But I Need a Good Grade!

For some of you, this may be undeniably true. I have had students plead for a different grade than what their work product merited, because they were beholden to a variety of expectations. Scholarships sometimes require the maintenance of a certain GPA. As does athletic eligibility. Grades may also be of import when petitioning for entrance into certain disciplines or degree programs within some universities, or for applying to graduate school. Once, I even had a student weeping in my office, because of how her father would react to her grades. I understand that pressure abounds, from many quarters and in the pursuit of certain goals, when confronting the realities of The Dreaded Grade.

If maintaining a certain GPA does matter critically to you, then my advice is to be proactive. Read the syllabus carefully and ask clarifying questions about the academic expectations for your course, at the start of the term. Check in with your professors before individual assignments are due, as needed or even as a matter of habit, to make certain that you have correctly understand what the grading rubrics entail. Complete the readings and homework assignments diligently. If you cannot meet a deadline for some reason, reach out to your professor in advance, to see whether and what accommodations may be made. Remember that partial credit is better than no credit, if you are up against a wall. Take advantage of opportunities for extra credit, if it will make a difference for you. And with the reality of the pandemic, when many of us are feeling frazzled, build additional time into your schedule if you can, not only to complete assignments but to allow yourself healthy self care practices, to sustain your efforts. With each academic task, do the best that you can do, in the given moment and circumstance.

Then, cultivate a support network for yourself, so that you need not work alone, even and perhaps especially if you consider yourself to be highly capable. Notice that your student fees give you access to resources to empower you develop your current abilities. Make use of university learning centers, tutors, writing labs, research librarians, and advisors. They can enhance your success as a student, and you are already paying for their assistance! In addition, consider pulling together a group of to establish a system of peer review, in order to enable of each of you to produce high quality products, as well as establish good connections. If after all that, things do not go as hoped, have conversations with mentors and professors to see what you can do concretely to improve your grade next time.

Lastly, remind yourself, as was the theme of the most recent blog post, that you are not your grades. Still. Neither does your worth as a human being rely solely upon achieving that “X” stated goal. You are more than X. If by chance, X does not come to fruition, consider alternative possibilities and heretofore untapped riches… Y or Z might turn out to be just what you need. Indeed, I’ve heard students share that they did not qualify for an original, hoped for degree program, and that finding something else turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to them. All of which is to encourage you to give your academic work your all, and to be gracious with yourself, as need be.