By now you have received your mid-term grades. Every school is different - at mine we only record Ds and Fs. Others may assign A through F while others may not even give mid-term grades. Whatever the case at your school, now is the time to determine where you stand and make any decisions that are necessary.
If you think you are in danger of failing a course, the first thing to do is talk with your professor. Find out the following:
- Is there any chance of passing?
- Are you missing any assignments, quizzes or exams that can be made up?
- Is there any chance for extra credit? (I hate this question and my answer is always "no," but you need to ask!)
- You can also describe how you study for that particular class and ask if the professor can give you any tips.
If there is no chance of passing, then your decision is between an F and withdrawal (W) from the course. In both cases you will not receive any credits for taking the course, so if this class puts you under 12 credits for the semester or 24 for the entire year you will need to explore the possibility of summer school.
Generally a W is much better than a F. The credits and zero quality points will not be calculated in your grade point average (GPA), so it is much easier to get a decent GPA. An F in a course really lowers your GPA.
The other issue is retaking a required course. If you withdraw, you could take the course during the summer at an institution closer to your home. If you fail a course, you generally have to take it again at the same school in order to do a D/F repeat (if that is an option at your school).
NOTE: Be sure to connect with your advisor before making any decisions and find out your school's policies!
Of course, it goes without saying that the best practice is to be working hard and avoid D and F grades! If you find yourself in this situation, do the best you can to minimize the damage, determine what went wrong, and work in the future to avoid the problem.
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