and knows what he is doing.

We can learn a lot from Gary. Here’s a 10-step program to get in on Gary’s secret so you, too, can become a straight-A student.

STEP 1: Take the right subjects …and school will be a lot easier!

You’re probably not ready to decide on a career. Even if you are, you’re probably not certain exactly where that career will take you. So take courses in school that give you the most possible choices later on. The three key courses: English, math and computer science.

Take as many courses in English and math as you can, even if you find them to be difficult. The more courses you take in these subjects, the easier they become—and the easier every other subject becomes, too. Computer courses, too, are important. Computer skills are required just to be considered for many jobs.

STEP 2: Work with your teacher …because your teacher is your coach!

Every teacher is looking for students who are serious about the subject at hand, who work hard in the classroom and who show progress and ability.

Consider your teacher a friend in learning, someone there to help you. Too many students think of their teacher as an enemy, someone who forces them to sit and be quiet then gives them assignments. Guess what? Your baseball coach tells you what to do and gives you assignments on the field. Is he an enemy? No, he’s a friend in winning. Your teacher wants to reward you, too.

Here’s how to work better with your teachers:

  • Show respect and interest. Participate in class.
  • Learn their style in the classroom.
  • Get to know your teachers as people. Know their likes and dislikes.
  • Think of them as coaches in the classroom.

STEP 3: Never miss a class …it will always catch up with you!

Most test questions come from material your teacher presents in class. Every day, your teachers cover the subjects they think are important for you to understand—some even tell students the specific questions that will be on an exam. Reading assignments alone can’t tell you that.

STEP 4: Always sit up front …because that’s where the action is!

You can use your brain more effectively if you are in a good environment. The best place to use more of your brain is in the front row, because this is not only where you will learn more, but also remember more.

STEP 5: Complete your homework before class …so you will be prepared in class!

Homework is not punishment. It is assigned to help you learn more about a subject.

Your first job is to find out what the teacher expects from you in the way of homework assignments. Make sure you understand exactly what to do. If you don’t, ask.

As soon as you get home from school, think about the homework assignments you need to complete before the next class. Then think about the order in which you will do them, and how much time you’ll spend on each one. The sooner you start, the quicker everything will be done. Then you will:

  • Be prepared for the next class.
  • Understand more of the teacher’s lecture.
  • Turn in assignments on time.
  • Ask — and answer — good questions in class.

STEP 6: Take notes during class …so you will become an active listener!

When you are trying to learn something complicated, it is much easier to learn and remember if you take notes. If you go into just about any college class, you will find that most if not all the students are taking notes. They know that taking good notes is one of the keys to making good grades.

Listen carefully, write down everything of importance (not everything the teacher says) and look for potential exam questions.

STEP 7: Review your notes before the next class …it’s never too soon to start studying!

If you are going to understand everything that your teacher says in class, not only do you have to take good notes, you also have to review and correct them before the next class. There is no other way to learn at the same rate that the teacher presents new information. And you have already started studying for the test!

STEP 8: Prepare for tests ahead of time …by studying a week in advance!

By doing your reading assignments and taking careful notes and reviewing them, you have mastered information as your teacher presented it to you. This does not, however, mean that you are ready to take a test without doing anything else.

Here’s how to prepare for an exam:

  • Start studying a week in advance.
  • Review your notes three times, leaving two or three days between reviews.
  • Think about potential exam questions.
  • Conduct your review in an organized manner.
  • Never study up to the last minute. (This creates pressure in the final hours before a test.)

STEP 9: Be testwise and confident …because confidence breeds success!

Don’t be afraid of tests. Be confident. If you have followed the first eight steps of this plan, you should be confident that you will test well.

It sounds simple, but it works: Believe in yourself, keep an open mind about tests, know your teacher’s style and apply what you know. That’s confidence. That’s success.

STEP 10: Show what you know on the final exam …because it’s a big part of your final grade!

You have been working hard to prepare for the test, and everything is on the line. Don’t worry about all the effort you have put in, or how the teacher will grade your exam. Your goal should be to show the teacher how much you’ve learned.

How? Know what material will be covered. Start studying well ahead of time. Look for major themes that develop in your class notes. Review previous exams to learn your teacher’s style.

Then comes the final step: Ace your exam!

From HOW TO GET STRAIGHT A’s by Gordon W. Green. Reprinted by arrangement with Tom Doherty Associates LLC and available wherever books are sold.

62 Comments on 10 Steps to Help You Get Straight A’s

  1. Pande pande // May 30, 2022 at 4:10 pm // Reply

    Just have confident that you can l will improve my grade

  2. Mosee khaled254 // May 28, 2022 at 11:37 pm // Reply

    Thanks so much

  3. harbhisolah // May 22, 2022 at 10:33 am // Reply

    thanks for the advice

  4. 11 steps

  5. thank you so much for your help its a rellay good plan to score A grade i will try it

  6. Thanks it will help me a lot at school.it opened ma eyes l Will get A* in history 2023 thanks it really helps

  7. ok, but how is this helping if ur still doing bad in school even after you did this?

  8. Thank you so much it has helped me

  9. That sound good i will follow this procedure

  10. Princess Faith // March 12, 2022 at 1:38 pm // Reply

    Truly,This gonna help me more coz this year of 2022, God willing I’ll make it a B Grade.I’m capable

  11. I believe and faith without action is dead

  12. Nice nice nice

  13. Not bad I think I am fine with B tho

  14. Wow this will help me a lot..I am writing my last grade this year ❤

  15. hi I love math

    • mtoto wa mama C.k R // June 3, 2022 at 9:00 pm // Reply

      kindly tell me secrets of passing mathematics.this have been making me to score C+ instead of B-

  16. coooool

  17. Very Nice it helps very good

  18. me to i think it will help me a lot in school now to get all my grades up.

  19. Thanka allot for the advice it has helped me allot

  20. that was lit i think is time i do whats right .

  21. Thanks It has touched me!

  22. Thank you

  23. thanks alot this really worked

  24. Gun@arsenal // January 8, 2022 at 4:22 am // Reply

    Thanks so much

  25. Arsengunner // January 8, 2022 at 4:20 am // Reply

    Thanks ooh i’m gonna pull up my socks! Following this steps.

  26. now i really want to try in school

  27. Thanks so much

  28. wow thats so good your advice has meant alot to me atleast am going to follow the steps today thenks

  29. This is so nice…this tips help for me…thanks a millionaire

  30. great plan

  31. very lovely advie thank

  32. This kinda helps. Thanks

  33. y’all thanks for the heads up

  34. Lusciousdee7 // November 24, 2021 at 6:03 am // Reply

    Thanks alot🤗it really worked

  35. thank you sooo much..

  36. Thanks so much for help get straight A

  37. thanks so much it has really helped

  38. it really worked thx who ever you are

  39. does not work

  40. Thanks it helped me so much always write notes!

  41. what if you dont like to do that stuff.

  42. Thank you so much , you opened my eyes

  43. nice job

  44. Thanks for the tips it really helped me

  45. Anonymouse person // November 14, 2021 at 7:18 am // Reply

    helps very good

  46. Never wait for a before you start studying that one too is very bad.

  47. Hey,I love the advice. When ever I read this, my grades grew up instantly. thank y’all for doing this!

  48. This should be very helpful!

  49. Y’all here is a hint when I have something turned in late un would have to do that work but at the time your finished with ur late work there is more new work. Conclusion is to NEVER DO ASSIGNMENTS LATE.

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