Outsmarting Your Grades: 2019 Guide to a Better GPA
OneClass Blog
16 Oct 2018
8 min read
To get better grades in college, you could try your usual last-minute approach where you cram before your exams, or use a brute force approach of spending every minute of the semester studying.
However, a better way to meet your GPA goals is to create a targeted plan that’s designed based on research in cognitive science, learning methodologies, behavioral psychology, and leveraging university policies to your favor.
Our guide to GPA hacking uses strategies culled from researchers and top students. Find out how you can strategically work to improve your GPA.
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Getting a Better GPA: Class Schedule
The GPA you get at the end of the semester is, in part, determined the moment you set your class schedule. Here are four ways you can influence your GPA when you’re signing up for classes. 1. Pad Your Schedule with Easy Classes Your college degree would be less useful if you took only the easiest classes. However, getting one “A” from an easy class can have an impact on the semester’s GPA. If you’re a B Student, you’ll see a +0.2 GPA boost from getting an “A.” If you’re a C Student, you’ll see +0.4 GPA increase, and D Students will see a +0.6 GPA increase. Therefore, if you know that you have a tough course, you can balance it out with an easier course to keep your GPA up. Classes That Students Say Are the Easiest:- Psychology
- Sociology
- English Literature
- Bird Watching
- Gender Studies
- Art/Theatre/Music
- Sports Management
- Underwater Basket Weaving
- What’s the difficulty level?
- Do they grade on a curve?
- Does the teacher weigh participation, homework, or exams heavier?
GPA Hacks During the Semester
After you’ve started your classes, you can do a few key things to boost your GPA. 1. Use Online Class Notes from OneClass Materials covered in class typically weigh heavier during exams. Consequently, you can improve your grades by focusing on these materials in particular. On the OneClass platform, you can search for your college and your courses to see the materials that have been shared by your classmates. Accessing shared class notes and study guides can help you learn concepts that you didn’t understand during class, or fill in the blanks if you missed a class. Moreover, shared materials can be very useful for students with a language barrier. OneClass is effective for many students, and more than 90 percent of users improved by at least one letter grade. 2. Attend Office Hours A little bit of face time with your professor can go a long way toward helping your grade. By regularly meeting with your professor and TA during office hours, you’ll have a chance to ask questions, and it may put you on your professor’s good side to show that you’re trying. Additionally, if you’re looking to form a study group, office hours can be a great time to connect with other students. 3. Seize Extra Credit Opportunities When it comes to extra credit, never wait until the end of the semester; get extra points whenever you can! We can only hope that your professor has extra point opportunities that are as good as this extra credit question.Boost Your GPA: Final Exams
When you're nearing the end of the semester, it’s time to get real about preparing for final exams. Here are four points that are key to making a strong game plan. 1. Strategize for Exams A Stanford postdoc researcher found that just 15 minutes of strategic study planning could improve your scores ? of a letter grade. The researchers recommended asking these six questions one to two weeks before your exams:- What grade do you want to get on the exam?
- How important is it to get this grade?
- How likely are you to get the grade?
- What kind of questions will the exam likely include?
- Which class resources will you use to study? (Class notes, practice exams, study guides, textbook readings, instructor office hours, study groups, private tutoring)
- How will you cover the resources you've shortlisted for your study?
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