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Study Series: The difference between A & B Grade students
Updated: Sep 12
School takes up a substantial portion of our time. But you might be surprised to learn that the best students don’t always study the most number of hours.
There is a difference in the way top students study. We'll explore them here.
The difference between A and B grade students is in how they learn. And the difference in how you learn will be the deciding factor between having free time outside of class to do the things you love - or having no free time at all as a mountain of study materials pile down on you.
There is a gap in the mindset and skill of B grade students. At Bridge Elite, we are here to bridge that gap.
Some students mistakenly rely on putting extra hours into assignments and revision, calling it extra effort, without first spending a bit of time first to gain a clarity which is crucial. Successful students have a clear overview over their study materials. This clarity is the make-or-break differentiator for top scorers.
In this post, we’ll briefly explore why.
Smart students devise study plans As a smart students, review your taught modules in advance. Rather than avoiding reality, spend a few minutes to gain a clear overview of which modules you need help with. That way, you can bring those modules to their teachers and tutors to devise a study strategy together.
Once that overview is made, you can clearly break down the syllabus into a to-do list and start to estimate the amount of time you plan to use to catch up on the module. This alleviates overwhelm, and allows you to repurpose that time for studying rather than worrying. Effective use of time translates to better grades.
Organization allows for strategy. Having a strategy then reduces chaos. With a clear overview of what you need to do, the subject feels less overwhelming and you can focus better, thus using your time more effectively.
Smart Students know their exam format The smartest way to use a tutor is:
Review a subject with them to a. Gain new knowledge and new perspectives b. Fill knowledge gaps / make sure you fully understand the topic in GCSE terms c. Obtain study materials d. Obtain past paper resources (gain an advantage by being familiar with the exam format. Past Paper questions force you to apply your new knowledge into your Exam Board’s specific scoring criteria and exam format)
Smart Students are resourceful Smart Students do the best they can to obtain new resources from their teachers and tutors. An they have a killer instinct for how to use those materials in their unguided study time! (More about the killer instinct here: link to the importance of habits)
Smart Students make effort with their teacher (even if they hate them) Last but not least, interpersonal skills are everything. Your teachers and tutors are people, after all. Until your teachers get replaced by AI, how you show effort and initiative towards your studies will influence how much they are able to help you in return.
It only takes 30 minutes of organization to gain back hours of effective study time. Then, make a habit out of it.
Leverage your tutor One more thing you can do to gain an edge: ask your tutor lots of questions to better understand your exam format and how they aced their exams when they went through what you did, and be proactive in presenting your own study plan to your tutor. These things will maximize your time in class, in tutoring sessions and in self-study time. B Grade students work with what they are given. A Grade students make what they are given work for them. So to wrap it up, study smart to bridge the gap - devise your own study plan instead of letting your school decide for you.
After all, time is limited and every hour counts!