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How to Not Fail a Class

If you are reading this guide, you might have encountered a few problems with your GPA. More than likely, if you already ace your tests and essays, you do not need help to learn how not to fail a class. However, if you are a perpetual "slacker" or if you are constantly petering on the edge of passing and failing, despite studious measures, then read on.

While many different classes will tell you exactly what to do to pass their test, you may still find difficulty in getting a passing grade. Follow our steps — that are far from the Learning Center reviews — to see how you can take your own skills and put them to use in the classroom setting. Everyone has the ability to pass a class. It is up to you to apply your own strengths to academics so that you can succeed.

  • Punctuality and Attendance:
  • Simply go to class on time. It's fairly simple. If you are sick or have exceptional circumstances to miss class, then do so. One or two absences in a semester will do no harm to your grade.

  • Intense Listening:
  • When in class, listen and pay attention. Take notes. If you simply sit and class and daydream or do other work, then you will not learn anything and may run the risk of failure later on.

  • Asking Questions:
  • Try to ask at least one question every once in a while. It makes it appear that you are following the class and want to know more information.

  • Class Participation:
  • Participation is often part of your grade. Consequently, if you never participate, then your grade my sink nonetheless. However, even if class participation is not part of your ultimate grade, you may still want to participate in class, because it will tell your teacher that you are interested in learning the material given in class.

  • Forming of Successful Study Groups:
  • If necessary, form a study group to aid in your acquisition of new material. Two minds are always better than one. Be sure to form a strong study group and not one that will lead to more socializing than learning.

  • Visiting Office Hours/After School Meetings:
  • Visit your professor's office hours in college and make an appointment to speak with your teacher after class or school in high school. These few meetings will allow your teacher to get to know you as more than a face and name, and consequently, he/she may be more lenient with your grade. Or, at the very least, he/she will know that you have tried to work hard and gone above and beyond the call of duty.

  • Writing essays more than one day before they are due:
  • This tip may be slightly self-evident; however, write your paper before the night it is due. If you write something too fast, you are certain to make silly grammatical mistakes that lower your grade for no other reason than carelessness. Make sure the paper is complete over a day ahead of time so that you have one full day to look over it, proofread it, and make last minute changes.

  • Study for exams more than one day before they are given:
  • The advice for tests is similar. Do not leave yourself to cram for an exam. You will stress unnecessarily and may not learn enough information to excel. Make sure you are prepared over a day in advance so that you may leave that final day for relaxation or for just review.

  • Expression of interest:
  • Overall, show interest in the class. Even if you hate it, show interest to the teacher, do your work, and show up. The overall impression you give as a person will leave your teacher with an overall impression of how you are as a student.

It may seem that these are a lot of things to do in order to not fail a class. However, if you put just a little effort into all of them, then you are certain not to fail. People fail classes because they are never in class, never study, and show disinterest. If a teacher knows that you are trying, then you may not necessarily do exceptionally well in school, but you will certainly not fail.