I’m sure you want to know the “secret” to getting an “A” in your accounting class, right? It’s not going to be easy, or fast, but it is possible to get an “A” with some hard work and diligence. Following are some steps to take if you want to get an “A” in your accounting course. Of course, there is no guarantee that you’ll get an “A”, that is entirely up to you, but these steps will help you get the best possible grade.
1. Read the syllabus to know what is expected of you.
The syllabus is a guideline and roadmap for the class. It contains a wealth of information not only about expectations, but grading policies, late policies, and the overall course structure. Take a moment to read it and clarify any confusing points with your instructor.
2. Review the Course Information.
Today, nearly all of the accounting classes have an online portion, even if you meet face to face in the classroom. When you get access to the online portion of your class, find the content or course Home link in the main menu. Click ALL the links to get an overview of the course. Pay particular attention to areas such as course grading and course requirements. These sections detail how your overall grade is calculated and what you will need to complete.
3. Read the Announcements!
This is an especially important point if you are taking an online class. Your instructor posts announcements containing important information for the week, upcoming due dates, insight about the accounting topic you are learning, and many other things. Reading the announcements can save you a lot of time, aggravation and ensure you complete your work to the instructor’s expectations and requirements.
4. Make a checklist for each week.
Whether you are in an online accounting class or face to face accounting class, chances are at the start of the week your instructor will let you know what work you will have to complete. Write a checklist or use the gradebook in the online portion of the accounting course to help you plan your week and make sure you don’t miss a due date.
5. Review the lectures and complete the reading.
Accounting is boring, and confusing, and overwhelming, and the last thing you want to do is read an accounting textbook. Do it! Reading the assigned chapters along with viewing the lectures (for online accounting courses) and paying attention in a face-to-face class will be extremely beneficial to your learning! Take time to really study the accounting examples in the text so you can understand how the authors arrived at the numbers.
6. Participate in the class discussions.
If you are in an online accounting class, there will most likely be graded weekly discussions. If you are in a face-to-face class, there will be lively discussions among your classmates and the instructor. Be an active participant in these discussions! The discussions help you expand your knowledge of the topic and apply the topic to a real life accounting situation (such as detecting fraud in business or making a correct journal entry. Take the time to write out a well-thought response. While it may seem pointless, doing so will help you understand the material better and may shed insight on what you don’t know (yet) about that topic! The weekly discussions are also a great way to interact with your fellow classmates and with your instructor.
7. Complete your Weekly Assignments Early!
Begin your accounting assignments early in the week and complete them on time. Think of how many times you left an assignment until the day before it is due, only to find you couldn’t get to it, or it took much, much longer than expected. Completing your assignments the same day as your face-to-face accounting class, or the same day you review the online lecture for your online accounting class will make completing the work that much easier. This will remove the pressure of not having enough time and will give you a few days in case you need to contact your instructor for clarification on a problem.
When working on your homework assignments, it is strongly recommended that you make an attempt and show your work if required! Some instructors give partial credit for parts of a problem that are correct. Some instructors require you to show the steps in calculating items such as depreciation or inventory methods like LIFO or FIFO. Making an attempt, even if you don’t know what to do can jump-start your brain and get the gears rolling to help you figure out the assignment.
8. Think about your final project now!
Most accounting courses will have a final project. It may be a paper to write about the current state of the accounting profession, or a comparison between IFRS and GAAP, or a project where you have to complete journal entries for a company and prepare the financial statements. Regardless of what the project is, start thinking about it today! If you at least review the requirements and begin thinking about it, you can complete a little bit of the accounting project as you progress through the course. Chances are what you learn each week will be applicable to the final project! If you start thinking about the final project today and do bit on it each week, by the end of the term you’ll be nearly finished! Why wait until the final deadline and risk missing it when you time to do it now.
9. Contact Your Instructor Early!
This is the most important tip for your success in accounting course. If you have any questions or concerns about anything related to your accounting class contact your instructor. They include their contact information in the syllabus. Your instructor is there to help you succeed they can only do that if you communicate with them before a problem gets out of hand.
10. Contact Success In Accounting For Additional Help!
Dr. Christine Errico can help you overcome your struggles in learning accounting. You can work with Dr. Errico one on one, or with a few of your classmates in a private tutoring session focused on what you want to learn. Dr. Errico will help you understand accounting so you can have the tools and knowledge necessary to complete your homework, earn a higher grade on your exam, and have a good chance at passing your accounting class!
Good luck and have a successful class!