So by now you’ve probably completed your finals and are ready for a few weeks or so of vacation from the daily grind of college classes. For too many though, this winter break can be a time of stress and anxiety – anxiety over current academic standing.
Reasons for poor grades are plenty. Perhaps you did not take your courses as seriously as you should have – perhaps you partied too much, skipped class too many times, or you daydreamed too often during class. The reasons are these and so many more, but the solutions are simple and few.
Worry when it is reasonable – Worry can make you sick, and sometimes it is unreasonable to be worrying. What’s done is done, and once final grades have been posted, there is really no way to turn back. Instead of thinking over the “what ifs,” instead think on what you can change next time around…Too often we focus on our failures instead of our successes. Take what you can from this experience…You are better prepared for next time around; you know what to expect if you need to take the class over.
Retake a course – Sometimes retaking a course is inevitable. Many degrees require you to make a certain grade in degree-related courses to receive your diploma and graduate. Find out these sort of requirements from your advisor or counselor.
Scholarship Issues – Find out how your grades will affect your scholarship standing. Whether or not you receive your scholarship the next semester, usually depends on certain aspects of your academic standing – such as GPA. For instance, when I was a student, Promise required for me to have an overall yearly GPA of 3.0 or higher, or a B average. Once again, contact your advisor, school counselor, or WV’s Promise Scholarship offices (Google WV Promise to figure out important info such as e-mail addresses & phone #s) regarding the qualifications of retaining the Promise Scholarship.
And keep the following in mind: Many scholarships will not cover the same course twice…Find out how this affects you. You might find it beneficial to retake a failed course during the summer, so you can stay on track.
Course Help & Tutoring – All students could benefit tremendously from Northern’s Academic Success Center. The excuses for not receiving help are many, but none of them are worthwhile excuses. Whether you need serious help, or you are just wanting to brush up or review a course, the academic success center is there. Before reaching the point of failure in a course, do yourself a favor and visit the tutoring center. And even if it is the end of the semester and it is too late to turn a grade around, don’t make the same mistake twice…look into the tutoring center for the following semesters.
WVNCC - New Martinsville Campus 