How to Improve Your Engineering Grades
Are your grades stressing you out?
One of the best ways to fix this is to evaluate your previous semesters’ work and see where you can make improvements.
Use this handy form to see what changes you can make!
Download the form here → Academic Assessment
How to Use the Form
- In the top 2 lines, write the name and final grade for each course you took last semester.
- For each class, give yourself 1-5 points for each of the 7 assessments metrics.
- 1 point indicates you were completely unsuccessful in that area and 5 points indicates you were highly successful.
- Once the table is filled out, sum up the number of points for each class.
- Now, look at the total points for each class. More points typically corresponds to a higher grade.
- For the courses that you didn’t so well in, analyze where you lost points. In general you will see a pattern emerge. There will be 1-2 metrics where you scored lower in your worst classes. Now, work on improving these areas!
How to Improve in Each Metric
Success in Prerequisites
You’ll know the prerequisites for the courses you enroll in before the semester starts. Take advantage of this!
Review your old coursework from these prerequisite courses. If there were topics you didn’t understand, try to figure them out before the new semester begins.
You may also want to contact the instructor of the upcoming class to see if they will let you know what info is needed from those old courses. This will help you narrow down the review material.
Also, it’s never a good idea to take a course if you failed one of the prerequisites. Those prereqs are there for a reason. You’re just setting yourself up for failure if you do this.
Effectiveness of Class Notes
If you’re not taking any notes during class or if you just write down random things, your notes aren’t going to be helpful to you. You need to come up with a way to take better notes.
PowerPoint slides should be printed ahead of class if they are used during lecture. Most profs will give you access to the slides before lecture so you can print them off. Bring them to class and fill in everything discussed in class.
If the instructor writes something on the board, you need to write it down too! This is definitely the case for examples worked in class.
If you just can’t manage to write everything down, find someone in class who takes organized notes. Ask them if you can see their notes so you can fill in missing details.
Key things to make note of: definitions, derivations, and examples!
Prep & Study Time
Are you starting homework the night before it’s due? What about reviewing course material – do you only do it for exams? If this is what you’re doing you need to make a change. Do this instead:
Start assignments the day they are assigned! Get an early start. This gives you the chance to absorb new material & figure out how to apply it. If you get stuck, you’ll have time to ask the instructor questions.
Review the notes/reading assignment from the previous lecture. This helps you stay up to date on the material and reminds you what was covered last time. Plus, the repeated exposure to the material helps your memory retain the info.
ALWAYS rewrite the notes at the end of each class day. This will give you a more organized set of notes and you’ll find out what you missed in class. The goal here is to make sure you understand the content as you’re rewriting the notes.
If there are parts you don’t understand, make a note of them and ask the instructor to clarify or give a better explanation. Don’t just mindlessly recopy the notes -you’re writing with the goal of comprehension here! This was the one thing that improved my performance the most in my engineering classes. I highly recommend it!
Class Participation
If you sit in the back of the room, text your friends, watch YouTube videos, scroll through Instagram, etc. you’ll never be able to pay attention! You’ve got to have some self discipline and avoid the distractions.
Sit in the front of the room – you can’t stay on your phone the whole class if the prof is right next to you. Plus, after teaching 1000’s of students I can tell you that the ones sitting up front do vastly better in class than those sitting at the back. So don’t be shy! Move yourself up to the front!
Keep your phone in your bag – don’t even have it visible. You know if you see it, you’ll want to look at it.
Don’t sit by others who talk and distract. There are always students who are talking through class. They distract the teacher and they’ll distract you. Avoid these people at all costs!
Office Hours
Go to the prof’s office hours. You’re paying tuition, lots of money in tuition!
Tuition pays the prof to teach class as well as have office hours. They’re required to have a set time available for students to come by with questions.
You’re paying for this time so use it and get those questions answered!
A side benefit is getting to know your instructors – this will be a great thing when it comes time for getting job referrals.
Attendance
Skipping classes? Rolling into class late or skipping out early? I used to do this too, usually I ended up regretting it.
You’re going to miss important stuff like due dates, hints on exam material, etc.
Even if you get notes from someone else, they might not tell you everything.
This is a definite way to stay clueless as to what’s going on in class.
You’re paying for classes, so you might as well go! Plus, the instructors usually have a good idea who is always missing.
Interest in Material
It’s nearly impossible to pay attention in a class that you have zero interest in – I get it! I’ve been there, believe me.
If you’re taking a bunch of classes and you find them all to be a complete bore then you need to evaluate your choice of major.
You should be in a major that interests you.
Will you have a class or two in each major that’s boring to you? Yeah, of course. But, overall you should like the material, even if the instructor is no good.
Getting a degree in an area you don’t like is setting you up for a career full of dread and boredom. It’s time to make a change now before it’s too late!
Go see your advisor for advice on other options and don’t listen to the opinions of your friends and family. You know what interests you, they don’t!
Start Improving…
Assessing your previous performance can really help you focus your efforts and make improvements. The goal is to get better each and every semester. With a little self discipline, time management, and organization you’ll get to where you want to be in no time!
