Transitioning from middle school to high school can cause academic distress for many students. It’s difficult to adapt to the new environment, master the art of completing homework assignments, and get good grades when given such independence for the assignments, and the expectation to learn new material that is more challenging. These tips will work for students whether they are a first-year high school student or a senior.

1. Completing Assignments on Time

In order to do homework and still have time to do other things, there are some basic principles that must be adhered to.

  • Limit distractions like television, cell phones, and other people. Find an area where you can work without interferences.
  • Some students find that using a computer to answer questions when given a hand-out is easier and more effective, allowing for faster answers.
  • Always have your material on hand. Your study area should be stoked with pens, calculator, paper, and other essential items.
  • If you’re not good at a particular subject, pinpointing someone who’s capable of helping will save a lot of time.
  • Dedicate time each day for completing your homework.

2. Read the Directions and Rubrics

Knowing exactly where the standards are is the key to reliably get good grades. Ignoring instructions will almost guarantee the sacrifice of a good grade on an assignment even if the quality of the content is perfect. Misinterpreting directions can lead to the blaming of the teacher, and even disagreeing with the directions won’t get you a good grade.

3. Listen and Participate

Paying attention in class seems like a no-brainer, but a lot of people think that it is possible to space out in class and study hard later on. This is not always the case and will catch up to you when a complex problem has you stumped. Paying attention in class almost always leads to spending less time studying later on. This is because the information has already been absorbed just by being engaged mentally when the teachers talking. Participation is crucial as it helps students understand the material more thoroughly because it is used in context and conversation.

4. Ask for Help ASAP

This is easier said than done if the teacher is not especially friendly. Having a list of questions prepared for the teacher makes it easier to get the clarification you need, and the teacher will know exactly what to go over. There is no shame in asking for help it is the smartest thing that can be done when struggling in school.

5. Don’t Rely on Family and Friends

This can also be interpreted as, don’t cheat. Help with homework is one thing but directly copying a classmate’s homework, even if it doesn’t count for a grade, is definitely cheating. It is said that you only hurt yourself when you cheat and this is totally true. Relying on the knowledge of others for assignments will lead to larger assignments being more difficult since the material was never learned in the first place.

6. Do Your Homework, Always

Many students take optional homework as a pass to ignore the assignments. This is not a good idea. When dealing in math and science, it is important to do the homework to fully comprehend the material. Skipping homework can lead to confusion when the teacher begins a new chapter or unit. Doing homework regularly can also have the same effect as studying consistently over time.

7. The Difference between Skimming and Understanding

The information should be actively absorbed instead of just read superficially. Having surface knowledge of the subject will not help in the long run especially if the test consists of open ended questions. A good way to do this is to read each section and then look away from it and try to repeat the facts. Don’t move on from the material until you are able to do this.

8. Study, Don’t Cram

Sacrificing sleep to cram the night before the test is not good news no matter how you put it. It should be made into a habit of regularly going over the material and not only the night before a test. Leading up to a big test, study for about an hour every night for a week as opposed to studying a straight five hours the night before the test. As the knowledge builds up so will confidence. The night before the test, do an overall review and make sure all the main concepts are understood.

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