what is this secret to getting high A's

<p>It's right in front of me I just seem to get distracted and miss the target every time. Math... don't get me started! I am getting a high B low A grade and it's right in front of me... stupid mistakes, freeze-ups you name it.<br>
How do I get past this barrier?
I'm a nervous test taker and sometimes i get like streaks of 100's and other times streaks of low 80's
I want to be consistent with my understanding of the material so...
any comments? clarifications? suggestions? please if you all have any suggestions, I'm sure that other students would appreciate such.
-Thank you</p>

<p>Go to extra help?</p>

<p>Read the book over and over again... It really helps me... Really...</p>

<p>Is it a matter of not knowing the material well enough? Or is it mainly panicing when there is a test in front of you?</p>

<p>If it's because you're having trouble with the material, I'm sure if you explain this to your teacher he/she will be willing to help you (I know my math teacher lets kids come in at lunch time for math help) or direct you to someone else that can help you. Also once you learn a new concept, do the practice problems over and over until you know it really really well.</p>

<p>If it's a matter of test anxiety, maybe try thinking about it as a worksheet. I have a friend who if fairly good at math and science, but also panics during a test and sometimes doesn't do as well as she could have. Also try some "relaxation methods" (ie. breathing deeply) during a test. </p>

<p>I'll post if I think of any other ideas.</p>

<p>One more thing: When studying for a test, one thing that really helps me is sumarizing the main ideas in the text in my own words. I usually make index cards with all the notes/info I need on the cards. I find that it's easier to study from index cards than a huge textbook. Also writing things down helps me to remember. By sumarizing the info in my own words, it also helps me to better understand it.</p>

<p>Why won't you just die. Dying makes you smarter. I'm just kidding. You're just stupid. I'm just kidding. </p>

<p>Eat good food, don't worry about the test/thing. Just don't pressure yourself and do it.</p>

<p>just do it. dats all i have to say.well for me
Math- never could really study, all you gotta do is pay attention in class
science-read the dam book.
history-ditto as science
spanish-speak spanish everywhere you go.
english-...cant really study to write essays.</p>

<p>rExRuN467... that comment about Spanish is actually true. I am a big dork and speak Latin to my friends while we're in public and we totally rule that class. Everyone thinks we're dorks but we also kick their butts.</p>

<p>^ HAHAHA yea...like in english class, my teacher is like, "James, i want to speak to you after class on your essay....quite inspirational"
so i respond," jaja, yo soy honorado"</p>

<p>seriously..dats the only way you learn a diff. language. practice everyday with your friends and every where you go.</p>

<p>I talk to myself and my friends in Spanish. you don't have to have correct grammar, just practice saying the words. I've had full conversations where my friend will talk in french and i'll talk in spanish. we only sorta understand whats going on. lol. I tutor a freshman in spanish and i told him that, he looked at me like i was crazy. but hey, it works.</p>

<p>another great thing is watchin spanish soap operas. put on the closed captions and read as they go along. they're so expressive that you dont really need to understand the language to know that Juanita has cheated on Jorge! gasp!</p>

<p>Psh, in my grading system, and 89.5 looks just like a 100. So I just do as little work possible in order to get an A. It's great.</p>

<p>ok SO OVERALL...to get the high A's...work twice as hard. if you are working your hardest...just work harder. if the class is too hard, get a tutor or face the ULTIMATE humiliation...getting a B..dun dun dun..just kidding. i dunt get it now, since when is a B bad. especially in AP and Honors, a B is awesome</p>

<p>haha visirale me too.</p>

<p>and if its test anxiety, the way i relax myself before tests is by simply taking a break. the nights before my SATs i never did any work. i relaxed, played games, etc. going out might tire you out too much. basically, just let your brain rest. (and i scored ok 1550/800/800/800)</p>

<p>A) For stupid classes or retarded teachers who might not like you, just do all the assignments, don't get on their bad side if you can help it, or w/e.</p>

<p>B) For math/science classes and what not, just supremely master the material. Be able to derive every equation, and prove every concept. In these kinds of classes, teacher can't do much to you, cuz just go to principal, WITH YOUR PARENT(it has better effect).</p>

<p>C) Take a 'B', and enjoy life. If you are getting stressed out over staight A's, it means you are weak. Accepting when overdoing yourself is stupid is part of what makes you stronger.</p>

<p>i go by the "i really dont give a $hit if I fail b/c I really do not care about this test" and it WORKS REALLY WELL and i got A's usually</p>

<p>"get" my bad .</p>

<p>I'm sure that method doesn't work for everyone, Grad.</p>

<p>I actually agree with Grad'06. I have noticed that if i go into a test expecting to the rip it apart and ace it, i get too cocky and end up getting a B, or worse. If i go in thinking that im going to do badly or ho-hum at best, then I generally do better. I think its because when i go in expecting to do badly, i go through the test more slowly, think more, and eventually check over it. If I am cocky about it, i take it in 20-30 minutes, take a quick glance, and turn it in. So, i guess being a pessimist is a good thing for test taking. Just dont expect to fail, or you may worry about that too much. </p>

<p>sk8ngli also mentioned tutoring. Tutoring someone really helps get concepts and material stuck in your brain, so try tutoring. Its like a little review session for yourself, and by saying out loud you are getting auditory input, so its like you are your own teacher.</p>

<p>Back to foreign languages... watch foreign movies. I guess this cant really work with latin, but with others, try and watch movies in that language, and try and focus on the speaking instead of the subtitles. Better yet, try and watch the movie without subtitles.</p>

<p>And my last tip is to try and grasp the material before lecture. if you learn the basics, at the least, before a lecture, you can focus more on what is being said and focus on harder material instead of trying to learn the basics. Once again, auditory input reinforces read material.</p>

<p>The last points Beward0fNerd made are excellent and very important. Basically, you shouldn't be "studying" material the night before the test; you should be "reviewing" the material. Make sure you understand what's taught in class on a daily basis and don't wait until the last day to ask questions about various topics covered in the chapter.</p>

<p>not giving a crap about a test usually doesnt have good effects. if you're prepared you should know it before the test. then it just has to do with being careful while ur taking it, and not making stupid mistakes.</p>

<p>Sagar, the "take a B" part you wrote cannot have been put in better terms!</p>