Making the list: How to get a 4.0
MCC faculty and President’s List students explain how you can get a 4.0 GPA
February 21, 2019
The way you reach a 4.0 and be on the President’s list requires dedication, and almost always, asking for help, according to some MCC students who made the list last term, and the instructors who taught them.
The Calumet interviewed some award-winning students, along with our President Naomi and other faculty members about reaching 4.0 perfection.
Here are their experiences.
Delaney Clark: Extra credit and proofreading
Delaney Clark earned her 4.0 GPA by turning in homework before the due date. She studies a lot before each exam. For one of her classes, she has to write papers and let someone proofread each paper to be free of errors.
Clark’s advice to get a 4.0 is to take advantage of all the extra credit opportunities that the instructors offer.
She tutors in the library and she is happy to help anyone. Her advice as a tutor is to study for exams and have your papers proofread.
“If you have any questions about anything use your professor’s office hours to get help,” says Clark.
She feels happy to be on the President’s List because the last time she made it was in high school.
“Try your hardest and don’t give up. Even if you start the class with a B that doesn’t mean you’re not gonna get it up to an A. Never give up,” says Clark.
Steve Harfst: Learn what your instructor expects
Steve Harfst’s, an Engineering Tech teacher at Muscatine Community College, advice to students on how to get a 4.0 GPA is that it ultimately comes down to how you communicate with your instructor.
“If you don’t understand what your instructor wants from you it’s easy to screw up,” says Harfst.
Your teacher is not trying to make the class hard for you. They are simply trying to teach students how to remember the material, he said.
“I love to help my students and work on questions they may have. Don’t expect a definite answer to your questions,” said Harfst.
“I recommend students take breaks and not to burn yourself out. Don’t make your schedule hectic. Try to stay ahead and do what the teacher wants from you,” said Harfst.
President DeWinter: Study groups and office visits
Muscatine Community College President Naomi DeWinter called a 4.0 GPA, “an amazing accomplishment. “It really means they have given it all sitting those classes.”
DeWinter advises students to be clear at the beginning of the class about the instructor’s requirements. Look at the syllabus, talk to the instructors and make a plan to accomplish those goals.
“It’s also a good idea to create study groups so students can be successful to teach and learn from each other,” said DeWinter.
Students should take advantage of the resources such as the Success Center or the Writing Center and use tutors to help for any assignment.
DeWinter said many instructors have told her, “my students don’t talk to me or come into my office hours and I wish they would come and ask me for help.”
Sara Mitchell: Don’t skip classes
When Sara Mitchell got a 4.0 GPA, she said, “It feels pretty good. I do my work and studying and it takes a lot of effort to get good grades.”
Mitchell got her 4.0 by studying and making sure she was prepared for the class. “I try not to miss any classes,” said Mitchell.
Mitchell’s advice?
“If you need help with something, don’t be afraid either ask the teacher or go to the Success Center for help because it’s a lot easier to understand things and get your work done on time. Also, be prepared with a notebook for what the teacher is going over in class.”
“Don’t be afraid to ask for help and don’t be afraid of taking hard classes just because you think you’re not going to do very well. You will get help from others,” said Mitchell.
President’s List
(4.0 Grade Point Average/six or more credit hours)
Iowa
Blue Grass
Raeann Pape
Andrew Van Nice
Columbus Junction
Jordan Tiffany
Davenport
Katie Atwater
Alix Crawford
Durant
Eliana Berry
Kerrigan Johnson
Kody Koberg
Anthony Mundt
Jack Voss
Mallory Warner
Paige Werthmann
Eldridge
