Can I count on extra credit?

No. Survey says that most teachers aren't giving it these days. "The final grade reflects the work done in the class, not the student's ability to complete alternate assignments the last couple of weeks of a grading period," says Mark Bommarito of Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy in La Canada, Calif.

Extra assignments may be used in special cases. Some teachers note that while they don't take the place of exams, they can help nudge a grade up if it's on the borderline.

Up next: Participation grades