Obtaining Your Goal G.P.A.
By Lisa Voigt, Biology, Class of 2008
Something I have found extremely helpful in my college career is setting goals for what grade I want in each class. First, set a goal grade for each of your classes. Next, after about a week of class, figure out what steps you will most likely need to take in order to receive the grade you want. These steps are different for each class and can include things such as keeping up on the readings, attending class, attending review sessions, and setting aside a certain amount of time for studying on a daily or weekly basis for that class. It is extremely helpful to approach a class, especially a difficult one, with a game plan of how to succeed.
Finally, the last, and possibly the most important step is to keep a running tally in your mind of how you are doing with your goals. Just setting the goals and steps will do nothing if you forget them. For example, if I get a grade lower than expected, I might need to revise my steps in order to do well enough on the next exam. This allows me to offset my poor performance on the previous exam. Of course, these goals can revolve around something other than grades. However, I find that grades are the best motivator for me – What did you expect? I am a pre-med student!
Download the PDF: Obtaining Your Goal G.P.A.