| Let me preface this by saying, | | | | potential perks. The first perk is time. You have |
| I am not writing this post to encourage laziness or | | | | no required class time that you have to attend on |
| cheating, but because I know what it is like to be | | | | a daily basis. If you think about how long it takes |
| in a class that you have absolutely ZERO interest | | | | to attend an actual class, you are saving A LOT |
| in, but still have to take to satisfy requirements | | | | of time. |
| to graduate. If you are looking for ways to cheat | | | | The second perk can either be a pro or a con |
| you won't find any here. | | | | depending on the type of student you are. That |
| 1. Take classes online whenever possible | | | | perk is taking exams online. This depends on what |
| 2. Participate | | | | type of test taker you are. Personally, I think it |
| 3. Go into office hours | | | | depends on the material too. I would not |
| 4. If you have a group project, assume the | | | | recommend taking an online class in a subject that |
| leadership role | | | | you are week in unless there are Tailor Made |
| 5. Sit in the front, not the back | | | | Tutors available. |
| 6. Study for your exams in class – net time | | | | Office hours are like extra credit participation |
| If you have read my other posts you would | | | | points |
| know that I am vehemently opposed to the way | | | | If you have the time, this is the most effortless |
| our education system is set up. Not only are we | | | | way to increase your chances of earning a higher |
| teaching the wrong material, but we are teaching | | | | grade. Tim Ferris wrote about this in the 4-Hour |
| it in a way that is outdated. Be on the lookout for | | | | Workweek. The idea is to go into office hours as |
| my manuscript on the state of our education | | | | much as possible. Stay obnoxiously long, until the |
| system. | | | | teacher gets tired of you. Then go to the next |
| So what makes me the expert? | | | | scheduled office hours and do the same thing. Be |
| That's a good question. I am currently finishing up | | | | relentless. This works particularly well with courses |
| my sixth year of undergraduate work at the | | | | where the grade is more subjective than |
| University of Wisconsin – Whitewater. I am | | | | objective (i.e. public speaking as opposed to |
| a general management major. The reason it is | | | | business stats). |
| taking me so long to graduate is not because I | | | | Your teacher will witness your determination for |
| am a horrible student that keeps failing classes. If | | | | success firsthand on a daily basis. If this doesn't |
| that were the case I wouldn't be writing an article | | | | separate you from the pack, I don't know what |
| with "highest grade" in the title. No no, it's because | | | | will. Who knows, you might learn a thing or two |
| Whitewater is my 3rd different college and | | | | while you're in there. |
| management is my second different major. | | | | Group Projects: Lead and Delegate |
| Different schools require different classes. The | | | | Assuming the leadership role in the group will allow |
| same goes for majors. Long story short, I spent | | | | you to delegate. What do I mean by this? Let's |
| two years taking classes that I didn't need to | | | | say your group has five people including you. |
| take. Hence the six years it is taking me to | | | | Becoming the leader in the group will accomplish |
| graduate. | | | | two important keys for success. First, when |
| What kind of student am I? | | | | group evaluations are taken at the end of the |
| My GPA is 3.4. Last semester (fall 2009) I | | | | semester, everyone will give you high ratings and |
| participated in four different student organizations | | | | generous comments. Second, by delegating you |
| and completed an internship that took up 20 | | | | can transfer most of the actual work load to |
| hours a week while I was enrolled in 19 credits. | | | | other members in the group. If you are doing this |
| Participate | | | | right, the only actual work you should have to do |
| Show up to class and show up often. Even | | | | other than planning and delegating would be to |
| though your "participation" grade only accounts for | | | | format and put the right pieces of the project in |
| five or ten percent of your total grade, it will | | | | place. |
| factor in a lot more than you think. Consider this: | | | | Sit in the front, not the back |
| There are two boys in class, Herald and Hank. | | | | This could just as easily be tied into the |
| Herald appears to be a model student. He shows | | | | participation section, but I wanted to single this |
| up to class everyday, raises his hand, and | | | | out because it takes absolutely ZERO effort to |
| participates in class discussions often. And then | | | | accomplish. |
| there's Hank. Hank shows up to class about 80 | | | | Show up and study to batch your time |
| percent of the time and when he does, he only | | | | This tactic applies mostly to those huge lectures |
| participates when the teacher calls on him. If after | | | | where the only thing that matters for your grade |
| finals the teacher tallies up all the points earned | | | | at the end is the cold, hard accumulation of points |
| throughout the semester and finds that the two | | | | via tests and quizzes. Don't go to these lectures |
| students are in a dead heat, do you think the | | | | and text message or surf Facebook like most |
| teacher will give them the same grade? | | | | students do, study for your exam. Because the |
| My guess is no. Teachers are good at taking the | | | | lecture has 100 + students, I know it is painfully |
| entire body of work put forth by students | | | | boring. This takes some discipline, but wouldn't you |
| throughout the course of the semester. Better | | | | rather get the studying out of the way leading up |
| than we give them credit for. | | | | to your tests and quizzes instead of cramming |
| Take classes online whenever possible | | | | for them all weekend and missing out on all the |
| When you take a class online you get two | | | | wacky weekend stuff? I know I would. |