How to Get Good Grades
As schools become more and more competitive, getting good grades in high school has become even more important. Your grades in high school set the foundation for your college application journey, and learning how to get good grades can help you succeed.
This guide will help you learn how to get good grades in school. If you follow the steps in this guide, you can rest assured that your college applications will be the best they can be. This guide will answer questions like:
- Why are good grades in high school important for my future?
- How do grades and GPA impact your admissions journey?
- How can I develop effective time management and study skills in high school?
- What are the best ways to choose my high school classes?
- What are the benefits of study groups for kids and teens?
- How can I make my application stand out?
Learning how to get good grades is fundamental to succeeding in high school and beyond. Building your foundational skills in time management and studying will help you achieve your academic goals. If you’re looking to learn more about how to get good grades in school, keep reading!
Why is it important to get good grades in high school?
Learning how to get good grades in school isn’t just for college admissions. Getting good grades in high school helps teach students crucial skills like discipline, organization, and accountability. Students who know how to get good grades signal to colleges that they’re ready for higher education. Good grades are a result of effective management and an ability to grasp and study key concepts.
Why are grades in high school important for college applications? College admissions committees look at grades and GPA as a measure of how successfully you’re able to manage your time and work. Learning how to get good grades in school will help you signal to colleges that you can handle your workload.
Good grades can also help you secure scholarships for college. Many merit scholarships use GPA criteria to decide who will be awarded. Colleges will also use your GPA to determine if you qualify for any merit-based scholarships. In addition to scholarships, high school academic performance can open the doors to honors colleges, internships, and more advanced classes. This can help create additional opportunities for you as you pursue your academic and career goals.
While learning how to get good grades can help set you up for success, it’s not the only measure schools use when determining admission. However, your grades in high school can greatly determine which schools would be a good match for you. If you’re early in your high school career, you have a great opportunity to learn how to get good grades!
How GPA Affects College Admissions
Learning how to get good grades in school is crucial in helping boost your college admissions chances. Your grades in high school directly influence your college admissions chances, so it’s important to learn how to get good grades. Grades are used to calculate grade point average, or GPA, which is submitted during college admissions.
Colleges use GPA to assess academic readiness in the admissions process. While it’s not perfect, GPA can be a good indicator of a student’s academic capabilities. It’s important to demonstrate consistency and growth over time in your GPA. Even if you didn’t get great grades early on in high school, demonstrating improvement is a good sign. Your GPA is also an indication of the kind of rigor you can handle. IB, AP, honors, and dual enrollment classes can help boost a weighted GPA, which goes up to 5.0. Learning how to get good grades in these classes can add greatly to your admissions profile.
If your GPA isn’t a perfect 4.0 (or 5.0), don’t worry. A student’s GPA isn’t the only factor colleges consider during the admissions process. Schools will also weigh your extracurricular activities, your essays, and personal recommendations. However, your grades in high school will serve as the foundation for your application.
Do I need straight A’s to get into college?
Many students want to learn how to get straight A’s to best help their chances of admission. However, even the most selective schools do not require perfect grades for admission.
Now, it’s true that many Ivy League universities will look for close to perfect GPAs. Moreover, many highly selective schools have a typical range of GPAs in accepted students. For example, over 70% of incoming first-years admitted to Harvard University in 2024–2025 had 4.0 GPAs. If you’re aiming for an Ivy League school, learning how to get straight A’s is a good goal. At the same time, it won’t guarantee you a spot in today’s admissions environment.
Don’t misunderstand: learning how to get straight A’s can be a great goal and can help you keep your GPA high. Nevertheless, it’s not necessary to obtain perfect grades for the college admissions process. Many students complement lower GPAs with other strengths on their application, such as leadership skills or strong extracurricular activities.
Students can also offset lower GPAs with strong essays or by highlighting an improvement in their grades. Your grades in high school are important, but they aren’t the only element of your admissions profile. A single bad grade, or even a difficult semester, will not ruin your chances of admission completely. Even the most competitive universities admit students who needed a semester or two to get their bearings.
