Grades are the most important factor that admissions officers consider when evaluating applications, according to the National Association for College Admission Counseling. So, if you come home with a bad grade, it’s important to know how to address it.
When colleges read applications, they look at grades from all four years of high school. They want to see an upward grade trend — that is, grades improving from year to year — as you take more difficult courses. This shows you are able to perform well while handling a challenging course load. It also shows maturity and that you are taking responsibility for your academic performance.
With college admissions becoming more competitive and students striving for academic perfection, it can be a little disconcerting to come home with a low score on a test, paper, or other assignment. This can leave you feeling disappointed and be a concern for your parents — however, it’s important to keep a positive outlook and work together to improve.
Know when There’s a Problem
There’s a myriad of non-academic reasons why you might perform poorly on a test or assignment, and often the problem can be identified right away. Maybe you didn’t study well enough or felt under the weather that day. Maybe you were distracted by another personal or academic problem. It’s not uncommon to have a bad test or assignment here and there. No one is perfect.
However, there might be a problem if the poor performance persists. In this case, it might not be a distraction or a bad day. Rather, there might be a disconnect between what’s being tested and what you understand.
Take Action
When a bad grade shows up, sit down and get to the root of the problem. If it’s an issue of studying, get organized and plan out a structured study schedule to help you stay on track. Explore alternative study methods like outlines, dictated notes, flash cards, etc. If it’s an issue of a distraction with your personal life or another commitment taking up focus, work out a solution. It may be as simple as talking through it or reprioritizing extracurricular activities.
Sometimes, these simple adjustments can help get you back on track. However, if it’s an issue of comprehension, and new study methods aren’t working, it’s time to seek some outside assistance.
Ask for Help
After identifying the problem, don’t be afraid to seek help. Often, going directly to the teacher can help tremendously. If you’re struggling with a particular concept or problem, ask the teacher to work through it step-by-step in order to gain a better understanding of the material.
Teachers want students to succeed, so it’s not a mark of failure to seek their help. Some teachers might even offer after-school lessons to help students catch up.
Consider a Tutor
Teachers only have so much free time; however, so if their assistance isn’t helping, it might be time to look into a professional tutor. IvyWise offers both academic tutoring and test prep to help students struggling with subject material.
Academic tutors can often meet with students at any time of day over Skype or other video-based platforms, and work with students for an extended period of time. This can allow students to get the personalized help they need at times that are most convenient for their schedules.
Know when to Scale Back
Help from teachers and tutoring can go a long way to remedy bad grades, but sometimes students take classes that they’re just not ready for. It’s important to recognize when it’s time to scale back those difficult classes and reassess your course load.
If tutoring and extra assistance from teachers just isn’t working, sit down with your college or independent counselor and discuss the options available. Maybe you can switch to a different course level. For example, if you’re struggling with Honors or AP Calculus, a regular calculus class might provide the support and pace you would be more comfortable with.
Don’t Despair
Counselors can help students and their families consider their options and how these will affect your transcript when it comes time to apply to college. Don’t despair — situations like this, while not ideal, won’t significantly hurt your chances of admission to your best-fit college.
Colleges understand the academic pressures students are under, and that learning is an experimental process. Many colleges offer students the opportunity to explain any academic issues, dips in grades, or course changes right in the application. That will be taken into consideration when evaluating your applicant profile.
Grades and course rigor, while not the only factors admissions offices take into consideration, are two of the most important. While rigor is important, if you are not performing well, that might work against you. Students should take a challenging course load but also make sure it’s reasonably within their academic abilities. By knowing when to identify grade problems and when to ask for help, you can put your best academic foot forward when it comes time to apply to college.
Even if you’re struggling in a few areas, IvyWise counselors and tutors help you build a strong profile of academic performance before you begin the college admissions process. We have helped thousands of students achieve their goals and get into their best-fit schools.
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