Even the best students encounter disappointing grades in college. For most students, receiving a surprisingly (or not surprisingly) low grade is a regular part of the college experience. Dealing with the disappointment appropriately, doing everything possible to raise the grade or minimize its impact and learning from the experience are crucial parts of your academic (and personal!) growth.
Reflecting on a bad grade is a difficult yet critical part of moving forward. Accountability and ownership empower us, whereas seeing ourselves as victims leads to feelings of anger, sadness, resentment and helplessness. Figuring out what there is to learn from the experience is important: Could you have started a little earlier? Could you have studied in a different way? Could you have visited your professor’s office hours or spoken with a TA for guidance? Did you have a friend or writing tutor look over your work? What steps could you have taken to avoid some of your mistakes?
Consider the following steps when dealing with a disappointing grade:
1. Give yourself grace.
Even if you recognize the low grade was the result of minimal effort and planning on your part, it still hurts our egos to receive poor feedback. Remind yourself that you’re capable of growth and have the ability to turn things around. Low grades can feel like overly harsh criticism in the moment, but remember that with time, these moments lose their power. Five years from now, it’s unlikely you’ll remember your lowest grades, but it’s likely that you’ll remember the satisfaction of a well-earned comeback!
2. READ your professor’s feedback!
It is undeniably hard to read negative comments; however, they are essential to breaking a pattern. Hopefully your TA or professor took the time to provide clear and helpful comments explaining your grade. Getting clarity on these comments and making sure you understand how to move forward are important steps to learn from your mistakes. Consider writing down the major takeaways from the feedback you received on a sticky note and keep it in your course folder to revisit when the next assignment rolls around. If you did not receive adequate feedback, it’s important to request it.
3. Speak with your professor.
In an ideal world, you would meet with your professor, explain the circumstances regarding your low grade and ask for the opportunity to resubmit your work for a higher grade. If your explanation is reasonable, many professors will allow resubmissions or provide an opportunity for extra credit. If your professor is unwilling to make any such offers, you have still taken the time to demonstrate to the professor that you take your grade seriously and are willing to work to improve it. In this case, your professor might offer study suggestions or other guidance to improve your work over the rest of the semester. (Reminder: always makes sure you have completed Step #2 before speaking with your professor!)
4. Engage in grade reflection.
College Success Plan coaches encourage students to engage in regular test and project reflection so that they can apply what they have learned to future assignments. Having a conversation to identify what you did well, what you struggled with and what you wish you had done differently is extremely useful. Revisiting these reflections before your next test or project is equally important!
5. Notice patterns of low grades.
If you realize you’re consistently receiving poor grades on writing assignments, for example, look into your college’s Writing Center. Most campuses offer free writing tutors and workshops, and these are an easy and affordable way to plan out your writing and have it edited. Many professors and TA’s are also willing to discuss and/or proofread your work if you complete it early enough and make an appointment. Furthermore, reviewing tests to identify certain sections that cause confusion (for example, short answer questions, graphs or definitions) will help you identify which areas to devote additional effort to next time. Looking for patterns of criticism in your work also enables you to seek out the specific type of support you need.
Receiving a low grade will always be disappointing, but you can take the majority of the distress away by reframing the experience. After all, “I failed my test” is a lot more depressing to say (and think!) than, “I didn’t do too well on my first test, but I understand what I need to do differently next time.” Empower yourself by walking away from a low grade experience with knowledge and a plan. Remember, you are not alone and there is always at least ONE thing you can do differently to see improvement in the future!
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