How To Get Good Grades

I struggled with studying in elementary school.

Being in the top 50% of my class, I vividly remember my mom scolding me for my low grades when I was 12 years old.

Fast forward to my college years, I graduated with a 3.9/4.0 GPA as a Math major from the University of Notre Dame in 2016.

I also graduated with a 3.86/4.0 GPA as a Data Science major at Harvard University in 2020.

In this post, I’ll share everything I’ve learned and developed to improve my grades.

These strategies can be applied by middle school, high school, and even college students to improve overall academic performance.

The Prerequisite: Four Essential Criteria for Getting Good Grades

You need to meet at least two or three of the following four criteria to get good grades:

1. Being smart (top 1%)

2. Being motivated

3. Having effective study techniques

4. Staying disciplined

Since I’m not in 1), I’ll focus on 2), 3), and 4).

What is Your Motivation? Why Do You Study in the First Place?

During my 6th grade in elementary school, I watched a TV program that featured students wearing Hanbok, the traditional Korean clothes, as their school uniform.

The program mentioned that these students attended the best high school in Korea.

Inspired by this, I decided that I wanted to attend that school as well.

From that moment on, I began preparing to achieve my goal over the next three years of middle school and ultimately got accepted into the high school.

This was the turning point in my life, where I realized that motivation, discipline, luck, and help from others can make my goals a reality.

What is your motivation for studying? What are you trying to achieve and why?

If you can’t find this motivation, spend more time until you discover it.

Trust me. This use of time will turn out to be much more effective, efficient, and beneficial than solving 100+ more homework problems.

Here are some example motivations:

1. To get into a prestigious college

2. To get a high-paying job in the future

3. To discover your true academic interests

4. To impress your parents

5. Because achieving good grades feels rewarding and fun

While internal motivation (e.g., discovering your true academic interests) is generally more sustainable than external motivation (e.g., impressing your parents), any motivation can be valuable and effective.

How to Develop Effective Study Techniques

1. Studying is Understanding The Concept And The Context

If you learn derivatives in Math class and only memorize the steps to find the derivative (like the example below), you'll never truly understand Math and will likely end up hating it.

f(x)=x^2, f'(x) = 2x

However, if you understand the concept and context behind derivative, you'll enjoy it much more. 

Take this example:

This is similar to how derivatives work in math.

Instead of looking at your average speed over the entire trip, a derivative looks at the "instantaneous rate of change," or how fast something is changing at a precise moment.

If you understand the concept and the context, you'll be able to answer all kinds of derivative questions on the exam (pun intended!).

2. Always Answer The Most Fundamental Question

In economics, we learn about what interest rates are.

This is usually the part where many students lose interest in economics because their fundamental question often goes unanswered: why should we care about interest and interest rates in the first place?

Take this example.

You’ve just understood the most important concept in economics.

3. Teach Yourself Out Loud

When studying, you'll encounter moments where you think you understand a concept, but when you see it on the exam, you realize you didn’t.

The best way to solve this problem is to explain the concept to yourself, or even better, to your friends.

While explaining, you'll quickly realize if you truly understand the full context behind the concept.

This approach helps reinforce your memory, making it less likely you'll forget it during the exam, as speaking out loud is more effective for retention than simply reading.

Plus, sharing your knowledge with friends not only feels rewarding but also reinforces your understanding.

I’ll never forget this quote:

4. Use Technology Wisely

1. YouTube

• Visual Learning: Many educational YouTube channels offer visual explanations and step-by-step tutorials, which can be particularly helpful for subjects like math, science, and programming.

• Diverse Resources: YouTube hosts a wide range of content from different educators and experts, providing multiple perspectives and teaching styles to suit your preferences.

• Accessible Anytime: You can access YouTube videos anytime, making it convenient to learn at your own pace and revisit challenging topics as needed.

2. ChatGPT

• Instant Clarification: When you’re stuck on a concept or problem, ChatGPT can provide immediate explanations and examples, helping you understand difficult material quickly.

• Interactive Learning: You can ask follow-up questions and explore topics in detail with ChatGPT.

