Moving Forward for Improvement in Grades

Alex and Rebecca have made very valid points in their posts regarding grades and reactions to grades last week.  I would like to add some additional observations.

Our law students with few exceptions have always beeen at the top of the heap.  A and B grades have come easily to them during their educational lives.  In addition they have been campus leaders, successful athletes, officers in community youth groups - and for the non-traditional students, community leaders and exemplary employees.  Whether their grades are good for law school (but just not good enough for them) or in the great middle of the class (those ever present C grades) or at the bottom of the heap for law school (probation or dismissal), the shock is there when their expectations are not met.

To be very honest, I find that many law students have not learned good study habits in prior educational settings even though they got excellent grades.  A variety of factors play into that situation:

• grade inflation (one study showed that 75% of college grades are As and Bs),
• multiple-choice "just recognize the right answer" exams,
• no papers or only short papers written,
• papers that focus on just ideas and not writing style/grammar/punctuation,
• spoon feeding of what will need to be regurgitated on the exam,
• multiple exams that allow for cramming pieces of a course rather than comprehensive understanding of material,
• grading that allows for the lowest grade on exams/assignments to be dropped,
• group work that allows slackers to coast for the same grade as the others who did the work,
• and many more aspects. 

When students are suddenly confronted with the amount of material in law school courses and the one-grade phenomenon of many courses, their old study habits no longer work.  This reality is especially true if they came from educational backgrounds that were not competitive for grades and handed out accolades for basically showing up and doing the minimum.

The good news for all law students is that solid study strategies can be learned and make a difference in one's grades.  More efficient and effective reading, briefing, note-taking, outlining, and exam-taking can all boost grades.  Time management and organization are key skills that can also be learned. 

Attitude is critical as well.  Realizing that one can change and improve is important to future success.  Willingness to work hard and change one's habits are major steps.  Some law students get discouraged and settle for being average or below average as though their destiny is fixed after grades come out. 

Do not give in to that mindset!  Students can change their academic study strategies and reach their academic potential.  Students can improve their grades wherever they currently fall in their classes.  All students can change their strategies and gain greater learning with less stress.

Why do I believe this?  I work weekly with a number of probation students each semester to help them find more efficient and effective ways to study.  Look at some statistics for grades this past semester from probation students who met with me regularly, changed their study strategies, and worked smarter.  Some made greater strides than others, but improvement resulted.  (I have not included information for 3 probation students whose grades for one course are still unreported.) 

GRADE POINT PRIOR SEMESTER'S COURSES       GRADE POINT FALL SEMESTER COURSES

(last enrolled regular semester GPA; not cum GPA)   (fall semester GPA; not cum GPA)

• 1.321                                                                            2.666
• 1.428                                                                            2.750
• 1.571                                                                            3.045
• 1.607                                                                            2.678
• 1.642                                                                            2.607
• 1.642                                                                            2.678
• 1.714                                                                            3.000
• 1.733                                                                            2.250
• 1.750                                                                            2.650
• 1.857                                                                            2.500
• 1.892                                                                            2.785
• 2.107                                                                            3.384
• 2.250                                                                            2.333

And here are the statistics for 2 other probation students:

• 1.642                                                                            1.857     (cancelled many ASP appointments;                                                                                         up for dismissal)
• 1.866                                                                            3.600    (did not meet with ASP)

Intervention by the Office of Academic Success Programs is not the only variable that determines improvement as can be seen by the last example.  The number of strategies implemented, the number of hours studied, motivation, individual appointments with professors for help, personal circumstances, sleep/nutrition/exercise, and other variables also have impacts. 

The point is that for all of the students who implemented more efficient and effective study strategies, improvement happened.  Once all the grades are in for the remaining 3 students, will all of the students I met with meet academic standards?  Maybe not, but 13 probation students have already exceeded the standards they needed and are on the road to future success.  By honing their new study strategies, they should be able to continue at their new academic levels and beyond.

The take away from this post: Put last semester's GPA behind you and move forward by seeking assistance from ASP and your professors so that you can implement new study strategies to help you improve your grades and live up to your academic potential.  There is no magic bullet or guarantee, but there is hope.  (Amy Jarmon)