Lower than expected grades will certainly bring you a feeling of disappointment. Especially when you know you can do better than that. So, are you struggling to improve your academic outcomes? Here are 7 strategies that can help you:
1. Find your learning style
Does your friend learn only by looking at their notes but you simply can’t do that? Don’t worry! It doesn’t mean that you are less intelligent or less skilled in that subject. It only means that you have a different learning style.
There are three different learning styles and you must find out which one of them suits you the best. You may be a visual learner, an auditory learner, or a kinesthetic learner.
In order to determine what is your learning style, you should try all the three techniques to see which one helps you remember the most information. For example:
- Try to organize your class notes with outlines and read it. If you can remember information by the way they are placed on the page, then you are a visual learner.
- Listening to the professor’s lesson or listening to recordings of your class help you learn? You are most probably an auditory learner.
- If you have noticed that you can keep information in your mind better when you are walking around the room or playing with a pen, you should know that you are a kinesthetic learner.
Depending on your learning style, try to discover the best strategies that will enhance the learning process.
2. Understand your strengths and weaknesses
Each of us has strengths and weaknesses and that is absolutely normal. No brain is designed to be good at everything. So, you shouldn’t stress too much if one of the subjects you are studying is giving you headaches.
For example, some people are designed to perform at optimal levels in literature or foreign languages while they find it difficult to master math. This doesn’t mean that they are students with poor academic performance. It only means that literature is their strength and math is their weakness. However, weaknesses can always be improved if you invest more time in studying for that certain subject.
You can start by taking a test to calculate your IQ percentile. Although there isn’t enough evidence that you can improve your general intelligence, this will give you an idea of your mental abilities.
Also, you probably already know which subject you master and which one is very difficult for you to understand. So, when you want to improve your academic performance, make sure you focus more on studying the subjects you feel that you don’t master.
3. Focus on practice
Practice in improving your academic performance is a thousand times more important than you would ever imagine. Think about taking the driving exam to get your license. Studying the traffic and road laws and regulations is a must but that isn’t enough to make you a good driver. You also need to get behind the wheel and learn how to drive a vehicle.
So, when studying for a subject that gives you headaches, you can try to apply the lessons you have learned in practice. For example, if you want to improve your foreign language skills, you can find a person that speaks that language and have a conversation with them. You will not only learn new words, but you will also improve your pronunciation.
4. Read about everything
Reading is one of the best ways to improve your knowledge on a variety of topics. Improving your academic performance doesn’t only come to studying harder only for the subjects you have in class. It also comes to improving your baggage of knowledge and skills.
It doesn’t matter on what subject you read, every book or source of information can teach you something. And, especially in today’s digital world you have 24/7 access to the Internet where you can find an unlimited amount of information, it would be a real pity if you don’t use this advantage.
Start by reading extra information about your college subjects. This will certainly improve your academic performance in class. Next, you can start reading about things that interest you and the topics related to them. Keep in mind that knowledge is power. So, a little extra reading will certainly help you improve your academic outcomes.
5. Create an inspiring study space
There are a number of studies that show that the study space plays a major role in helping you stay motivated and focused on learning. Plus, the right study environment can also increase your creativity and productivity, and will help you retain information much faster.
First of all, the study environment should be a clean one. You also need to have a comfortable chair and desk so that you will feel comfortable to spend many hours studying. You can also decorate your study space with things that inspire you. Either you choose to decorate your study space with plants or hang on a canvas with inspiring quotes, these elements can increase your creativity and improve your focus.
6. Prepare for your tests
This one may seem obvious for anybody. You can’t get good grades unless you study properly for your tests. However, sometimes, students hope that taking a superficial look over their studying material will help them remember everything during the test. That may work if you are very active in class and you have retained a large amount of information during your lectures. If not, you may need to spend some more time understanding and learning your study materials.
7. Hire a private tutor
There is no shame in admitting that one subject is giving you headaches. You may have been trying for a long time to improve your grades at a certain subject but still can’t figure things out. That is when you should consider reaching out for a little bit of help from an expert. A private tutor can help you learn the basics of the subject and help you get a better understanding of it. Maybe all you need is someone to explain everything in detail and then you can improve your outcomes at that subject. You can ask a friend or a colleague of yours or you can hire an expert to give you lessons.
Improving your academic outcomes isn’t an easy task. You must improve your learning strategies, invest more time and focus on studying, and overcoming your weaknesses. However, with good motivation and hard work, you can surely increase your grades in college.
