What does it take to get an "A"?

Doing well in school, especially community college, is easier than you think. Like I said in a previous post everyone in the military picks up the tools they need to succeed. The trick is figuring out how to use those tools.

The effort for a good grade will vary a lot from class to class. Physics is a hard class (even the non-math physics they have for knuckle draggers like me) and will take a lot of studying each week to get an A. Compare that to something like English 1A or Sociology 1--these classes are a cake walk. You'll still have to work, sure, but it doesn't take the same amount of time and you won't pull out half your hair getting frustrated.

Case in point: I have a buddy who spends 20-25 hours a week on his physics homework. Man, I could read every English book for the whole semester in two weeks doing that!

Besides convincing you not to be a physics major, I'm trying to help you understand the type and amount of effort will vary depending on what you do. It's never a bad idea of try a few of the basic courses in a department - English, Psychology, Mathematics, Chemistry, etc - when you start out. These are usually the ones listed with numbers like 1 or 1A that don't have any prerequisite course (meaning you have to take a different course before taking that one).

This will help you get a feel for what teachers expect, including how you much should pay attention to the syllabus (a piece of paper handed out on the first day that breaks down the class in terms of homework, tests, and grades). Most people tell you to expect two hours of homework for every one hour in class, but I've found it's more like one-to-one for everything but Math and the Sciences. If you can keep that ratio you'll do well enough.

There is one other thing you can do to ensure a good grade: individual tutors. You would be surprised how much it helps to go get personal help. Most schools have stuff like a Writing Lab (for help with papers) and student tutors who are provided at no charge or for less than $10/hour. That's a great deal and will really help you find out what it takes for you to crank out high grades.