Truth #1: Teachers are human beings, too.

I know this sounds simplistic, but from what I've seen as both a student and college professor, students don't believe this. Because of the professors' degrees and numerous books they've authored, students tend to place their professors on a pedestal; and in some respect, students treat them like they're some kind of god (or least some professors think they are). As human beings, professors have egos like you and me, and teaching gives them a sense of perceived power. And in their own eyes, they are powerful.

A professor's perceived power clouds a student's ability to look at them objectively. So what if we know more than you, does that make us any better than you? No, it just makes us more educated. Students fail to realize that professors are just like them. They have personal lives with personal problems and issues. How do I know? Because I'm one of them (and I knew this fact as a student). Professors have relationship problems, they run numerous errands, pay bills, live on a budget, get sick, run out of toilet paper, get speeding tickets, argue with their employers, etc.

Why do I say all of this? Because one of the biggest mistakes students make is to think that professors are fair. Hello! We're not. We try to be, but we can't be. It's part of human nature. If humans were fair, then we would all spend our money equally at restaurants, gas stations, grocery stores, etc. It's not that we're intentionally trying to be unfair, but we "prefer" certain places, things, and people in comparison to others.

Therefore, we (professors) play favorites. I know that most of my colleagues wouldn't want me to tell you this, but it's the truth. You play favorites, I play favorites, so why wouldn't professors do it? There is no one on God's green earth who is totally objective. This is an important concept, because universities and colleges have been preaching objectivity since the dawn of time. That's just not the case. Again, we try to be fair, but it is close to impossible to be totally objective when it comes to students. Even when I became a professor, I tried to dispel this theory and I couldn't do it. Human nature tells us that there will always be certain people we like more than others. This truth leads us to the second truth.<

Truth #2: Your grades aren't everything, but your reputation is.

This is one of the most important facts students fail to recognize. So many times, students are so involved and concerned about their grades, they fail to consider how they're being perceived. Understand this from a professor's point of view, there is a huge difference between an "A" student who is a jerk, and a "B" student who works hard and has earned the respect of her peers. Because of that difference in perception, that "B" student will invariably find the doors of opportunity opened to her more often than that "A" student will. It's called "the way it is."

I tell my students that if you want to succeed on any college or university campus, all you have to do is look at what most of the students are doing, and then do the total opposite. Because if you do what most students do, you're going to get what most students get: frustration, confusion, resentment, mediocrity, etc. Most students spend too much time worrying about their grades than working on their reputation. Unfortunately, perception is reality, and how you're perceived by your professors will "unfairly" dictate your success as a student.

To give you an example of what I'm talking about, I would like you to participate HONESTLY in the following exercise. I want you to close your eyes right now, and think about the WORST teacher you ever had in either college or high school. Now think of three adjectives that teacher would use to describe your work habits to another teacher, and write your answers on page one of your worksheet packet:<<

Do these adjectives paint an accurate picture of you? Whether it does or doesn't isn't the point. The truth is, this is how you're perceived in that particular teacher's eyes. We've all heard the phrase that perception is reality; well, it's also true in college.

Now ask yourself, if your next teacher was given this description of you on the first day of class before meeting you, would it have any impact on your reputation? Do you think that professor would form any biases toward you because of that description? You better believe it. Remember when I said that teachers are human beings too? Guess what, they also gossip like students do.

Believe it or not, professors spend more time talking about you than you do about them. Remember, this is our job, not yours. This was one of the few theories I could not prove until I became a professor.

The sad part is that it may take you four years to build a good college student reputation, but all it takes is one professor to ruin it. Another little known fact is that the smaller the school or class size, the more important your reputation is.

I repeat, your grades aren't everything, but your reputation is! Think about it for a second, do you think that a student who is known in the math department as responsible, hard working, and focused, has an advantage over one who is known as irresponsible, lazy, and confused? You better believe it. It's your job to set yourself apart from other students (see the section Student Stranglers). Accept this truth, and you'll be on your way to academic success!

Truth #3: There's no easy way, just a better way.

You probably purchased this book because you thought it would make your college experience a lot easier. Well, it won't. However, I do believe it will make your experience a lot better. Your mother or father probably told you that anything worth having is worth working hard for. This is true. These "tricks" are not a "get rich quick" approach to a successful academic career. They take time and effort, and they will work, if you do.

For the record, let me dispel any "pie in the sky" ideas you may have about my strategies. You will have to attend class, you will have to take notes, you will have to study, and you will have to work hard. "WHAT" you have to do to succeed in college hasn't changed, but "HOW" you do it is an entirely different story. My "HOW" strategies will show you how to succeed academically in ways that will sometimes shock you. These "tricks" are simple, but they are not easy. You will find out quickly, what's often nothing more than common sense, isn't always common knowledge.  Remember what I told you earlier. You need courage, common sense, and commitment. And the only obstacles in your way are fear, laziness, and YOU!

The "Tricks of the Grade" is broken down into three parts: Base Building Basics, Teacher Taming Techniques, and Street-Smart Study Strategies. There are a total of ten (10) "tricks." Believe it or not, most students won't even make it through the first three. Why? I don't know, that's just human nature I guess. That's why it's so important to do the opposite of what most people (especially students) would do, and you will be successful.

So tie your shoe laces, and let's get started with the "Tricks of the Grade." These are strategies that will change your academic career forever.

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