How does one make good grades in college?

[Farang]

Originally posted by: zinfamous

Originally posted by: miketheidiot

Originally posted by: marincounty


Go talk to your professors during office hours. Then you become a person to them and not just another name on a list. You will get better grades.

good advice

This is probably THE most important advice.

You're a tool if you hang around your professors for no reason. And the professors know it. They are busy people and just like anyone else don't want their time wasted. Unless you have legitimate questions, don't make it a rule to go to office hours. In fact going during office hours should be somewhat rare because most expectations are clearly outlined in class.

If you're going for recommendations, a better way is to let the professor know at the beginning of the course. 'I need a letter of recommendation and I can show you why I'm (insert graduate program) material by the end of this course.' Participate as expected, and show real progress in the course. Document the progress and follow up at the end of the course in a sit-down with the professor, at which time you may even ask for a letter (if you're going through a centralized letters system like LSDAS).

 

[drinkmorejava]

Jr Aeronautical and Mechanical Engr. - Rensselaer Polytechnic
3.74, had a 3.86 in HS

Honestly, most nights, I prob end up only doing 45min of work, although it often takes 2 hours because one of my roommates will come up with some great activity.
I generally have one completely ridiculous class a semester. Right now, it's Structural Dynamics and Aeroelasticity. HW takes 4-5 hours a week for 4ish problems.


Go to every class, take notes. Yes, you'll actually fill up an entire 100 page 9x12 notebook per class/ per semester

The key is studying for tests. I rarely study for more than one day, but when I do, it's often something like 6pm-2am in a study group. FYI, find friends in your major to study with. Part of the studying is knowing how to study. I'll usually skim over the book, then over my notes highlighting everything I'm not sure about. Copying the highlighted stuff to a crib sheet, and then doing about a dozen sample problems. Keep in mind, most engineering tests will only have 3-4 problems for a 2 hour test. Maybe 6 for a 3 hour final.

Oh yeah, I hate the library, way too quiet. The Union is nice because it's not so bloody depressing.

I never get enough sleep. Maybe 7:30 if I'm lucky. Most days I wake up with no desire to get out of bed. Deal with it.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Choose the classes you want to do the best at, or at least, the ones you know you'll be able to. Do 80 but not more (anything above 80 is a waste, since it's an A either way and that's all that counts in the end)

For the other classes try to pass with at least a C, but don't waste time that could be spent working on the other classes.

Also, don't get a job during college get one between years, when you're off. Yes it sucks to not get the summer off, but it will make your college year way easier.

Main thing is what has been mentioned, be used to not having free time. Just tell yourself it's only 3 years (or whatever length it is, hopefully not like 7 ) and once you get a job it will be 10 times easier.

I'm in my 2nd year of working full time after graduating from college and I can confirm this. Work is way easier. So just work hard and remember it will be one of the hardest times of your lives, so keep your head up, if you can manage that you can manage anything else in life.

 

[TecHNooB]

Originally posted by: drinkmorejava
Jr Aeronautical and Mechanical Engr. - Rensselaer Polytechnic
3.74, had a 3.86 in HS

Honestly, most nights, I prob end up only doing 45min of work, although it often takes 2 hours because one of my roommates will come up with some great activity.
I generally have one completely ridiculous class a semester. Right now, it's Structural Dynamics and Aeroelasticity. HW takes 4-5 hours a week for 4ish problems.


Go to every class, take notes. Yes, you'll actually fill up an entire 100 page 9x12 notebook per class/ per semester

The key is studying for tests. I rarely study for more than one day, but when I do, it's often something like 6pm-2am in a study group. FYI, find friends in your major to study with. Part of the studying is knowing how to study. I'll usually skim over the book, then over my notes highlighting everything I'm not sure about. Copying the highlighted stuff to a crib sheet, and then doing about a dozen sample problems. Keep in mind, most engineering tests will only have 3-4 problems for a 2 hour test. Maybe 6 for a 3 hour final.

Oh yeah, I hate the library, way too quiet. The Union is nice because it's not so bloody depressing.

I never get enough sleep. Maybe 7:30 if I'm lucky. Most days I wake up with no desire to get out of bed. Deal with it.

Damn you baller. I should learn from you lol. I do well but I suffer from MAJOR overstudy

 

[clamum]

Originally posted by: LW07
i hear if you want to make good grades you have to spend 2 to 3 hours studying for every one hour you spend in class.

It probably depends on how stupid/smart you are or what major you take. I was a CS major and spent about 10 mins for every hour, or less, time studying and graduated with like a 3.5 GPA.

 

[PhaZe]

Originally posted by: TecHNooB

Originally posted by: AccruedExpenditure
Go to TA/Professor office hours. Once they connect a name to the face you're guaranteed at least a half a grade of leniency on exams/grades

I honestly don't believe this.

