Being top in class and getting quality grades is a dream for
many students but few achieve it. Your grades have a significant impact on how
well you start your lifelong career. What are the secrets of graduating with
good grades? Below are ways, steps and a checklist of how to become a top
student in your university.
- Attend Class Without Fail
Class attendance is crucial for any student to make it to
the top of the class. Attending a class will help you get familiar with the
content. A student who attends a class will easily understand concepts better
than the student who missed class. Some lecturers award points for attendance;
so missing a class would mean being behind those who attended. Sometimes it is
not possible to attend all the classes. If you ever miss classes then ensure to
do a follow up on what others did when you were away. Ensure you are moving
together with the rest of the class. If you don’t follow up, you will lag
behind and this will negatively affect your scores.
- Get Organised
To become a top student, one needs to develop a study plan.
As a college student, you will have to combine and do well in several
activities and classes. Without being organized you will not achieve good study
habits. Developing your own study time table will save a lot of time that would
otherwise go to waste. Ensure to prioritize your activities from the most
important to the least important. Do a self-assessment and find out the
learning style that works best for you because everyone is different. Some
students find it easier to remember when using picture information or charts;
others work best with words alone and others with numbers.
- Prepare for tests and Exams
Succeeding in tests and exams takes a lot of preparation and
smart revision. Get yourself acquainted to the exam situation by doing practice
exams. Visit the library for past papers and learn how questions are set so you
know what to expect. This helps you to gain confidence which is vital for good
performance.
- Prepare for homework and assignments without Fail
Homework and assignments ensure you concentrate on your work
and stay on course. Do your homework on time for best results and avoid the
last-minute rush. Always ensure you do your own homework however hard it seems
to be. Do not give out to friends to do it for you or copy from your
classmates. This way you will have a better understanding of the subject. This
will also help you identify specific areas where you may need the help of your
professor. This practice will help you keep the content in memory for longer
and make it easier to revise for your exam. The good news is sometimes the
assignment questions or related questions reappear in exams.
- Have an excellent relationship with professors
Professors are a great resource in helping you to become a
top student. Interact with them ask questions, seek advice and mentorship and
you will be on your way up to success.
- Develop the right mental attitude
Attitude plays a great role in your success. Negative
attitudes are an enemy to success because they make you incapable of doing
anything. Develop a positive mental attitude, believe you can be the best and
stay motivated.
- Don’t get too comfortable
After completing normal classwork go ahead of others and do
extra work, visit the relevant offices and let your work get reviewed. This is
motivating and will boost your grade a level higher.
- Make good choices and decisions regarding semester workload
Take courses you can comfortably handle. Do not overload
yourself with too many courses per semester. Overloading oneself will lead to
multitasking which translates to poor quality work.
- Be active in class
Top students always participate actively in class. Offer
yourself to answer questions; don’t wait to be pointed at. Also, ask questions
to clarify concepts not clear to you. Take good notes in class. It will also
keep you interested in the class rather than getting bored and dozing off.
- Set up a good studying environment for yourself
A studying environment affects how long you will concentrate
on your studies and how much you gain from your study. Ensure you have a chair
and a table suitable for reading. You will need a noise-free room, good
ventilation, and proper lighting. Avoid reading on a bed, sofa, or the floor
because you will slowly doze off to sleep. Your study place should maximize
your studying potential to better your grades.
- Help other students to learn
Form study groups or find another student and help them
learn other concepts you have understood. Teaching others is a great way for
in-depth mastery and retaining of a concept. It also helps test your knowledge
of the material. If you get stuck in explaining something then you need to
polish on it. You can also present your ideas to those who have mastered them
better so they will point out the things you left out, strengths and
weaknesses.
- Leave out distractions
Whether in class, group discussion or personal study, ensure
you keep off things that are likely to distract you. This includes phones and
laptops and some friends. They are good at snatching your attention as you will
be regularly checking text messages, face booking, tweeting, browsing and
staring at photos. Eventually, you will get bored with the class because you
aren’t paying attention at all. During study time, just carry your pen and a
book for the best output.
- Do an immediate follow up on test and exam results
Most students receive their test papers take a glance at
their score and keep them off till the end of the semester when they do a
non-productive review of their paper. Top students don’t do that. Immediately
they get their paper they find out where they went wrong and why. They work out
and perfect on their weaknesses and that is how they top their class.
- Study for a short duration
Short study duration ranging from 15 to 30 minutes can be
more productive than three hours of study. Short duration helps you to
concentrate on knowing you have a break in a few minutes. Long hours of study
are tiresome and one loses concentration as time goes by. Take breaks to
freshen up, go jog or do some simple exercise.
- Prepare your brain and the body ready to learn.
Get lots of sleep. Recommendation for adults is at least 8
hours of sleep, why? Sleep is very important for the human body. It helps to
refresh the mind and body. Studying late into the night and depriving oneself
of sleep won’t help much. Ensure you get adequate sleep to get the energy to do
more.
Eat right for proper brain functioning. Avoid junk foods and eat more fruits,
vegetables, and lean proteins. Drink plenty of water; 8 glasses a day. It’s
good for the brain and the rest of the body.
Conclusively, being top in class doesn’t come onto lazy hands. It requires one
to attend as many classes as possible, study smart, have the right attitude and
be ready to be the best.