Video: “Where There’s a Will, There’s an A”

1. Professor Claude Olney of Arizona State University developed the program, “Where
There’s a Will, There’s an A.”
2. A bright person is an average looking person, who seems to do the right things.
3. Professor Olney will provide us with 100-150 (a number) study techniques.
4. Getting better grades is relatively easy with the use of the right tools.
5. Studies at Penn State indicate there are two things more important than hard work in
getting good grades. What are the two things?
#1 – Attendance
#2 – Sitting in the front row
6. Why did Dr. Olney start this program?
His son did not get into college
7. What did Dr. Olney’s son said that he wished his father created this program when he
was in high school still.
8. #1 – Get creative.
9. Study Less - Learn More. Study less, and get better grades by studying smart.
10. Dr. Olney’s number exercise:
What is the middle number?
Student Answers
What is the first number?
Student Answers
What is the last number?
Student Answers
11. The ______first_______ and the ____last________ things that we study, are the
______easiest__________ to recall.
12. ______Increase_________ your “firsts” and “lasts” during your study sessions by
having shorten study sessions.
13. Study in short ____bursts____________. It saves you time, and you learn
_____more___________.
14. Another technique, turn in ____picture__________ perfect exams.
15. TIP – Use an _____erasable_______________ pen.
16. What is the difference between the A and the C essays in the blue book?
The A was neat and the C was messy
17. What grade did the nicely written blue book get on average?
An A
18. What is a very fearful situation for most people, even more than skydiving?
Giving a speech
19. The way to give a speech easily is to use ____props________ (TIP).
20. ____Left_____ brain is logical. ______Right______ brain is creative.
21. How does Dr. Olney remember his speech about the night-light?
Notes on the props
22. Good grades are not about __IQ______, but rather using the right techniques.
23. TIP – Use the ____same________ pen.
24. How long does the average student spend in High School, if the time is all added
together?
4 months

25. How long does the average person spend waiting at red lights, if the time is all added
together?
6 months

26. Use frustrating waiting time to ________study___________.

27. _____Long____________ term memory takes place by running through intervals.
28. Study vocabulary for 5 to ___10_____ minutes, a number of times throughout the
day.
29. Record yourself reading your notes or book, and ____play/replay__________ it in
the car to hear it again.
30. Psychology, you can start to believe that you are not supposed to get good
grades___________.
31. #2 - __Goals____________
32. The top 3 percentage of students at Yale University wrote their
_goals______________ regularly.
33. Make them (goals) _____specific______________.
34. Make them (goals) ______positively_____________.
35. Set goals in ___all_____________ important areas of life.
36. Put your goals in ______time______________ frames.
37. Keep _____score______________ of the goals.
38. Let your goals belong to ___you___________ alone.
39. Write yourself a goal in school, using these techniques.
Students’ answers
40. Yellow markers (highlighters) ____postpone__________________ learning because
you think you will learn it later.
41. Mark what you _____don’t__________ know and go back to it. When you know it,
check it off.
42. What President could pronounce Polish names perfectly through hard work?
Kennedy
43. #3 – Learn to ___exercise___________ your brain.
44. Are you left-brain (math, science, logical) or right-brain (visual, creative, writing)?
Students’ answers
45. Do the hand clasp exercise, did it work for you?
Students’ answers
46. Can you program your brain for success?
Yes
47. What was the result of Dr. Olney’s wife’s reading experience with the blue, white
and red birds?
They all became better readers
48. A right brain teacher will be _____flexible____________. A left brain teacher will
need you to use __logic____________ to reason with them.
49. What are the two parts of your body that you can change?
Your muscles and brain
50. What a four strategies should you do before a test?
#1 – Tense up
#2 – Smile
#3 – Revisit a positive learning experiences
#4 – Imagine success/ Repeat positive thoughts
51. What types of games can you play to increase your brain muscle?
Chess/puzzles/crosswords
52. What three steps should you do to help yourself wake up?
#1 – Put up your feet
#2 – Breathe deeply
#3 – Eat something
53. Write one tip from the review session that you like.
Students’ answers
54. #4 – Choose what you ___like_________. Don’t be afraid to get out of a bad
situation.
55. What animal does Dr. Olney say has the best concentration?
A cat/ lion
56. #5 – Get to know your ______teachers______________.
57. Pick good ___teachers______________ over good courses.
58. When you take your final exams, give the teacher a _____postcard_____________
so they can mail you your grade.
59. Sometimes the difference between an A and a B is ____timing______________.
60. ____Extra__________ credit – Do it!
61. If you got a bad grade on a test, go see the ___teacher______________ to have them
explain what you did wrong.
62. #6 – Full ____speed__________ Ahead
63. For about __1_____ week, over study.
64. The ____first________ impression usually can help carry you through the semester.
65. We remember the ___first_________ things about people.
66. Caution: You will get so ___involved____________ when you start getting As.
67. What is the difference between a successful person and unsuccessful person?
Successful person – “I’ll give it all I got”
Unsuccessful person – “I give up.”
68. Remember Persistence ___wins__________.
69. #7 – Develop and Learn to ___use_______ Your Memory
70. ___Linking___________ a memory to a term will help you remember that term.
71. What is rote memory?
Memorize (like a baby)
72. Memory System – Draw a ___picture____________ for each number to help you
remember the order of things.
73. If you use all of your ___senses___________, it will help you remember things.
74. Extra Credit Information:
-View optional extra credit projects as _____mandatory_________________.
-Take ___every________ opportunity to turn in extra credit.
-If a teacher does not offer extra credit projects, __ask_______ what you can do.
-When you turn in extra credit, ask for ___another_______________.
-__Ask__________ your teachers what you can do to raise your grade.
75. #8 – Increase your ___Reading__________ power
76. Read __actively____________ with a pencil in hand.
77. TIP – Make up possible ____exam__________ questions.
78. Before you start reading, __warm up________ ______ again.
79. How can you “warm up”?
Picture the topic/ Stand up/ Exercise
80. The third method of memory is the __relearning_____________ method, which
combines both rote and linking memory.
81. If you go over something enough, there is an actual ___chemical_____________
change in your brain.
82. #9 – Study according to your biological __clock______________.
83. What is your biological clock? What type are you?
Students’ answers
84. Study when the time is right for __you___________.
85. #10 – Master the __art__________ of studying
86. Do the ___hard________ stuff first, and then do the easy stuff.
87. “I do not expect perfection, but I do expect _excellence_________________.”
88. One of the best ways to learn is to _volunteer_______________ to help.
89. Look for __patterns___________.
90. #11 – Become an expert ____test_____________ taker.
91. Before the test, try a few warm-up ___questions______________.
92. Look at both successful and _unsuccessful________________ students.
93. TIP – Sit up ___front_____________
94. When the word “all” appears in a true or false question, the change is 4 out of 5
times, the answer is _false_________________.
95. Name one way to counteract hyperactivity?
Exercise/Eat well/Hot meal/Talk to a doctor
96. In an essay test, use ____positive_____________ words.
97. Don’t use the phrases, “I think” or “I ______feel_________” in essays.
98. Answer easy essay questions ___first_____________.
99. In true or false questions, your first __guess______________ is usually correct.
100. Don’t __worry_____________ if you “bomb”/fail your first test, but don’t give up.
101. #12 – Take ____worth while___________ notes
102. Be _brief______________ - Use ____key_____ words
103. Review notes immediately __after______________ class.
104. Use index _cards___________ to study.
105. #13 – The key to ___perfect_____________ papers
106. What do you think about Dr. Olney’s metaphor between restaurants and papers?
Students’ answers
107. Five steps to writing better papers:
#1 – Outline