How to Get Better Grades in High School
Rather than just learning how to get straight A’s, learning how to get better grades in high school can be a worthwhile pursuit. High school can be difficult for many students for a variety of reasons. Learning how to make improvements will demonstrate to colleges — and yourself — that you can adapt and change.
Take stock of your academic performance
The first step in learning how to get better grades is to understand the specific reasons why you’re struggling. Do you keep missing assignments in your classes, or performing poorly on tests? Are you an active participant in class? Do you have a hard time keeping yourself organized? Reflecting on your current performance can help you identify the areas of improvement.
Figure out your learning style
General tips revolve around taking ownership of your learning. Increasing your class participation and engagement can help boost your understanding and retention of class material. Try taking active notes in class, asking questions, participating in class discussions, and spending time to review the material after class. Experiment with some different approaches during this time. Learning how to get good grades involves discovering the best way you learn.
Build routines that help you stay on track
Your grades in high school help tell a story about your overall routine and ability to keep up with academic work. Don’t rely on motivation alone. Establish strong academic routines that will keep you accountable. That routine should include checking your grades, whether that’s by using an online portal or asking teachers directly. Tracking your grades throughout the school year will also help you address any issues before the end of the grading period. You don’t want to discover your grade is lower than expected at the very end of the school year.
Learning how to get better grades in high school will help shape your narrative on your admissions profile. That’s why it’s paramount to prioritize your schoolwork. Talk with a trusted teacher, mentor, or school counselor if you’re struggling with school.
How to Improve Time Management
In many ways, learning how to improve time management can be the foundation of learning how to get better grades in high school. Poor time management can lead to rushed assignments, submitting work late, and a lot of stress to manage. Not to mention a decline in grades.
Learning how to improve time management starts with finding a tracking system that works for you. Track your school work and assignments using a physical planner, apps, and weekly schedules. Breaking up large assignments into smaller pieces will allow you to spread out your work, and can help your schoolwork feel more manageable. Create an after-school routine for tackling schoolwork while building in breaks. It’s also important that you reduce distractions as you work and study. Be mindful of your phone — try to avoid multitasking, social media, and loud noises. Even something as simple as putting your phone facedown or out of sight can help you focus.
How to Avoid Procrastination
It happens to everyone: work piles up and it becomes easier to put it aside for later. Before you know it, it’s later, and the work pile is even higher. Many students struggle with procrastination in one way or another, in all grades and subjects. Learning how to avoid procrastination is key in nailing down how to get good grades in school.
People — not just students — often procrastinate because they’re focused on the immediate tasks in front of them. There are deep-rooted reasons we procrastinate: putting off a task helps to relieve the pressure of facing the task. However, procrastination often leads to adverse mental health consequences, like stress, fatigue, anxiety, and even depression over time. Feeling overwhelmed is a common trigger for procrastination, but it can also result from perfectionism, boredom, or a fear of failure. Understanding why you procrastinate can be the first step in learning how to avoid procrastination.
Learning how to get good grades requires avoiding procrastination, so it’s important to recognize not just why but when you’re procrastinating. When you find yourself procrastinating, try to set a short timer to work on the task, even if it’s for 10 minutes. Break the assignment into smaller tasks, and try to set personal deadlines for each sub-task.
While learning how to get straight A’s may require avoiding procrastination, it’s normal to procrastinate every once in a while. After all, nobody can do everything perfectly, even if they know on paper how to get good grades. Just make sure you’re not procrastinating on every school assignment.
How to Study Effectively
If you’re looking to learn how to get better grades, learning how to study effectively is another indispensable skill. In implementing study tips for high school students, it may take some trial and error to learn what works best for you. Learning how to get better grades requires more than just searching for the most effective study tips for high school students. You have to tailor them to your learning style and the way you process information. As we outline some study tips for high school students, keep in mind that it may take several tries before it clicks.
