Jamie struggled after a weak start in college but, with help from a fraternity mentor and an academic counselor, adopted focused study strategies and leadership in group work. He reviewed exams with professors, prioritized high-impact assignments, and used regular, short study sessions to improve his grades. Later, as an upperclassman and fraternity leader, he mentors others on turning around semester performance. Several specific names, GPA figures, and an instructor's grade-adjustment offer are flagged for verification.

A rocky start

Jamie Boran remembers his first six weeks of college as a blur of rush events, intramural sports, and partying. He didn't prioritize coursework. By week six he faced a late English paper and a midterm in Intro to Business. He typed the paper two hours before it was due and left the business test unstudied - and failed to understand many of the questions.

Finding campus support

After that midterm Jamie told his fraternity big brother, Sean 1, that he needed help. Sean connected him with on-campus resources and the fraternity's study group for brothers on academic probation. He also met with an academic counselor, Dianne Switzer 2, who assessed where he stood and made a practical plan.

Switzer asked Jamie to make up missed English journals by doing morning and evening entries and mapped a day-by-day study schedule for his Business class. She emphasized short, consistent study sessions and prioritized assignments that would affect his course average the most.

Strategies that worked

Jamie focused first on the high-impact work: he led the group project in Business to ensure a strong grade there and concentrated study time on core concepts. Taking a leadership role kept him accountable and improved the final product.

When he struggled in Biology - earning a C- on the second midterm - the counselor suggested he review exams with the professor to learn question patterns. The professor offered to drop the midterm and weigh the final more heavily if Jamie demonstrated consistent effort 3. Jamie studied differently for the final, using targeted review sessions and office-hour meetings.

Across his classes he applied active study methods: short, frequent review sessions, practice problems, and meeting instructors for feedback. He retained classes like Speech and Physical Education where he'd been doing steady work, and improved in those where he had intervened.

Payoff and paying it forward

By the end of the semester Jamie raised his standing to a 3.2 GPA 4 and, later as a senior and fraternity president 5, reported a 3.8 GPA 6. He now helps newer brothers approach studying strategically, stressing that it's rarely too late to improve.

His experience shows three practical steps students can take: use campus resources early, prioritize work that most affects your grade, and turn group responsibilities into accountability tools. For many students, those moves can turn a rough start into an upward trajectory.

  1. Verify the identity and role of Jamie Boran and the accuracy of the quoted recollections.
  2. Confirm Sean's involvement and relationship as the fraternity big brother.
  3. Confirm Dianne Switzer's role as an academic counselor and the counseling details.
  4. Verify the reported semester GPAs (3.2 and later 3.8) and timing.
  5. Confirm whether the biology professor offered to drop the midterm and double the final grade contingent on improved performance.

FAQs about Studying

Is it really possible to recover grades partway through a semester?
Yes. The article highlights targeted interventions - using campus resources, prioritizing high-impact assignments, and consistent study - that can improve course averages even after a poor start.
What on-campus resources should students use?
Typical resources include academic counselors, study groups, tutoring centers, and office hours with professors. The student in the article combined counseling, a fraternity study group, and professor meetings.
How can group projects help my grades?
Taking responsibility in group projects can ensure a stronger final deliverable and create accountability that helps you learn and demonstrate leadership - both useful for grades and transcripts.
Should I ask a professor to review my exam?
Yes. Reviewing exams with a professor can reveal question patterns and knowledge gaps. In the story, that review led to a negotiated grade adjustment conditional on demonstrated effort .
What study habits made the biggest difference?
Short, frequent review sessions, active problem practice, meeting instructors for feedback, and prioritizing assignments that most affect course grades.