Why do my grades suck so much in University?

Question

seriously... I'm a second year college student. Last year I got all c's and d's and failed a couple classes, so I was on "academic probation" since september 2006, meaning I could only take 3 classes a semester. Usually you take 5. So, now I'm behind and I just found out I failed another one this semester. Ughhh it's so bad because there's nothing in my life that should be a distraction. I have a job but only have like 3 shifts a week, I don't go out on the weekends and I don't have a boyfriend. I just never seem to read the textbook, etc.
WHAT COULD I DO to improve my grades? What if I get kicked out of school? I would have to work.... but I really don't want to have to take time off to have two mininum wage jobs.

Answer 1

"I just never seem to read the textbook, etc."

Here's a thought - read the text book. Take notes in class. Ask questions if the professor wasn't clear, or if you just aren't getting it in class, e-mail your professor and ask when you can meet with them in their office for some additional clarification. If you say you don't have a time-consuming job or a boyfriend then you have no reason not to spend at least 8 hours a day doing schoolwork. Generally allot 2 hours of homework/studying for every hour you spend in class. Just because you don't have an actual homework assignment doesn't mean you shouldn't be going over the material yourself, and you should take free time you have to do as many assignments as you can on the syllabus in advance. If you are doing less than that, then you are either a genius, or you aren't putting enough work into it to succeed.

Answer 2

I'm also a second year student.

What I would recommend to you is to talk to your friends or people in your classes who are doing well.

Ask them to send an old piece of work to you (maybe from last semester) to find out how they do so well and to identify where you are going wrong. You may be able to spot fundamental flaws in your work and use the same techniques as those doing well are using.

If you have a personal tutor they can help you a great deal. Make sure you take your piece(s) of work with you and they'll be able to give you some really good advice.

Some advice from me:
1. NEVER describe. i.e tell a story. The marker already knows and you're wasting words.

2. So instead ANALYSE. This means - A chain of logic...From the evidence provided by (Author)..... A leads to B which leads to C. The evidnce from A is backed up from B and give examples and to WHAT EXTENT one affects the other or WHY this happens or HOW they are linked. Then give a small summary/conclusion even if this is one sentence.

3. Give strengths and weaknesses of each point and try and look from different perspectives and authors. This can build a case AGAINST what you or others might think and gives a high level of analysis. This is called CRITICAL EVALUATION.

4. Use a variety of Academic Journals and Textbooks - internet sites are not so good. If you're provided with a reading list use those as much as you can or online journals.

5. Use models to help with your analysis if necessary. Make sure they are from an academic source.

6. Reading is KEY. Without it, from a variety of sources, you're not going to get very far.

7. Make sure you know the key points of what is required. You can build on your answer from there.

8. NEVER ASSUME ANYTHING!! If you're going to make a point, say how you know this and where you got it from. 2 different sources saying the same or silimar things is excellent.

9. Recognise what the question is asking you. Split it down into the main parts and check with lecturers/friends whether you have all the points covered and talk about it and get ideas from one another.

10. Check your referencing. Make sure all your references are in your reference list at the back. Any other relevant books you've read should go in the bibliography.

11. Work hard - but not too hard. Set yourself objectives or goals to reach each day or week.



It's important to not only work hard but also work smart.

Hopefully your grades will improve from this advice.

Answer 3

Maybe you should talk to a counselor at school. How were your grades in high school? Were they the same or better? Don't worry about being behind go at your own pace. You said there is nothing in your life that could be a distraction, could you be depressed because of nothing going on? Maybe you are not taking the right courses for you. What do you want to become, are the courses in those areas? Usually when you taking the courses geared to your particular field then you improve. I know in the beginning most of the stuff is general, until the third year where you pick a major and take courses in that area. But talk to a counselor and see where you are headed, and hopefully they can set you straight. Are you for example taking mostly science where you want to major in business, so the science classes are too hard. Talk to a counselor before you waste any more time, you are only in your second year and it is not too late to turn things around, good luck!

