Students spent 8 minutes giving advice to younger kids. Their own grades got a boost.

In a 2019 study involving nearly 2,000 high school students, researchers found that students who spent about eight minutes giving academic advice to younger students saw a small but measurable improvement in their own grades. They weren’t receiving new study tips. They were sharing what they already knew. Students constantly get recommendations for how to improve their grades, whether it’s studying harder, managing their time, or avoiding distractions. But knowing what to do and putting it into practice are different. A confident student in the classroom. Photo Credit: Canva The students became the experts The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, involved students from seven public high schools across the United States. Instead of receiving another lesson on how to study, they were asked to share their own advice with younger students. They answered questions about avoiding distractions, finding good places to study, and staying motivated. They also wrote a motivational letter offering encouragement. The entire activity took an average of eight minutes and was completed online. There was no face-to-face mentoring. Students simply shared the strategies they’d picked up through their own experiences. Students working together on a laptop. Photo Credit: Canva Giving advice led to better grades Those who completed the advice-giving exercise earned slightly higher grades in math, and in a class they had previously identified as one they wanted to improve. The improvement was modest, roughly one percentage point compared with students who hadn’t completed the exercise. But considering how little time it took, the results were noteworthy. The researchers also found that the benefits were generally consistent across different backgrounds and levels of previous academic achievement. Two women have a conversation. Photo Credit: Canva Why giving advice might be more helpful than receiving it When someone asks us for advice, we’re encouraged to think about what has worked best for us in the past. In the process, we may remember strategies we’ve overlooked or stopped using. “Giving advice or teaching someone also requires us to articulate what we know,” psychotherapist Ilona Phillips explained to Upworthy. “Rehearsal is a powerful tool in our own learning and performance. It reinforces what we have learned and increases our confidence.” Jess Davis, an educator and lead consultant at Montessori Minds Consulting, also highlighted the benefits of teaching others, especially children. “Getting to teach a younger child gives the older child the chance to organize and consolidate what they know to be able to explain it clearly, and provides them with more repetition with the material at the same time,” Davis explained to Upworthy. A 2024 study published in Learning and Instruction found that college students who explained a science lesson to someone else or to themselves remembered more than those who only reviewed the material. Phillips added that knowing what to do doesn’t always mean we’ll actually do it. “Explaining it to someone else can reinforce our own commitment, confidence and motivation to act,” she said. Two women on a hike. Photo Credit: Canva Could giving advice help with everyday challenges? Although the study focused on improving grades, the findings could have implications beyond the classroom. The researchers didn’t test whether this approach would improve adults’ everyday habits, but it is an interesting possibility. Take procrastination, getting organized, or sticking to a new habit. We might know exactly what we need to do but still struggle to follow through. Sometimes it’s easier to recognize what someone else should do than to follow our own advice.