How to Get Straight A's

One phrase I used to hear a lot was, "Don't take that professor, he doesn't give anyone an A." If that is truly the professor's policy, and the professor says "I don't give anyone an A", go to a dean; the school will handle it. You can always get an A if you do the right things. As a matter of fact, if you know what to do, getting an A in every class will be much easier than you think.

• Remember college is not high school. You are responsible for your own work and no one is going to report you. Likewise, no one will think you are cool for sitting in the back of the class. Sitting up front on the other hand is beneficial. Your professor will learn your face if you are constantly sitting up front.
• Give your professor face time. In other words, introduce yourself to your professor. If you have any questions about the reading, or you are interested in the subject your professor is teaching (or if you want to pretend to be interested in the subject) go to your professor's office hours. I can not stress the importance of going to office hours. Professors are required to hold office hours, and until mid terms or finals, no one actually goes. So your professor has to sit in an office, bored out of his/her mind. When a student shows interest in the readings or subject matter, most of the time, a professor is ecstatic. They will chew your ear off talking about their favorite subject.
• Giving your TA face time is as important as giving your professor face time. While talking to your professor will give you hints about what the teacher is going to put on the exam, the TA actually grades the exam. And, in all probability, your TA is only a couple years older than you. They just got out of college, so they know what you are going through. If your TA knows that you are doing the reading and knows you have been going to class, they'll be more sympathetic when grading you, especially if your name on the exam reminds them of your face and personality.
• GO TO CLASS. Professors usually say on the first day of class that half the material is from the class lectures and half the material will be in the readings. Usually, if you pay attention, you can find out exactly what will be on the exam from the lectures. Listen for what your professor stresses with his or her voice, look at what he or she writes on the board. Take good notes. I like using a lap top, but if you think you'll be tempted to play games, don't bring it. You need to pay attention.
• If you are assigned a paper, finish it early, and have your TA look over your "rough draft." Ask him/her if you should include more detail or if they think it is missing anything. If you ask early enough, they'll probably tell you what you need to add to get an A. Also, make it clear to your professor and TA that you want an A on the paper.
• Go for tutoring, even if you don't think you need it. Universities provide free tutoring in almost every subject and your schools tutoring center will probably be able to find you a tutor for each class you have. Sign up for tutoring as soon as possible. Your tutor will probably have a copy of the exams, and will definitely know your professor's exam style.
• Read. Pay attention to anything in bold print and always read the conclusions. To avoid having to re-read before your exams, typing up a quick outline as you read it the first time.