How can you study more effectively?
In general, active studying methods are more impactful than passive review sessions. Active studying methods engage the parts of your brain tied to retention and memory, while passively reviewing may not build those connections. Learning how to study effectively requires learning which active study methods work best for you.
Study techniques that improve your understanding and retention of material are step one of learning how to get better grades. These are things like self-quizzing, using flashcards, finding practice problems, summarizing your notes and teaching the concepts out loud. For most students, one or more of these practices can improve retention and understanding of your class material. Consider joining a peer tutoring group as well; study groups can be great for helping difficult concepts stick. Additionally, spreading out your study sessions is better than trying to cram right before your exam. Having good time management skills can also help you figure out how to study effectively.
You may also need to shift your study skills depending on the subject you’re focusing on. Classes like history, social studies, biology and chemistry may require heavy memorization of concepts and facts. Math classes will ask you to understand core concepts and solve a variety of problems. English classes will ask you to use critical thinking skills to analyze texts. When in doubt, ask teachers or even your peers about effective study habit suggestions.
Learning the best study tips for high school students will help set you up for success as you learn how to get good grades. Like other tips, be sure to experiment and find the best combination for the areas you struggle in.
Getting Help From Teachers and Classmates
Knowing how to get good grades is closely related to knowing when to ask for help. It’s important to seek assistance from teachers and other classmates before your grades start to slip. Don’t wait until it’s too late. Ask for help the moment you get confused or need clarification.
Teachers can help you learn how to get good grades by offering one-on-one assistance, feedback on assignments, and after-school review sessions. They may also hold office hours or be available by email for questions. If individual help isn’t an option, they may be able to direct you to resources that can help you study.
Your classmates may also be available to help in the form of peer tutoring and study groups. What are the benefits of study groups for kids and teens? Study groups help you retain information in a new way and can help build your understanding of class material. Learning from other students is a great way to synthesize complex information or concepts, and they can help keep you accountable.
It’s important to practice self-advocacy when it comes to your academic achievement. Communicate clearly when you’re struggling and seek help when you need it. Learning how to get good grades in school will help you understand your limitations and how best to overcome challenges.
Choosing the Right Courses
While it’s crucial to learn how to get good grades, it’s equally important to choose the right courses for your academic goals. Strike the right balance between challenging courses and a realistic workload for yourself. That way, you can get good grades while building a competitive admissions profile.
When choosing the right courses, you should understand the differences between class distinctions, such as IB vs. AP and honors vs. dual enrollment. Different courses come with varying workloads, and can impact your GPA in different ways. AP and IB courses tend to come with a much higher workload. However, they can boost your GPA if you know how to get good grades in these courses.
Many students ambitiously sign up exclusively for AP and IB courses, only to have their grades and GPA suffer as a result. If you’re wondering how to get straight A’s, ensuring you have a balanced course load is helpful. Standard courses typically have lighter workloads but won’t provide the weighted impact to your GPA. Having a healthy mixture helps students learn how to get good grades in school.
As you choose your courses, consider your personal strengths and weaknesses, extracurricular activities, personal interests, and your ability to handle stress. Your goal is to demonstrate your academic achievement, be strategic around the courses you pick. Your high school courses will teach you subject matter, yes, but they’ll also teach you how to get good grades in college. Choose classes that interest you while also advancing your academic goals.
It’s important to consider balance when building your high school transcript. Yes, it may be tempting to overload on AP and IB courses to impress admissions officers. If it leads to personal burnout and a hit to your GPA, it might have the opposite effect.
Are grades the most important part of a college application?
You may hear that grades are the most important part of a college application. But why exactly are they weighed so significantly? Knowing how to get good grades demonstrates consistent academic performance, a strong work ethic, and readiness for college level coursework. If you understand how to get good grades in school, you can probably learn how to get good grades in college.
