Improving your GPA is not an easy task. A great way to improve your GPA is to be ready to go at the beginning of the year. If you come to the first day of class prepared and organized, you set yourself up for success. After a summer long break from school, it can be hard to get your brain back into gear, but if you don’t keep up on your assignments and studies from day one it can pile up fast and become an overwhelming task.

When I’m preparing for my first day back to school it looks like buying the appropriate supplies, getting a good night’s rest, and remembering not to fill my schedule up and leave some time to do homework. This helps me stay on track from day one, and I treat each assignment with importance because they all add up to make your final grade. If you find yourself in the middle of the year, behind on assignments, and still wanting to bring your GPA up as much as possible there are a few things to try. If you are determined and put in the work, you will make a difference.

The first thing I would do is talk to your teacher or professor. No one knows the class better than the person that makes and teaches the lesions. Talk to them about the goals you’re trying to achieve and how they recommend you should do that. Some teachers are very driven to see their students do well and if you put in the work, they could be willing to give you extra credit. What I wouldn’t do is just go up to them asking for extra credit assignments. Making an assignment like that takes work and effort out of their already busy schedules, and if you’re not doing well in the class due to lack of participation, they will wonder why they should put in extra effort to help you pass when you haven’t done so already. If extra credit is not an option, then I would put lots of effort into trying to catch back up to the class. Going to a tutor or asking your teacher for extra help with homework and questions is a great way for you to get a better understanding of the class. Along with lots of dedicated time and studying this will make completing assignments easier and you’re more likely to get a better grade on those assignments. Another thing I wouldn’t do is overwhelm yourself with a long list of assignments and all the goals you need to accomplish with no plan. Start with a small list, things with the nearest deadline or things of greater importance. Complete that small list each week and make a new list. It’s important to make your lists achievable so you actually get the benefits from taking this approach.

Completing the small list each week helps you feel like you are completing steps to your goal, it gives you that hit of dopamine or relief that will keep you going. Overall, getting your GPA up is a challenge that takes dedication, sacrifices, and responsibility. It’s a skill that can be learned and it may not work out for you the first time you try, but if you stick to it, you will definitely reach your goal. I used to get C’s and D’s but with lots of support and structure from my teachers I learned how to get A’s and B’s in every class. I know it sounds funny, learning how to do school, but if you give my advice a try, you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about.