How to Maintain a High GPA in College

Co-authored by Alexander Ruiz, M.Ed.

Last Updated: October 1, 2021 Approved

College can be tough, but you want to have impressive grades so you can get a good job or go to graduate school. Here is how to maintain a 4.0 in college.

Method 1

Method 1 of 8:
Prioritize.

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Focus on what you want to achieve.^{[1]
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Expert Source

Alexander Ruiz, M.Ed.
Academic Tutor
Expert Interview. 18 June 2020.} This is most important. If a 4.0 is your number one priority, you will get it. This means you will have to be prepared to sacrifice things such as going out with friends, keeping up with your favorite television shows, and sometimes sleeping.
- Use Steven Covey's "Theory of Prioritization" as a jumping-off point. Covey encourages students to divide their work into 4 categories: urgent and important; urgent and not important; non-urgent and important; and non-urgent and not important.^{[2]
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  Expert Source
  
  Alexander Ruiz, M.Ed.
  Academic Tutor
  Expert Interview. 18 June 2020.}
- Immediate, pending assignments are considered urgent and important; long-term projects and advanced studying are considered non-urgent and important; distractions and interruptions are considered urgent and not important; and time-wasting activities are considered non-urgent and not important.^{[3]
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  Expert Source
  
  Alexander Ruiz, M.Ed.
  Academic Tutor
  Expert Interview. 18 June 2020.}
- Ideally, try to finish your assignments while they're still not-urgent and important.^{[4]
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  Expert Source
  
  Alexander Ruiz, M.Ed.
  Academic Tutor
  Expert Interview. 18 June 2020.}

Method 2

Method 2 of 8:
Show up for every class.

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If attendance is part of the grade, always show up. You should attend class regularly, regardless if attendance is required.^{[5]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 8:
Consider studying as similar to working out.

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It's done best in shorter periods on a regular basis. This means study consistently, even daily, and don't crash study. Learning to study for long periods of time is an important skill as well. It may be hard or impossible at first, but it can be mastered.^{[6]
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Method 4

Method 4 of 8:
Make college your priority.

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Only go out when you don't have work to do.

Method 5

Method 5 of 8:
Stay organized.

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Make sure that you know when tests are and exactly what you have to study.^{[7]
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Method 6

Method 6 of 8:
Deal with being a working student.

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Having a full-time job may keep you on track financially, but make sure that no time is wasted. However, if you are at a point where you are not sleeping regularly, a job may be a good thing to cut out. Consider finding a job where you can study, like university library or secretary position.^{[8]
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Method 7

Method 7 of 8:
Take a full course load but level it out.

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Take a hard class or two with two easy classes. Don't take chemistry, calculus, zoology, and trig all in the same semester. Be careful of the tricky one or two credit courses. They can be very time consuming, even more so than a three or four credit class. Sometimes, you will have to take a full course (generally after higher level major classes have started and gen eds have ended), and a study schedule becomes critical.

Method 8

Method 8 of 8:
Remember why you are in college.

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You are there to learn so don't moan about going to class -- see it as an opportunity to improve yourself. Take pride in your commitment to your studies. However, do not neglect the fact that you will become depressed and will have no friends if all you ever do is study. Staying sane is half the battle, and having friends should remain a priority.

Community Q&A

Question

Is it bad to ask for extensions?

Alexander Ruiz, M.Ed.
Educational Consultant
Alexander Ruiz is an Educational Consultant and the Educational Director of Link Educational Institute, a tutoring business based in Claremont, California that provides customizable educational plans, subject and test prep tutoring, and college application consulting. With over a decade and a half of experience in the education industry, Alexander coaches students to increase their self-awareness and emotional intelligence while achieving skills and the goal of achieving skills and higher education. He holds a BA in Psychology from Florida International University and an MA in Education from Georgia Southern University.

Alexander Ruiz, M.Ed.

Educational Consultant

Expert Answer

Not necessarily! It really depends on what your end goal is. You should have a good reason for asking for an extension, such as not understanding the material or wanting more time to complete the assignment more precisely.
Question

How can I be a good online student?

Alexander Ruiz, M.Ed.
Educational Consultant
Alexander Ruiz is an Educational Consultant and the Educational Director of Link Educational Institute, a tutoring business based in Claremont, California that provides customizable educational plans, subject and test prep tutoring, and college application consulting. With over a decade and a half of experience in the education industry, Alexander coaches students to increase their self-awareness and emotional intelligence while achieving skills and the goal of achieving skills and higher education. He holds a BA in Psychology from Florida International University and an MA in Education from Georgia Southern University.

Alexander Ruiz, M.Ed.

Educational Consultant

Expert Answer

Stay engaged during your online classes. Turn on your webcam during class so your teacher knows that you're paying attention, and resist the temptation to zone out and get distracted.
Question

How can I be less confused in classes?

Donagan

Top Answerer

You have to keep asking questions until you're no longer confused. You may even have to ask to the point of embarrassing yourself, but if it's important enough to you, that may be what you have to do. Keep in mind that there are probably other students who are confused, too. They are probably grateful that you're asking questions.
Question

Can I get a good timetable schedule for six subjects?

Community Answer

Constructing a timetable for six subjects is not easy. Spend four hours per day revising two modules (2 hours each, depending on how difficult the module/course is). Gradually as it gets closer to finals, keep updating it by adding a few more hours. If you have day(s) in the week that cause you to get home late and may have to leave out early in the morning, then take those nights to rest.
Question

What should I do if I don't want to study but want to score a 4.0 GPA?

Community Answer

It would be very hard to maintain a 4.0 GPA without studying, but with paying more attention during lectures and attending every class you might have a shot at it.
Question

What can I do to ease my son's stress over maintaining a high GPA to retain his scholarship?

Community Answer

You should remind him that his value as a human being is not defined by a GPA, and he should just do the absolute best he can. Let him know that you'll be proud of him no matter what, and that happiness is more important than academic accolades.
Question

Will having a mentor help me keep my grades up?

Community Answer

Yes, having a mentor can be incredibly helpful if you're struggling with your grades. Not only can they help you study (or find resources for help), but they can offer you emotional support and guidance.

Warnings

Don't overwork. If you are stressed it will make it more difficult to study.

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Don't push one class off to the side for too long.

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DO NOT pull an all nighter. Know that you will be able to critically think better and be more productive the day of if you sleep.

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