It’s easy for juniors to forget during the standardized testing crunch of May and June that the most important thing you can do to get accepted to competitive colleges is to earn the best grades you can in whatever courses you’re taking. Period. So here’s some solid advice to remember down the home stretch.
Conventional wisdom is that the first impression we make is the most important, but when it comes to academics, the LAST impression is the most important, i.e., the most LASTing. Take it from a 20+ year classroom teacher: When teachers go to enter students’ final grades, what we most remember is their most recent work. We tend to consider end of year assessments more indicative of mastery—or lack thereof—of course material than any assessments as the course unfolded. That means your final essays, final tests, final projects, final presentations, and, of course, final exams carry the most weight.
While the end of the academic year tends to be stressful for motivated students, it also presents an opportunity to ratchet up their GPAs. Now is no time to get the “whatevers” (you might even call them “f*&!- its”) and slack off. Students who find a way to muster that extra energy—those reserves of concentration and consistently disciplined study habits during the last leg of the academic race—will find themselves crossing the finish line ahead of the pack.
CPE is here to help you do your best work in the final months and weeks of the school year. Let us help you get ready for your best test performance of the year, for your best grades on the last few essays, and for rock-the-house jobs on your final exams. Sign up for some end-of-the-year tutoring sessions, internet-based essay editing, and take advantage of our free YouTube videos (see especially The Primacy of Grades)
Spring weather is here—60s and 70s, and, in some places 80s, and sunny skies. Although the weather may tempt you, keep your eye on the academic and college admissions prize, knowing that summer vacation is right around the corner. Take advantage of those grey and rainy May/June days to focus on your studies before the sprint to summer! We’re here to help :-).