How to Be the Best Student in Your Class

Co-authored by Alexander Ruiz, M.Ed.

Last Updated: September 12, 2022 References Approved

Do you want to impress your teacher? Do you want to impress your parents? Do you want to impress your friends? Maybe you just want to get the most out of your school year. Whatever your reason for wanting to be the best student in your class, there are a couple of different ways you're going to want to improve yourself. Being the best student in any class great is about more than just making the grade; it's also being a good person and showing your teacher that you take their class seriously.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Getting the Most out of Learning

1
Get your brain and body ready to learn. You will learn best and have the easiest time in school if your body is ready to learn! There are lots of things that you can do to get your body ready. Try:
- Get lots of sleep. You'll need to get the right amount of sleep for your body if you want your brain to work at its best.^{[1]
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  Research source} You should feel alert through most of the day. If you find yourself needing to shut your eyes by lunch, you're not sleeping enough. For most people, you'll need about 8 hours of sleep.
- Your body can't work right if all you eat is junk like chips, candy, and hamburgers. If you want to be the best student you can be, eat your vegetables (like broccoli), some fruit, and lean proteins (like chicken and fish).
- Drink plenty of water. Your brain needs water in order to work right. In fact, your whole body needs water in order to work right. Drink several glasses of water a day but keep in mind that some people need more water than others.^{[2]
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2
Learn in a way that works for you. Everyone learns best in different ways; this is called a learning style. Find a way that works for you and try to learn that way as much as you can.^{[3]
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Expert Source

Alexander Ruiz, M.Ed.
Educational Consultant
Expert Interview. 18 June 2020.} You'll have more control over this when you study at home, but you can also talk to your teacher about adjusting how the lessons are taught to include more variety for different style learners.^{[4]
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- For example, have you noticed that it's really easy for you to remember charts or pictures? This means you might be a visual learner, which means you should use more images and pictures in order to learn.^{[5]
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  Research source} An example of this would be if you drew yourself a chart to memorize the parts of speech.
- Maybe you've noticed that you have an easier time studying when you listen to music quietly or that you can't remember what your teacher wrote on the board but you can "hear" what they said in your head as if they were in the room now. This means you might be an auditory learner, which means you learn better with sound.^{[6]
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  Research source} An example of this would be if you record your teacher when they're talking so that you can listen to it while you do your homework or study.
- Maybe you've noticed that, during a lesson, you feel like you still want to pay attention but you really need to stand up or move around. Maybe you pace around your room while you study. This might mean that you are a kinesthetic learner, which means you learn better when you're doing things with your body.^{[7]
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  Research source} Try playing with a piece of clay in your hand while your teacher talks.
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3
Pay attention. The best thing that you can do to become the best student in any class is to pay attention to when your teacher is talking. If you get distracted you might miss important information and you'll have a harder time understanding what to do or when you have to study later.^{[8]
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- If you're having trouble staying focused when your teacher is talking, try sitting in the front and participating more in the class. Raise your hand and ask questions when you don't understand something or when your teacher says something interesting and you want to know more about it.
4
Learn how to take notes. Taking notes effectively can be tricky, but it will make it much easier for you to learn and study, which means your grades will get better and your test scores will improve so you're the best student in your class. Just remember, you don't have to write down everything your teacher says. Just write down the most important things and the things you know you'll have a hard time remembering.^{[9]
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5
Do your homework on time and well. Even if you don't get very good grades on your homework, just doing it on time will help keep your grade up as much as possible. You should aim to make your homework marks the highest in the class or you're not really trying to be the best in your class. Beyond that, do as well on your homework as you can. When you don't understand it, ask someone for help! Your teacher might be able to set you up with a tutor or even help you themselves.
- Schedule enough time to actually get your homework done. This might mean watching less TV or spending less time with your friends but it will be worth it in the end.
- Getting a good environment to do homework will really help you to get it done. Go somewhere quiet where you don't have any distractions. If you can go to a library, that's a good spot. If you can't leave your house and the people you live with are noisy, try your bedroom.^{[10]
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6
Look for extra ways to learn. Learning stuff that isn't included in your classes can help you understand the information you do cover a lot better and it can also really impress your teacher. Pursuing information in a way that follows your interests can also help you stay focused in class. Look for more ways to learn about all of the subjects you study and you'll find that all of the school is more interesting and that you're more and more successful.
- For example, if you're studying American history, you can watch documentaries online to learn even more about the era you're learning about.
- You can learn by studying books from your local library and you can also learn a lot online. While Wikipedia isn't always accurate, it's usually pretty good. You can also find documentaries and educational videos on YouTube, like the popular shows Crash Course and TedTalks. These have a lot of information that your teacher or professor didn't explain it well enough for you.
- Learn when school is out of session too. Keep learning during the summer, on the weekends, and start preparing for your next year of school as early as you can by finding out what kind of stuff you'll study. As for the summers, just reviewing the information you already learned for just two or three hours three or four times over the course of the whole summer can help make sure that you're ready when the school year starts.
7
Study earlier. When you see the number of portions just before a test, you may get scared. One of the most effective ways to get better scores on tests is to start studying and preparing for the test as early as possible. Definitely don't leave it until the night before.
- Write down the possible questions that can come on the test and start jotting down key points. Try waking up a little early the morning of the test and skim through notes you made while you were studying. It can really help you grasp last-minute details, by review those notes one last time. The harder the test will be, the earlier you should start studying. Two or three weeks is usually a good starting point.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Being a Good Person

