Dear Students and Parents.
Here is a letter I probably could have received hundreds of times in my years as a college counselor.
Today I checked my grades online and I got a 69 on my first test. Seriously, a ***** 69!!!!
What the ***** !!!! I am used to straight A's. What has happened??
Signed, Hopeless
Dear Hopeless,
Take a deep breath. Relax.... The world will move forward. Your high school grades were NOT an accident. You can and will make it.
You might not be prepared for this particular class. Or you didn’t study as much as you should have . Or you failed to turn our test page over and missed answering a few questions. Or you lost your place on the Scantron form and/or your answers were missing/skipped in the grading.
Contact our staff and review study techniques with them. Try to identify your problem. Did you make notecards? Did you outline your chapters? Did you actually read the chapters or just skim over important material. Study hall is only two hours long. For a 4 chapter test, you will need to put more time into working. And remember there are many other grading opportunities.
Take a deep breath. Relax.... The world will move forward. Your high school grades were NOT an accident. You can and will make it.
You might not be prepared for this particular class. Or you didn’t study as much as you should have . Or you failed to turn our test page over and missed answering a few questions. Or you lost your place on the Scantron form and/or your answers were missing/skipped in the grading.
Contact our staff and review study techniques with them. Try to identify your problem. Did you make notecards? Did you outline your chapters? Did you actually read the chapters or just skim over important material. Study hall is only two hours long. For a 4 chapter test, you will need to put more time into working. And remember there are many other grading opportunities.
Test taking in college requires a background in understanding what your particular professor wants and then delivering that. Talk to our staff—they are available just down the hall. You will look back at this one single grade at the end of the year and laugh. And you will have forgotten this incident by graduation.
Hang in there. You're bright enough, you're strong enough and by gosh, most everyone I know failed at least one test their freshmen year of college.
Dig deep and get a good mental attitude towards all grades and grading you will ever face. Do not cry. Call your Mom and tell her you love her, but tell her you’re not coming back until the program ends. Face unwanted challenges and unexpected adversity by working harder. It’s OK to say, "What the ***** !!!" But then move forward.
I hereby return with interest, all the confidence you lost or misplaced.
Be well.......... and remember we are all here for you.
Dianne
I remember when I had my first failing mark. I was so depressed because I was not used to getting one. But then I told myself that that would be my first and final. It's okay, dear. Just strive harder next time. There's a rainbow always after the rain.
ReplyDeleteAurora Orsini