Good grades in college might seem like an impossibility, but they’re not. When pursued correctly, the Dean’s List becomes an expected. If you’re looking to up your GPA without becoming a shut in that does nothing but study, here’s how to earn better grades without suffering.

Never Study the Morning Of

A common mistake students make is cramming for a quiz or test the morning of. This is useless since the brain can’t make all of the connections it needs without sleep. That means if you do find yourself crunched for time, it’s better to stay up late studying than going to bed and getting up early to cram.

Study a Little at a Time

To reduce the headache of studying, set aside a little bit of time every day. Study what the teacher taught you and then put it away. This will ensure that come test time, you’re not ascribing yourself a Herculean task the day before as you frantically try to memorize two months’ worth of information in a single night. Though maybe not so crazy in undergrad, it’s virtually impossible if you’re after something more complex, like a degree in electrical engineering or other highly-integrated program. It’s always important to take the appropriate amount of time to study.

Go to Class

Chances are your attendance counts for a significant portion of your grade. Why would you purposefully lower this percentage by not showing up? This is the only part of the grade you earn by doing nothing more than doing what you’re supposed to. On top of this, most professors teach you everything that will be on the exam, meaning far less guess work when it’s time to start studying.

Read the Assignment Instructions

Finally, make sure you read through every assignment’s instructions. Teachers are required to provide you with a detailed layout of how they will grade what you turn in. What you might not realize is that a good portion of this grade comes from simple things like how you layout the paper or what identifying information you should include. Don’t lose points you could have easily earned just because you didn’t read through the teacher’s expectations.

Apart from the stereotypical advice of studying more, there are things you can make sure you do in order to get great grades in college. Regardless of your major, it helps to know how to study and to always pay attention to the directions your teachers provide. Do these two things, and you’ll have great grades the entire time you’re in school.

Rachelle Wilber is a freelance writer living in the San Diego, California area. She graduated from San Diego State University with her Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and Media Studies. She tries to find an interest in all topics and themes, which prompts her writing. When she isn’t on her porch writing in the sun, you can find her shopping, at the beach, or at the gym. Follow her on Twitter and Facebook.