Answer 4

(bear with me I'm australian so the terms may be different) hmmm.... text books won't help if they're sitting on your shelf gathering dust. Those things are expensive so use them! My university recommends 10 hours study per subject per week. basically uni or college whatever you americans call it should be your full-time job... it's the pathway to where you want to be in life.

Talk to your lecturers or academic advisers for advice and clarifying your study needs. And here's another suggestion, you seem like you're trying to go it alone with your study. Not a good idea! You need people around you, study groups or friends.

Is what you're studying what you really want to do? Or are you trying to live up to someone else's expectations? Look at your motivation for studying and be sure that the subjects you take are helping you get what you want in life. Maybe talk to a counsellor about that.

I was failing a teaching degree, it took me three years to work out it wasn't what i wanted to do. I started researching possible alternatives and switched to a psychology degree. Because I found something I loved to do, I'm now getting really good marks.

And please do have a life, you may be burning out because you're putting too much pressure on yourself. Go out now and then and have some fun (not every weekend, say once a month or something). You need to de-stress love!

Answer 5

I think you need to see your academic advisor and figure out a plan. You're in significant danger of slipping through the cracks and simply failing or dropping out.

You need to get focused and work on getting this all pulled together. Do you think you might be depressed? Maybe you should see the school's counseling office, as well. Maybe they can help you understand why you're struggling this way. Presumably you can do the work or the school wouldn't have accepted you. Or maybe there are gaps in your schooling that are causing you difficulty now and remedial tutoring/classes can help.

Either way, don't give up. See what you can do to get control of the situation. It will serve you well over time in so many different ways.

Worst case, you may need to consider taking a year off to get your act together. Even then, don't give up. Go back to school and work hard and get that degree.

Answer 6

A couple of suggestions. First, speak to your Professors, find out what they feel you can do to improve! Secondly, hook-up with another student who is academically superior to you, or find a study group, or get tutoring! There are many ways to improve your grades. Maybe you should change your "classes" to something that if of more interest to you, as the more you like something, the better you can study that subject and the better you become at it. It may be time for a change!

Answer 7

i'm a instantly A with one B freshman student so per chance i can furnish practise. a million. pay interest in school and TAKE NOTES. you would no longer pick to placed it would want to help you you contained in the longer time period! 2. continually do your homework, there will be circumstances once you received't...yet atleast attempt. It enables you study the textile and also you would study from it for checks. 3. study, no longer tremendous lengthy or not undemanding, purely study as a lot as you recognize and evaluation all assistance you've on the problem. in case you do steps a million & 2 it's going to be plenty extra accessible to study for checks. this would appear as if exertions yet do purely it at a good %. and do not weigh down your self or say you could't do it because i recognize from experince that it's going to stress you out even extra!! Be confident in college continually attempt to advance. finally do not stay wide awake previous due doing homework or reading because you received't keep that assistance and also you'll be drained the subsequent day. do those issues once achievable. purely attempt your superb and be useful!

Answer 8

first of all, make sure you TAKE all extra credit assignments available


make sure you study at least 2-3 months before exams


take good notes, if your professor or whatever you call it allows you to use them during say a non-official test this wil be very helpful


spend about 10 hours in the library every week looking up things,practicing,studying, etc.

if you tend to get bored a lot study with a helpful dorm mate that you know won't fool around to study with you
should make you more comfortable


make sure you eat a good and healthy breakfast to keep you energized and help you not fall asleep when something important is said.


most important of all do miss out on school!

Answer 9

Well I want to tell you that college is not that easy. I usually do is when I came up to make my schedule for a semester I choose two o three difficult subject and two easy. For example for fall I have chemistry, pre-calculus and German, Those are difficult now I have to choose two easy one. Also what I do is to make a personal schedule for example on monday I just take care of Chemistry, on Thursday I dedicated only for English, and on weekend especially saturdays is to review all and sunday is to relax. I got straigth B's and two A's.

Answer 10

talk to ur profs about it or u might need a tutor
if u take the effort to try and fix the problem, the problem will most likely get fixed