How to Succeed in Summer School
To succeed in summer school, you must combine attendance with effort and time management with focus. Plan meticulously and anticipate challenges to give yourself the best chance of earning the kind of grade you want.
- Difficulty:
- Moderate
Instructions
-
-
1
Review the syllabus or course outline carefully on the first day of summer school. Pay particular attention to the grading breakdown and the attendance policy. Since summer sessions are significantly shorter than regular classes, identify major projects, assignments, tests, exams and term papers immediately and prepare for them well ahead of time. In addition, see how many classes or class hours you can miss before attendance affects your grade adversely. Make sure you don't exceed your limit.
-
2
Practice sound fundamentals, which include finishing all assigned work on time, reviewing class material daily and approaching your instructor if you have questions or need extra help. Set realistic goals for yourself, and reward yourself for attaining them. For example, if you succeed in receiving a higher grade on the second test than you did on the first, treat yourself to an afternoon doing something you enjoy.
-
3
Get outside help if you need it. While your instructor may not always be able to provide you with intensive individual help, you can work with a private tutor to ensure you're getting a solid grasp on the course material.
-
4
Ask your instructor whether he has any sample examinations available for practice. If possible, get an answer key provided (if applicable) so that you can instantly score your practice exams. If your instructor doesn't have sample exams available, call a local book retailer like Borders or Barnes and Noble to ask about study guides appropriate to the subject material you're studying (see Resources below).
-
5
Manage your time effectively by using a day planner to schedule all your daily activities. Make sure that you schedule enough time to get your homework, reading and studying done. A good rule of thumb is to put in at least 1 hour of work outside of class for every 1 hour of time you spend in class and to double the amount of time you spend on homework leading up to important mid-term or final exams.
-
6
Cut back on your hours at work or take a few weeks of leave. You'll avoid burnout and ensure you have plenty of energy and focus to succeed in all your scholastic tasks if you're not rushing off to an 8-hour work day as soon as your school day ends.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Balancing your schedule sometimes means leaving socializing for last. Work and school commitments should always take precedence over social engagements.
If you are going to summer school to repeat a course and you fail to get a higher grade, you might lose your standing in the subject area and be forced to take the subject at a lower difficulty level. This can, in turn, damage your college applications and limit your options for continued study.
