What are some simple tricks to pass an exam without studying for it?

I know exactly what you are asking for.

Unfortunately, to get an A on an exam without studying is impossible unless you cheat. But that’s not what you are asking for, you just want to pass.

But passing exams without studying is totally possible.

Here’s how:

1. Pay attention in class and try to anticipate what your teacher might test you on based on voice tone, repeating sentences/words…etc.
2. Ask all your questions at the end of the class and leave no misunderstand behind at the end of the day.

Bonus: Preview a class and write down some questions you have.

Do all that and you don’t need to study to pass exams (again, just to pass). To get an A you do need to study unless you have a photographic memory.

college transfer pro tip #3 – college is not high school

In this post, I discuss the main difference between high school and community college and how you can adjust to it.

After helping many students transfer from Pasadena City College (PCC), Santa Monica College (SMC), and Mt San Antonio College (MtSACT), I found out that students who understood the difference had a less hard time during the transfer period.

And if you just started to go to community college, this is a perfect time to read this post and start taking some responsibility for your education. You will be better off while transferring and WAY BETTER OFF after transfer.

1. High school is a place for learning, community college is a place to work.

In high school, you are led by teachers, principals, and guidance counselors who tell you what to do and when to do it. In community college you are expected to take the initiative in planning your education and following through with it.

2. High school students expect their education to come easy, community college students come to work hard.

In high school you are given a set amount of time to complete your homework and projects; in community college, you need to be able to manage your time effectively and allow yourself more than enough time for each assignment.

3. High school students need to realize that it is important to be social as well as study, community college students need to forget about the “social” aspect and focus on their education.

In high school you are supposed to learn what you need for your future career or broad spectrum of interests; however in community college, all that matters is what you choose to major in.

Can I raise my 3.4 GPA to 3.7 or 3.6 in one year?

Original Post: https://www.quora.com/Can-I-raise-my-3-4-GPA-to-a-3-7-or-3-6-in-one-year?top_ans=262181810

It depends on where you are now – how many accumulated GPA hours/credits you have that encompass your current GPA point and how many units you will take next year.

GPA is calculated based on two numbers: Total GPA Points and Total GPA Hours/Credits

GPA point in a class= class grade point (A=4; B=3; C=2; D=1; F=0) x number of units for that class

Total GPA Points = sum of all GPA points from all courses taken with a letter grade

Total GPA Units = sum of all the units that contribute to your total GPA points

So, let’s say your 3.4 GPA encompasses 60 units, then your total GPA points are 3.4 x 60 = 204

One year in college, assuming you only enroll in the Fall and Spring semesters, a student can earn 32 units on average. You can use the following logic to calculate the total GPA points you need to get to 3.6.

Current GPA = 204/60=3.4
Prospecting GPA = (204 + ?)/(60+32)>3.6

→ (204+?)>331.2 → ?>127.2

So, if you are taking 32 units in the next year, try to get an average GPA of 3.975 or higher to raise your GPA to 3.6.

Use the same logic. You can calculate any GPA you want to reach and start planning your classes.

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However, as a student counselor, I train my students not to care about their GPA at all. Because at the end of the day, your GPA merely represents your academic performance. Your academic performance is being evaluated in the classroom by your instructor. To obtain the highest GPA you can get, you need to do two things – understand the game rules (class) and win (earn) as many points as possible.

Believe it or not, you just have to read the syllabus in-depth, and you will earn points like never before. Make a copy of this Google Doc worksheet I use to teach my students to be the master of earning points in class.

Good luck!

College transfer pro tip #1 – be a learner and a practitioner

In this post, we are going to talk about the importance of study skills.

I also share actions you can take to establish good learning habits in a week and develop study skills that cut your study time half.

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Community college is easier than high school but only for students who have study skills learned from high school.

What if you didn’t do so well in high school because of lacking study skills?What if you were barely surviving in high school, and college-level courses scare the hell of you?

Transferring to UC Berkeley, UCLA, USC, or NYU is hard, you don’t need SAT/ACT and you can take your time to study in community college. However, without study skills, you are always going to struggle. No matter where you go.

First of all, let’s change the terminology. Study skills – one of the most searched keywords, is really just a system that a student may use to maintain their academic performance.

Let’s evolve from that because striving for “academic” performance is not a very meaningful goal.

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I want you to be a super learner who is able to absorb information quickly and effectively.

I want you to be a practitioner who is able to turn information into knowledge and apply the knowledge to class assignments and tests.

And it’s easier than you think it is

1. Pay attention in class. Seriously, if you want to transfer, at least attend the class and pay attention to your professor.
2. Take notes in the class. Although you might read them, research shows that noting helps facilitate information consolidation – in simple terms, imprint to your long-term memory. So it doesn’t really matter what you write, and how you organize the notes, just write down what you think is important in class.
3. Maintain consistency throughout the semester. If you want a B, get a B on the first exam, first assignment, and first group project above 80% and all assignments and tests above Bs. It makes no sense that you can pull a C to a B because you will “99%” the final. Just maintain the class grade average throughout and catch up as soon as you fall behind. Check your class grade weekly.

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Conclusion:

There are no magic bullets and no A-student strategies. You really just have to do those 3 things and you will develop your own system of learning.

Pay attention to point no.3, you MAY choose to get a B because you want to focus on some other classes or extra-curriculum. That is totally fine. The goal is to have control over your learning outcome and class grade, not just getting all As. Don’t be unrealistic and school is not everything, I am sure you have other important things to attend to. It’s time to manage your life. That means deciding the results you want to have and how much time do you want to spend on the matter so you achieve the results.

Most students get it wrong that you can always pull your grades at the end. It’s very unlikely. It’s unrealistic. Do your due diligence every day and good results will come. Remember this, how you live your day is how you live your life. 

If you are not happy with your grades, change the way you spend your days.