A failing grade can teach a tough lesson
January 11, 2012
There's no denying that pursuing a college degree is hard. Depending on your school and your major, you may have to take one or more classes that either don't interest you at all or are extremely challenging.
Other circumstances may also contribute to a failing grade such as missed classes, late assignments, a poor teacher or bad performance on a test or exam.
Regardless of why you received a failing grade, there are some things that need to be taken into consideration in order to move forward and avoid having the grade derail your dream of obtaining a college degree.
According to Yahoo.com, most financial aid programs require students to receive a grade of a C or better in order to be eligible for funds. So failing a class may mean more than just a reminder of a poor performance - it could also mean that you will have to pay back grant or scholarship money you've already received.
Student parents who have qualified for single mother scholarships or other scholarships for mothers may also find that the future of their financial aid is in jeopardy if they don't receive good grades.
It's important for those who depend on grants for parents, scholarships and other financial aid to check with their financial aid office to ensure that they are still eligible for these rewards. Even better, students receiving financial aid should know what kind of academic performance is required of them before they begin taking classes to avoid any surprises later on.
In addition, those who receive either a "D" or an "F" may need to repeat the class in order to fulfill their graduation requirements. That means there's another class to pay for, more time to schedule and, most likely, a great deal of work ahead to pass a class that you previously failed. A failing grade may also affect your future courses if the class you failed served as a prerequisite for another one that you want to take or must take to meet your graduation requirements.
According to US News and World Report's College Experience blog, failing a class can also teach you some lessons and help you be a better student in the long run.
Receiving a bad grade may help students realize what they need to change in order to do better. For instance, did you seek additional help from a professor or teaching assistant? Did you organize a study group to review material and discuss lessons with other students? Could you have done more to ensure your academic success?
