Everyone knows about straight “A” students. They always top in class, they get high grades, and their noses are always stuck in books. But, what does it really take to become one of them? Brain and hard work are not the only answer. High grades don’t always go to the most intelligent and diligent students. Students at the top of the class get there by mastering the following basic techniques.

Be disciplined

You should always have focus. Schedule your study time, set your goals and priorities, and make sure you commit to them. No matter what happens, no matter where you are, be sure to complete your revisions, take down notes, and do your homework. Nothing gets in the way. You should understand the value of positive results, and the role of study in getting there. Thus, never lose a disciplined focus.

Set goals

Top students are always motivated. They don’t persevere with a task just to get it done. They do it because they have a desired outcome. As a student, you should know what it is you are studying towards—whether it is simply the idea that having good grades will provide you a better career in the future, or something more short-term like an examination result. Establish goals and reward yourself—it’s very important to have fun and feel the fruit of your labor.

Speak up

Straight “A” students always participate in class discussions. They ask a lot of questions and they seek explanation when they don’t understand an idea or concept. Understanding the issue or subject is very important to them. Also, they have tutors, including online tutoring service like Growing Stars, which help them out.

Get organized

Studying can sometimes feel pretty overwhelming, which can cause anxiety. However, straight “A” students can make it easy by breaking complex tasks down into more manageable pieces of work. They write “to-do” list so they know what needs to be done by a certain time. This simply means that you can be able to get a sense of momentum by getting smaller tasks done within set time-frames, which eventually builds towards something bigger. For instance, rather than allocating a day to write an essay, you may allocate one night gathering information, another night to structuring the essay, another night to writing its introduction, etc.

Do a little bit more

Although quality is more important than quantity, successful students tend to go a little further with their study and school-work. For instance, when their teacher assigns five mathematical problems, they do ten. If the science teacher assigns nine pages of reading, they read 12. Part of learning is practicing, and the more you practice and work hard, the more you learn and get better results.

Teach others

According to Frank Oppenheimer, the famous American Particle Physicist, “the best way to learn is to teach”, and he is absolutely right. If you want to explain an idea well, you should have a deep understanding of it. When you’re asked to teach someone, you will find a way to understand the subject matter, and explain the information into your own words. It forces you to figure out the main idea of the topic and how it is applied.

Balance everything

Moderation is very important. Studying too much causes you to lose interest and burn out. Top students balance their school work with exercise, social life, and most importantly, plenty of rest. Getting enough rest helps your mind absorb and understand a lot more information.

Study together

Studying doesn’t have to be a lonely activity. Getting involved with others through group assignments, or study groups help you make your study time more efficient because you share the workload. Also, you will learn the way other people study and think—you might even get some tips. Studying together also makes the task more enjoyable.

Be initiative

In the quest to really understand a concept or subject matter, top students are proactive with their interest. They usually consult different subject experts or teachers, indulge their interest at the school or local library, and even spend time reading and researching more about the field. If you are interested in something, don’t hesitate to explore it. Don’t limit your interest to your course outline.

Test your knowledge

Practice makes perfect. Straight “A” students not only study hard, but they also test their knowledge. Most teachers will provide test questions and/or practice exams, and there are a lot of educational websites that provide sample questions on most subjects. Get these questions and test your knowledge of the subject.

Straight “A” students are not always more intelligent, but they do work harder and smarter. “Knowing how to make the most of your innate abilities counts for more. Infinitely more,” says Herbert Walberg, a professor of education who conducted major studies of super-achieving students.