Academic Success

In high school, you have a wide variety of courses to choose from, the courses are more demanding, and your grades are much more important. The grades you earn in high school help determine the kinds of jobs you’ll be able to get, and the colleges you will be able to get into.

Once you get to high school, “everything counts.”

• The courses you take earn credits towards graduation.

• Your high school grades are used to figure your GPA (grade point average).

• You grades, credits, and test scores will all be on your transcript (your official high school academic record).

Academic Success Tips

BE ORGANIZED

• Use a student planner to record assignments, tests, quizzes, and appointments.

• Keep your locker and backpack neat and clean.

• Make a To Do List and cross things off as they are completed.

• Get everything organized for the next day before you go to bed.

STUDY SMART

• Find a place to study that’s quiet, well lit, and comfortable.

• Turn off the TV and music – and silence your phone. Focus on the work you need to do.

• Make a plan. Decide what you want to get done, and the order in which you’re going to do it.

• Do difficult assignments first, while you’re still fresh and alert.

• If you have a large assignment, break it down into smaller, more manageable parts.

SUCCEED IN THE CLASSROOM

• Be in school every day. Attendance is the number one school success factor.

• Ask and answer questions in class, and participate in discussions.

• Complete all of your homework the night before.

• Take everything you need with you to class (paper, pencils, book, a charged computer, etc.).

• Be respectful to your teachers and your classmates.