So last semester didn’t go as you’d hoped. For whatever reason, you got distracted — or maybe just struggled with a tough subject despite your focus. Now, you’re wondering how to improve grades. Follow these tips, and you’ll find out how to do just that.
Retake the Class
It does take time and money, but if you’ve failed a class, you should really consider taking it again. If you’re successful on the next go-around, some colleges will expunge the initial bad grade from your record altogether. Other schools will leave the course on your official record but will remove it from your overall GPA. Check with your advisor or another administrator to be sure you understand how a retake works.
Of course, you’ll need to be sure to improve your grade this time. Talk to your professor about where you missed out on critical points. Figure out the easiest way to earn more points. It may be a simple matter of going to class regularly; some instructors actually consider attendance as a portion of the grade. Or maybe you do well on multiple-choice tests but do worse with papers. If so, visit your campus writing lab.
Consult With Faculty
You may be embarrassed by your grade, but avoiding your professor won’t help matters. You’re not the first student to ever get a poor mark in one of his or her classes, and you won’t be the last, either. Visit your instructor during office hours, or call and make an appointment. Express your desire to do better, and ask for guidance.
You can also talk to your advisor about what went wrong. If you were partying too much, say so. Again, this won’t come as shocking news in a college setting. But you may want to explore why you were partying instead of studying. Were you avoiding a major that you’re not really interested in? Are you only in college because your parents are making you go? You may need to do some hard truth-telling.
See a Counselor
If your advisor or instructor can’t help you find the root cause of your floundering, consider taking advantage of your university CAPS center. It’s not uncommon for busy students to become depressed or anxious at school. Other students may struggle with eating disorders, substance abuse, or other conditions. Mental and emotional challenges can certainly affect your grades. Getting proper treatment now can make a huge difference on the rest of your life.
Lighten Your Load
Maybe you’re the type of person who does better with less on your plate. It’s not a weakness; it’s just a fact. But you have to acknowledge it and own it. If you were taking 15 credit hours last semester, drop your load down to 12 to 14. It may cost you a bit more and take you longer to graduate, but it’s worth it if it means keeping your GPA up.
Another option is to drop some other activity from your life. You might need to cut your hours at your part-time job or lessen your fraternity or sorority involvement. Of course, if you do need to cut something, it’s easiest and best to reduce your social and TV time—especially if that time was the major contributing factor to your low grades—but don’t eliminate fun altogether. You’ll end up doing more harm than good, because that’s a surefire recipe for burnout.
Go for Balance
If you have some wiggle room, it also helps to add a fun course to your schedule, or at least something you know you’re good at. This is especially useful if you’re an underclassman and still meeting all of your general requirements. Don’t take all the “good” courses at once; spread them out so that you have something to look forward to each semester. And if you’re taking at least one course that’s a piece of cake, you’ll have more time to spend on your difficult classes.
Everyone is disappointed when they get a “bad” grade, regardless of his or her ability. But ignoring the problem won’t help matters. Be brave. By doing some possibly uncomfortable introspection, you can figure out what went wrong so you can keep it from happening again in the future.
