Santa Ana Private Tutor Tips: Reacting to Your Final Exam Grades

Tips from a Santa Ana Private Tutor: Reacting to your final exam grades

Some students might have gotten straight A’s on all their final exams. This is awesome, and they should celebrate. On the other hand, the majority of student’s need a little bit of extra help dealing with the news. There are different levels of disappointment if things didn’t go well varying from a B+ on an exam that a student was sure they were going to ace all the way down to a failing grade that the student now has to remedy prior to the end of the school year. Once the reality has set in it’s a good idea for students to think about practical applications that can help them turn the situation around and salvage the remainder of the year – score higher on your next final with the help of our Santa Ana tutoring services.

1. Did you try your best?

If the answer is yes, and you still got a poor grade, it may be time to ask for help. Students who studied like crazy, made finals their priority, and worked diligently but still didn’t do well may need the help of a tutor or their classroom teacher. Getting a little extra help can go a long way when it comes to the next round of final exams.  If the answer is no, then it’s time to implement an organizational and study plan for the remainder of the school year. Students who are transitioning to the 9th grade or who are in their senior year, and suffering from senioritis, might have thought it would be easier to ace an exam then it is. Students going through any academic transition are encouraged to have a plan that makes their educational tasks a priority from now until June (READ: “Irvine AP Tutor: 4 Reasons You Should Form an AP Study Group ASAP”).

2. Is there one subject that is giving you trouble consistently?

Some students score well on every test they’ve ever been given that’s not algebra. Almost every student has one pesky subject that simply won’t let them get straight A’s. If this is the case, it’s a good idea to sit down and talk with your teacher and parents to identify which concepts you need extra help in. Whether you end up working with a tutor or joining a study group, once you identify the concepts you don’t understand you’ll be able to move forward.

3. How often do you talk to your classroom teacher?

If like most students, you’re thrilled to run out of the classroom at the end of the period and move on to something else, you may be missing out on valuable time with your teacher. Most high school teachers have office hours at least once a week and middle school teachers generally conduct office hours by appointment. If a student didn’t understand a particular mathematical concept or if they didn’t understand the character development in a novel, for example, the first person they should talk to is their teacher. In many cases, students can get help right away and avoid having any major educational issues.

4. Do you procrastinate when it comes to getting help?

Students who wait until the end of the month to go and talk with their teacher may find they have 3 hours worth of questions but only 15 minutes to talk with their teacher. It can be overwhelming to attempt to learn all of these new concepts at once. In the future, try bringing one issue to the teacher at a time so that the amount of mental energy put in is minimal.

5. Do you have any extracurricular activities?

In some cases, students attempt to be superstars and take on everything at once. They want to get straight A’s, be the star of their sports team, volunteer, and in some cases hold a part time job all at the same time. Attempting to master all of these things can leave students in the dust. If grades have suffered significantly it’s a good idea to think about what can be done over the summer versus what absolutely has to be done now. For instance, could that volunteer activity wait until July? Can you cut back hours at a part time job and only work during the weekend? Once students find a healthy balance, they’re more likely to be able to maintain a high GPA and do well on midterms and final exams.

It’s best to take this disappointment and turn it into an opportunity. You’re capable of scoring high on your finals, you just may need a little extra help. Don’t hesitate to book your private Santa Ana tutor from TutorNerds. Call us today for more information.

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