What to Do If You Failed a Class in College? Follow These 4 Steps

When you realize you are in trouble because you are failing a class, it is important to take the necessary steps immediately so you can still try and salvage the situation. There may be opportunities for you to pull up your grades and pass your course. Here are some steps you can take if you are failing a class in college.

1. First things first: Assess the situation

The very first thing you should do when you realize you are in the danger zone before having a mental breakdown is to assess the situation. Ask yourself first, “Am I failing all my classes or just one course?”

•    Check your grade and compute your grade point average. Clarify and compare with your professor. Remember, one point could mean a difference especially between a D and F. If your grades are close to passing, ask how you can earn extra credits to pass the course.

•    How many classes can you fail in college? If you are failing more than one course, it is an indication that you are in big trouble. If you have to maintain a specific GPA to meet the requirements of your financial aid or scholarship grant, failing can either cause you financial suspension or you won’t be allowed to renew.

•    If there’s nothing else you can do about it, ask your professor what happens if you fail a class in college. Maybe you’ll have to retake the course to be able to advance to a more comprehensive course.

2. Talk with your professor

As mentioned, if your grades can still be pulled up by earning some credits, ask your professors for recommendations. If you are not sure if you will pass the rest of the course, your professor can also assess your performance and grade you by the end of the semester.

You must take responsibility for your actions when you talk with your professor. If he or she sees that you genuinely want to improve and pass your course, he or she may likely make it happen because he/she sympathizes with you. Don’t wait until it is too late. Seek for advice before the semester ends.

3. Consider other options

You either pass or fail the course. So consider other options like dropping the course or try to earn credits and settle for a passing grade. It depends on which level you are in college. If you are a graduating senior and you just want to graduate, you can ask your professor for special projects and settle for a passing grade.

If you are still in freshman or sophomore year, you can opt to drop the course altogether and just retake it next semester. Choose the best option that will work best for your situation and for long-term.

4. Learn from your mistakes and do better next time

You failed. Acknowledge your mistakes and move on. The only comforting thing to know is that you are not alone. How many students fail a class each semester?  Accept what happened and move on. Do not be discouraged by one failure. Most students who failed a course of failed out of college turned out to be more successful than those who graduated with flying colors. When you fail, you learn valuable lessons and you’ll know better next time.