I can vouch for this. I took EE Analysis last year and one of my friends asked the professor questions during the professor's office hours almost every other week.

It was a tough ass class (time and frequency domain techniques for signal and system analysis). Tough in the sense that it was very math oriented.

Anyways, on each exam, I scored an entire letter grade higher than said friend. In the end, my friend had a higher letter grade than me.

I never once spoke to the prof or TA, so I was just a name on paper.

 

[Brainonska511]

Originally posted by: looker001
I am sorry to tell you but grades don't really matter. Unless in the future you're planing on going to grad school, don't bother with high grades.

Yep... don't worry about grades or learning. You can end up like looker001 and be ignorant and afraid of childhood vaccines.

 

[TecHNooB]

Originally posted by: PhaZe

Originally posted by: TecHNooB

Originally posted by: AccruedExpenditure
Go to TA/Professor office hours. Once they connect a name to the face you're guaranteed at least a half a grade of leniency on exams/grades

I honestly don't believe this.

I can vouch for this. I took EE Analysis last year and one of my friends asked the professor questions during the professor's office hours almost every other week.

It was a tough ass class (time and frequency domain techniques for signal and system analysis). Tough in the sense that it was very math oriented.

Anyways, on each exam, I scored an entire letter grade higher than said friend. In the end, my friend had a higher letter grade than me.

I never once spoke to the prof or TA, so I was just a name on paper.

That's so wrong.

 

[LW07]

Originally posted by: RedSquirrel
Choose the classes you want to do the best at, or at least, the ones you know you'll be able to. Do 80 but not more (anything above 80 is a waste, since it's an A either way and that's all that counts in the end)

I thought a 90% was an A.... thats how it is in high school... is college's grade scale different than high schools "90-100 A, 80-89 B, 70-79 C, and so on" ?

 

[Bignate603]

Originally posted by: Deeko

Originally posted by: jman19

Originally posted by: Deeko
Don't worry about it - grades don't matter.

Wrong.

Grades aren't everything, that's for sure, but to say they don't matter is silly - how do you know what this guy wants out of college?

Grades only matter if your post-college plans require it - generally, law school, med school, etc.

I graduated with a 2.87 - and I've done much better than most. Hell, only one company even asked me for my GPA - and they're the one I ended up working for!

Depends on what you're doing. I wouldn't have gotten any interviews for decent positions without at least a 3.3. Maybe in some majors they don't care as much but in some they do.

I knew a guy in my program with a 2.7, never got a single interview as long as I knew him. When he actually snagged an employer at a career fair they talked to him for a while and then asked about his grades. When he told them they invariable said they contact him if anything came up.

 

[Brainonska511]

Originally posted by: LW07

Originally posted by: RedSquirrel
Choose the classes you want to do the best at, or at least, the ones you know you'll be able to. Do 80 but not more (anything above 80 is a waste, since it's an A either way and that's all that counts in the end)

I thought a 90% was an A.... thats how it is in high school... is college's grade scale different than high schools "90-100 A, 80-89 B, 70-79 C, and so on" ?

Depends on the class. Some classes are curved and some are graded somewhat arbitrarily. My quantum mechanics class last quarter had an average for the final as 32/100. No one got Ds or Fs, and I believe most of the grades were Bs and B-s. I highly doubt anyone got an A in that class.

 

[looker001]

Originally posted by: Bignate603

Originally posted by: Deeko

Originally posted by: jman19

Originally posted by: Deeko
Don't worry about it - grades don't matter.

Wrong.

Grades aren't everything, that's for sure, but to say they don't matter is silly - how do you know what this guy wants out of college?

Grades only matter if your post-college plans require it - generally, law school, med school, etc.

I graduated with a 2.87 - and I've done much better than most. Hell, only one company even asked me for my GPA - and they're the one I ended up working for!

Depends on what you're doing. I wouldn't have gotten any interviews for decent positions without at least a 3.3. Maybe in some majors they don't care as much but in some they do.

I knew a guy in my program with a 2.7, never got a single interview as long as I knew him. When he actually snagged an employer at a career fair they talked to him for a while and then asked about his grades. When he told them they invariable said they contact him if anything came up.

What was his major, engineering or accounting?

 

[Whisper]

Originally posted by: LW07

Originally posted by: RedSquirrel
Choose the classes you want to do the best at, or at least, the ones you know you'll be able to. Do 80 but not more (anything above 80 is a waste, since it's an A either way and that's all that counts in the end)

I thought a 90% was an A.... thats how it is in high school... is college's grade scale different than high schools "90-100 A, 80-89 B, 70-79 C, and so on" ?

Depends on the school. Generally, 90+% is an A, although some schools (like the first university I attended) use the whole +/- deal. Thus, to earn a 4.00, you'd actually need to receive A+'s...which, I believe, were in the 95% range. Something like that.

