BROWSE HOW TOs

How to Fix a Bad Grade

By eHow Education Editor

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A bad grade can devastate a student who plans to apply to colleges, scholarships or graduate schools, in terms of both self-esteem and future prospects. Here are some suggestions for dealing with low or failing grades.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Step1

If you feel you've received a grade in error, ask the teacher to review it. Or if you misunderstood an assignment, ask if you can redo it. Visit during regular office hours and remain calm while you discuss the matter.

Step2

If you deserved the poor grade, ask the teacher if you can do an extra-credit assignment to make up for your performance. Ask to retake the test if you have a legitimate excuse, such as an illness or a death in the family.

Step3

If you are doing poorly in a class, check with the registrar's office to see if you can take the class on a pass or no-pass basis, or drop it entirely, to avoid marring your transcript with a bad grade.

Step4

Visit the registrar's office if the grade is already on your transcript. Ask if the school has a policy on retaking classes; some schools allow this. The bad grade will remain on your transcript, but your grade point average (GPA) will not include it.

Step5

Petition the registrar's office if you feel you received a low grade in error or unfairly. Follow the registrar's guidelines when you file the petition.

Step6

Ask a counselor in the registrar's office if you can do anything else. Some schools will drop the lowest grade on your transcript, although this is highly unusual.

Tips & Warnings

A bad grade is not the end of the world. Some admissions officers will overlook one bad grade on a transcript if it is clearly an aberration.
Let admissions officers know if extenuating circumstances, such as a death in the family, explain a bad grade.
Hire a tutor if you can't keep up with the rest of the class on a specific subject. The extra help will improve your scores.

Comments

caitlinluvsu said

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on 9/26/2007 this is awesome!!! and really helpful i needed it!

Anonymous said

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on 9/23/2006 Most of us have experienced the weeks where everything is due all at once. They usually happen around Mid-Terms and Finals. A friend told me that his bad weeks had almost 30 hours of homework, but the good ones might only have 5. He said he uses Gradefix now to even out the load. He went from a 3.3 to a 3.85 in one term, and has been doing great in school ever since. If you manage your time well, and don't let yourself get stuck in a bind when a bad week hits, you'll do much better in school.

Anonymous said

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on 8/22/2006 A lot of the times a teacher will offer extra help during recesses or after school. Don't be shy, it really does help. Ask your teacher about this or if they have a program, just show up!

Anonymous said

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on 8/21/2006 Here's my list of goals for the year:

Step 1:

Don't shove everything into your locker/folder. Organize all your papers.

Step 2:

Finish all your homework ASAP. Don't do projects at the la st minute.

Step 3:
Get a 85+ on all tests and quizzes.

Step 4:

Get a 95+ on all tests and quizzes.

Step 5:

Get an A on all projects.

Step 6:

Keep up what you've managed

Step 7:

Straight-A report card!

Keep it simple and take baby steps. Give yourself rewards when you've accomplished something. And just because you've done it does not mean you can go back to your old habits. You have to stay focused.

Anonymous said

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on 8/21/2006 I've gone through bad grades myself, and I am still working on fixing them, here's what I've done:

Set your priorities straight. What's more important? The new video game that just came out, or the multi-tasking binder that would really help your organizational skills? How about doing your homework or reading the new Harry Potter book? Think about it. Finish your homework before watching TV. Study for tests before playing games.

Don't think about family or friends that may be doing better. Your cousin may have just been admitted to Harvard, but congratulate yourself on that A- you got on the math test anyway.

Set limits. Don't watch TV for more than 2 hours a day on weekdays. Don't play games before doing homework. You'll find you have a lot of free time to do homework or study.

Make a schedule. Do your homework as soon as you can when you get home. Take a break, and study after dinner.

Finish all your projects when you get them. Or slowly take your time. Research for the first 3 or 4 days, and take a few days to plan your project before buying materials(which you don't need anyway). It'll seem like a lot less of a load if you don't try to finish a 2 week project in 3 hours.

Don't do all your homework at once. Do some, then read a book or do something you really enjoy. Finish up right before dinner, and maybe study before bed. If you don't try and finish everything at once, it won't overwhelm you.

Take little steps. Set goals. Reward yourself. It will really encourage you to do better.