Jacob Fuhrer |
It happens. Sometimes things don’t always go the way you plan. That midterm you thought would be a piece of cake turned out hard as nails. Maybe you even studied all night and thought it was in the bag. Whatever the reason, if you take action now, you can recover from a rough week of exams. Kelly Carder, from the Shepard Academic Resource Center, said there are five things you can do to help get your grades back on track.
- Go to the source. Meet with your professor and have a conversation. Focus on various problem areas, go over old exams, review your study habits and listen to their suggestions.
- Find tutoring. If you think you simply don’t know the material, check out the Learning Commons to be matched with a peer mentor. Certain departments may also have dedicated tutors. Check with your professor for more information.
- Retrain your brain. If you just can’t seem to remember the material from class, consider a visit with Brother Tom Giumenta, a learning assistance counselor who knows details about how the brain retains information.
- Review. Look at old exams and quizzes and papers and have an honest analysis of the feedback you’ve received. Consider going back to answer the questions you missed. If necessary, ask to review your old exam during office hours or schedule an appointment with your professor.
- Calculate your grade. Look at your syllabus and decide what you need to do to receive your goal grade in the class. For some people, it may not be possible to pass the class if too much of the semester has passed. In that case, you may considering withdrawing, but speak with your advisor first. A breakdown of the grading system as well as information about withdrawals can be found online under the University Academic Regulations page.
Jacob Fuhrer is a reporter for The Beacon. He can be reached at fuhrer17@up.edu or on Twitter @jacobfuhrer.
