<p>There is this girl that goes to my school that is freaking smart. She is a sophomore, and at State Latin she got a high Pentathalon score, which is composed of like Latin IV AP material. Anyways, she has like a 100 in everything, and she goes to the medical magnet school I go to (which is hard and competitive).</p>
<p>I'm about to start college, so I'd like to know how do all of you smarties get so smart. How do you study, what do you study, what do you ask yourself, what special thing do you do that makes you get the A++?</p>
<ol>
<li>Some people are just born with a lot of potential.</li>
<li>More importantly, some people get really good educations as children. In my opinion this is the strongest factor--it includes parental encouragement, reading early and for fun, and elementary school rigor.</li>
<li>Some people never stop reading as they get older and are constantly enriching their knowledge about everything.</li>
<li>Lastly, and this one doesn't really count, some people are always studying and can achieve great success through sheer effort.</li>
</ol>
<p>It's too late to "get smart." But if you read a freaking lot, you can make up for all that lost time learning the fundamentals in your younger years.</p>
<p>I know a girl like that, except our school isn't competitive. People say I'm the next her.</p>
<p>To answer your question, there is really no way to suddenly become "smart". Just study and do what is expected of you. Become a teacher's pet, unfortunately. That's how the teachers get to like you.</p>
<p>What MallomarCookie said is right. Just read like crazy.</p>
<p>I used to be REALLY smart in elementary school. I used to read the most (we had points; I had the most :-D). Everything was easy, so I didn't have to study. </p>
<p>Middle school I didn't read at all. I didn't study. Was at the top of my class.</p>
<p>I'm a high school senior, and I go to a medical magnet school. Everyone is just passing me by with their academic success. It's daunting. I want to know what I'm doing wrong. </p>
<p>It's not that I'm stupid...I'm just not getting the 97s+ like I used to in middle and elementary school. I getting like low Bs. I know they're AP classes, but I don't see that as an excuse.</p>
<p>How do you analyze your notes? How do you study?</p>
<p>Well, for whom you describe as "smart", that's what most do. There is no set way to all of a sudden become smart. What classes give you the most trouble? Sometimes it is just a matter of mastering the material.</p>
<p>I would read, "What Smart Students Know"...but read it where you just kind of think what areas of the book would work well for you. You could read that after Thanksgiving dinner and all of that, since most of us have time off coming up.</p>
<p>I would also make a pen pal of my "cousin" snoopyiscool .-_-.</p>
<p>Also, do not be afraid to sit down with any teacher or (this will be later on for some of you) Professor and ask for their opinions and guidance. As long as you are polite, you will be okay.</p>
<p>you arent born smart, like people on CC would have on believe. Being smart takes hard work! A lot of people think george bush is an idiot. HOwever, I think hes a genius bc he worked hard to become president. Even though people can argue that his daddy got him into yale and he stole the presidency, it takes a lot of determination to do those things, that is, if they are true.</p>
<p>Just read through the text book. Do that once, maybe twice, and your fine. The notable exception to this rule is math, and maybe spelling though. In those tow cases I recommend actual solving problems and rote memorization, respectively.</p>
<p>If it helps, when I was younger (and I still do), I read everything I could. It increases vocabulary and writing skills. That helps when you have about 5 essays due.</p>
<p>Any and all. Probably not comic books. Just read something that interests you. History, science, religion...anything. Just make sure it keeps your attention. That is for general knowledge.</p>
<p>If you want to increase your vocabulary, you basically read any book you can think of.</p>
<p>The books I mostly read were fiction. Not Harper Lee, Charlotte Bronte fiction (although I read that now), but Carolyn Keene and Judy Blume fiction.</p>
<p>You sound pretty desperate to somehow boost your IQ, and I don't mean that in an insulting way. Just do your best, "smart" is relative. I might be considered 'smart' at my school, but on CC I'm average. Just concentrate on your best. Very cliche sounding, Iknow, but believe me, it helps to do what you can, not an impossible amount of cramming you can't use.</p>