How to Fix a Bad Grade
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.
- Difficulty:
- Moderate
Instructions
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1
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.
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2
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.
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3
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.
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4
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.
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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.
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6
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.
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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.
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Comments
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caitlinluvsu
Sep 26, 2007
this is awesome!!! and really helpful i needed it! -
caitlinluvsu
Sep 26, 2007
this is awesome!!! and really helpful i needed it!
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Sep 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.
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Sep 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.
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Aug 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!