 

[looker001]

Originally posted by: LW07

Originally posted by: RedSquirrel
Choose the classes you want to do the best at, or at least, the ones you know you'll be able to. Do 80 but not more (anything above 80 is a waste, since it's an A either way and that's all that counts in the end)

I thought a 90% was an A.... thats how it is in high school... is college's grade scale different than high schools "90-100 A, 80-89 B, 70-79 C, and so on" ?

Depending totally on professor and if school using +/-system. Normal grade scale was A 93%, A-90%, B+87% etc.

 

[knawlejj]

If you go to a small private school like myself, then some rules to follow:
1) Classes (in my case) are always under 30 people. You know the professor and they know you by first name. Attendance is usually required (3 days excused absences per class) and that's a good thing. Know your professors well.
2) Use your resources: library, writing centers, etc
3) Usually you can just wait to buy textbooks after the first week of class or so...I tend to buy maybe 1 per semester because I just dont use them.
4) Dont let hard classes phase you. Other people are usually just as lost as you and are afraid to ask questions because they dont wanna seem dumb.
5) Have fun, you will have more free time than you think (aside from the evil engineering, but that really picks up junior year).
6) Be social. If you're into drinking, dont think a "dry" campus stops alcohol use; it's far from that.

 

[LW07]

Is Information Technology an engineering class?

 

[villageidiot111]

Originally posted by: LW07
Is Information Technology an engineering class?

lol no

 

[SampSon]

Originally posted by: Bignate603

Originally posted by: Deeko

Originally posted by: jman19

Originally posted by: Deeko
Don't worry about it - grades don't matter.

Wrong.

Grades aren't everything, that's for sure, but to say they don't matter is silly - how do you know what this guy wants out of college?

Grades only matter if your post-college plans require it - generally, law school, med school, etc.

I graduated with a 2.87 - and I've done much better than most. Hell, only one company even asked me for my GPA - and they're the one I ended up working for!

Depends on what you're doing. I wouldn't have gotten any interviews for decent positions without at least a 3.3. Maybe in some majors they don't care as much but in some they do.

I knew a guy in my program with a 2.7, never got a single interview as long as I knew him. When he actually snagged an employer at a career fair they talked to him for a while and then asked about his grades. When he told them they invariable said they contact him if anything came up.

Unless you're interviewing for your first job, if they ask what your grades were you should respond "that was college, how the fuck should I know, and why does it matter?".
Hell, who put their GPA on a resume anyway? That so obviously sophomoric.

 

[SuperjetMatt]

Go to class
Do your homework
Do your homework right!
Review the homework when you get it back and fix any problems

I am an EE, junior level. There is a lot of homework, but it's mostly just time-consuming.
You have to be willing to invest the time.

 

[LW07]

Originally posted by: villageidiot111

Originally posted by: LW07
Is Information Technology an engineering class?

lol no

What about Computer Science or Information Systems?

 

[Deeko]

Originally posted by: Bignate603

Originally posted by: Deeko

Originally posted by: jman19

Originally posted by: Deeko
Don't worry about it - grades don't matter.

Wrong.

Grades aren't everything, that's for sure, but to say they don't matter is silly - how do you know what this guy wants out of college?

Grades only matter if your post-college plans require it - generally, law school, med school, etc.

I graduated with a 2.87 - and I've done much better than most. Hell, only one company even asked me for my GPA - and they're the one I ended up working for!

Depends on what you're doing. I wouldn't have gotten any interviews for decent positions without at least a 3.3. Maybe in some majors they don't care as much but in some they do.

I knew a guy in my program with a 2.7, never got a single interview as long as I knew him. When he actually snagged an employer at a career fair they talked to him for a while and then asked about his grades. When he told them they invariable said they contact him if anything came up.

My major was computer science, its not like I was in business administration...

 

[IEC]

Be an engineer.

Go to every class.

Do all your work.

Study.

...

Profit?

 

[Jabbernyx]

Originally posted by: Deeko
My major was computer science, its not like I was in business administration...

No you didn't!

 

[Deeko]

Originally posted by: Jabbernyx

Originally posted by: Deeko
My major was computer science, its not like I was in business administration...

No you didn't!

haha....I did minor in BA and plan on getting an MBA, I'm not anti-business. I just know how it is as an undergrad major....

 

[BoomerD]

One bit of advice that's helped me is that if the professor feels it's important enough to write it on the board...it's important enough to be in my notes. Formulas, equations, accounting terms and journal entries, etc.

2-3 hours of homework for every hour of lecture is pretty accurate for MOST classes.

My MIS class professor claims that we'll need 12-15 hours/week for his 3 unit class. (dickwad must think this is the only class any of us have!)

I currently have 15 units and spend an easy 20-25+ hours per week on homework.