What to do Following a Low Final Exam Grade

What to do Following a Low Final Exam Grade Final exams typically make up a large portion of your final grade, so there is a certain pressure to get them right. If you've scored a low final exam grade, it's really time for some self-evaluation as to why you scored low. Did You Give it Your Best? To answer this question, you're really going to have to be honest with yourself. A final exam is a test of your knowledge for the course's totality. This means, you would've had to put in the time on a regular basis to study. At the same time, attendance is very important. If you didn't attend the classes regularly, it's likely that you missed out on important lectures and the taking of important notes. You can't learn if you didn't show up. Once you do an honest evaluation of the effort that you put in and find weaknesses, you can clean up your act and do what's needed to score better grades in up-and-coming final exams for other classes. Is Your Subject Too Tough for You? There's no shame in coming to the realisation that your chosen module is too tough for you. For example, someone aspiring to become a doctor may not have the skill set for technical medical classes. There may be other types of medical curriculums that are more suitable, such as nursing or paramedic. Before you make the final decision about changing a moduel, meet with your tutor. Discuss the challenges you're facing. It just might be appropriate to sign up for something less difficult. Talk to the Professor If you're scored a low grade, don't be shy about scheduling a meeting with your professor to review the testing score. Likely, you'll be able to understand more about your poor results, especially if essays were on the final exam. At this time, you can also discuss with your professor about opportunities to increase the low grade to a higher one. It may be possible to take the exam over. The worst your professor can say is no, but you won't know unless you ask. Know the Grading Standards Some professors do grade comparisons of other students' performance to determine a final grade, while others have specified absolute standards. With grade comparisons, the instructor assigns a grade the show the student's level of achievement within that group. If you've got some bright students in the class, your final exam grade may be lower in comparison. With a specified absolute standard, the grade will reflect your direct mastery of knowledge. Be sure you know the grading method used by your professor. It will help you better understand why your final grade may be low. If you've received a low grade in a final exam, don't be too hard on yourself. Find out why and implement effective solutions to either improve the grade or do better on future exams.