<p>A tongue-in-cheek definition of insanity is doing the same thing and expecting different results 
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<p>Your GPA isn’t going to come up unless you do something different. Trying end runs for admission like building up your ECs isn’t going to change the main thing colleges care about – your ability to learn, whch they infer by looking at your grades and test scores. In HS I think just about anyone can get mostly A’s provided they’re willing to use the right techniques for studying and willing to spend the time it takes to learn the material. This doesn’t mean studying every waking moment, but it does mean having the perseverance to stay with something even if it is discouraging until they see improvement and mastery.</p>
<p>I’m not trying to be discouraging here, BTW. This is a message of hope! By changing what you do I have every belief you can change the results you are getting. “I don’t test well” is a crutch. You can keep using it, or you can decide you want things to change and that you’re willing to take the steps to change. The first without the second won’t do it. </p>
<p>You might be thinking “wait a second; the other kids are smarter, they get it easier, I can’t do that.” People believe that and use it as an excuse to explain why they’re where they are, but there’s not much truth behind it. People differ in ability, but serious academic research into genius (people that have a “gift” for something) has found that the main gift they have is for hard work. See <a href=“http://■■■■■■■.com/y84xvo[/url]”>http://■■■■■■■.com/y84xvo</a> and <a href=“http://■■■■■■■.com/34l3a3[/url]”>http://■■■■■■■.com/34l3a3</a> Tiger Woods has a talent for golf, but he wouldn’t be the Tiger Woods we know without being the hardest working golfer on the tour. </p>
<p>You need to figure out what’s going wrong and how to fix it. This probably isn’t a do-it-yourself task, you need help and advice. Start by talking with your teachers. They see your tests, they see how you take part in class, etc. Ask them what the top students are doing that you’re not, what they’d suggest for you to improve.</p>
<p>There is a book I recommend all students own before starting college. It’s called “What Smart Students Know” by Adam Robinson, written by one of the founders of the test prep service Princeton Review. I have never seen a better explanation of the steps you need to follow to really <em>learn</em> the material, and if you’ve learned it well you will have little trouble with grades. The book explains how to study different kinds of material, take effective notes, prepare for tests, etc. </p>
<p>If I was to give advice in a nutshell, it’s be involved with the material. Don’t just read the text and go “uh-huh, uh-huh, makes sense, yep”; question and test yourself to make sure you really understand. In math/science classes this is easy because every chapter has problems you can use to test if you can apply what you’ve just learned, but other texts usually have chapter questions too.</p>
<p>There are also supplemental books worth buying; go to amazon and type in “calculus problem solver” or replace calculus with whatever subject you are studying. These books are a godsend! It’s like having a tutor sitting at your elbow asking you a question and writing out the correct answer. Simply cover the answer and try it yourself; repeat until you can solve that type of problem quickly and correctly. If you had been using one of these books your Chem and Algebra grades could have been an A (provided you were willing to spend the time to stay at it until you learn the material). In the social sciences there are some outline books, but often you’re more on your own. The book I mentioned above explains how to study and review this material.</p>
<p>For this summer my advice it to first take part in ECs you enjoy because they mean something to you, not because they might help in college admissions. The 2nd is to get the book I mentioned and read it, get ready to apply the lessons in the fall.</p>