We all know that college is different from high school…in many more ways than one. For me, one of the biggest shockers freshman year was that the grades I got on my tests were very much related to the final grades I received at the end of the semester. While high school teachers will give out daily assignments and give you points for reading, college professors rely much more on test grades and student responsibility.
With that said, tests are something to take very seriously in college classes. But what do you do when you bomb a really big test, let’s say, the midterm exam? It’s really easy to throw that big red “F” to the side and forget about it, but there are a few things you can do in order to make the best of a bad midterm exam grade.
Step 1: Make Sure You Can Still Pass the Class
I know that sounds dramatic, but if the entire class grade is made up only of a midterm and final exam, it’s possible that a bad midterm grade could mean a failing grade in the course. So look at your professor’s syllabus and calculate what percentage of your final grade you lost. After you do that, you can look into seeing if a pass or no credit option is available for the course.
Step 2: Talk to Your Professor During Office Hours
As awkward as it may be, you should talk to your professor after a not-so-perfect test score. I am a huge advocate of office hours and believe that going directly to the professor is always beneficial, no matter what the problem is. Go to your professor and explain how you prepared for the exam. Ask them if this seems like a successful way to study, or if they have a different method that has been helpful for students in the past. Odds are, you’re not the first student to come to them with questions about a bad test grade. Most professors will be happy to help.
Step 3: Finish Out the Semester Strong
The final step in recovering from the bombing of a big test is seemingly very simple: do your best for the rest of the semester. On everything. Go to class in order to maximize your participation points. Study for quizzes and complete any class work thoroughly as possible. The benefit to this is not only the points you’ll be racking up, but it will also help you on the next test. And when the next test rolls around, make sure to employ the study strategies that you and your professor discussed.
So now that you have a game plan for that not-so-great midterm grade sitting in your desk drawer, you can take a breath and know that life as you know it is NOT over. If you take these three steps, a bad test grade can turn into a decent (or even awesome) final grade.
