I’ve been teaching teenagers for over twenty years. I have had hundreds of students accepted into the best universities in the United States. I’ve also had students who never graduated high school.

There is one thing I know for sure: You can learn how to do better in school. 

Personally, I wasn’t spectacular in high school at all. I was mostly a low B student, who got some A’s and some C’s. I didn’t really excell until I went to college and started learning how to be a successful student. Once I figured out that successful students do similar things, I started doing those same things too.

As a result, I graduated college with honors and then earned a Master’s Degree from The University of Chicago. Some kids figure out how to be successful in school at a very young age. Others, like me, are late bloomers.

Fortunately, you don’t have to wait until you figure it out on your own. You can start, right now, following these 20 steps and learn how to be a successful student.

Organization Will Help You Do Well in School

1) You Need A System

The research is clear. It’s essential that you have a method of organization to keep track of assignments and due dates. Do not rely on your memory or your friends or the mood you’re in.

Instead, rely on a system so that you don’t have to spend time and energy figuring out what to do and when to do it.  My top three suggestions are…

• Google Cal
• My Study Life App
• Old-fashioned assignment notebook

Honestly, it doesn’t matter what system of organization you choose. All that matters is that you have a way of keeping track of all your assignments and deadlines. This is how to be smart in school.

These days, most school/teachers are using an on-line system. Make sure you check it nightly and also make sure you have a monthly view for all long-range assignments.

If you want to be good in school, learn to improve your organizational skills.

2) Organize your Priorities

Everyday you will be tempted to put something off until later. You will feel like going on social media before doing math or watching Netflix before doing your reading. You will feel like playing video games before starting your paper.

Don’t give in to the urge.

Everyday that you choose your priority over your urge, you build self-discipline and self-love. Every day that you give in to the urge, you damage your self-discipline and you will start hating on yourself and labeling yourself a procrastinator.

It’s true. Self-discipline is a form of self-love. If you let your urges lead your life, you will begin to dislike your life. Urges are completely normal.  Giving in to all your urges, however, is completely up to you.

Be kind to yourself and take care of the important things.  You deserve breaks and rewards…but only after you’ve taken care of your priorities first.

3) Plan, plan, plan

At the end of the month, look over the upcoming month. Make sure you see all the school related and outside of school commitments that are coming up. Get a sense of which week will be your busiest this month.

Every Sunday, look over the upcoming week. What projects, papers, quizzes and tests are on the horizon?  What days and times will you complete these or study?

Plan your week out so that you determine your own pace and don’t simply frantically react to that history paper that’s due tomorrow.

Every night, plan your next day. You have a general layout from Sunday, but you will need to make minor adjustments on a nightly basis.

4) Organize your School Materials

Get rid of unnecessary handouts and worksheets.

Charge your computer in the same spot every night.

Put your backpack in the same spot every night.

Researchers have recently proven that we all have a limited amount of decision-making capacity each day. In other words, as the day goes on and we make more and more decisions, our brains will experience brain fatigue.

If you’ve ever taken an ACT or SAT, then you know exactly what I’m talking about.  There’s a reason these tests are given in the morning. It’s because your brain has made fewer decisions and is “well rested.”

If there is something that you need to do daily, then create a routine so you don’t have to scramble around figuring it out in the morning.

5) Organize your Workspace

Find a distraction free room.

Work at a clutter free desk or table.

Make sure you have proper lighting.

Only open one browser tab at a time.

Put your phone in another room. Do this and you will see results!

Researchers at The University of Chicago found that even the mere presence of a turned off phone interferes with concentration.

Habits for Success in School

6) Work in intervals & schedule breaks

I suggest 20 to 40 minute work intervals and 5-10 min breaks. Do not ignore the breaks. The downtime actually makes you more productive.

The only way to keep yourself accountable is to use a timer. An added bonus is that you are training your natural “sense of time.”

This will come in handy during exams and standardized tests.

7) Exercise Matters

If you are on a sports team, then you’ve got this covered. If not, at least build in daily walks. When you get stressed, the hormone cortisol builds up in your body, and it lingers. Physical activity is a great way to release and reduce extra cortisol.

For the same reason, you should get that heart rate going in PE class. Don’t slack off because you can boost your mood. If you want to decrease your feeling of stress, then increase your amount of exercise.

8) Review instead of Cram

Each day, review a different subject.  For example, math on Monday, physics on Tuesday, history on Wednesday, etc.  By taking the additional time to review concepts, terms, equations, problems, etc, you are transferring information from your short term memory to your long term memory.

