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10 Steps to Help You Get Straight A’s

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The school’s choice for “Most Likely to Succeed” was easy.

Gary always seems to have everything going in his direction. In all his classes, Gary is the first to raise his hand when the teacher asks a question, the one who always gets the highest grades. He’s a straight-A student.

He’s also active in his Scout troop and in school activities and plays baseball in the spring, tennis in the summer, football in the fall and basketball in the winter. How does Gary do it all and stay so relaxed and happy?

Here’s the secret to his success: Gary believes in himself, takes things seriously, works hard and knows what he is doing.

We can learn a lot from Gary. Here’s a 10-step program to get in on Gary’s secret so you, too, can become a straight-A student.

STEP 1: Take the right subjects …and school will be a lot easier!

You’re probably not ready to decide on a career. Even if you are, you’re probably not certain exactly where that career will take you. So take courses in school that give you the most possible choices later on. The three key courses: English, math and computer science.

Take as many courses in English and math as you can, even if you find them to be difficult. The more courses you take in these subjects, the easier they become—and the easier every other subject becomes, too. Computer courses, too, are important. Computer skills are required just to be considered for many jobs.

STEP 2: Work with your teacher …because your teacher is your coach!

Every teacher is looking for students who are serious about the subject at hand, who work hard in the classroom and who show progress and ability.

Consider your teacher a friend in learning, someone there to help you. Too many students think of their teacher as an enemy, someone who forces them to sit and be quiet then gives them assignments. Guess what? Your baseball coach tells you what to do and gives you assignments on the field. Is he an enemy? No, he’s a friend in winning. Your teacher wants to reward you, too.

Here’s how to work better with your teachers:

  • Show respect and interest. Participate in class.
  • Learn their style in the classroom.
  • Get to know your teachers as people. Know their likes and dislikes.
  • Think of them as coaches in the classroom.

STEP 3: Never miss a class …it will always catch up with you!

Most test questions come from material your teacher presents in class. Every day, your teachers cover the subjects they think are important for you to understand—some even tell students the specific questions that will be on an exam. Reading assignments alone can’t tell you that.

STEP 4: Always sit up front …because that’s where the action is!

You can use your brain more effectively if you are in a good environment. The best place to use more of your brain is in the front row, because this is not only where you will learn more, but also remember more.

STEP 5: Complete your homework before class …so you will be prepared in class!

Homework is not punishment. It is assigned to help you learn more about a subject.

Your first job is to find out what the teacher expects from you in the way of homework assignments. Make sure you understand exactly what to do. If you don’t, ask.

As soon as you get home from school, think about the homework assignments you need to complete before the next class. Then think about the order in which you will do them, and how much time you’ll spend on each one. The sooner you start, the quicker everything will be done. Then you will:

  • Be prepared for the next class.
  • Understand more of the teacher’s lecture.
  • Turn in assignments on time.
  • Ask — and answer — good questions in class.

STEP 6: Take notes during class …so you will become an active listener!

When you are trying to learn something complicated, it is much easier to learn and remember if you take notes. If you go into just about any college class, you will find that most if not all the students are taking notes. They know that taking good notes is one of the keys to making good grades.

Listen carefully, write down everything of importance (not everything the teacher says) and look for potential exam questions.

STEP 7: Review your notes before the next class …it’s never too soon to start studying!

If you are going to understand everything that your teacher says in class, not only do you have to take good notes, you also have to review and correct them before the next class. There is no other way to learn at the same rate that the teacher presents new information. And you have already started studying for the test!

STEP 8: Prepare for tests ahead of time …by studying a week in advance!

By doing your reading assignments and taking careful notes and reviewing them, you have mastered information as your teacher presented it to you. This does not, however, mean that you are ready to take a test without doing anything else.

Here’s how to prepare for an exam:

  • Start studying a week in advance.
  • Review your notes three times, leaving two or three days between reviews.
  • Think about potential exam questions.
  • Conduct your review in an organized manner.
  • Never study up to the last minute. (This creates pressure in the final hours before a test.)

STEP 9: Be testwise and confident …because confidence breeds success!

Don’t be afraid of tests. Be confident. If you have followed the first eight steps of this plan, you should be confident that you will test well.

It sounds simple, but it works: Believe in yourself, keep an open mind about tests, know your teacher’s style and apply what you know. That’s confidence. That’s success.

STEP 10: Show what you know on the final exam …because it’s a big part of your final grade!

You have been working hard to prepare for the test, and everything is on the line. Don’t worry about all the effort you have put in, or how the teacher will grade your exam. Your goal should be to show the teacher how much you’ve learned.

