
				An editor has suggested that this article be merged with: "How to Improve Your Grades" Per the merge policy, if these topics are determined to be similar but distinct, then the articles will remain separate. Please comment on the discussion page. Notice added on 2008-11-17.

Getting ahead in school can be easy and quick. Devoting 15 minutes of time (or more) adds up quickly. Doing half an hour extra every day for one month, you will have 10.5 hours more experience than your peers.

Show Ads

[edit] Steps

Ace tests easily - Getting A's on tests is much easier than you think. One simple way to do this is to create study guides. Create an extensive, very simple study guide. Look up definition/solutions on wikipedia, yahoo answers, and ask Jeeves, even if you already know what the word means. Many of these websites give clear, simple definitions that are designed so that ordinary people can understand them. Get a clear, correct and simple definition for everything you will need to know. Then, go back into the textbook or review your notes. It will be much easier to understand them now that you actually know what everything means. Then you can continue work on your study guide. Add on to your simple definitions until they are up to the level of your class. Just writing them down will help you remember them, and you can look back at them later. A 3 page study guide can help a lot and can be done in under an hour. If you share them with your friends, they might share their next study guide with you. Working as a team like this can really help you out.
Put in Extra Time - If you have some free time and you are really bored, read ahead a chapter in the textbook. Do some problems and by the time your class catches up with you, everything in that chapter will be easy. If you don't have a textbook for a class, be curious. Look up definitions online, and look for lessons that you think will be coming up.
Use your Resources - SparkNotes isn't as good as reading the book, usually. But it can help a lot if you have already read the chapter and then go read the summary on SparkNotes. They will summarize it and give you the importance. If you have read the chapter, everything SparkNotes says will increase your knowledge of the chapter. SparkNotes usually lists imagery and themes, and you can impress your teacher if you "find" another meaning to a chapter.
Do your Homework Efficiently - A lot of homework can actually be done in school : On the bus, during a long speech, or while you are waiting for class to start. Do as much as you can in school so that you have time at home to get ahead or just hang out. You can't get ahead if you're stressed out all the time, so try to leave room for just doing nothing.
Be Motivated - Wanting to learn or being excited about a subject can be very hard. Especially math. But lots of books and movies can make you more interested in all sort of subjects. For example, the movie Live Free or Die Hard featured a computer hacker who shut down the entire world. This might get you slightly more interested in your computer courses. You might even become interested in hacking on your own. The book Bringing Down the House is about 6 MIT students who use their math knowledge to count cards and win enormous amounts of money at Casinos. This book made me more interested in math. It sounds silly but movies and books can interest you in even the most boring classes.

[edit] Tips

You'll only get as much as your give. If you don't put any effort into getting ahead, then you won't get ahead.
Reading, solving puzzles and even playing games such as Bejeweled or Brain Age are good for your brain.
Extra Credit is another way to get ahead. If your teacher offers it, then take it up. Your grade will only get better.
Don't worry if people call you a "nerd" or a "teachers pet". They ARE jealous of you.
Do well now. Doing well in Middle School means that you will be put into A.P. classes in High School. This means you will be able to get more credits. Now you will go to a better college. Going to a better college means that you will have more career opportunities. You will potentially make more money and be able to do more things in your life. It all pays off in the long run.