Workshop offers advice to improve grades fast

By Carla Rivera/reporter

In a workshop to help students raise their GPAs, NE advisers told students that grade replacement is the fastest way to improve a GPA.

In a campus community room March 26, four advisers took turns giving an interactive presentation to students complete with handouts and light refreshments.

“If a student didn’t get a good GPA in a semester, they can retake the classes that they didn’t do well in and replace the grade with higher ones,” said Ronda Isaacs, NE special services coordinator. “Students must take the exact course again to replace their grade and not a different one.”

TCC has resources to aid in the transfer process to a four-year university, said Brittni Hollis, NE transfer center coordinator.

Hollis recommended that when a class is optional in a student’s degree plan, they should take the class anyway because it shows that the student is serious about their major.

Miller gave the students a questionnaire which categorized them into either a visual, auditory or kinetic learning style. Once categorized, Miller gave tips to best accommodate each style.

“How did you learn your ABCs?” NE academic adviser Carey Miller asked. “The alphabet song, right? When you were young they took a song you already knew, ‘Twinkle Twinkle Little Star,’ and they put your ABCs to it.”

The ABCs example was for auditory learners who can use mnemonics, jingles and auditory repetition for studying.

“This is a race. You are the driver. You will finish this race,” NE counselor Masika Smith said. “With the resources and help, you will finish this race.”

Students received handouts on different resources available to students. She then asked the audience which places to go when they need help on something. Audience members were given a stress ball after each question.

At the end of the workshop, each attendee received a certificate indicating their completion of the workshop.