How to Improve Your Grades in the Final Weeks of High School
The final weeks of the Spring semester is an exciting time, especially if you’re nearing the end of your senior year and have college or future plans to look forward to. However, the final weeks of a high school semester can be very stressful if your grades are not where they need to be.
Perhaps you’re on the verge of a target GPA you need to qualify for a scholarship, or maybe you need to meet admissions requirements for your top college applications. Whatever your motivation is to improve your grades in the final weeks of high school, here are some tips to help you succeed.
Communicate with your Teacher
A great way to start improving your grades is to speak with your teacher about what your options are. Your teacher will have an idea of what kind of grade you will need to make on the final to reach your goals, and can tell you if missing assignments are hurting your current grade, or if extra credit is an option. Communication is important, because when your teacher knows you are working hard to improve your grade, he or she can help you get there.
Make Up Any Missed Assignments
If your teachers allow it, you can try to make up missed assignments throughout the semester that are hurting your overall grade. You might get a lower grade for them being late, but at least you will receive credit for them. Hopefully you have no assignments missing, but it’s important to make sure that you’re up-to-date with your assignments for each class if you want the best possible final grades.
Take Advantage of Extra Credit
Though not all of your teachers will offer extra credit, make sure take advantage of any opportunities your teachers do offer. Sometimes extra credit will come in the form of an extra paper, a book report, or an independent study project. You could even come up with an extra credit project idea of your own and pitch it to your teacher!
Form a Study Group
Sometimes studying on your own can be harder than studying with a group. You might get distracted or find that some material is confusing to you. By forming a study group with other students in your class, you will have the power of more minds working together and might be more likely to commit to studying. You may even find that other students in your classes are looking to improve their grades as well, so forming a study group will be helpful for all of you.
Make Final Exams a Priority
Though finals are often stressful and you might have a lot going on at the end of your school year, you’ll need to find a way to make final exams a priority in order to improve your grades. Most of the time, end of semester exams provide an opportunity to improve your grade since finals are worth more than daily and weekly assignments. Prioritizing these exams, preparing yourself with diligent study sessions with help you thrive on test day.
As part of forming good study habits, create a study schedule and stick to it. Make time for friends and extracurricular activities, but also know how to say “no” to distractions. Make study guides and ask your parents or friends to quiz you on the material. Get plenty of sleep and eat a healthy meal before each final. If your final is a project, start early and make sure you have plenty of time to do quality work.
Stay Focused
Even with only weeks left in your high school semester and a well-deserved break ahead, remember to stay focused to improve your grades. Keep your future goals in mind to motivate you for these final weeks. All your hard work will be worth it!
About NSHSS
Since 2002, NSHSS has supported young academics on their journey to college and beyond as they prepare to become the leaders of tomorrow. The mission behind NSHSS is to recognize academic excellence and honor high-achieving students, providing them with the resources and network to excel in college, career and community. In doing so, NSHSS connects members with global events, scholarships, college fairs, internships, career and leadership programs, partner discounts, and more. Discover what makes NSHSS worth it to student members and how you can get involved.
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