Sure the answer, ‘what makes a good student?’ might be answered with simple phrases such as ‘good grades’ and ‘organization.’ While these are good benefiting factors, they aren’t the main points of earning A’s on the report card. Others might think that the more clubs you’re apart of, the better student that makes you; clubs are great, but not part of the main point. A good student, per se, has the future in mind. In all honesty, everyone can be a great student, it all just depends on their willingness to work. Students that tend to achieve greatness envision getting good grades for the purpose for pursuing something bigger in the future, such as college. They see the years as each step and think about what each step means to their future. Setting your goals early on can keep you grounded throughout your years at school. During an interview about setting your plans early, freshman Denise Saavedra gave insight towards her end goal: “I’m interested in a few different options, but the thought of me being a doctor seems like the best one. Since I am planning on becoming or doctor or going into the medical field, it is easier for me to chart out the classes I need to take or any extracurriculars I should be a part of.” With a career path in mind, charting a course into your future can be much easier. Striving towards a goal bigger than them helps keep them humble and vigilant for success.
Achievers in school often go to great places. This is because those students plan so that they can take advantage of each opportunity that is presented to them. They can excel by doing something such as writing their agendas in a planner to stay organized to have their assignments due on time, helping them by keeping them in line with how much they do each day. While everyone has different schedules, the key is knowing what you can handle. If you have multiple sports commitments a week, taking on four AP classes wouldn’t benefit you. Maintaining your limit while considering your schedule is what most students ignore while choosing their courses.
While school work tests your individual abilities, communication is a key factor in excelling. You can’t understand everything you’re taught right away; that’s what makes communication so crucial. Teachers are always there to help, so creating a good relationship with them will impact your learning. Opening up a dialogue with others around you can also be beneficial. Asking classmates questions creates a good support net and group work can also help you thrive.
Additionally, an effective student has focus. With the various distractions we have around us today, it can be hard to stay vigilant. Being focused can ensure that you get the most out of your time as a student. Instead of taking four hours to do homework while watching TV, you could decrease that time to two hours if you switch off the TV. There’s more time to relax and the quality of work will get better since your attention is only pointed towards your studies. Multitasking between a distraction and homework can create bad brain habits and have a cognitive cost.
Lastly, attendance can be a factor when it comes to a student’s GPA. Students that are absent little to none days perform higher in their classes than students who are absent several times a month. Based on an experiment that observed about 2,500 students who took the Physics course at the University of Georgia Tech, attendance was important when calculating their grades. The students were observed from 2005-2008 and were separated into three categories based on their attendance to class: Good, Fair, and Poor. While looking at the final conclusion, it was obvious that out of the students with Good attendance, only 6% earned D’s or F’s and the rest had gotten A’s or B’s. Students that attended class more frequently had had a higher grade scoring percentile, unlike the Fair and Poor group. In the final cut, it is worth noting that students that maintained a good attendance level are twelve times likelier to earn a higher grade, such as an A or B, rather than a bad grade, like a D or F. Consistency while learning is what can differentiate your test scores from a C to an A or B.