How to Pass a Tough Class

Face it, some classes are harder than others. There are easy A's and there are hard C's. It is possible to pass a tough class, but it does require that you put in a bit more effort.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

1. Take extensive notes and do all of the required reading. An easy class gives you all the information you need from the lectures and a tough class requires more. Stay on top of the reading and transcribe your notes from each class to ensure you have the concepts down.

2. Talk to other classmates. Most of the time if you are having having a tough time with a class, then your peers are, too. Form study groups and compare information. In order to pass, you may need more than just your head to make the grade.

3. Converse with your professor. Teachers love to help their students and most are open to visiting with their students during office hours to help solidify tough concepts. Each class is different, but making the effort to take time out of class to talk to your professor will help you pass any tough class.

4. Get a tutor. They are there to help you and they are usually free at major universities. Find help wherever you can get it. Most university tutors are well informed and can be a great help.

5. Try using additional material. Some professors assign texts that are hard to read. On any subject, it is easy to find books and online materials that may help explain concepts that aren't making sense with your assigned textbook. It sounds like a lot of work, but in order to pass a tough class, going the extra mile is necessary.

[mari0011]

on 6/16/2009 I think for physics we need to do lots of practice questions. Usually we can find it after each chapter from the course's textbook (or you can also ask the prof for recommended books). Some engineering textbooks also provide student study guide or solution manual that we can buy separately.. It would require lots of time though, especially if we also takes other courses..

[kevindai]

on 1/21/2008 I am not sure about other majors, but for engineering students, electricity/magnetism is a pretty tough class to take. Even if you go to the professor's office hours and you ask the tutors to explain the Gauss's law to you, still, it is not easy to understand. Thats why it is a tough class and the average on the exams were usually around 40s.