Some people are able to sail through college just as they did in high school, but for most of us, college is a bit more challenging.
I can almost guarantee the work you did in high school will not earn you the same grades in college. Most of your college classmates were at the top of their high school class, just as you were. This means you will be competing with people of a similar intellectual level.
With a little planning and a lot of work, most college students can complete assignments and pass exams while still finding time to kick back and enjoy the last few years of student life before the responsibilities of the working world set in.
1. Learn what the professor and course expectations are
Like many people, college brought me the first C I received on a paper. I was pretty discouraged, but once I discussed it with my teaching assistant, she helped me understand how I needed to improve my writing, and I earned an A- on the next paper.
Don't be frustrated by the first grade of the semester; instead, see it as a barometer to gage the professor's expectations and take it is an indication of what you need to work towards to earn the grade you want.
It may take some time to figure out what a professor considers A level work. Some professors will only give As to one or two people in a class, reserving the best grades only for students they consider to be head and shoulders above their peers. Many will consider a B or B- a respectable grade given to students who have a strong grasp of the material but don't stand out in comparison to other classmates.
Determining what makes a grade with a certain prof will help you focus your efforts accordingly. For example, a paper may be graded half on style and structure, with the other half of the marks given to content and arguments.
There are other discoveries that will help you excel in your classes, such as knowing exactly which readings are crucial and which are optional supplementals. This will help you shave some time.
Knowing what the prof thinks is important will give you clues to what may be on the exam. If the prof covers a concept in a lecture and in a lab or tutorial that is also in the textbook, there is a good chance s/he thinks it is important material that may land a spot on the exam.
How the answers to these questions and expectations can be discovered by simply asking -- ask your prof, ask your teaching assistant, and ask students who have already taken the class.
2. Learn more about yourself and how you work
There's no single formula for being a "top student," since different methods work for different people. The girl next to you might be able to cram two months worth of course material into an all-nighter before a mid-term or she may spend the half hour after each class reviewing her notes.
Do what works for you in terms of studying for tests and completing assignments, but not at the expense of your sanity. There will be times when the best thing you can do for yourself (and that nasty economics paper) will be to take a break and distance yourself from it. Watch a movie, go for a walk, call a friend -- just get your mind off your classes. You'll be refreshed and ready to work when you go back to that pile of books.
If motivation is an issue for you, you may need to work in reverse, forcing yourself to write an outline or work out the first 10 equations before you reward yourself with a movie or phone call. If you don't work well under pressure, make sure you write a paper or study for an exam in manageable chunks before you get stuck writing all 10 pages or reading 12 chapters in one sitting the night before. Then the night before a paper is due, proofread it one last time, print a final copy, and let yourself relax for the rest of the evening.
The key is to get to know yourself -- your strengths, limitations, learning styles and preferences. Balancing work and play is the key to making college the "best years of your life," as called by many who have walked the road before you.
Susan Johnston is a communication student at Boston University in Massachusetts. When not working the in the admissions office at BU or studying for classes, she enjoys writing, scrapbooking, singing, and acting. Copyright iamnext.com 2003. May not be reprinted without permission.
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