Tips for Success in High School
Get Organized!
Have a folder/notebook for each class.
Go through each subject folder every night and do the following:
� Review notes/materials from that day.
� Read the appropriate portion of the text or other reading material.
� Highlight important facts/ideas/concepts.
� Complete any written assignment, report, project, or study for
quiz/test.
� Put completed written assignment back in the appropriate folder &
place it back in your backpack.
� Pull out your next class notebook and repeat the process until you�ve
gone through every one of your class folders.
Your backpack should be ready for the next day! Just go to your classes,
pull out the appropriate folder, turn in your assignment, and you�re ready to
go!
Be Prepared!
Bring proper materials to class�pen, pencil, paper, notebook, textbook,
folder, homework.
Complete ALL given assignments�homework, reports, projects, research, outside
reading, studying for quizzes & tests.
Read assignments and/or textbook sections before you come to class.
Be an Active Listener & Learner!
Take good notes during teacher instructions, paying close attention to
examples, solutions, outlines, definitions, and cues that the concept will be
on the test.
Listen with the intent of learning and remembering the lesson. (Sleeping
with your eyes open doesn�t count!)
Don�t be afraid to ask questions in class. If you�re not clear on something,
chances are others are having a hard time also.
Get together with �study buddies�. Sometimes two heads really are better
than one.
Show Up!
We can�t help you learn if you�re not here.
When you must be absent, it is your responsibility to ask your teachers for
missed assignments and make up any missed work as well as arrange to take
quizzes or tests. Dropping the ball on missed work will result in zeros for
those grades.
Sitting in class and breathing air doesn�t really count as �showing up�. You
must be present mentally as well as physically.
�Never mistake motion for action.� ~Ernest Hemingway
Going through the motions isn�t enough for most people. High school is
harder than middle school and it doesn�t get any easier from here. The
effort you put into school will determine what you get out of it. Don�t be
surprised if you produce poor results in school if you are not working at
it. It won�t always come easy. But if you work hard at school, you will be
able to put your future goals into action. Don�t just say that you want to
make good grades and go to college; you must behave as though you are a
college prep student by doing the following:
� Set priorities and manage your time.
� Listen well in class and take good notes.
� Read for understanding. If you�ve read a passage and you don�t
understand what you just read, read it again. Look up any words with which
you�re not familiar.
� Organize materials and prepare for tests in advance.
� Study and review each subject every night.
How can I become better at studying?
1. Be sure that you know exactly what the teacher has assigned.
2. Write the assignment in a regular notebook/agenda/organizer that you
keep for that purpose. Do not trust your memory.
3. Study in a quiet place, and reduce distractions to a minimum.
4. Have a well-lighted desk cleared of all unnecessary objects and with
the necessary study materials at hand.
5. Avoid interruptions. They are a waste of time and energy. Do your
social networking before or after your study time.
6. Keep a daily study schedule. By studying at a regular time each day,
you can develop good study habits.
7. Organize your study time. You can choose the method that works best
for you, but some suggestions are to organize from hardest class to easiest,
from 1st block to 4th, or by subject area.
8. Remember that since you are studying/reviewing each day, you are
learning for the �long haul� and not cramming for tomorrow�s test. You will
need to be able to recall the material when you take high-stakes exams in
future, such as grad tests, end-of-course test, and SAT/ACT exams.
9. You are also laying the foundation for future educational
opportunities, such as on-the-job training, tech school, university, or the
military. All of your future options will be determined, at least in part,
by your educational level, so you really don�t have time to play around in
class. Your future is at stake!
