Five Ways to Improve Midterm Grades

At Florida Tech, midterm grades are recorded shortly before the halfway point of the semester. Midterm grades can show that you’re on the right path to another great term, or they can be an early indicator that you need to step up your academic game. At the Academic Support Center, we’re in the business of helping students discover and practice better strategies for better grades. Here are five ways that you can improve midterm grades and work toward a solid finish and stronger GPA at the end of the semester.

1. Speak with your instructor. Too often, students shy away from the best resource for their courses. If you are struggling with the material for a class or need some help with specific concepts, email your instructor or stop by their office during their posted hours to get some help. Instructors can help you sort through assignments and answer your questions to clarify expectations for quizzes and exams. As strange as it might sound, many instructors are more willing to assist once they see that you are putting forth the effort to improve your grades by seeking them out.
2. Review your quizzes and exams. Looking at your old assignments and assessments can provide some clues about where you’re struggling and why you’re experiencing difficulty with a particular concept. Rather than ignore a less-than-perfect performance on an exam, treat it as a diagnostic for your knowledge and understanding of the material and use it to hone in on areas to study and improve.
3. Get a peer tutor. At Florida Tech, tutoring is free for all undergraduate students. Peer tutors at the Academic Support Center can work with you on a weekly or even daily basis to review class notes or prepare for an upcoming exam. There are many benefits to working with a tutor, but one of the biggest advantages is that peer tutors understand the challenges and rigors of Florida Tech students and can provide insight and strategies for specific courses and instructors.
4. Meet with your academic advisor. Every student has an academic advisor who can listen and provide feedback and guidance when the student is struggling with their coursework. Make an appointment with your advisor to get their insight and recommendations regarding your midterm grades. This can be especially helpful when you are taking courses within your department or program, since most advisors are also faculty within the department of your major.
5. Examine your non-academic habits. The university lifestyle encompasses more than just what happens inside the classroom, and midterm grades can reflect stresses that have little to do with actual coursework. Consider your social circles, levels of involvement outside of class, and your daily habits. Improving your midterm grades may require allotting more time to your studies and setting some social commitments aside until the end of the semester. You may want to recruit a friend or two to help you stay on track and help you hold yourself accountable to a more academic lifestyle with study meet-ups and group tutoring sessions.

The ASC is always here and ready to help you realize your full academic potential. Tutoring can be one way to raise your midterm grades, and we have appointments in over 80 different undergraduate courses five days a week. Check us out and see how we can help at http://hub.fit.edu/asc.