I've figured out how to get As for the rest of my life. I know what you're thinking, I shouldn't write this simple trick out for free in a blog post. I should partner with collegeboard and charge students $31.99 for a six-pound textbook that says the same exact thing as hundreds of other books. But no need, my method is far simpler than acing the SAT and will apply to you for much longer than three hours.
The trick to getting As for the rest of your life - is to give them to yourself.
I know this sounds crazy, but trust me it works. And no, I don't mean by cheating on your exams. The key to giving yourself an A is to learn to self-validate instead of finding validation in others, particularly your grades.
College students can be the worst at this action, specifically high achieving students. Too many students tie their worth to their grades. Instead of leaving a 4.0 as just a number in-between two and four, it becomes an identity they drive themselves crazy to become. A 4.0 or an A+ is equivalent to happiness, success, fulfillment, a bright future, etc. Students unknowingly allow grades to rule their life by believing they say everything about their past, present, or future. There is nothing wrong with continually doing your best or working to be better than before, but that is very different than trying to be the best or at least better than others. Of course, great grades will take you places and open doors, but that is not the only way. And as crazy as it sounds, grades and opportunities aren't indicators of happiness and success.
As morbid as this is, imagine your thoughts when you'll lay on your deathbed. Are you going to go through every class you ever took, round up your grades, and give yourself an academic average to see if your life gets an A or not? Or are you going to have a lifelong resume printed out so you can see if you qualify for the position of a fulfilled and happy person? I hope your answer is no.
Whether or not you recognize that you find validation in your grades, I hope you can see why it's wrong. Your value and worth expands far beyond a letter in the alphabet or a number on a scale. You do not need a grade to tell you if you're enough.
So start self-validating. Look into yourself; your insecurities, passions, flaws, self-love, and self-acceptance. And now, start evaluating those.
What's the catch? It's a process so it might take a while. You may have to give yourself a few Cs or even some Ds in those areas. But just like how you pick up your grades in school, you can, and you will get better. Once you start seeing yourself as a whole being that outlasts a midterm or final exam, you can start understanding yourself. And you can stop comparing yourself to others or the so-called "normal" that doesn't even exist. You can see outside the value of an A in school and into the importance and worth in yourself.
Eventually, you'll be able to give yourself a lot of As in areas like; loving yourself, working on your flaws, courageously following your dreams, happily living, and more. And these might be the areas that you would prefer to reflect on as you lay on your deathbed.