What to Do if Youre Failing a Class in College

Failing a class in college can be a major problem if its not handled in the right way. A failed class can have an impact on your academic record, your progress toward graduation, your financial aid, and even your self-esteem. How you handle the situation once you know youre failing a college course, however, can have a significant influence on what happens after grades get turned in. Ask for Help as Soon as Possible Ask for help as soon as possible once you know you are in danger of failing any class during your time in college. Keep in mind, too, that help can take many different forms. You can ask for assistance from a tutor, your professor, your academic adviser, a learning center on campus, your friends, a teaching assistant, members of your family, or even people in the surrounding community. But no matter where you go, start going somewhere. Reaching out for help just may be the best thing you can do. Learn What Your Options Are Is it too late in the semester or quarter to drop the class? Can you switch to a pass/fail option? Can you withdraw — and if you do so, what is the impact on your transcript or financial aid eligibility (and even health insurance)? Once you realize youre failing a class, your options vary depending on when in the semester or quarter you make that realization. Check with your academic adviser, the registrars office, your professor, and the financial aid office about what you can do in your particular situation. Figure Out the Logistics If you can drop the course, when is the add/drop deadline? By when do you have to get paperwork in — and to whom? Dropping a course at various parts in the semester can have varying effects on your financial aid, too, so check in with the financial aid office about what needs to be done (and by when). Give yourself a little extra time, too, to gather all the signatures and coordinate other logistics for whatever you plan to do. Take Action One of the worst things you can do is to realize you are failing a class and then do nothing. Dont dig yourself in deeper by not going to class anymore and pretending like the problem doesnt exist. That F on your transcript may be seen years later by future employers or graduate schools (even if you think, today, that youll never want to go). Even if youre not sure what to do, talking with someone and taking some action about your situation is a critical step to take. Dont Be Too Hard on Yourself Lets be honest: lots of people fail classes and go on to live perfectly normal, healthy, productive lives. Its really not the end of the world, even if it feels overwhelming at the moment. Failing a class is something that youll handle and move on from, just like everything else. Dont stress too much and do your best to learn something from the situation — even if its how to not let yourself fail a class ever again.