I am privileged to teach at a university that allows college professors to take one college course each semester.

Being back in student mode has helped me see a few things clearly once more. I am slowly becoming more and more aware of how differently I approach classes than the average student.

For one thing, I’m a teacher, so I’m not normal (we’re usually overachievers and perfectionists). For another thing, I take notes very differently than the average student.

In the last few weeks, I had a moment of realization. I was sitting in my class, taking notes on a handout, when I suddenly realized I was one of the only students even attempting to take notes on this handout that provided an overview of the lecture. This struck me as odd.

I realized that the reason I take notes differently and approach the course differently is that my focus is on one key thing students can easily lose sight of in school. I am focused on learning, not earning a certain grade.

My perspective has changed when it comes to classes. I no longer care as much about earning an A. I care much more about grasping, applying, and connecting the content to everyday life.

If you are wanting to improve your grades and experience success in the classroom and in your future career, let me let you in on a secret—focus on learning.

Putting your focus on learning, not earning a particular letter grade, helps you master the content. Why? Below are some of the possible reasons.

Focusing on learning helps you apply the content.

The “what” you’re learning matters but not as much as the “why” and “how.” Like every high school student wonders at some point in an algebra class, you want to know how you will use this content in the future.

Some classes have obvious applications to your future, but other classes are harder to grasp the long-term benefits of. These classes feel like ones you merely have to “get through.” They don’t seem helpful or practical, which makes it hard for you to feel any motivation to study.

If you want to pull up your grade in these kinds of classes, you need to find ways to make this material practical for you. The teacher isn’t responsible for helping you see the practicality of the class, although a good teacher will try. You are responsible for finding ways to apply this content.

Think outside of the box. Think long-term. Talk to peers. Talk to the professor. Find ways to apply the content to your present and your future.

Focusing on learning helps you retain the material long term.

Top students usually master the skill of memorizing in high school, but college is at the next-level when it comes to learning. If you really want good grades and want to succeed academically, you need to find studying methods that help you master the material for a long time.

Quick payoffs, like a 100% on a 5-point quiz, feel nice and rightly so. These little wins are good mood-boosters. However if you want to earn good grades consistently and really master the material, your focus needs to be on retaining what you learn.

There are many ways to do this, but let me share some ways that will not help you do this.

• Cramming: Most college freshmen intend to study ahead or work ahead in general. But when it comes to the week of a difficult test or project, many procrastinate until the night before. If you want to master material and succeed academically, purpose and plan to work ahead.

• Memorizing word-for-word: In college, there are few classes in which memorizing is truly necessary. Instead of seeing the little details and slight wording nuances, you need to be thinking of the bigger picture. How does what you’re learning right now fit into the bigger concept? Why does this content matter? How is this term connected to the overall chapter? Think big if you want to understand and remember the small details.

• Forgetting to take notes: I see this a lot as a teacher. Some students forget or fail to take notes unless I say “be sure you write this down” or “you’ll need to know this later.” As a teacher, I purposely plan on saying only what I think is important in my lectures, so I find it frustrating and confusing that I need to cue certain students to take notes. If you want to experience academic success now and in the future, make note-taking a habit, not an exception.

Focusing on learning helps you see connections.

I distinctly remember this moment. All of a sudden, a lightbulb turned on in my junior high mind. I finally started to see how all of my classes connected. What I was learning in my history classes connected with my science classes. What I was learning in my English class connected with another class, and so on and so forth. This was a big moment for me, because this is when I really started to love learning (at least consciously love learning). 

Sadly, some students (even college students) do not see the connections between their classes. They don’t see the big picture, and some don’t even try.

To these kinds of students, each class is like a book that they take off the shelf, read, and place back on the shelf. They can go through all four years of college without understanding the bigger picture—all the books are part of a masterful series.

If you want to experience academic success, prioritize finding the connections. Don’t wait for someone to point it out to you or for a teacher to make the connection for you. Find ways to see the big picture. 

Think about the “why,” “how,” and “to what extent” kinds of questions. Why did this author publish this work? To what extent was this author impacted by the beliefs and advances in that time period? How impactful was this work in its time? These are the kinds of questions you should be asking yourself.

If you want to improve your grades, focus on learning, not on earning As. Don’t allow the number, the percentage, or the letter-grade to distract you from what really matters. Focus on loving learning and the good grades will likely follow.