This helps you truly learn the material, and it helps prevent cramming right before an assessment. Learning how to be smart in school is about learning how to review instead of cram.

It’s possible that you’ve been getting by with cramming, but it will catch up to you. The goal is to grow and learn. If you cram, you will remember nothing and end up in the exact same spot you were a week ago. In other words, no growth and no learning.

9) Participate in Class

This means two things–talk and listen. If you are extremely shy and hate talking, then make it a goal to say just one thing in each class every day.  That’s it–one thing. Even if you’re just asking a question.

Do not go an entire class without one question or comment. Studies have shown that class participation has numerous benefits.

If you already consider yourself a top participator in the class, then you might want to work on your listening skills. There are always a few kids in every class who like to hear themselves talk. Be careful and find a good balance between talking and listening.

10) Read and Follow Directions

Possibly more important than all the other school tips on here. Success in school is often determined by your ability to produce exactly what’s expected. This is typically a matter of following directions step-by-step.

Do you remember getting that list of 20 instructions in 3rd grade? The first thing said, “read all the directions first,” then you had to do 18 different things and the last thing said, “only do #1 and #2.”  That 3rd grade activity should be done every year as a reminder of the importance of following directions.

Over my 20 years of teaching, thousands of points have been lost from students for simply not following directions.  I say “simply” half-jokingly because it’s not always that simple.

It takes patience and concentration to make sure that you completely understand what’s expected, and it sometimes takes courage to ask a clarifying question.

Figuring out how to do well in school doesn’t have to be complicated. Make it a habit to carefully read and follow directions.

Tricks and Tips to Be a Successful Student

11) Be Likable and Polite

I’m not saying be a “kiss up.” I’m saying talk to your teacher or at least the kids around you when you enter the classroom. Turn your phone off and put it away.

Say “excuse me” and “thank you.” This is about having good manners. Your teachers will notice this. Occasional sarcasm can be funny. Overly sarcastic can get old and turn people off.

There’s zero benefit to cracking jokes at other classmates’ expense or putting them down with your chirps. Once in awhile with a good friend, fine.  Every day, not cool.

You’re going to have bad days, you’re human…we all do.  But, please don’t always dress in black from head to toe, walk everywhere with your head down, refuse to talk, harbor anger toward the world and tell yourself that you are the most misunderstood teenager on the planet.

The reality is that happier students have higher GPAs, according to this Harvard University study.

So, remind yourself of this truth: you’re actually a very beautiful soul, who has so much to offer this world. Don’t be afraid to let that beauty shine through you. Stop hiding it. I know it’s in there, and I can’t wait until you realize how incredible you really are. Shine on!

12) See Your Teacher as Soon as You Feel “lost”

We didn’t get into this profession to confuse kids.

We didn’t become teachers for the pay.

We’re trying to make a difference in the lives of teenagers and help create a brighter future.

We are here to help…just ask.  The kids who know how to do good in school, know how to ask for help.

13) Write out Flashcards

Students have been using flashcards for decades. Why? Because they are proven to work.

There is a connection between writing and learning, so I recommend that you write them out.

Have someone else make sure that you know those terms and you’re not fooling yourself.

Also, don’t wait until a few days before the test to write these up. Rather, write your flashcards on a nightly or weekly basis. This will help you review on a weekly basis, which is essential to learning instead of cramming.

14) Thinking is Linking

As you go through the day learning new material, ask yourself “How does this connect to other things I know?” At first, you will probably make obvious connections.

For example, if you’re learning about the Athenians of Classical Greece, make connections to all the other things you know about Greece at this time.  Then begin to expand, and start asking yourself how this connects to what was going on in other parts of the world at this time.

Continue by making connections across time periods up until today.  What modern connections can you make between Classical Greece and now?

Finally, make Big Idea connections with other disciplines. Ask yourself how the values and ideas from Classical Greece connect to literature, architecture, theater, psychology, science, math, etc.

Making these kinds of connections is at the heart of becoming a better thinker. Thinking is linking.  The more connections you make the better you become and making connections.

So, train your brain to do this as you sit in class. If you like to doodle, then doodle with intent and make connections.

The opposite of this approach is “just get it done.” This mentality gets in the way of truly learning.

If you only focus on getting the assignment done, it might look like you know how to succeed in school, but you are missing a huge opportunity to grow and learn.

If your only focus is “just get it done,” you’re not building important connections. Instead, you see all subjects as completely separate.

