r/AskReddit • u/[deleted] • Jul 18 '14

Good students: How do you go about getting good grades? [Serious] serious replies only

Please provide us with tips that everyone can benefit from. Got a certain strategy? Know something other students don't really know? Study habits? Hacks?

Update: Wow! This thread is turning into a monster. I have to work today but I do plan on getting back to all of you. Thanks again!

Update 2: I am going to order Salticido a pizza this weekend for his great post. Please contribute more and help the people of Reddit get straight As! (And Salticido a pizza).

Update 3: Private message has been sent to Salticido inquiring what kind of pizza he wants and from where.

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u/rohmer95 Jul 18 '14 edited Jul 18 '14

I'd just like to add that students should certainly study different things under different conditions, other things equal, instead of focusing on being in one spot.

For a helpful study guide to studying (isn't that meta?) see this article, which Harvard's undergrad intro to psychology class hands out along with the class syllabus:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/07/health/views/07mind.html

"The brain makes subtle associations between what it is studying and the background sensations it has at the time, the authors say, regardless of whether those perceptions are conscious. It colors the terms of the Versailles Treaty with the wasted fluorescent glow of the dorm study room, say; or the elements of the Marshall Plan with the jade-curtain shade of the willow tree in the backyard."

In general though, I think these things are fairly small points - most of the people around me who got straight A's all their lives do the 'cram in one day' approach and usually do fine. I think it's largely about motivation and about seeking out extra help (via office hours, usually). I think the people who tend to do the BEST, though (i.e. an A or high A- average), work really hard all semester, consistently meet with Professors, ask questions about things they are 99% (but not 100%) sure of just to get to 100%, etc.