1
Make people feel good, not bad. Being the best student in a class is about more than just getting good grades. You should also work on being a good person. You don't want to be a bully or a class clown; that will not make you the best student in the class. Focus on making people feel good by giving them compliments and telling them when they do a good job. Don't be mean to people and tease them or say hurtful things.
2
Be helpful to everyone. Be a good person by helping people when you can. If you know how to do something or you have an easier way of doing it, show them how. Don't make yourself seem smarter or better, just be nice and friendly. You can also do small nice things, like holding a door open for them or helping them carry something heavy.
- For example, if someone was gone for a few days, offer to help them get caught up and share your notes with them.
3
Be respectful to people, even when they're being mean. Even when people are mean to you, you should still be respectful. Don't shout at them or physically hurt them. Don't call them names or cut in front of them in line, just to spite them.^{[11]
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Research source} Simply ignore them and treat them like you would treat anyone else.
- Be respectful to people by not talking over them and definitely giving them a chance to talk if they want to. Respect their opinions and don't worry if they think a little bit differently than you. You should also let people be themselves and don't make them feel bad for being unique or different.
4
Stay calm. When you're in class, stay as calm as you can. Don't run around and disrupt people. You should also try not to get stressed when school gets tough. This is bad for you and it might also cause you to lash out at other people.^{[12]
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- Help yourself calm down by breathing slowly. Remind yourself that everything will be okay. You're strong enough to do this!
- Avoid worrying about perfect grades. Perfect grades really only matter your last year and a half of high school and then when you're in college (if you plan on going to graduate school later). Otherwise, just focus on learning the material as well as you can and don't worry about the numbers or letters that your teacher assigns. Knowing the material is more important than getting a grade.
5
Make things fun for everyone. Try to help everyone have fun. Be enthusiastic and positive when you're in class. This excitement to learn will make everyone feel more okay about learning. It might even get some people to show excitement when they wouldn't normally let other people see that they care.
- For example, you might start learning about the planets in your science class. Find a cool picture of your favorite planet and show it to other people, then challenge them to find a cool picture of their favorite planet.
6
Be yourself! Most importantly, be yourself. You can't be the best person you can possibly be if you're pretending to be someone else. Do the things that make you happy. Share the things that you love. Be friends with the people that get you and make you feel good about yourself. Don't worry about what other people think. The truth is that years from now, you won't even remember half of their names. If they don't think you're the coolest person now, you're not going to care in five or six years. What you will care about is how unhappy you are that you didn't do things that made you happy.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Making Your Teacher Happy

