How to Succeed in School A.R. Johnson Health Science & Engineering Magnet School Mrs. Byrd, Counselor Dr. Gude, Counselor Adapted from Madison County High School

Make School Count! This is a crucial time of your life. Surviving school—and making the most of it—is critical to you and your life for years to come. Believe it or not, the choices you make during these years will directly affect your future college and career opportunities. Make these years count !

Believe in Yourself Set goals for yourself and work to achieve those goals! Remember your grades matter….  at the end of the year (middle school) to determine if you can return to ARJ,  at the end of the year to determine if you must go to summer school,  to establish a strong pattern of achievement. “To succeed, we must first believe that we can.” --Michael Korda

Tips for Success  Take notes even if your teachers don’t require it. Even Einstein took notes!! Taking notes will help you remember information and provides you with something to study from after class.  Listen and ask questions. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Teachers don’t mind them ( most actually welcome them) as long as (A) you show that you’re listening and they haven’t already said it or (B) it’s relevant to the topic.

Tips for Success  Read something, anything…Sports Illustrated, comic books, The New York Times, your Cherrios box….Reading increases your brainpower.  Write. Writing is a way to express yourself; your ideas, opinions and knowledge. You’ll need these writing skills for high school and college!  Do the math. Even if you’re struggling in math, stay with it! Knowing math gives you many options. And yes, you will use math in everyday life!

Stay on Your Teachers’ Good Sides  You don’t have to be the teacher’s pet, but you also don’t need to spend a year avoiding a teacher you don’t like or who you think doesn’t like you. Chances are, if you think a teacher doesn’t like you, you’re probably wrong—you may need to take a closer look at the choices you’re making in the classroom.  Don’t be afraid to ask your teachers for help. Asking for help is a sign of strength and maturity. But do not ask until a week before school is out. Be responsible and approach teachers as soon as you feel your grades slipping or you need extra help!

Make Friends with a Diverse Group of People  Everyone has something to contribute and you can learn a lot from people’s differences. Don’t sacrifice your grades, but have fun. Find a group of friends that you can hang out with both in and outside of school.  Find people who you get along with and enjoy being around—people who appreciate you for who you are, people you can learn positive things from, and who improve your overall life performance. These people will make you feel better about life, and help get you through school.

Smile!  Something as small as this may not seem like much, but it can bring changes in other peoples’ attitudes right and left—smiles are contagious.  It will make you appear to be a friendly, happy, fun, and warm person.

Get Involved  Getting involved in athletics, clubs, or afterschool activities are great!  Students who are involved in these types of activities often have positive academic outcomes and positive long- term effects.

Join a Club or Activity that Matches Your Interests  Not being an athlete is no excuse for not having something to do. If you’re interested in nursing, join HOSA…Join something and be sure to stick with it; it enriches your life and looks good on college applications.  If you’re not into any of the existing clubs, ask your principal about starting a new one. It’s just one quick and easy step into initiating a new activity at your school and it shows initiative and leadership.

Getting Involved Matters  Extracurricular activities are important for colleges too!  Admissions counselors like to know that you can balance more than just your studies. Colleges want students who can make the grade and be involved on campus and in the community.

Show Your School Pride  You don’t have to wear spirit colors everyday or be a cheerleader to do this.  Represent your school in a positive way. Speak to others about the achievements being made at ARJ!

Start Thinking About College Now You don’t need to decide anything yet, but you should be thinking about where you want to go to college because you’ll need to plan for it.  Campus tours will help you decide if you want a large school or small; urban or rural; and so on.  Visit your school counselor—your counselor can help you better understand the admissions requirements and help you plan for schools that meet your interests/needs.

Focus on Yourself— Don’t Compare Yourself to Others  School is only a competition with yourself. There’s already too much on your plat to worry about trivial stuff like how you compare with others.  Everyday you should only be trying to get better, not worrying about how the girl or guy sitting in front of you has nicer clothes or more friends.  Focus on yourself. Focus on what you can do to make yourself better. Then most importantly, go for it!

Advisement Discussion Possible Topics: Setting Goals for this school year Time Management/Procrastination Extracurricular Activities

Enjoy the School Year!