Fall break is right around the corner, which means you’re about halfway through the semester. Do you feel like you’re behind in your classes or missing the mark on your grade goals? We’re here to help.
- Reorganize your agenda!
In order to survive midterms (and the final exams that will be here before you know it), you must begin each school week prepared. If you have three exams, two papers, and a group project due next week, you should probably start working on that like… yesterday.
If you haven’t already, skim through your syllabi, and write all major due dates down in whatever form of agenda that you reference daily. If you don’t use an agenda, calendar app, or reminders app, NOW is the time to start!
Already way ahead of the game? Plan when you need to start studying for each test, and block off weekends before particularly crazy weeks. - Revisit or make your “survival sheet!”
In the “notes” section of your agenda, you should have a list of items necessary for your survival as a student. This list should include your professors’ attendance policies, late assignment procedures, grade distribution, extra credit opportunities, and office hours.- Attendance and tardy policies:Keep a log of how many classes you have missed in each course. This will prevent you from missing more classes than are allowed and losing valuable points at the end of the semester.
- Extra credit opportunities:Scan your syllabi, and look for any hidden extra credit opportunities. Write this information down in your agenda, and maybe even try to knock out the extra credit during fall break!
- Grade distribution:You must know how your final grade is calculated in each class. Is that homework that you’ve been slacking on a large part of your grade? If discussion is worth 20%, have you participated frequently?
- Evaluate your current grades!
If your professor doesn’t clearly communicate your grade average throughout the semester, calculate your grade using this grade calculator. Then manipulate possible grades for the remaining assignments to see if it’s still possible to meet your grade goals.
If you have to make a 103 on the final to receive an A in the class, it’s probably time to reevaluate! Consider visiting your professor in his or her office hours to review poor test grades or discuss what you can do to improve your performance in the class! - Find a tutor who has already mastered the same classes!
Need some extra help in that crazy difficult class that’s eating up all of your time? Visit www.apollotutors.org, and in the next 24 hours, we’ll match you with a tutor who has taken the same course (and even maybe the same professor) at your university!