Students should miss class only when it’s absolutely necessary. Class attendance is essential to maintaining a good GPA. Students who constantly miss class are at a disadvantage, because they miss crucial information needed to pass tests and turn in accurate assignments. They should be prepared when attending class by having their textbooks and notebooks.
Students who take good notes do a better job of retaining information than those who do not. They can use the notes as a study tool to recall what they leaned in class, which will help them get good grades and improve their GPA. Those who miss class can borrow notes from their classmates. But students should not rely on using classmates' notes, because that classmate may take excellent notes -- or she might not. And because a student has missed the class, even reading the most thorough notes will not give the student depth of information as if he had attended the class.
It is essential for students to develop good study habits. It’s not enough to simply attend class and take notes. Students must have a system for retaining what they learn. They should refresh their memory before tests by going over their notes. Old tests can be used to study, paying special attention to questions marked wrong. Practice tests are helpful to help determine how many question students can answer correctly.
Exercising and eating healthy food rather than junk food can help reduce stress. A healthy diet and getting a good night’s sleep can help students stay alert in class. Stressing out too much about grades can cause students to do poorly on assignments.
Doing homework increases the chances of learning the material and decreases the chances of getting an F for not turning it in. Students with a low GPA should talk to their teacher to find out why. The teacher may allow make up work for assignments missed. If the problem is bad grades, the teacher may provide extra credit assignments.