What to do if You Failed Your Final Exam

Tips From a Private Fullerton Tutor: What to do if You Flunked Your Final Exam

Students will be receiving grades from their final exams either right before leaving for winter vacation or the week they return to school in January. Most students are hoping for A’s and B’s that will keep their overall GPA high, but some students will receive the occasional bad news. It can feel like a student’s academic life is over if they receive an F on one of their final exams but, there are some positive and proactive things every student can do to attempt to remedy the situation or at least correct it as they move forward.

1. Talk with the teacher

The very first thing a student should do in this type of situation is ask to have a face-to-face appointment with their classroom teacher. The teacher is the best source of information on what may have gone wrong on a final exam because the teacher both wrote and graded the exam. Students should look over their essay or test, if available to them, and make a list of questions they can ask the teacher during the meeting. Students should also think about their goals for the course as a move forward and ask the teacher specific steps they can take to improve (READ: Irvine Tutoring Tips: Ways Tech Can Make Homework Easier).

2. Discuss extra credit

Except for some emergency situations, students are not allowed to retake a final unless they are in the younger grades. However, many classroom teachers are open to the possibility of extra credit. A student might propose a project they could do or research they could conduct that would place valuable emphasis on the subjects they still need to learn and can prove to the teacher that the student wants to do well. The worst that can happen when asking for extra credit possibilities is that the teacher will say no, in which case the student will be in the same position they are now. Why not take a chance and see if a student can boost grades going forward?

3. Hire a one-on-one Fullerton tutor

If the issue is study skills, students are encouraged to start working with a one-on-one tutor who can give them the individual attention they need to improve their grade. It’s better to start working with a tutor before grades start to slip too far, but some students just get caught off guard during exam week. Private tutors can go through a student’s old assignments and tests to try and figure out where and why things went wrong. Once the issue has been pinpointed, the tutor can work with the student to improve study habits, increase efficiency, and also help them tackle those complicated topics that are just too hard to understand in a classroom environment – our private tutors are the best in SoCal!

4. Look at study habits

Many students will end up getting a low grade because their study habits need improvement. Although each student is an individual, there are a few things that tend to be a universal issue. Students who work in a group environment may find that studying with friends is too much of a distraction and they may need to start working on homework in a quieter environment. Students may also be spending too much time on busy work and not enough time tackling concepts that will build upon each other throughout the semester. Students may have issues with procrastination and start working on assignments too close to the due date to get a good grade. Students can sit down with their classroom teacher, a parent, or a private tutor to try and figure out what went wrong and how to make it better.

Failed your final exam? Don’t panic! Our private Fullerton tutors are here to help you succeed.

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