How do I get my grades up as a high school freshman!Answered
The classes I’m taking are: R Beginning Band (A), R Spanish 3 (A), H English 2 (C), H Chemistry (B), H Adv Algebra w/ Trig (D 😢), R Health/P.E (A), and R World Studies (A). I’ve been struggling a lot lately with these subjects, I screwed up in the first quarter by skipping classes, but thankfully I ended that habit for good. The grading is harsh, there’s massive coursework, and my teachers are very strict. I’ve never received such bad grades before, and I’m not the student I want to be right now. My future goals is to go into diplomacy, journalism, and government. I was wondering if anyone could give me guidance to get my grades up before the semester ends (December 22). Thank you!
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2 answers
First of all, I want to say I'm so sorry! Second of all, I want to welcome you to the world of high school. Now is a good time to find out what works for you now and what doesn't. 9th grade is a transition period.
I know one thing about taking stricter courses is that you have to switch up your studying game. In the harder subjects, such as H English 2 and H Advanced Algebra w/ Trig, experiment with different studying techniques. For Algebra, it may be studying by working out problems, and then pointing out the spots that you struggle with and doing it better on the next problem. Maybe that means having flash cards to memorize formulas and rules. For H English 2, it may mean practicing good writing habits, or dissecting every piece of writing you read to see good grammar and sentence structure in action.
Also, I'd say for next school year, don't do advanced math, but take whatever math you do take and just experiment with the best ways for information to stick in your memory. Master the math you take, find your strategy, then you can move back to advanced courses.
Find ways to implement studying into your everyday life. Have notes on the main screen of your phone, stick them on the fridge, have them hanging over your bed, whatever you got to do. Moreover, schedule times when you will do your homework, and other times when you will study. Spend extra time studying and doing homework, scheduling and figuring out an effective study habit for the time being until you figure out your groove and can back off a bit.
Finally, find someone in your life that will help you navigate this new season. Get tutoring help, find a high school senior or junior that is willing to help, find another teacher that is not strict that will help, ask older siblings if you have them, or parents if you can. Use educational sites like Khan Academy and IXL. Don't be afraid to ask for help and experiment!
In reference to your future goals, focus on courses that involve government, history, maybe world languages, and English/ Language Arts. You'll need all those aspects, especially for diplomacy and journalism.
I hope that helps, and good luck! 😊
I am so sorry. I know freshman year can get so stressful. If I could go back and redo it, I totally would. I would say DO NOT STRIVE FOR PERFECTION. Strive for growth. As a perfectionist who worked too hard for her 4.0 GPA, it is not worth it. And colleges do not expect perfection. They want to see work ethic. It will show in the grades. And, with the classes you are taking, you are already standing with a fantastic transcript. Those are hard classes. You're doing great! Keep pressing on. Keep learning and growing. Take tutoring and do not be afraid of the status. You got this.
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Thanks for your response! What math class do I take after Algebra 2(the one im taking now)?