I think a thread on the most common causes of bad grades and effective countermeasures would be helpful to many people in both a corrective and preventative capacity.
Feel free to chime in (especially upperclassmen and those with more experience). I'll throw in my 2 cents based on what I've noticed. I'm not including things like "working while studying" or "taking too hard of a courseload", because ultimately , poor performance while doing any of these things is explained by one or all of the following reasons.
My advice is surely insufficient, and I look forward to reading the tips of others!
1) You don't understand the material
Results: Poor performance on due assignments and exams
The best way to mitigate this is to study and study effectively. Read the textbook, go to class, go over your lecture notes, and do practice problems, supplemented by visits to the tutoring center (usually free at university) and office hours.
What do you do if you just can't understand something/a class is too hard?
2) You don't keep up with assignments
Results: Zeros start filling in the blanks where your grades are supposed to go.
Nothing is worse than the kid who groans "I'm smart but I'm just lazy". A few can slide by on their smarts with very little study, but most of us need practice. Additionally, if you have assignments due for a grade, you need to do them. I've seen smart friends tank their grades because they put off assignments until the last second (sometimes literally, when it's due at midnight), or because they half-ass/never turn in assignments.
Keep a planner and be mindful of what's coming up (hopefully your professors keep detailed and helpful syllabuses).
* Spell check did not correct syllabuses, so I'm going with it.
3) The one-time tragedy
Results: A critical grade (i.e. something worth a large chunk of your semester grade) is now carrying you down
A favorite expression of mine is: you can be in first place in a 100-yard dash all the way until the 90th yard, but if you don't keep going, you're still a loser. I'm sure it was worded better when I first heard it. Nevertheless, one-time tragedies can be deadly; something happens and you end up missing an assignment, missing an exam, forgetting to study...all sorts of things.
The causes are many: family emergencies, unforeseen dilemmas, what have you. At this point, you really have to prioritize your grades: nothing (no ECs and no job) should come before your grades. For those that have to work or have obligations outside of school, this is where back-up plans come in handy. Additionally, unless your professor is an ass, you can usually work something out.
4)The Bad Professor/ Demonic Curve
Results: Getting a bad grade despite the fact that you understand the material/do your work/do well in absolute terms
This is the most horrifying of all the causes, IMO. There's very little you can do if you are stuck with a bad professor (as far as grading is concerned). My suggestion? Use ratemyprofessor or myedu and pick the best option. Sometimes, there is no good professor available; in that case, you can either put off the class, or just take it and buckle down.
These things can all assault you at once (i.e. being in a class with a bad professor, not understanding the material, falling behind on assignments, and facing a tragedy). I hope we can keep up!
Feel free to chime in (especially upperclassmen and those with more experience). I'll throw in my 2 cents based on what I've noticed. I'm not including things like "working while studying" or "taking too hard of a courseload", because ultimately , poor performance while doing any of these things is explained by one or all of the following reasons.
My advice is surely insufficient, and I look forward to reading the tips of others!
1) You don't understand the material
Results: Poor performance on due assignments and exams
The best way to mitigate this is to study and study effectively. Read the textbook, go to class, go over your lecture notes, and do practice problems, supplemented by visits to the tutoring center (usually free at university) and office hours.
What do you do if you just can't understand something/a class is too hard?
2) You don't keep up with assignments
Results: Zeros start filling in the blanks where your grades are supposed to go.
Nothing is worse than the kid who groans "I'm smart but I'm just lazy". A few can slide by on their smarts with very little study, but most of us need practice. Additionally, if you have assignments due for a grade, you need to do them. I've seen smart friends tank their grades because they put off assignments until the last second (sometimes literally, when it's due at midnight), or because they half-ass/never turn in assignments.
Keep a planner and be mindful of what's coming up (hopefully your professors keep detailed and helpful syllabuses).
* Spell check did not correct syllabuses, so I'm going with it.
3) The one-time tragedy
Results: A critical grade (i.e. something worth a large chunk of your semester grade) is now carrying you down
A favorite expression of mine is: you can be in first place in a 100-yard dash all the way until the 90th yard, but if you don't keep going, you're still a loser. I'm sure it was worded better when I first heard it. Nevertheless, one-time tragedies can be deadly; something happens and you end up missing an assignment, missing an exam, forgetting to study...all sorts of things.
The causes are many: family emergencies, unforeseen dilemmas, what have you. At this point, you really have to prioritize your grades: nothing (no ECs and no job) should come before your grades. For those that have to work or have obligations outside of school, this is where back-up plans come in handy. Additionally, unless your professor is an ass, you can usually work something out.
4)The Bad Professor/ Demonic Curve
Results: Getting a bad grade despite the fact that you understand the material/do your work/do well in absolute terms
This is the most horrifying of all the causes, IMO. There's very little you can do if you are stuck with a bad professor (as far as grading is concerned). My suggestion? Use ratemyprofessor or myedu and pick the best option. Sometimes, there is no good professor available; in that case, you can either put off the class, or just take it and buckle down.
These things can all assault you at once (i.e. being in a class with a bad professor, not understanding the material, falling behind on assignments, and facing a tragedy). I hope we can keep up!
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