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Earning and maintaining a high GPA are important elements of student success in higher education, but that’s easier said than done. You might be wondering how to achieve good enough grades across all of your classes to keep your GPA at a high level. First and foremost, of course, you’ll have to study, but there are some strategies to keep in mind that can help you manage your GPA.
IN CONTEXT
A key part of managing your GPA is knowing as much as possible about the status of your grade while you are taking a course. More and more, students can track their grades on course websites and digital platforms, but this will vary depending on the course and the instructor.
In certain classes, if you want to know where you currently stand, you are left with the old-fashioned method of asking your instructor. This is perfectly acceptable to do; in fact, it is recommended, but consider observing a certain etiquette in terms of communicating with your instructor about your grade. You don’t want to be perceived as what is known as a “grade-grubber”—a student who is only concerned about earning high grades. These are the students who are constantly asking, “Will this be on the test?” or “Will this affect our grade?” throughout a class.
In order to avoid this reputation, make sure you figure out as much as you can about your status using the grading breakdown on the syllabus and all of the graded assignments you have gotten back. Also, space out your inquiries about your grade; don’t pester the instructor about it every week. Finally, while it is acceptable to ask your instructor to explain why you earned a specific grade, outside of an egregious circumstance it is not appropriate to argue with your instructor about your grade.