Project Materials

How to raise your GPA this semester

A number of reasons can account for having a low GPA as a student in university or college. Ranging from not getting your footing early, distractions, ill health or having a part time job that you’re juggling with school demands. It’s actually possible to raise your grade points and compensate for all the low grades that seemed to have dashed your dream of being a high flying student. At times, it’s not even the problem of a low GPA, but trying to raise a good one already to meet up with a particular class – first class, second class upper or distinction as the case may be. With the following tips, if you follow them the way they apply to you, you can leap out of your worries over low GPA.

1. Meet your Advisor (Level Coordinator or Adviser)

There’s a level adviser attached to your course and level, depending on how it is done in your school. Apart from the normal official things they help students with, they can guide students when they’re in doubt or dilemma. Meet with the lecturer that is your advisor and seek for guidance on how you can raise your GPA. You should be open enough to him/her so you can be really helped. 

2. Ask Your Seniors

When it comes to secrets of better grades, one of the best set of persons to ask are likely your seniors, those who have passed through your current level in the same course. Ask them questions on how they coped and what tactics they used, lecturers’ styles and mode of answering their questions. Also ask them what to avoid.

3. Consider Dropping or Adding a Course

Don’t add a difficult course to your workload if it’s not necessary. Be wary of adding a difficult elective course except you really need it and you’re sure you can handle it. If there’s a way you can drop a difficult course which you are sure is not compulsory or required, then do. You can also add simple courses which you think you can handle better, so as to boost your grade points. But the caution here is to seek advice from your advisor and colleagues before doing this. You don’t want to drop a course and eventually discover it’s compulsory.

4. Take Lectures Serious

While there may be the temptation of missing lectures, there are more important reasons why you must take lectures seriously. By taking lectures more seriously, you’re able to better discern each lecturer’s style, you’re more acquainted with concepts in your courses, you get to learn from questions asked and answers given during class, plus, you are able to take note of clues given by lecturers. 

5. Reduce your Extracurricular Activities

If you happen to be the kind of student that engages a lot in extracurricular activities like clubbing, visiting, partying, sports, programmes etc. You may need to cut down on them, especially the unnecessary ones. If you can cut down 50% or even more, good for you. With that you can have a better focus on your school work and demands. Everything has its time.

6. Identify the Most Difficult Courses and Devote More Time and Effort

Mark all the more difficult courses, and map a plan to tackle each one. Be sure to give more time and seek out for more help on these courses. Don’t take every course the same way, some courses may demand a unique approach, but if you’re not smart enough to get that, then those courses might be the ones to further affect your GPA. 

7. Participate During Classes

Participation can improve your interest and performance in a course. Even when your interest is not there primarily, create interest. You can deliberately decide to use front seats during classes, this will likely get you more involved with the learning process and you might get yourself registered in the lecturer’s mind as a serious chap. Also ask questions, when something’s not clear to you, use it as an opportunity to ask questions. Ensure you answer questions as well. Don’t allow the fear of being wrong to stop you, if you answer wrongly, you get corrected and you know more. 

8. Make Good Friends

There are probably students in the class with very good grades and doing better than you, perhaps not because they are more brilliant, but because they apply some principles which you may not know or know but don’t take serious. Walking, studying and moving with them will help you gain insight into what they are doing right that you are doing wrong and things you can do better.

9. Practice Weekly Revision

Make a habit of going through your work daily during the week and, every week, revise everything you have learnt just to familiarise yourself with the work more. When eventually you want to prepare for semester tests or examinations, you will be able to relate easier with your notes.

10. Approach the Course Lecturers

This may look daunting for students who just like to keep to themselves and not get noticed, but if improving your GPA is really important, then you might have to approach the lecturers of various courses that you offer, especially the more difficult courses, to seek advice and helpful tips on how to tackle their courses. This will also serve to increase your familiarity with the lecturers which may eventually pay off.

11. Take Advantage of the Internet

There are so many You Tube videos online explaining concepts that you may be finding difficult in your course. The good thing about this is that you get the lecturing experience, not in a classroom setting but in your privacy and you can watch over and over again until you understand the concepts that you’re after. There also materials that you can download online, relevant to your courses. When you have a good grasp of a course and understand it so well, then your performance during exam is guaranteed, and your grade points are the better for it.

12. Don’t Take Test and Assignments Carelessly

Be very deliberate about doing all your assignments satisfactorily, and ensure you submit. Even when you are not sure whether or not the assignment score will be factored into your final score, just do your best – better safe than sorry. Also, be very up to date with announcements for tests. Ensure you get the information early enough and prepare for the tests.

13. Put Yourself Together

What I mean by this is for you to organise yourself. Get your thoughts, mind, emotions and psychology straightened out and ready to succeed. Also organise your time, a time table will do you a lot of good that it will help you know when to do what. Don’t leave your time to just anything, plan your reading time, resting time and other activities. With this you don’t get to waste your time.

14. Use the Library

Having the right environment for your studying is very important. The hostel may not be the right place to read as there might be too many distractions. The library is a good place to concentrate on what you have to do. You can make use of your departmental library or school library. 

15. Do Regular Practice Tests

At regular intervals, do practice tests in your various courses. This will serve to help you track your progress and readiness for actual tests and exams.