i’ve failed a high school class! now what?

march 17, 2017

this week i learned that assuming that certain things will happen isn’t the best mindset. yet i’m going to go out on a limb and assume that if you’re reading this article, it’s likely you’ve failed a high school class.

if you’ve just learned the news, i’d recommend taking a day or two before coming back to this article. there’s some advice i want to impart, and i want you to be in a more positive, receptive mood.

original photo by hutomo abrianto on unsplash

two days later…

okay, so you’re in a slightly better mood. the world hasn’t stopped spinning, and your entire life hasn’t fallen apart around you.

the first thing i want you to know is that failing a high school class is something that you can fix! yes, it is true. as a teacher, i helped many students repair their grades, gpas, and chances for college admission success. so if you’re ready to be proactive, let’s get started!

make-up work

based off my experience in the classroom, i know that most students who fail a class do so in the fall semester. why is this the case? well, whenever you learn new material, there are going to be new challenges, some of which you will find extremely difficult (if not impossible) to overcome. in fast-paced classes, it becomes all too easy to fall behind. mix all of that together, and you get an f on your report card.

anyway, if you have failed the first semester of a class, there is always the chance your teacher will let you do make-up work. basically, you have the opportunity over winter break to complete a series of make-up exercises. when you return for spring semester, you take an exam to demonstrate that you are proficient in the material.

though working over winter break may not sound too appealing, make-up work is the best way to repair your grade. in my experience, it is the least stressful for students, and produces the best results.

so if you’re finishing up the fall semester, and expect to see an f on your report card, go to your teacher and ask about make-up work. he or she may say no. after all, rules and regulations are different everywhere. the following two options (or maybe just the final one) may be the only ways to repair your grade.

2^nd semester redemption

another option is known as ‘2^nd semester redemption’. my school used it mainly for students who had ‘barely’ failed a class, as in earning a 65-69. if this was the case, the student signed a contract stating that he or she was willing to work smarter in the spring semester. if the spring semester grade and fall semester grade averaged out to a 70 or above, the teacher would change the grade for the fall semester.

problem solved.

this, too, provided decent results for students. students who failed in the fall had a good reason to do better in the spring. yet there was a drawback –- the stress/fear of failing again. teens are already stressed out enough, which in my experience leads to a self-defeating attitude. ‘i failed in the fall. i just fail again in the spring. why should i even try?’ though this sentiment was expressed by students in a variety of ways, it is an attitude to actively avoid. skip down to ‘making sure failing a high school class never happens again’ for tips about creating a better academic mindset.

last but not least, we have (drum roll, please)…..

summer school

yep, there is always the old standby of taking summer school. i am a bit biased against the idea of summer school. due to the short time frame, the courses rely heavily on rote memorization, worksheets, and not the most motivated teachers. i know there are exceptions, but to be honest, i wouldn’t bet on it.

yet if summer school is the only option your school district offers, take it as a gift, even if it may not feel like one. besides showing up and working hard, here’s an extra piece of advice. if you feel that your teacher is going too fast, make sure to let him or her know that right away! you need to make your voice heard if you’re having any difficulty whatsoever.

making sure failing a high school class never happens again

this section is all about what you do after repairing your grade, no matter how you did it. in short, after taking a well-earned sigh of relief, it’s time to make a game plan for the future.

like football players watching the game tape after a devastating loss, you should examine the past to determine why you failed. was it because the teacher was going too fast? was it because you’ve struggled with the subject all your life? was it because of a health issue such as not having glasses to read the board/presentations? was it because (and i hate to say this, magooshers) you were lazy? was it a mix of reasons?

once you’ve figured out the cause(s), it’s time to come up with a solution that will help you pass future classes. as i don’t know your specific situation, here’s some advice that can help just about everyone who’s bouncing back after failing a high school class:

ask your teacher to help you take better notes.
ask your teacher about the best ways to organize your notebook/folder.
ask questions in class when you feel unsure about something. (this one is huge!)
get your eyes checked. (you wouldn’t believe how many people don’t know that their vision is terrible.)
research online tutoring resources. (one of the largest is khan academy. note: this service also helps students prepare for the sat free of charge!)
if you or your family has the money, consider hiring a professional tutor. (see my article on choosing an act/sat tutor for some tips on how to find the tutor of your dreams.)

final thoughts on failing a high school class

hopefully this article has taught you that all is not lost after failing a high school class. the opportunities are there. you just need to reach out and take them.

till next time, magooshers.

author

thomas broderick

thomas spent four years teaching high school english, social studies, and act preparation in middle tennessee. now living in northern california, he is excited to share his knowledge and experience with magoosh’s readers. in his spare time thomas enjoys writing short fiction and hiking in the sonoma foothills.

