This guest post is written by Corinne from CVR Life of Learning. She is a college teacher that specializes in linguistics, how cool is that?! Check out her blog HERE where she shares tips and tricks for surviving graduate school, learning languages, teaching, classroom management, and much more!

If you’re looking for more studying tips and tricks, check out this post where I share how I study for an exam, and this post, where I share how to take notes in class!

So, without further ado, here is her amazing post!

6 Tips for A’s from a College Teacher

I think everyone would agree that college is a fun and exciting experience. However, it can also be difficult to manage schedules, class assignments and everything else! Students are often overwhelmed with the pressure to succeed, and if you’re like me, then you put a lot of this pressure on yourself. Feeling this college pressure is normal, and it can be a very good motivator. But it can also drive people so hard that they forget to take care of themselves and rest (this happened to me).

When I was a sophomore in college, I was almost kicked out because my GPA was so low. I was on academic probation. And now I have not one, but two degrees AND am now a college English teacher!  The below 6 tips are based on my experiences, both as a student and a college instructor.

These are tips that I have developed after 7 years of being in college (5 Bachelors, 2 Master’s), and 3 years of teaching. I have no doubt that they can help ANY student get A’s in their college classes!

1. Communicate

I would say that communication helps across the board- with any professional or personal relationship. But here, we are focusing on the classroom. Communicating with your teacher ahead of time will be a huge help in the long run. If something comes up, and you cannot attend class or turn in an assignment on time, let your instructor know as soon as possible. This shows your teacher that you want to do well and are doing your best. Most importantly, it shows the teacher that you are not lazy, and didn’t just forget.

Personally, when a student doesn’t turn in an assignment and I never heard from them, I just assume that they forgot. I am MUCH MORE likely to help someone who communicated with me in advance. I will try to help by extending their deadline a day or two, or providing them with resources if they missed class.

So please, don’t lead your teacher to think that you are lazy. Take the 2 minutes to send them an email or speak with them after class. Even in classes with a hundred students, speaking with a teacher will help you stand out, and they will remember that you attended class and tried. Communication is a simple thing that can go a long way towards finishing with A’s. Communication is often the deciding factor for a teacher trying to decide to bump a grade, for example, an 89.5 to an A.

Related: The Ultimate College Freshman Survival Guide

2. Attend Class

Yes, even if attendance is not required, you should go to every class that you are able to. I know 8:00 AM is awful, and I know how it is when you don’t care about the subject, or you already know it. In a study that I conducted in my Master’s program, the Number 1 contributing factor of a student’s success in class, was how often they attended. This is where you will hear announcements, reminders, schedule changes, homework assignments, and deadlines.

Just this past week, I announced in class that I would be out of town, and class on Friday was canceled. Whoever was absent on Wednesday (and did not communicate with me about why or what they missed), did not hear that announcement, and may have shown up early Friday morning to find an empty classroom.

Not only is attending class crucial to ensuring that you don’t miss anything, but it will also make your studying easier. Whether you take notes or not, you are more likely to remember things that you have heard/seen multiple times. When it’s time to study for tests and exams, you will be refreshing the material, instead of learning it for the first time if you attend class regularly. This will save you time, and increase the chances of a higher test score.

Related: The Ultimate Guide to Taking College Notes

3. Skim the Reading

I remember the feeling of being overwhelmed with homework assignments from each class and not having the time (and often the motivation) to do it all. But completing homework and reading assignments really are important. This adds to a student’s understanding of classroom material and difficult concepts.

But I get it- sometimes you just can’t do it all. And that is fine. I am a teacher, and I am telling you (just like I tell my students), that it is ok to quickly skim through, instead of trying to read and understand every sentence on dozens (or even hundreds) of pages. Skimming is better than nothing. Skim through and try to pay attention to headers, bold words, boxes with definitions or explanations, a few examples, and charts. This way you will still have some idea what is going on, but it doesn’t feel impossible.

With this tip, I also offer a caution. If a class syllabus says that there will be a few quizzes, then you may to actually complete the full reading. Use skimming only when necessary.

Also, try to balance your skimming. Instead of always skimming for one class, try to change it around so some nights you skim for class A, and some nights you skim for class B, and some nights you skim for class C. By doing this, you will still be learning and getting an idea about concepts from each class, instead of possibly falling behind in one class.

Related: Skyrocket your GPA with this Ultimate Guide to Studying for an Exam

4. Spend 15 minutes a day on big projects

Some of the best advice that I ever got regarding big projects and big papers, was to spend 15 minutes on it a day. If you are tired and low on motivation, set a timer-just 15 minutes. If you somehow do find motivation and excitement, then keep it limited to 15 minutes.

One of the greatest benefits to this tip is that it will keep the project fresh in your mind. You will find yourself thinking about it and what your next step is while you are brushing your teeth or driving. This will keep you from procrastinating or forgetting about the project until the last minute.

It will keep it fresh on your mind, and it will break down a giant project, into smaller, much more manageable portions. This turns an intimidating project into something that can be accomplished on time, and done well.

Related: The Ultimate Guide to Project Planning

5. It doesn’t have to be perfect

Especially with longer papers and projects, students can feel added stress to their already building pressure to do well in college. Many students all want that A+. They want to impress their teachers, get good experiences on their resume, make their parents proud, or even get into medical school. These are all great goals, and you will be successful in achieving them. But be sure that you are not crumbling from the weight of it all.

Know that to reach those goals, each homework assignment does not have to be perfect. It is ok to skim. If you need some time to rest, it is ok to skip class one or two times a semester. If you have a big test coming up that you are worried about, it is ok to not do homework for another class so you can study.

Focus on what is important at that time, and prioritize your other activities. Be sure to balance your classes and assignments so you are not repeatedly skipping homework in the same class. But please do remember that every little thing does not have to be perfect. It took me a long time to learn this, and I wish I had known sooner. School is important, but be sure to take care of yourself too. It’s much harder to get A’s when you haven’t slept in 2 days or are mentally spiraling.

6. It is ok to ask for help

This is another thing that I wished I had known sooner.  Teachers want you to succeed and pass! If a teacher knows you are trying, and you’re still not quite making ends meet, then they will be HAPPY to help you- school related or otherwise.

My husband, an engineering student, has said that some of his teachers really don’t care, and wouldn’t help. If this is the same for you, I would first encourage you to try and talk with them. It can’t hurt. If they really won’t help, then ask someone else- a classmate, a TA, your academic advisor, or another teacher in the department. If you have tried these options, and still aren’t getting the help that you need, go talk to the Dean!

Dean’s take these things very seriously. They will help you and they will look into teachers who don’t help.  Even if a teacher has tenure, repeated complaints will draw the department’s attention. Speak up!

Aside from teachers and academic support, you can also ask family, roommates or friends if you are having a hard time. If you aren’t getting enough rest, you’re thinking about changing your major, whatever it is. There are people who care about you and want to help!

On Your Way to A’s

While you are journeying through college- a crazy, and chaotic experience have fun and take care of yourself. Use the above 6 tips to preserve some mental sanity, while still working towards finishing with all A’s. If I can do it, someone who almost failed out of college, but graduated with all A’s in a Master’s program, you can too. It was an extremely difficult process for me. I hope that these tips will make your experience easier, so it will be more enjoyable.