I'm Failing a Class. Now What?

Take a breath! Failing a class is a speed bump not a stop sign. Here are a few tips to help you get through that icky feeling.

Stop and Evaluate the Situation

So you've just taken your midterms, you're back from Spring Break (so much Netflix), and you finally take the time to log back into your student portal. Much to your horror, you are face to face with that big fat F you've tried to avoid. After you treat yourself to some well-deserved Oreos, it is time to start calculating how this grade will affect you. Do you have time to recover with more tests, quizzes or assignments? Are you putting all of your money on getting a 124% on the final? Will failing these one or two classes lower your GPA enough to potentially lose financial aid or hurt your chances at finishing your degree on time? Take some time to figure out how this will affect you in both the short and long term.

Actually Talk About It

You may think an F is some sort of indicator of how smart, capable or awesome you are but there are many factors that contribute to failure. Whether it be that you were just feeling pretty down this semester or this class was just not that interesting, you have to talk it out to find what contributed to this fumble. Schedule a meeting with your professor or TA and keep the conversation solutions focused-"Right now I'm failing this class, but I really want to improve my grades. What advice do you have for trying to pass this class? Is there an option to retake this class?" Talk to your parents, friends and academic advisors (ahem, your fabulous KIPP through College alumni team) about this failure and everything you plan to do differently. These people will be there to tell you that failing is a part of life. We've all done it! And guess what? We are all still standing.

Plan Out Your Amazing Comeback

The most important part of failing is learning from it. It's not easy to keep trying at things you've failed at, but boy is it worth it. If you knew this semester was going to be rough because you had ZERO motivation, you were working too much, or you didn't want to ask for help when you were struggling, then it's time you start making some adjustments. Nothing will change unless you do something about it. Find out what is going to work for you. It may be attending office hours once a week or joining study groups with your peers. You may just need to talk to someone about how you are feeling. Use your on-campus counseling centers, advising centers or student success groups to help you deal with whatever it is you're feeling. Find out what's next for you in terms of trying to pass or retake your class. Some schools can offer an incomplete or a pass/fail option, which may not affect your GPA. It may take some extra effort, but definitely start planning your next steps as soon as you can.

Whatever happens this semester, whether you fail the class or not, you will get through it. Failure is not the end of the road. It's a huge part of your ordinary, average, completely normal college life. Remember that your KIPP Alumni Advisors are here to support you, and we are only a quick text away.

Have you ever failed a class? How did you deal with it? Let us know in the comments!