You Failed! Now What?

Oh boy. It is not as bad as you thought… it is worse! This article provides some tips for moving on from a failed paper and getting back on track.

By Xavier Royer — October 11, 2022

Tags: college, college life, failure, general info, high school, students, tips

Oh boy. It is not as bad as you thought… it is worse! Maybe you neglected to study in favor of going out with your friends. Maybe you studied the wrong material. Maybe life just happened, and this test slipped from your mind. You knew you did not do well… but that 45% (or maybe just 70% for our more ambitious students) is worse than you imagined. As your eyes inevitably drift down the page, absorbing red check mark after red check mark, your stomach falls to the floor, and your brain begins to spiral. The good news; the world has not ended, and life will continue (even though it may not feel like it). This article provides some tips for moving on from a failed paper and getting back on track.

Do. Not. Panic.

Freaking out never helps anyone. I know this advice is much easier to give than to do, but the last thing students want to do is compound their mistakes by making a rash decision that annoys or offends the instructor. If a student begins to spiral, I recommend using a technique such as grounding to help regain control and perspective. One professor I had as a grad student had a policy that all conversations about bad grades needed to wait at least 48 hours after receiving their graded paper. More students should embrace this rule. Getting a bad grade feels awful, but students owe it to themselves to rectify the mistake with poise and maturity rather than emotion.

Is This a Wake-Up Call?

If a student does not find themselves surprised by the bad grade, then a moment of self-reflection is in order. Are poor performances becoming more regular? Is this a paper or test the student should have knocked out of the park but, for whatever reason, did not? Students should analyze why this grade occurred and what factors in their personal life led to the result. Sure, the obvious answer may be that a student did not study enough. Understanding why a student did not study enough is where growth and progress occur. Is a student overwhelmed and not managing their time effectively? Is a student burnt out and unable to absorb the information despite staring at the readings for hours? Are a student's social habits becoming problematic? Honest reflection does not mean students judge themselves harshly or be cruel to themselves. Rather, all students deserve to find success, and they owe it to themselves to create a lifestyle that lends itself to academic success and fulfillment outside the classroom.

Are You Doing the Little Things?

Slightly related to the prior point, doing the little things in class can make or break a student's grade. The biggest one I see as an instructor is attendance. GO. TO. CLASS. That is where the action is! Attendance is one of the most significant indicators of student success. Not only is the content being discussed more digestible manner, but students will also be more aware of upcoming assignments and tests. Along with going to class, reading the syllabus and keeping up to date with small assignments are also areas where students tend to lose ground.

Asking for extra credit

I am not advocating for asking for extra credit. Students often do this poorly and irritate their instructors. A high school teacher of mine put it best, "Why would I give you extra credit if you refuse to do the work I have already assigned?" This example indicates that students may succeed in gaining an extra credit opportunity or retaking an exam, but they should ensure their house is in order first. As an instructor, I am much more willing to work with students who have consistent attendance and have shown effort in other ways than those I barely recognize and only take an interest in the course when they realize they may not pass. If asking for an extra credit opportunity, do so humbly and with the context of the full situation. The instructor may still say no, but will (hopefully) appreciate that the student is taking responsibility.

Failing feels awful. But life does truly go on. What defines our character is not our ability to always be successful but how we bounce back from failure. It is always easier to look to yourself for improvement rather than make excuses. College students do not have time to be victims! All classes are not only passable but ace-able. This article provides some tips for recovering from a single bad grade. Check out a former article of mine here for more on failure more generally, and then this article on developing pathways to success to fail less often.

Xavier Royer

I am currently a full time instructor at a William Penn University, a small private university in Iowa. I am the lone political science faculty member there. In my time teaching, I have already connected with an incredible cohort of students in ways I could never have expected. Partnering with SAGE will allow me the opportunity to help even more students across the globe navigate those tricky questions.

View all posts by Xavier Royer