Every January, students face the shock of first semester grades at about the same time they see the reading lists for spring. Panic sets in. Ignore it!

Breathe and follow these directions:

HOW CAN I GET AN “A” IN GRAD SCHOOL?

For the most part, your basic intelligence isn’t what’s stopping you. If you were admitted to the school, you’re smart enough to do the work and make the grade.

So, what’s stopping you?

Why are you just scraping by when the guy or girl sitting next you is breezing along with a GPA of 3.6?

Looks effortless, doesn’t it?

Well, it pretty much is. You just need to practice a few, simple techniques.

Be there – or be square. Just sitting in class – preferably near the front – on-time and alert, gets you out of the grade cellar. Even, if you do nothing else.

Contributing one useful, critical thought each class session boosts you right up the grade scale to some form of “B”, assuming you hand in all the assignments. Even, if you sort of blow them.

This begs two questions: 1) How do you come up with something useful to contribute every time?

And, 2) What else do I have to do?

After all, I promised you an “A”.

Clean up your Communications. Most of what flows into your in-boxes is waste. Let your mental bilge pump suck it out and plug the holes.

If you check Facebook more than once a day – and spend more than 15 minutes on it when you do, you have wasted fifteen minutes of your Life that you will never, ever get back. Same thing with tweets and TMs. This is your Life; prioritize it – allocate a certain amount of time each day to staying in touch and shut it down when the ceiling is hit. As Nancy Reagan once famously said, “Just say no.”

Instead of transmitting and receiving a thousand nowhere messages a week, block out “quality time” to spend with the people you care about – and set the start and stop time parameters before you meet. You’ll have closer relationships – and lots more time.

Slice the Salami. This is a cute reminder that the way to get through anything daunting is to chop it up and digest it in chunks. This applies to studying, reading and writing.

Even if you plan your time well, it’s obvious that you cannot actually read every single word in every book you’ve been assigned for the semester. I’ve looked at the reading lists. More than half your professors assign a book a week and then they hand out articles in class. That’s four books a week to read on top of class time, commuting, your part-time job or internship and a little bit of sleep and personal hygiene.

Here’s the secret process to “reading” a book in 90-minutes:

Hint: Most of your contemporary books on policy were articles once. Google the author and subject and read the article first. [Yes – you still need the book!]

Have a scribble pad and a packet of post-it flags by your side.

Start with the Covers – what does the inside flap tell you the book is about? On the back flap, who is the author? Google him or her. With luck, Wikipedia has a summary that tells you what s/he’s all about.

What about the back cover blurbs? Are there authors you know offering recommendations? What does that tell you? Jot it down. You may have a good question for class based only on what you’ve read so far.

Scan the Table of Contents. What is the book's structure? In modern writing, books are structured as inverted pyramids with the thesis statement first; supporting arguments in order of importance; a separate section for refuting arguments; and a conclusion. You should be able to quickly determine the arguments.

Check out the Index. Note any words or phrases with large chunks of content. These will be the critical examples that support the arguments. Jot them down.

Read the First Chapter. Find the thesis statement. Very often, all the arguments will be summarized here. Jot them down. What is the tone of the book? Who do you think the book is trying to influence? Why? Another possible question to ask in class.

Scan the Last Chapter. The conclusions should be obvious and the thesis restated. Does the author suggest a Call to Action? What do you think of that?

Skim the Book. Read the first paragraph or two of every chapter and then skim it, looking for examples. When you reach one mentioned in class or on the syllabus, flag it. When you reach one you find compelling, flag it. Remember to write on your flags for you can find them again.
On the Refutation. Every good modern author knows it is essential to build your case by destroying your opponent’s. Read the opposing argument carefully and really think about whether the author makes his/her case.

Read Reviews. After you think you have a handle on the book, read the reviews. Most will summarize the book – it’s a great way to ensure you understand all the most salient points. Remember that every reviewer has a point of view that is unlikely to coincide (exactly) with that of your author. Don’t believe everything you read in a review, but consider it in light of what you now know.

Flock together. If you can do it, meet with a small study group before class to discuss the readings and assignments. Establish a structure and stick to it. A study group is best if it is fewer than 5 people to keep it manageable – two is usually too small (and gossipy). Try for three or four and stay on target.

NEXT WEEK, I’ll tell you how to ace the papers.

FAST FOOD

If you’re pressed for time – and who isn’t – you’ll need all the time-cutters you can get. That said, it’s a real mistake to head to the fast food chains for dinner – everything you swallow is loaded with salt and fat and heavily processed carbs. The heck with that!

Here’s how to eat faster and healthier so you can get back to chunking through all your readings. Since you’ll have most of ingredients on hand, stopping to pick up one or two items at the grocery store takes less time than McDonalds.

Feed-a-Crowd Tri-tip
1 2-3.5 pound tri-tip roast
Garlic salt and freshly ground black pepper
An instant-read meat thermometer
1. Preheat oven to 450-degrees.
2. Rub seasonings all over the roast and let it rest 15-20 minutes while you keep reading your assigned books.
3. (Optional) Sear fat-side down in a non-stick (preferably cast-iron) skillet before roasting.
4. Put the roast in the oven and heat on high 15-minutes, then turn the heat to 325-degrees. Test with the thermometer at 30 minutes. When the meat reads 125-degrees (medium rare), pull it out of the oven. (Obviously, if you like it done more, keep it in).
5. Let the roast rest 15 minutes before slicing, at an angle to the grain.

Crab Cakes in a Flash – or salmon, on a budget
1 can flaked crab meat or salmon (pick out shell and bones)
1 T. mayonnaise
3 T. minced onions
1 egg
1 T. Old Bay seasoning (or use Emeril – it’s spicier)

1. Preheat oven to 350-degrees.
2. Mix ingredients together with your hands and, when well-mixed, form patties about the diameter of an apple and 1 – 1 ½ inch thick.
3. Place on a non-stick baking sheet and cook ten minutes.
4. Flip and cook ten minutes more.
Serve hot with lemon and a quick tossed salad.

Quick Home-made Honey Vinaigrette
1 t. Dijon mustard
1 squirt of honey from the bear
2 T. olive oil
1 T. fresh lemon juice or balsamic (or sherry) vinegar

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the mustard and honey.
2. Whisk in the oil and add a splash of lukewarm water. Beat until it thickens – 15-20 seconds.
3. Blend in the acid – juice or vinegar.

Season packaged greens with a pinch of sea salt and freshly ground pepper and toss with the dressing. Great, quick add-ins: crumbled Feta cheese, dried currants or cranberries, toasted pine nuts, chopped hard-boiled eggs, crumbled bacon. Use your imagination.

The Absolutely Best Brownies You Can Buy
1 package Ghirardelli Double Chocolate Brownie Mix (canola oil + egg)
3 T. Ghirardelli cocoa or Droste’s unsweetened cocoa
1T. butter
1 package chopped pecans (optional)

4. Use butter to grease an 8” x 8” pan.
5. Follow package directions in the mix, adding in the extra cocoa and pecans (optional). Forty strokes only.
6. Cook approximately 35-minutes, or until a toothpick stuck in the middle comes out dry. Do not overcook.
Cool before cutting. They’re addictive!