What are some things to remember when trying to maintain a high gpa?

College is about learning content, developing critical thinking skills, but it is also about developing yourself as a person - social, leadership, and relational skills. Get involved! Join a club, look into becoming a resident assistant in the dorms, follow your passions! If you don't know what passions you have, talk with someone in Student Activities, in Career Services, or in the Counseling Center. All these services are included in your tuition fee - use them and make connections with these people. They are in the field because they like college students and want to help!

Good luck and go for it! Get out of your comfort zone a little bit each day - before you know it, you'll see the changes in yourself and who you hang out with.

Vanessa, thanks for raising this question as to relates to your desire to finish your college experiences with a commendable GPA. Graduating with honors is a good goal to pursue, but like all lofty goals, it's not without challenges. Here are some things I'd encourage you to remember as you move forward:

First and foremost, as you might expect, it's going to require focused attention, time and work on your part. Obviously that can be said for anything requiring hard work, but this is specific for you because it's personal. If you have struggled to maintain some kind of disciple in terms of your academic responsibilities as a college student, this will continue to be a challenge for you. Don't get me wrong - graduating with honors can be done, but it's especially difficult if you haven't developed a sense of balance in terms of your commitments and how to manage your time and energy effectively toward succeeding in the classroom.

Secondly, whether you're well on your way to achieving this goal or struggling to get through the day-to-day challenges, it's critical to have some kind of support system. This could entail a number of various resources. I'd encourage you to consider asking a close friend or family member to keep you accountable for your efforts. Next, I'd research and locate any of the learning resource centers on campus - if you live on campus - to see how you can utilize the services they offer toward helping you reach your goal. Finally, I would recommend contacting your professor and/or the course teaching assistant (TA) so that you understand how you can succeed in every course. Having support systems in place can often make the difference between thriving and just holding on until the semester ends!

Best of luck!
Matt