Getting to the Top in Class

The academic achievement of a 19 year old student of the University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City, is simply amazing. Mr John Gabriel Perias as reported in the Philippine Daily Inquirer will graduate this summer,Summa Cum Laude in BS Mathematics with a general weighted average (GWA) of 1.016. This feat is extraordinary given the high academic standards for which the University of the Philippine is known. What's more. He just broke the university's post war record (1948) of 1.193 GWA.

This teen ager for sure is very intelligent. From what is known, he graduated valedictorian in high school. But what made him tick? What made him different from lots of high school valedictorians out there. He appears normal. Writing short novels, watching tv and playing piano are his past times.

His professors credited him with unwavering focus and maturity beyond his years.I would say the key to his outstanding success was his strategy to study his subjects excessively in advance. According to him he spent his summer vacations studying subjects for the next semester. The advance knowledge of his subjects no doubt accelerates understanding and absorption of topics discussed during his classes. This coupled with his natural intelligence,discipline and perseverance make an extraordinary academic performance.

Apparently spending summers studying subjects for the next semester is a vey tough act to follow. Typical students distance themselves from anything related to studies during school breaks. But maybe aspiring honor students and those struggling to get good grades need not go to the extremes. Try this tip I gathered and observed from honor students which enhances good understanding and absorption of subject matters:

-Read in advance the topics which will be taken up in your next class in the morning or just before you go to class. No need to understand fully the topics. Getting acquainted with some concepts and terms would suffice.
- After the class, during your free time, read your notes. Review the topics discussed in your class.

Of course there is no substitute for adequate and advance preparations during major examinations.