While grades are very important, the college application process is a holistic review. Schools will balance your GPA alongside the other elements of your application, such as your essays, extracurriculars, and personal recommendations.
What does a holistic review look like?
Let’s say two students, Helen and Jerry, have the exact same GPA: 4.2. Clearly, both of them know how to get good grades. The only way to differentiate the two of them is to look at the other elements of their applications.
Helen has participated in extracurricular activities since middle school, earning her way to several leadership positions by her senior year. She’s also written a fantastic essay that’s a true representation of her personality, goals, and talents. Helen’s GPA reflects a healthy balance of AP and dual enrollment courses, proving that she can challenge herself successfully.
While Jerry has earned the same GPA as Helen, he hasn’t built up his extracurricular participation as much. He joined some clubs his junior year but wasn’t able to secure a leadership position. He waited until the last minute to start his essay, and he submitted it with some typos. While he’s taken some honors courses, he didn’t do well in them, and they aren’t related to his intended major.
When faced with admitting Helen or Jerry, it’s no wonder that Helen’s profile would be considered more competitive. While both students earned an excellent GPA, the other elements of their applications help paint a fuller picture.
Each college will have their own criteria for admission, and each college will weigh GPA slightly differently. A college’s size, selectivity, and admissions processes can influence how GPA is considered. Students also face unusual personal challenges that may compensate for a lower GPA. Students applying to highly selective colleges understand that nearly everyone applying will have near perfect GPAs, making every other application element essential. While it’s important to learn how to get good grades in school, know that your application can be balanced out.
Other Ways to Make Your Application Stand Out
Of course, learning how to get good grades is a great foundation to help boost your college application. With that said, there are plenty of other ways to help you stand out as an applicant.
Building up your extracurricular activities is a great way to demonstrate leadership, initiative, and long-term commitment. In addition to academic achievement, extracurricular activities signal to schools that you can maintain commitments and pursue your interests. Earlier, we mentioned peer tutoring groups for studying. If you find that tutoring groups are great, consider passing it on. What are the benefits of study groups for kids if not helping everyone learn something?
Personal essays can help a college understand your personality, perspective and academic goals. Writing a strong personal essay is sometimes more important than learning how to get all straight A’s. Essays are the best way for you to directly communicate with colleges, and an essay that leaves an impression is a great asset.
In addition to learning how to get good grades in school, getting involved intentionally helps to build a strong college application. However, it’s important to strategically get involved with clubs and organizations that align with your interests. Don’t join clubs just because they’ll look good on applications. Do stuff you like. You should try to pursue meaningful involvement, beyond just demonstrating how to get good grades.
How to Get Good Grades – Takeaways
Knowing how to get good grades in school is essential. It’ll help you learn how to get good grades in college and achieve your academic and career goals. Learning how to get good grades starts with understanding your study habits, academic strengths, and the areas where you may struggle.
Breaking down your time management skills, learning the best way to avoid procrastination, and building effective study habits are all crucial in learning how to get good grades in school. Experimenting with different study methods, from peer tutoring to specialized one-on-one support, can help you learn how to get good grades.
Now, learning how to get good grades in school isn’t the most important element of the college application process. But good grades and a strong GPA will open up more doors in your admissions journey. Are you struggling with maintaining a high GPA? It may be time to go back to the drawing board and learn what works best for you.
In addition to your counselors and teachers, CollegeAdvisor is here to help! We have free written guides on everything from College and Career Readiness to College Planning. If you’re more of a visual learner, we have webinars like How to Earn the Highest Grades You Can.
This article was written by Jessica Klein. Looking for more admissions support? Click here to schedule a free meeting with one of our Admissions Specialists. During your meeting, our team will discuss your profile and help you find targeted ways to increase your admissions odds at top schools. We’ll also answer any questions and discuss how CollegeAdvisor.com can support you in the college application process.
