How to be a top student with average intelligence

Want to know how to improve yourgrades without having to spend more time studying? Sounds too good to be true ?Well, read on…

Perhaps you are an average studentwith average intelligence. You do well enough in school, but you probably thinkyou will never be a top student. This is not necessarily the case, however. Youcan receive better grades if you want to. Yes, even students of averageintelligence can be top students without additional work.

Here is how:

1.   Plan your time carefully.Make a list of your weekly tasks. Then make a schedule or chart of your time.Fill in committed time such as eating, sleeping, meeting, classes, etc. Thendecide on good, regular times for studying. Be sure to set aside enough time tocomplete your normal reading and work assignments. Of course, studying shouldnot occupy all of the free time on the schedule. It’s important to set asidetime for relaxation, hobbies and entertainment as well. This weekly schedulemay not solve all of your problems, but it will make you more aware of how youspend your time. Furthermore, it will enable you to plan your activities sothat you have adequate time for both work and play.

2.   Find a good place to study.Choose one place for your study area. It may be a desk or a chair at home or inschool library, but it should be comfortable, and it should not havedistractions. When you begin to work, you should be able to concentrate on thesubject.

3.   Skim before you read. Thismeans looking over a passage quickly before you read it more carefully. As you previewthe material, you get some ideas of the content and how it is organized. Laterwhen you begin to read you will recognize less important material and you mayskim some of these portions. Skimming helps you double your reading speed andimprove your comprehension as well.

4.   Make good use of your timein class. Listening to what the teacher says in class means less work later.Sit where you can see and hear well. Take notes to help you remember what theteacher says.

5.   Study regularly. Go overyour notes as soon as you can after class. Review important points mentioned inclass as well as points you remain confused about. Read about points in yourtextbook. If you know what the teacher will discuss the next day, skim and readthat material too. This will help you understand the next class. If you reviewyour notes and textbook regularly, the material will become more meaningful andyou will remember it longer. Regular review leads to improved performance ontests.

6.  Develop a good attitude abouttests. The purpose of a test is to show what you have learned about a subject.The world doesn’t end if you don’t pass a test, so don’t worry excessivelyabout a single test. Tests provide grades, but they also let you know what youneed to spend more time studying, and they help you make your new knowledgepermanent.

There are other techniques thatmight help you with your studying. Only a few have been mentioned here. Youwill probably discover many others after you have tried these. Talk with yourclassmates about their studying techniques. Share with them some of thetechniques you have found to be helpful. Improving your studying habits willimprove your grades.