School just started, and you might not be too sure what you’re in for academically.
Perhaps some of you might be new to the Grade Point Average (GPA) system, after all this is a whole new ballgame compared to Secondary school. Others might still have questions on how GPA works or how you can strategize to gain the most out of your time in Poly.
If you have these questions in mind, you are at the right place. To game the GPA system, you’ve got to first understand its rules.
GPA stands for Grade Point Average, and the word ‘average’ suggests that many different scores are taken into consideration. Do check out my previous article on The Ultimate Guide to Calculating Your GPA to familiarise yourself with the concept of GPA.
#1 Focus on Modules with Higher Credit Units
Not all grades carry an equal percentage. Grades from modules with higher credit units contribute more to your GPA than those with lower credit units.
In the event that you are unable to manage all your modules, it might be wiser to focus on those with higher credit units. Those are also usually your core modules, which double up as prerequisites for other modules. This means you are required to pass before you move on to read other modules, which brings me to the next point.
#2 Do it Once, Do it Well
If you have a common test, aim to do it once and do it well. Depending on the lecturer, the retest could have a cap. So even if you do score 80% for the retest, you may only get a 50%.
Having to do a retest also means that you have to spend more time studying for it, leaving less time on the following topics or other assignments that are due.
#3 Score the “Free Marks”
Unlike in O or N levels where your entire grade for some subjects is dependent on a single examination, your final grade in Poly is usually made up of various components.
They range from common tests, practical tests, presentations and exams which take up a larger percentage of your overall grade, to online quizzes, daily assignments and class participation, which are more minor components.
However, do not belittle these seemingly minor components that might weigh 5%~10%. It could determine whether you score a B instead of a C, and even push you up from an A- to an A.
Sometimes these components are giveaway marks. For instance, if there is an online quiz to be done at your own time, sit with some friends, get your notes ready and solve them together. Some of these online quizzes allow unlimited tries, so do them until you get full marks.
#4 Understand the Assignment
Most lectures, labs and assignments come with learning objectives. Taking a minute to read and understand what you’re meant to learn gives you a bigger picture of the assignment.
Assignments, projects and presentations typically also include grading rubrics. Read through it to see what differentiates each grade, so that you understand what the lecturers are looking for when they are grading your work.
Instead of blindly completing your work, complete your assignment in a manner that fulfills the learning objectives and ensure it contains components listed in the grading rubrics. This reduces the chances of you going off topic, and serves as a checklist for your assignment.
#5 Don’t be Complacent, but Don’t Burnout too
While it’s easy to become complacent with good grades, it is also easy to study until you’re burnt out. To avoid both extremes, you should pace yourself because
Poly is not a sprint to the finishing line,
but a three year long distance marathon.
If you did last minute cramming for your O or N levels, you could have still scored decently. However, this strategy might not serve you well in Poly as GPA is the average of all your modules across the three years. If you are stuck with subpar GPA after the first year, it will be tough (but not impossible!) to graduate with a good GPA.
Do not be discouraged if your past semester grades were not as stellar as you expected. Every new semester is a new chance to do better. Even if you can’t pull up your grades to your desired GPA, remember that the learning matters more than your eventual grades.
With that said, do still take your time to enjoy all that Poly has to offer—the community, facilities, resources, CCAs, and much more. Learn to properly rest, recharge and reset during the holidays to continue on the road ahead! It is possible to enjoy Poly, be actively involved in CCAs and still do well!
There are many external factors that can affect your grades and ultimately, your GPA (eg. bell curve, subjectivity of module etc). So while you can plan and strategize, don’t dwell on your grades and become obsessed with them.
GPA will just be an entrance ticket to your next destination, it’s the soft skills and knowledge that will help you get through life!
