There’s no doubt that the letter itself is challenging—the kind of thing you’ve been taught to avoid for the rest of your life. But if you find yourself staring at an F on your college transcript, don’t panic. Know here what to do if you fail a class in college.
On the journey to the more than 100 credits required to complete your college education, the class you failed likely only covered 3-4 credits, and certainly not all is lost. However, failing a college class should serve as a warning, and will likely be a turning point in your education.
If you play your cards right, there are many ways you can turn the F into a fundamental building block for your future, and still move in the direction of your dreams.
stay positive
An F on a transcript, while challenging, doesn’t mean you’ve failed out of school. Besides, you are not a failure yourself. There can be many reasons why you fail a class, and only you know the exact reason why, but there are definitely ways for you to move forward in a positive direction even if you fail a class.
This is not the time to throw your hands up in the air, plop yourself down in front of Netflix, and give up. To move in the direction of your dreams, you have to keep moving forward.
One F in one class certainly isn’t your undoing, as there are many tightly woven predictors of college success. According to the National Post Secondary Education Cooperative, “Of the 45 percent of students who start college and fail to complete their degrees, less than a quarter are dismissed because of poor academic performance. Most take leave for other reasons.
Don’t be intimidated by bad grades: where there’s a will there’s a way (and hopefully an A!)
Are you worried about getting kicked out of college?
The biggest concern of people who fail in class is that they will be expelled from the college. It takes more than one failed class for this to happen.
First, most colleges have an “academic probation” policy before expelling or disqualifying someone from attending. Typically, if your GPA drops below 2.0, you go on academic probation in the next quarter or semester. Depending on the college, you usually have one or two quarters/semesters to improve your GPA above 2.0 to get back in good standing.
If you continue to have a below 2.0 after 2 more semesters or quarters, you will be subject to dismissal. But this should give you hope! Depending on your other grades, failing just one class may not even put you on academic probation!
talk to your academic advisor
No matter where you attend college, there is a whole team of people dedicated to your success. If you failed a class, first talk with your advisor to find out what your next steps should be. They will first check your degree audit to determine whether you need the class for graduation, or whether you can replace it with another course.
Your advisor is an excellent resource to get you back on track. They have all the school’s resources at their fingertips and can help you plan your next steps.
Having relationships with faculty members is invaluable. According to the Institute for Higher Education Policy, “Undergraduates who received out-of-class mentoring from faculty demonstrated increased academic achievement, while first-year students were significantly more likely to return to college for a second year.” ”
take class again
As the old saying goes, when you fall off a horse, it’s important to get back on immediately. If the class you failed is required for your major, retake it as soon as possible so that you can complete it while it is fresh in your mind.
Failing a class will affect your GPA, and potentially your eligibility for scholarships or financial aid, so it’s in your best interest to replace lost credits quickly. If possible, take a class with a new professor so you have a chance to start fresh without any stigma attached to your previous poor performance.
think about your major
When something as embarrassing as failing a class happens, it’s a good time to take stock of your current situation. Sometimes, failing a class is just a fluke, and you can make up for it quickly.
But if you’re finding yourself in over your head and barely passing other classes in your major, it might be time to reconsider. Failing an occasional class isn’t the end of the world, but if this situation keeps repeating itself, you might be studying the wrong major or studying the wrong way.
This is a good time to take stock of your major to decide whether you want to continue on this path, and make sure you are capable of doing so academically and emotionally. And understand that passion and interest matter a lot in your success.
The Journal of Happiness Studies reports, “Harmative passion (HP), defined as a driving force that motivates individuals to intentionally engage in an activity, is said to be under individuals’ control.” and is consistent with other aspects of their lives. Therefore, while the object of passion takes a central place in one’s life, it is not excessive, and passionate activity leads to an engagement that is proactive, flexible, and adaptive.
In other words, if you’re studying something you love, you’ll be more engaged, successful, and balanced.
my story
My first quarter in college I found myself on academic probation. In my major classes, I got C-, C-, and C+, which meant I had a 1.9 GPA. While I was able to improve my GPA and get out of academic probation the next quarter – it wasn’t by much. And I learned something, too: I was actually hating all the classes I was taking in my major.
So I did a little searching for different majors, checked a few different lectures and course descriptions, and changed my major before I even finished my first year in college.
The end result was that I was much happier and much more successful – graduating with honors in my major (and being able to graduate early as well).
start sitting in front
If you failed a class, this is also a good time to learn from your mistakes and move forward more productively. Speaking of moving forward, the idea of sitting in front of your college class can be intimidating at first, especially if you’ve failed a class once, but it’s a great way to become more engaged in your learning process. Is.
When you’re closer to the action, you pay more attention to the professor, you can understand the nuances of what they’re teaching, and you’ll be held more accountable. You can experience more success simply by choosing your seat in class carefully. The important thing is that you are engaged in class.
ask for help
If you start to feel overwhelmed in your college classes, there are many ways to get help, so you never have to feel like failing a college class again.
Most professors are very friendly, and have posted office hours where you can go directly to them for help. Many classrooms also have Teaching Assistants (TAs) who will also provide office hours or additional group support sessions.
Most colleges also offer tutoring centers, where other students will help you grasp difficult concepts.
Finally, get a friend in class to study with you. If the other person has experienced lectures like you have, they will be a great resource for understanding any concepts that may be difficult for you to grasp.
time management
A common problem for class dropouts is that you probably struggle with time management issues.
This is a good time to learn from your mistakes and learn how to budget your time. Most of the failures happen because students do not spend enough time studying the concepts or they do not use their study time to the best advantage. It is better to spend some time each day studying than to cram everything in one go. Not only will this allow you to retain the material more easily, but it will also reduce your stress at the last minute.
Sage Journal states, “Numerous studies have identified the positive effects of time management. Time management skills have a positive effect on student learning and student outcomes.”
Although you may be upset if you fail a class, it is only a small part of your overall college education picture in the long run. If you’ve been paying attention, you can use failure to build up to future success by adopting better study habits, instilling some better time management techniques, and building better relationships with your advisors, professors, and tutoring staff. .
By following these tips, success is definitely within reach, and the F will soon be a distant memory in the rearview mirror.