Here's Why You Shouldn't Freak Out About Failing a College Class (2024)

FAQs

Should I panic if I fail a college class? ›

To sum up, failing a college class can be a setback, but it's important to remember that it's not the end of the world. Failing a class can have consequences such as a lowered GPA, financial aid issues, and the need to retake the course.

Failed classes count toward your GPA, though some colleges do not count pass/fail classes in your GPA calculation. If you get an F, you still have to pay for the class without receiving any credit toward your degree. What's more, failed classes don't count toward graduation requirements either.

Set Realistic, Smaller Goals Toward a Larger Goal

One way to lessen the fear of failure is to set smaller goals that are more realistic to accomplish. This might mean setting a goal to get a higher grade on your next test or to understand one new concept in a class that is difficult for you.

Croskey notes that dropping a class is better than withdrawing, but withdrawing is better than failing. “A failing grade will lower the student's GPA, which may prevent a student from participating in a particular major that has a GPA requirement,” Croskey says.

If the class you failed is in a subject that is not directly related to your intended major or career path, it probably will have less of an impact. On the flip side, failing a class that is extremely important to what you plan on studying has far more of an impact on your overall application.

In fact, a “D” is considered passing in both high school and college, as it's above 60%. While a passing grade may be as low as 60%, you will want to aim higher for many reasons.

Failing a course is not the end of the world, but it does come with consequences. Addressing these up front, ideally when you first discover you may be at risk to fail, is the best thing you can do. The most immediate and noticeable consequences of failing a class will be academic, financial, or possibly both.

I'd even add one: an F can be a signal to a student that whatever they're doing at the moment isn't working. The Dunning-Kruger effect is real; sometimes you need that cold-water splash of reality to let you know that a given course or strategy just isn't the path for you.

Can professors see your GPA? ›

Professors today have access to the student transcript (which includes GPA,) a student's phone number, and the student's ID number.

Go have a face-to-face meeting, discussing your progress and what you might be missing. Ask if there is a possibility to do something extra to make up the deficit (and improve your learning). Some people would respond positively to this, rules and fairness permitting.

If you believe you will fail the class or get a low grade no matter what you do, it is usually better to drop it, because getting a C, D or F can significantly hurt your GPA and usually looks worse to colleges than dropping a class does.

Students frequently ask about dropping a course to avoid getting a “C.” While this is generally not advisable, a withdrawal might be a good decision if it would be your first C and your struggles in the class would endanger your other grades.

Failure is a very common phenomenon among all college students. It's just a fact that one day, you will fail. That might sound scary, but I promise it is just a part of life.

Failing a class in high school will show up on your transcript, and it's true that it can impact how colleges perceive your academic strength. However, many students recover from setbacks like this. The key is how you move forward. Colleges appreciate resilience and the capacity to overcome challenges.