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13 responses to “i’ve failed a high school class! now what?”

ashlen suzuki

february 13, 2020

this actually might help me, seeing as my vision is easily blurred and i cannot pay attention for long periods of time. thank you for this article, even if i’m in 6th grade.

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1. magoosh test prep expert
  
  february 14, 2020
  
  you’re welcome, ashlen! glad this was helpful 🙂
  
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chris watson

april 27, 2020

i think i can actually pass 9th grade with this thanks

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human

december 3, 2020

so here’s the thing, i failed math in my first semester of freshman year and then passed both science and math in the second semester, but failed one elective. i am a 10th grader now and i couldn’t go to summer school in the freshman year because of coronavirus and i am now failing another elective. i feel like everything’s over for me. i don’t know what to do.

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1. magoosh test prep expert
  
  january 15, 2021
  
  hi there, i realize how stressful and disheartening this might be. i think it’s important to realize that covid-19 has disrupted schools all over the world, and there ar so many stressors and issues that people are dealing with. i’ve heard a lot of talk among my colleagues about how high schools and universities are going to respond to this. when you are applying for college, you will be just one of many students who may have struggled during covid-19, and most admissions committees will understand and accommodate it. i think we’ll be seeing much more information on this in the coming year or so, as universities adapt to the realities that many of their incoming students have faced due to covid. i can’t say for sure what will happen, but i do know that this does not mean that you won’t get in to college. these grades don’t define you, and you will have an opportunity in your college essays to explain the situation.
  
  the important thing for you now is to determine how you will respond to these issues. reach out to your teachers and guidance counselors and ask for support. talk with your classmates about strategies to reduce stress and improve your grades. focus on what you can change now, in a new semester. you are not alone, and this is not the end of the line. find people who can support you, and move forward with confidence!
  
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destiny

january 23, 2021

i was and still am extremely unmotivated to do my work. my english teacher assigns a lot of work. i regret taking a de class because my mother paid 150 dollars for me to fail it. i have four days to complete six essays and ten question sets that i don’t fully understand. i would talk to my teacher but he has made it abundantly clear to other struggling students that he will not help.

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1. magoosh test prep expert
  
  february 16, 2021
  
  i’m really sorry to hear about this, destiny. it seems completely unfair. i wish i could provide more help!
  
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guy who failed 4 classes in the first semester

march 3, 2021

hello, thank you for putting the time & effort into making this huge statement about highschool. so the way my school works is, all of the grades are counted up and averaged to give you your final grade for each class at the end of the year.. (we take 6 classes, 4 base and 4 half year electives, or 2 full year electives.. i took 2 full year electives) but i failed 4 classes in the first semester due to lack of motivation and mental problems. i feel like i shouldn’t try in spanish (it is not required if you dont plan to go to college) and i failed it twice in the first semester. i almost passes math, i was 2 points off and i almost passed humanities too, i failed by 4 point, but i completely failed spanish. i can do summer school, but it would only be for a few days because i have around an 80% right now and my first quarter of the spring semester ends in a few weeks. if i was to get at least an 85 (a b where i am at) would i still pass? like i said, i understand i have to go to summer school but i’ve been very stressed and had a really bad panic attack when i figured out that if you fail 4 classes in a semester, you have to repeat the grade. this isn’t the case at my school (thank god!) but i am still kind of worried i wont be able to pull through..i have no motivation due to the school messing with my credits constantly, and not giving me the classes i absolutely needed my freshman year of highschool. i also did not get to chose my career pathway, and the classes i need to finish the business pathway aren’t classes anymore since the teacher quit. i am deep in a hole, i am either stressing out too much or you’re right. i’m a dunce when it comes to math, and no matter how hard i try i still fail. i asked my teacher for help, she sucks at giving it and right now i cannot afford a personal tutor. if i would’ve known spanish and humanities werent required to graduate, i wouldnt have taken them. i just threw myself into a deeper hole knowing that those classes arent needed. i think my spanish teacher is a new to teaching, he is from south america and can barley speak fluent english. i turn in everything on time and get 100’s on everything we do. yet i still failed the class during the semester. i was 5 away from passing it last quarter and i turned in everything i could and yet still failed. it makes no sense, and im sorry i have to come to you asking for advice but my parents don’t know what the heck im talking about, and the staff at my school are rude people that think failure and absence has to do with the parents or some time of abuse at home. i’m completely lost at this point like i’ve stated. forgot to mention the fact that my 6th period teacher never starts the google meets and people doing the online school will ask her “hey, is there a meet today?” she will not reply and mark everyone as absent. i had a bad report from her, she said i fail to do major assignments and lack responsibility in my work, and that i have executive absences when she doesn’t start the class. i wish my school had more teachers like you, i guess it’s since im a junior they are all expecting something they cannot receive. i ended the 1st quarter (halfway through the 1st semester) and i had 6 absences total, but 28 unexcused absences, this along with my grades caused the driving cabinet to revoke my driving permissions. both of my parents work on bad schedules, my dad being at night shift and my mom not getting home till 4-5 pm, and they are about to turn 50 so i cannot expect them to get me everywhere. i hope you can see what im getting at, i just feel like highschool is a big waste of time. i could be working and making money to actually help me in life, but instead im stuck taking classes i dont need. i’m sorry if this went outside of your box, i understand not everyone is here to help in life but i feel like im having a midlife crisis at the age of 16. thanks for your time.