Try to think interdisciplinary. Your teachers know the value of interdisciplinary thinking and will help you, but you need to also do this on your own.

There are lots of connections to be made; it just takes practice.

15) Go to the Bathroom during Passing Periods 

I get it, you can’t always wait. Okay, but if you are constantly leaving class you are…

A) interrupting your own learning and will have to re-enter class a little lost.

B) possibly missing something really important.

C) sending a message to the teacher that you’re not taking the class seriously.

There’s a huge difference between a quick water break and gone for 10 mins every single class. Limit the number of times that you ask to leave.

If you don’t think you have enough time during passing periods, then get to class right away, drop your stuff off, and then run to the bathroom.

Mindset to Be Successful in Education

16) You CAN Change Your Brain

A growth mindset is essential to success in school and life. First, recognize what all the research tells us…the brain has plasticity and is not fixed.

If you don’t believe me, watch this TED Talk entitled: The Most Important Lesson From 83,000 Brain Scans.

Do you understand what this means?

This means that “I’m not good at math” should be “I haven’t practiced enough math to get good, yet.” Do not fool yourself and believe those fixed mindset comments.

We know that habits are hard to change, but we also know that they are not impossible. You CAN change your brain. You can practice the habits of successful students.

17) Learning is More Important than Grades

You’ve heard it a million times because it’s true.  Learning is much more important than the letter grade. I remember a college English professor telling everyone on the first day, “No one gets an A in here.”  Lots of kids dropped that class.

I wanted to prove to him that I could be the one to get an A.  It was a writing class, and he believed that a paper could always be better, which is why he allowed us to revise our papers up to ten times. I took advantage of those opportunities to revise, but I still never got an A.

Like many others in the class, I got a B. I worked harder for that B than any of the four A’s I earned that semester. I also learned more about writing in that one class than all my other classes combined.

If you put learning first, the payoff will last longer than your academic career. I didn’t get the A, but I got something so much more valuable–strong writing skills and confidence in my ability to write well.

18) What You Consume Matters

What are you consuming with a majority of your free time?  Are you scrolling through social media and merely clicking the like button. Are you spending hours on entertainment?  Or, are you spending hours on enrichment?

Better yet, have you found that precious gem, that thing that is both enriching and fun for you?

If you like business, then read about the movers-and-shakers in the business world.  Learn about the economy, trends, influencing factors, keys to success, etc.

Find something to really dive deep into. If not business, what then? It’s totally up to you. If you’re not sure, that’s okay. But, that doesn’t get you off the hook.

Keep searching. Stay open to trying new things and learning about different topics and ideas.

How well do you follow current events?  You don’t have to become an expert, but you should have an idea of the major stories around the nation and the world. This will help you expand your mind.

What you consume matters. Don’t let those guilty pleasures become daily priorities and habits, and don’t forget #1–you CAN change your brain.

19) Seek Out the Uncomfortable

Doing this will put you light years ahead of your peers. A Yale University study has scientifically proven what I’m sure you instinctively know: The only way to truly grow is to get uncomfortable. Typically, most teenagers shy away from anything that gets them out of their comfort zone.

Try the opposite.

Do things that you normally avoid. Say things that you wish you had the courage to say. Refuse to do something that you just don’t have time to do. For some, saying “no” can be very uncomfortable.

Stick with trying to figure something out much longer than you normally would. At least once a day, put down the electronic device and do something a little scary!

As you start proving to yourself that you can handle getting out of your comfort zone, you will build momentum. You will fall in love with challenging yourself, and you will become unstoppable!

20) You Do Not Equal Your Grades

Never forget this…Grades do not define you.  You are a person with all sorts of good qualities (and some flaws too). You are filled with creativity and emotion. You are infinite possibilities.  You are not, and you never will be, a percentage or a letter.

Your GPA, your course load, your sports or extracurricular accomplishments, your admission to a certain college are all different things about you, but none of it defines you.

You know this already, but you often forget it and end up talking down to yourself. I know this because that’s what the human brain does. It is hardwired to seek out problems.

First, understand this is just the sign of a healthy brain doing what it’s supposed to do. Recognize that this negativity bias really is normal.

Second, refuse to let this negative talk convince you that you are just a grade or an accomplishment. The brain seeking out problems is normal, but you still have a choice.  You do not have to agree with it!

You get to decide if you want to accept the negative talk and think of yourself as just a percentage or a letter. I hope you remind yourself that you are so much more.

I believe in you. Now, it’s time to believe in yourself!