Faith Mosher
Fruitland
Trenton Brewer
Bryanna Burkey
Karson Cantrell
Mariah Pugh
Isabelle True
Grandview
Kyle Avis
Benjamin Chaney
Iowa City
Thomas Jensen
Letts
Dailyn Garrett
Katie Hearn
Annette Solis
Lone Tree
Dillion Sasina-Hanson
Maquoketa
Delaney Clark
Moscow
McKenzie Pallischeck
Muscatine
Emily Adcock
Jose Alba
Jacob Bean
Abraham Bello
Kaylah Carter
Laura Ceniceros
Brian Chick
Ryan Collupy
Johnny Connor
Antonio Dabeet
Deana Dawson
Rolando Garcia
Lorin Gould
Shane Hanssen
Spencer Harden
Courtney Hendershot
Jacob Hillard
Komla Hounou
Cody Hull
Donald Jackson
Jacob Jones
Margaret Koehler
William Kolehmainen
Kali Lange
Lindsay Le
Teresa Lindstrom
Sara Mitchell
Mark Myers
Omar Ocampo
Patrick Pendleton
Sabrina Shoemaker
Archna Singh
Dana Stalkfleet
Paul Volkl
Karen Yohe
Stanwood
Alyssa Oberholser
Tipton
Jason Duncan
West Liberty
Adrian Jacobo
Maribel Montelongo
Brady Putney
Wilton
Chris Dorris
Kortney Drake
Daniel Fitzpatrick
Linsey Ford
Falloyn Grunder
Emily Lange
Grace Longlett
Jerome Mays
Jared Townsend
Colin Weih
Illinois
Illinois City
Jennifer Wolfe
New Boston
Andrew Phillips
Seaton
Craig Smith
Taylor Ridge
Wifredo Acevedo
Oronoco, Minnesota
Jonathon Brushaber
Laguna Vista, Texas
Allyshea Stewart
Dean’s List
(3.5 Grade Point Average or higher/six or more credit hours)
Fpo, AE
Madison Whittaker
Iowa
Albia
Jeffrey Tratchel
Atalissa
Chelsea Lamar
Brittney Rock
Bennett
Samantha Guill
Jonah Werth
Peyton Wiese
Bettendorf
Aubrionna Scholbrock
Blue Grass
Ryan Gillespie
Columbus Junction
Angel Rodriguez
Davenport
Mattie Fadiga
Alyson Owens
Meghan Pierce
Hailey Reth
Lynnette Specht
De Witt
Ryan Ketelsen
Durant
Jacob Benischek
Allison Bosten
Logan Callison
Haleigh Carnes
Hannah Happ
William Iossi
Collin Merschman
Isabelle Rockow
Andrew Schemmel
Erin Shelangoski
Autum Sterner
Fruitland
Nicole Bowers
Kaitlyn Koppe
Kalli Leach
Meagan Miller
Victoria Roenfeldt
Grandview
Amanda Crumly
Teresa McNulty
Nicole Salek
Mitchell Schweitzer
Rebecca Townsley
Iowa City
Ashly Ibarra Valencia
Alexandra Perez
Letts
Joseph Browning
Mallory Hohenadel
Lone Tree
Shelby Eden
Sierra Wright
Long Grove
Amanda Raleigh
Moscow
Marcie Coss
Natalee Pallischeck
Muscatine
Kossivi Afetse
Dede Amouzou
Avery Arp
Afi Awoussi
Whitney Baars
Gabe Bender
Tammie Blaesing
Jordan Bottoms
Jocelyn Boynton
Morgan Brown
Rachel Burkamper
Danielle Burns
Ashlynne Carrington-Parker
Jacob Cawiezell
Monica Chavez
Tyce Christensen
Megan Church
Margaret Compton
Mason Compton
Herlinda Coulter
Heather Cox
Jasmine Cuellar
Lakin Curry
Hunter Daniels
Alondra De Leon
Olivia Deen
Quyen Do
Riley Eichelberger
Lisa Ellsworth
Alaric Evans
Sam Flanders
Kurt Freese
Tarseh George
Aklesso Gnankissa
Javier Gonzalez
Alexandria Gray
Lani Griffin
Elijah Heath
Taylor Hendrix
Beth Holt
Melanie Honts
Meghan Houghton
Anthony Ibarra
Kendi Jones
Fiona Juniku
Keaton Kurriger
Kaitlyn Lathrop
Elaina Lee
Zachary Lick
Brian Lueth
Mason Martin
Julia Maylone
Evelyn Mc Cormick
Jed McCleary
Jasmine Mejia
Marissa Mendoza
Shelley Meyer
Lauren Michaelsen
Hannah Millett
Brandon Mueller
Jessica Newman
Rylie Paul
Trey Pierson
Elyse Reyna
Shane Ross
Allison Ryan
Chasity Spitznogle
Mitchell Teitsworth
Richard Thurston
Trei Tovar
Arleny Villanueva Ruiz
Melissa Whitlock
Hannah Whitworth
Chris Wiegand
Joseph Williams
Lilly Wyatt
Estelle Zaho
Nichols
Madison Law
Tipton
Kyle Bentley
Melissa Segebarth
Walcott
Jordan Giese
Jake Goering
Washington
Natally Guzman
West Liberty
Melanie Gomez
Shantel Lopez
Aneth Roman
Nadia Vazquez
Wilton
Corey Anderson
Rebecca Ball
Lief Clevenger
Bethany Garland
Nathan Kroeger
Collin McCrabb
Kamryn Meyer
Nicole Mizer
Dylan Ormsby
Aubrey Putman
Jacob Said
Ronen Santiago
Whitley See
Hallie Speed
Ashton Stoelk
Brayton Wade
Illinois
Aledo
Nicole Stubbs
Coal Valley
Thomas Clifton
Illinois City
Abby Horton
Little York
Alexis Foster
Monroe Center
Kolton Myrvold
New Boston
Faith Douglas
Jessica Smith
Nicole Wadden
North Henderson
Kealy Simkins
Reynolds
Shannon Beasley
Taylor Ridge
Logan Crawford
Oregon
Portland
Margaret Ormsbee
Salem
Alexandria Welch
Oak Harbor, Washington
Amy Magana