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How I Kept a 4.0 GPA All Four Years of College
It’s not as impossible as it seems.
Yes, I am one of those annoying people who has never gotten less than an A in my entire life. You’re probably thinking that this means that I spent every minute of my university years studying, pulled all-nighters regularly, and had no social life whatsoever. But believe it or not, that’s not true. Did I spend a good chunk of every day reading and working on assignments? Absolutely. Did I sometimes say no to social engagements because I thought it would negatively impact my grades? Yes, occasionally. But it certainly wasn’t four years of nonstop exam prep and essay writing. I promise — with just a little strategy, your grades can flourish too.
*Quick disclaimer — getting perfect grades shouldn’t necessarily be everyone’s goal. In fact, there is some debate over whether it actually makes you more employable or not. Some employers even prefer job candidates with a slightly lower GPA (3.7 or 3.8) because they believe that it shows that you took classes that were challenging. However, if keeping a 4.0 — or at least close to it — is your goal, read on.*
Attend all of your classes.
This one might seem obvious, but believe it or not I knew a lot of people in college who would have done just fine in their classes if they’d only bothered to go once in a while…