• Personalized Assistance: ChatGPT can tailor its responses to your learning style and pace, making it an excellent study companion.

🚨 Caution: Information from YouTube and ChatGPT might not always be accurate, so always double-check it with your textbook.

How to Stay Disciplined

1. Sit Down at Your Desk Without Your Phone

People check their phones an average of 58 times a day (Source). Frequent interruptions can accumulate and severely impact your productivity.

Once you sit down at your desk without distractions, you're much more likely to start studying and enter a deep work mode, maximizing your productivity.

Your grade will significantly improve in proportion to the amount of uninterrupted study time you spend away from your smartphone.

2. Create a Distraction-Free Study Environment

Your study environment is the most critical factor in improving your grades.

I studied in a cubicle in the library and occasionally changed my environment by studying at home in a quiet room.

In addition, it’s important to keep your study area organized and clutter-free. Have all necessary materials, such as textbooks, notebooks, and stationery, within reach.

3. Create a Habit of Enjoying Your Least Favorite Subjects

Once reaching a certain level of scores, you'll realize that improving your overall grades depends on raising scores in your least favorite subjects.

It's something I didn't like but was necessary.

You should do whatever it takes to boost scores in your least favorite subjects. Here’s what worked for me:

1. Mix It Up Every 30 minutes:

Rotate through different subjects during each study session. For example, start with math, then switch to history, and then science. This variety keeps you engaged and prevents boredom.

2. Reward Yourself:

After completing a 30-minute session on a boring subject, reward yourself with a short break or a small treat. Positive reinforcement helps build a habit of tackling difficult subjects.

4. Organize Every Day at the Beginning of the Day

Organizing your day at the beginning of the day is crucial for your increased productivity, better time management, and improved habit formation.

I allocated time to study my least favorite subjects first, then moved on to the ones I enjoyed more.

When organizing your day, I’d recommend following the task prioritization matrix below:

1. Urgent and Important: Tasks you need to do immediately.

2. Important but Not Urgent: Tasks you should schedule to do later.

3. Urgent but Not Important: Tasks you can delegate to someone else.

4. Not Urgent and Not Important: Tasks you should eliminate.

Example: If you have an exam in two days (Urgent and Important), a project due in a week (Important but Not Urgent), and an email to respond to (Urgent but Not Important), focus on studying for the exam first.

5. Have Enough Sleep Everyday

1. Improved Memory and Learning

A study by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) found that students who get 7-9 hours of sleep per night perform 20% better on memory and cognitive tests compared to those who sleep less.

During sleep, particularly during REM and deep sleep stages, the brain consolidates and processes the information learned during the day.

2. Better Academic Performance

College students who averaged at least 7 hours of sleep per night had GPAs 0.5 points higher than those who slept less (Source).

Consistent sleep patterns are correlated with higher GPAs. Students who prioritize sleep tend to perform better academically.

3. Physical and Mental Health

If you’re not healthy, you can’t achieve anything.

Lack of sleep can lead to increased irritability, anxiety, and depression, which negatively impact academic performance.

Adequate sleep supports a healthy immune system, reducing the likelihood of illness that can disrupt study schedules and academic performance.

Conclusion

Achieving good grades isn't about being the smartest; it's about staying motivated, mastering study techniques, and maintaining discipline. From my journey, here are the key takeaways:

1. Find Your Motivation: Know why you’re studying. Whether it’s to get into a top school, secure a high-paying job, or simply enjoy learning, a clear goal will keep you driven.

2. Effective Study Techniques:

   • Understand concepts deeply rather than memorizing.

   • Always ask why a concept matters and why you’re learning it.

   • Teach yourself and others to reinforce understanding.

   • Use technology like YouTube and ChatGPT wisely, but verify with textbooks.

3. Stay Disciplined:

   • Create a distraction-free study environment.

   • Make your least favorite subjects engaging.

   • Plan your day every morning.

   • Get enough sleep for optimal performance.

Use these insights to guide your studies, and you’ll be well on your way to improving your grades.

Good luck! 🍀