How? Know what material will be covered. Start studying well ahead of time. Look for major themes that develop in your class notes. Review previous exams to learn your teacher’s style.

Then comes the final step: Ace your exam!

From HOW TO GET STRAIGHT A’s by Gordon W. Green. Reprinted by arrangement with Tom Doherty Associates LLC and available wherever books are sold.

67 Comments on 10 Steps to Help You Get Straight A’s

  1. Good advice tbh

  2. Never Telling My Name // September 23, 2020 at 10:48 pm // Reply

    thank you for the Advice

  3. Maybe this will make me to improve …….. And make my grandmother be proud of me

  4. This will help me to improve on my grades.Thank you

  5. Samuel-k-wisdom // September 13, 2020 at 12:27 am // Reply

    Thanks for that it’s really helping

  6. i think this could help me pass this year

  7. Thank you, I am going to do what you said and take notes and for more i will read and i will ACE that test and yet again thank you

  8. Nyaki Nyaks // August 25, 2020 at 7:42 am // Reply

    Yeah this seems like a great way to pass

  9. good advise.

  10. I’ve never gotten any kind of straight before. Also, I’m already sitting in the front because of my short vision… I don’t know what it is called, but I’m already sitting in the front.
    Thank you, I’ll try to do these things. ;)Heart(;

  11. Super helpful

  12. Hello goiiiisss // May 28, 2020 at 4:27 am // Reply

    I am going to use these tips to become more organised and prepared. I really hope it works because I need to get better than a ‘B’. I always get B’s in my report card and I want to make my parents proud of me.

  13. Rodriguez // May 6, 2020 at 2:27 pm // Reply

    I love this tips they’re encouraging

  14. If you try to follow the tips carefully it will bare fruits for you bcz everythng is possble

  15. I can’t choose my seat because my teacher does our seating plan

  16. just focus

  17. Flashbeat1234 // February 19, 2020 at 8:23 pm // Reply

    Thanks for the tips!!!!!!!!

  18. Dis good

  19. I honestly did this all, and I think it is CRAP. It does not work, no matter what the circumstances may be.

  20. This may work but the funny thing is that i am on a online school

  21. But you have to work hard

  22. nice tips, however, if you want to get get straight As in your major papers (etc O levels) , you cannot just study 1 week in advance, you MUST study at least 3 months in advance.

  23. angelababy // June 22, 2019 at 2:17 am // Reply

    it is so hard to get straight in my exam!

  24. This will help a lot thx

  25. Thank you so much!!!! This is so helpful!!

  26. thx

  27. This wasn’t enough for me

  28. Thanks u for your help

  29. i always have either A B or C in class but this will help me now.

  30. Itzyagirlriri // March 22, 2018 at 8:58 pm // Reply

    That wasn’t that helpful, but good tips I guess. In Literary Arts i´ve never gotten an A never have, never will. Plus I get distracted easily, and I try not but I can´t.

  31. please i started school 2nd term how i cope

  32. my dog ate my homework // February 22, 2018 at 11:35 am // Reply

    how do i get straight A’s

  33. Well study more and sit up front

  34. I am a C student,never in my life have I acquired an A.Any advice that you can give me on how to get A’s,is it even possible that I can score them?

  35. A☆ Student // February 13, 2018 at 1:36 pm // Reply

    Thank you very much I didn’t know how to study in the correct way but ever since I read this i started being an A☆ student😎.

    • Hey, I also was not an A student and never thought I would. Most of my grades were B’s, C’s and D’s luckily not F’s. All I did was started taking notes and sat away from people who can distract me. Now I am an all A’s and one B student! You could do it too with the help of a little focus 🙂

  36. it is so good bro

  37. Workin well for me…:}

  38. guys am struggling on math and physics

  39. i need help. cannot focus very well, any tips?

  40. how shall i study at home

  41. LONGTIMEHAIL119 // December 11, 2017 at 11:49 am // Reply

    BAD GAME WITH BAD CHEAT CODES

  42. Juan J Trump Lol // November 3, 2017 at 12:20 pm // Reply

    Thx for information

  43. this help me alout of study at elementry school i was failing right now am high school this help me alout thank you

  44. Thank you

  45. I’m struggling i am a A,B,C’s student.

  46. tell us how to focus like gary

  47. I can never seem to get organized, and always have low B’s. focusing is also a problem. Any tips?

  48. HOW CAN I BECOME FIRST IN CLASS

  49. Boy Wanting an A // August 27, 2017 at 4:15 pm // Reply

    Let’s hope this school year agrees with me!

  50. Longhouse162 // August 15, 2017 at 4:01 pm // Reply

    I have always never had straight A’s I am a straight B or C an prayers to family’s Charlottesville VA

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