#2 – Write a topic sentence for each paragraph

#3 – Write all over the page

#4 – Start refining the paper

#5 – Check for errors

108. Use a ___word____________ processor.

109. TIP – Write first draft ______informally______________.
110. REVIEW: What tip do you like the best?
Students’ answers
111. #14 – Study ____foreign________ languages.
112. Choose the __best__________ teacher.
113. Choose a language you ___like_________.
114. Get ___involved____________ with your language.
115. ____Memorize___________ out loud.
116. #15 – Studying math and _____science____________.
117. TIP – Study with a _friend______________ or a parent.
118. You only need to know 10-___12_____ key ideas in math, in order to solve 80% of
the problems.
119. TIP – Don’t be afraid to ask for ___help_________.
120. If you miss a step, go __back___________ and fix it.
121. Study right before you go into a math or science ___class/test__________.
122. Write the formulas in the __margins______________ of the test.
123. Look for __daily__________ applications for math and science.
124. Learn tricks and ____shortcuts______________ from the teacher.
125. What three things should every student do in math to increase their scores?
#1 – Write __figures_____________ clearly
#2 - Place the columns ___precisely___________
#3 – Copy numbers ____correctly_____________
126. #16 - ____Attendance___________________
127. Missed classes means __lower__________________ grades.
128. #17 - Finance your ___education_____________.
129. Become active in one or two ___major_________ activities, other than school.
130. #18 – Take ___advantage________________ of all the financial aid available.
131. When you apply for scholarships make sure everything is correct and
____typed________.
132. #19 – Prepare the ___ACT______ and the SAT tests.
133. Grades in a _harder_____________ subjects get more credit in applying for college.
134. TIP – Take test ___early_________ to get better courses.
135. TIP - Practice under the test __conditions______________
136. TIP - __First__________ questions are usually easiest. The ___last_________
questions are usually the hardest.
137. On the last question on the SAT, choose the _least_________ likely answer because
it is usually right.
138. In the analogy section on the SAT, make up a _____sentence__________ with the
two words, i.e., CAT: MOUSE - “A cat catches a mouse.”
139. #20 - _____college___________ Bound
140. What are some the benefits to getting good grades? Name two results.
1. Better jobs
2. Scholarships
3. College
4. Peace of mind

141. #21 - Stay ___mentally___________, ___spiritually____________ and

__physically_____________ fit.
142. One study showed that the more ____education___________ someone has, the
more likely they are to live a longer, healthier life.
143. Where There’s a Will, There’s an __A______.
144. What tip do you see yourself using in the future?
Students’ answers
145. Why did you choose that specific tip (mentioned in question #144)?
Students’ answers