On The Way To Straight A's

Tips For Getting Better Grades

By
Relationship Advice Expert April Masini

Q: Dear April Masini,

I'm currently a sophomore in high school and am starting to think about where I want to apply for college. I had a rough freshman year and really want to get my grades up this year so I can eventually get into a good school, but I'm not really sure where to begin. Do you have any advice for how I can start getting better grades?

Sincerely,

Wanna-Be A+ Student

A:

Dear Wanna-Be A+ Student,

The first step to getting better grades is realizing that you want them and having the drive to accomplish your goals. The rest should be easy!

Tips for getting better grades:

1. Get enough sleep. Sleep deprivation makes it harder to concentrate in school and when doing homework.

2. Eat well. If you're hungry, or buzzed on sugar or sleepy from carbs, you're not going to perform well in school. Eat healthy and eat well.

3. Dress comfortably. If you're uncomfortable in your clothes, you're going to be focused on your discomfort. Dressing comfortably also means feeling confident in what you're wearing -- especially for teens who are extra body conscious. If you're focused on how you look you're not focused on your education or your homework.

4. Can you hear? If you can't hear the teacher, you're not going to have the same advantage as people who can. Get your hearing checked, and sit close enough to the speaker to understand and be able to hear what they're saying.

5. Can you see? If your vision is off or impaired, you're not going to be able to read without headaches and you're not going to be able to see what the teacher writes on the board. Get your eyes checked. See if you need reading glasses.

6. Are you in the appropriate grade and class? If you're in over your head, it may not be that you're not doing the work. You may just be in a class that's too advanced for you now. Consider dropping back a grade or not taking an honors class -- or not taking a particular class at all. If chemistry is your bane, consider taking it over the summer instead of during the school year when you have so much else to concentrate on.

7. Do your homework every night. If you put it off, you're going to find yourself with a big load and not enough time to do it. Get in the study habit of doing some homework every night. Don't skip. Discipline yourself.

8. Too many extracurriculars? Extracurricular activities are supposed to be just that -- extra curricular activities! If you have too many hours during the day doing too many things, prioritize. You can't do everything. And you can't do everything and do it all well. Realize your human limitations.

9. Not enough extracurriculars? Some people do better with more on their plates. Boys tend to need the physical release that sports allow. One organized sport may be just what a boy needs to do better in school. It may seem that you're taking away from your time to do school work, but the reality is that doing the sport may make you better equipped to do the school work.

10. Check in with your teacher. Use your teacher to help you. If you do poorly on homework or a test, make an appointment to talk to your teacher about how you can do better next time, and what you did wrong if you're not sure.

April Masini -- nicknamed "the new millennium's Dear Abby" by the media, is author of the best-selling books Date Out Of Your League and Think & Date Like A Man, the two (just released) step-by-step dating and relationship manuals, Ideas for a Fun Date and Romantic Date Ideas, and the critically acclaimed dating and relationship online magazine www.AskApril.com.

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