Disappointing Grade?
It's not unusual for students to have an academic setback. How it affects your future plans largely depends on how you respond. A low grade or failed course is often a clear indicator that something has to change if your performance is to improve. The good news is that you can start to make changes today. Don't be too discouraged; learn from the experience and be determined to do what it takes to improve your grades. Consider the following suggestions:
Work to improve your test performance
Let's face it, sometimes we don't do as well on a test or exam as we had hoped we would. Typical reactions to a not-so-great mark can include feeling sad or upset, worried or anxious, and even angry or fed up. These feelings are important because they tell us we are uncomfortable, and they can motivate us to work at strengthening our academic performance. The most strategic (and, ultimately, the most successful) students are not the students who never perform poorly on an exam. Instead, strategic and successful students are those who take action by looking for ways to improve their future test performance, especially when they have not done as well as they would have liked. Click here for some suggestions to help you strengthen your test performance.
Meet with a Learning Specialist
A Learning Specialist can help you determine what went wrong and what changes you can make to improve your academic performance. You can schedule an individual appointment through Western Connect.
Learning Development and success also offers presentations on learning skills, and online resources to help you explore ways to approach your learning. You can email questions to learning@uwo.ca.
Act sooner rather than later
The term goes by very quickly. If you have an academic setback, don’t wait to seek help. You can meet with a Learning Specialist, speak to your professor or TA, or seek support from a peer in our Peer Assisted Learning Centre.
Are extenuating circumstances affecting your academics? If something out of the ordinary has interfered with your ability to complete academic work, you must speak to your faculty’s academic advisors.
Assess your skills
Getting a disappointing grade can feel discouraging, but it’s also a great chance to pause and reflect on what is working, and what’s not. Our self-assessment form can help you better understand your learning habits, time management and study strategies. It takes about 10 minutes to complete, and it can give you helpful insights to guide your next steps and improve your performance on future assignments and tests. You can speak to a Learning Specialist about the results in an individual appointment, or you can work towards improvement using our online resources.
Still have questions? Email us at learning@uwo.ca.
