I know there are people who set targets to graduate with a particular class of degree but don't exactly understand the maths involved in achieving this.

Below are the technical points on how to graduate with a first class.

In your very first week of gaining admission.

Grab a copy of your departmental brochure and calculate the total number of credits to be completed before graduation e.g. Year 1 (20 + 19), Year 2 (17 + 18), Year 3 (18 + 18), Year 4 (16 + 17), Year 5 (18 + 17). Total = 20 + 19 + 17 + 18 + 18 + 18 + 16 + 17 + 18 + 17 = 178

If your school uses a 5.0 grade system, to graduate with a first class your GPA needs to be in the range 4.5 - 5.0. Therefore, you need to have accumulated points within the range 801(4.5 * 178) - 890 (5.0 * 178) at the end of your final year. For other credit systems simply replace the 5.0 with whatever your school uses.

Another way to look at the step above is that, for you to make a first class, you should not lose more than points in the range 0 - 89, at the end of your final year.

How do you translate this to the grades that you need to score every semester/year.

If in your first year, first semester (total credit 20) above, if your classes are: U(4 units), V(5 units), W(5 units), X(3 units), Y(3units). If you score a C in all the classes, it means you lost 2 points {(A)5 - (C)3} per credit. Which translates to 40 (2 * 20) for the total number of credits taken that semester. Now out of the total credits not to lose calculated above (i.e. 89) you have 49 left (i.e 89 - 40).

In your first year second semester, if you score an average of C again, then you will lose [b]38 [/b]points. Meaning that you have 11 points left that you must not lose to graduate with a first class. Mostly what this means is that on average you will have to ace all your high credit hour classes (4 units and above) for the rest of your time in the program and are only allowed room to for occasional Bs in about three, 3-unit classes and one 2-unit class, till you graduate.

To summarize,
Do all you can in every semester to ensure that you don't lose more than 7points per semester. At the end of your final year this will translate to 70 points which is less than 89 which will in turn put you in the first class range.

Whenever you find that you have lost more than the bench marked points per semester, double up in the next semesters to make up for the lost points until the average lost points over the number of semesters you have taken becomes 7. e.g if you lose 10points in your first year, first semester, ensure that in your next semester you lose only 4points so that the average becomes 7 (i.e [10 + 4] / 2). If you lose 6 points then in the semester that follows ensure that you lose only 5, so that the average over the 3 semesters becomes (10 + 6 + 5) / 3 which is 7.


Once you have all the maths figured out, map out a strategy to achieve the set goals.

The truth about doing well in exams is that you can't give what you don't have, meaning that you can provide answers to questions if you have the knowledge of how to answer those questions. How can you acquire the needed knowledge, studying and trusting in God. How you study is up to you, be your self, do whatever is convenient for you. Don't copy others. The fact that your friends are always going to library/class to study at night does not mean that you must copy and follow them. If you study well during the day, study during day. Take enough rest when you can. Lastly always assume that you have not studied enough and you don't know enough to excel in the class. The more you make this assumption, the more motivated you will become to study


Finally,
Proverbs 3:5 - Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;

2 Timothy 2:15a - Study and do your best to present yourself to God approved.

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