How do I get an A+ in a Course

Where to begin?

At the start of every semester. It is so important to define your goals and aspirations. Write your goals down and set your intentions from the beginning. 

"I want an __ grade in this class."

Understand what's ahead.

Now that you have defined your goals. Try to understand what it will take to achieve them. 

If you want an A+ or a similar grade, ask yourself what a student achieving these grades looks like. What are their daily habits? How disciplined are they? 

Imagine yourself doing the work.

Students often get so caught up in imagining the result that they forget to be realistic and link the work it will take to get there. Imagine yourself putting in the hard work, staying up to study, prioritizing your schooling, and potentially cancelling hangouts and/or parties. It is easy to set goals but challenging to achieve them. The process can be eased by reminding yourself that there may be great sacrifice and superior time management. Can you do it?

Put in the work.

Now it is time to work towards your goal actively. Make sure you know what's ahead by planning it all out. Look at the course material and see what it all means. 

You may find that you don't understand it the first time. No problem, reread it.

Still need help understanding it? Reread it. 

Not quite there, read it again and again and again. 

Sooner or later, it will stick, and it will make sense. 

If it is not working, it's time to ask for help. Let's seek out resources that can assist us, whether friends, professors, tutors, etc. Someone out there is willing to help you; it's only a matter of you reaching out to them. 

Evaluate your progress.

Look at your progress. Where are you now? Are you close to your goal or not? What will need to change to get you there? Evaluate your progress and set out a plan to revise your trajectory. 

Be realistic.

At the end of the day, numbers are numbers. You must understand that your efforts must match your intentions to get a near-perfect score. It might be time to adjust your sails and alter the goal if it becomes too difficult to keep up. There is no shame in this, as we all go through unique life experiences that change us and demand us to reallocate our resources and attention.

Be kind to yourself.

Be kind to yourself. Setting goals and planning to do your very best is terrific. Numbers are just numbers. They have nothing to do with your worth nor determine how successful you will be. What's important to know is that you are trying your best and working hard, and anyone who embodies these characteristics can never fail in life. 

I wish to end this article by stating that you are worth more than the numbers on your transcript. You are more than what you appear to be on paper. When you learn and go through school, try to make the most of it, try your best and always focus on enriching your scope of knowledge. This will get you closer to your goals more than anything. Just follow your passion, try your best and always feel relief knowing that you are working at your optimal level and you will never fail by doing all these things. 

Study hard, Ridgebacks!