1
Be respectful. If you want to make your teacher happy, being respectful is really the best way to start. Especially if other students are disrespectful, you'll stand out and quickly become their favorite. You can do things like:^{[13]
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- Don't be disruptive. Don't pass notes, talk to your friends, make jokes, or move around too much while your teacher is talking. Although it's fine to joke around with your teacher if they like it. Just don't do it too much or your teacher might get frustrated.
- Be punctual (on time or even early) and definitely don't skip their class.
- When you're talking to them, be polite. Address them as Ma'am or Sir and use words like please and thank you. Be serious when you use the words and don't let them feel like you're making fun of them by talking like this. If they don't like it, you should stop.
2
Ask questions. Teachers like it when students ask questions. There are a few reasons for this. First of all, it tells them that you're paying attention. Second, it shows them that you think they're interesting and that you're enjoying the subject (even if you're not). Third, it makes them feel smart and helpful. Everyone likes to feel smart and helpful. Ask questions when you have them and you'll find your teacher liking you more and more.
- For example, if your teacher is talking about chemistry and Avogadro's number, ask them how they memorize the number.
- As a warning, however, try not to ask pointless questions. You don't want to ask a question just so you have a question to ask. Eventually, this will annoy your teacher and they'll think that you're doing it just for the attention.
- Do not ask personal questions or something that is important only to you. You can ask about homework, pop quiz dates or something that does not bother you alone or if you don't understand. "What pages do we have to read for tomorrow?" and "Ma'am, is there a better method to memorize this?" will be appropriate. "Why did I get a D?" and " Ma'am, which boy band is the hottest according to you?" are definite nos. "Ma'am, do you have a boyfriend?" type of questions that are related to personal relationships of teachers are not to be asked at any cost. Teachers get ticked due to this and can get you suspended.
3
Ask for help.^{[14]
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Research source} You might think that asking your teacher for help will make them mad because it makes you look stupid. This couldn't be further from the truth. Asking for help actually makes you look smart and it will make your teacher happy. When you ask questions, your teacher knows that you'll work hard and understand what they're teaching much better. They'll be proud of you for taking the initiative to get the help you know you need.
- For example, if there's a math test coming up in a few weeks, and you know that you didn't fully understand how to divide fractions, then ask your teacher if they can go over the instructions with you one more time and do two or three problems with you until you understand it.
- Say something like, "Mr. Green, I'm having a hard time with the homework. For some reason, the genitive case is just really hard for me to get. Can we maybe meet after school or during lunch, so you can try explaining it in a different way?"
4
Be a helpful student. Be a student that not only keeps out of trouble but also makes the classroom a kinder place. This is about more than just starting fights and arguments (although you shouldn't do those things either). This is also about being a person that helps solves problems when they come up. For instance:
- You remind others (without being bossy or rude) to keep to classroom rules.
- If a fight breaks out, you immediately get the nearest teacher, or diffuse the fight, or whatever is appropriate to the situation.
- You help the teacher with tasks such as handing out papers, materials, making copies, helping a student with a question, or whatever is appropriate.
- You help classmates who are having problems. If a peer is clearly upset, you try to help him. You open the door for a teacher wheeling the AV cart. You do not pass on ugly rumors, even if it is juicy gossip.
5
Stay on top of your work. Do your homework on time. Get study guides and ask for help at least two weeks before a test, and not two or three days before. Take notes. When your teacher sees you working hard, even if you're not the smartest and even if you don't get the best test scores, they'll still like you best.
- Reward yourself and take regular breaks whenever you study or do homework to help you stay motivated!^{[15]
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  Expert Source
  
  Alexander Ruiz, M.Ed.
  Educational Consultant
  Expert Interview. 18 June 2020.}
- If you need some extra motivation to study for a test, ask a friend to study with you. It will make studying more enjoyable and fun.^{[16]
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  Expert Source
  
  Alexander Ruiz, M.Ed.
  Educational Consultant
  Expert Interview. 18 June 2020.}

Expert Q&A
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Question

What should I do if I'm behind on my homework?

Alexander Ruiz, M.Ed.
Educational Consultant
Alexander Ruiz is an Educational Consultant and the Educational Director of Link Educational Institute, a tutoring business based in Claremont, California that provides customizable educational plans, subject and test prep tutoring, and college application consulting. With over a decade and a half of experience in the education industry, Alexander coaches students to increase their self-awareness and emotional intelligence while achieving skills and the goal of achieving skills and higher education. He holds a BA in Psychology from Florida International University and an MA in Education from Georgia Southern University.

Alexander Ruiz, M.Ed.

Educational Consultant

Expert Answer

Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

I would take a weekend and turn it into a “homework retreat”. Schedule out an entire weekend to get all school and homework assignments completed until you're caught up. When scheduling your weekend, do not forget to schedule breaks, snacks, rewards, and energizers to help you stay motivated.
Question

What if I have a hard time paying attention in class?

Alexander Ruiz, M.Ed.
Educational Consultant
Alexander Ruiz is an Educational Consultant and the Educational Director of Link Educational Institute, a tutoring business based in Claremont, California that provides customizable educational plans, subject and test prep tutoring, and college application consulting. With over a decade and a half of experience in the education industry, Alexander coaches students to increase their self-awareness and emotional intelligence while achieving skills and the goal of achieving skills and higher education. He holds a BA in Psychology from Florida International University and an MA in Education from Georgia Southern University.

Alexander Ruiz, M.Ed.

Educational Consultant

Expert Answer

Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

So one big piece of advice would be to take a recording device to class. You'll need your teacher's permission of course. By recording your classes, you don't have to worry about missing anything when you're taking notes. You can just go back and listen to the recordings when it's time to study for your exams or fill in your notes.
Question

I feel shy asking questions, so what can I do?

Community Answer

Try not to pay attention to what other people think of you. Understand that asking questions is a good thing, it helps you to better understand something crucial in class. Your teacher will like it that you are asking questions. If you are shy about asking questions, meet with your teacher privately after class or ask a friend. Teachers also love it when you ask for different ways to solve a problem.

Warnings

Don't overwhelm yourself with work. Life is not just about school work! Remember that you are human too.

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Don't brag. Many people with high marks like to brag. Show your marks to others, if they ask, but do not brag.

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If you cheat, there is a good chance that you will get caught and if a teacher sees you are cheating, he/she will change his/her mind about you.

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There is a fine line between being a genuinely helpful student, and one that is an over-enthusiastic "goody-two-shoes" that is overly dependent on the teacher's praise and attention. Be sure to let others also help the teacher.

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