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1. magoosh test prep expert
  
  march 5, 2021
  
  hi there, i’m really sorry to hear about this experience. i know it doesn’t help much right now, but it may be useful to think about your experience this year in the grand scheme of things. students and teachers everywhere are struggling through virtual learning. many states or school districts are completely eliminating letter grades for this last year. even if you do get a letter grade for these classes, there will be a lot of leniency in the future because anyone analyzing your transcripts for college or jobs will immediately recognize that the failing grades were during the pandemic. it sounds like you are trying to be proactive and take responsibility for your own success. i would recommend reaching out to the leadership at your school–a counselor, academic advisor, vice principle, principle or even another teacher you trust–and explain the situation to them. try to gather evidence of what’s going on in the google meet classrooms. team up with other students from your class to present your issues together. you may not get an immediate or satisfactory response to your issue, but you will be advocating for yourself and your future, which is valuable experience in and of itself. remember: this situation won’t last forever. the school year, and eventually the pandemic and virtual schooling, will end. try to think forward about what you can learn from this experience and how you can build resiliency and grit to help you in the future. i wish you the best of luck!
  
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austin

may 9, 2021

thanks for this! how do i communicate with a teacher that has consistently dismissed my issues and gotten angry when i ask for help? i want to succeed, but motivation is scarce and everything feels impossible. do you have any advice?

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1. magoosh test prep expert
  
  may 14, 2021
  
  i’m so sorry that you’re having that problem, austin. i have had similar experiences in my past, and i know it can be very upsetting. i’ll be happy to offer some advice on steps you can take and on how to view the situation.
  
  first, i’d like to say that the situation you’re in is temporary. you will not always have this teacher. whatever grade you get from this class, there are ways you can deal with it and move forward.
  
  i’m curious whether other students have similar difficulties with this teacher. teachers are people, too, and we’re all flawed in our own ways. your teacher might not have a positive view of you, but that doesn’t mean the teacher’s perspective is correct. only you know the full truth of how hard you’re trying to get help and succeed. if the teacher is being unreasonable, then it’s possible other students are having similar struggles, and you’re probably not alone.
  
  a situation full of stress and conflict, as this one seems to be, can definitely be draining on your motivation. that’s normal. why not take a moment to think about why you’re struggling to stay motivated? it might be because you’re not receiving the help and support that you are asking for. if so, then that’s not your fault. that could be your best judgment telling you that you don’t have the tools you need to succeed in this situation. it’s still a situation you have to deal with, but that doesn’t mean it’s a flaw in your personality.
  
  what can you do about it? reflecting on the situation and putting things in perspective can help you find a measure of peace. but you are still in that situation. so, let’s think of people other than your teacher who you could ask for help.
  
  are there other students who understand the situation and could offer some support to you? can you work with them to look for solutions? can you depend on each other for help with the class? do you have a friend who did well in the class year and could tutor you?
  
  are there teachers, administrators, or student support staff at your school who you feel comfortable with? speak to them, and explain your concerns and what type of help you’re looking for. they will be able to help you with advice specific to your situation.
  
  i had a teacher in high school who set up class in such a way that it was impossible to succeed. not one of the students in our class passed our first semester exam. the highest score was a 58%. he talked all class every day, but we were learning nothing. we could not get any help from him, because he just told us to figure it out. we did depend on each other, setting up study groups that could share the load. i fought hard, and i came out of that class with the lowest grade i had gotten in 6 years. but i still got the credits i needed.
  
  that class taught me that you can’t give all of your energy to a stressful situation or it could take over your life. you might fail the class, austin, or you might get a lower grade than you want. that bad thing might happen to you. it won’t ruin your life. it won’t haunt all of your days. it will just be a thing that happened to you, and that is one more brick in building the person you are becoming. and it may surprise you and be the strongest brick yet.
  
  try to think of practical steps that you can take to improve the situation, austin, and be patient with yourself if that’s not easy. rely on those who want to help you, and focus on your goals. if you need a certain grade in the class, then let the benefits of getting that grade be your motivation. we’re cheering for you here at magoosh!
  
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rachel

september 20, 2023

i need help! i have 2 days until the 6 weeks report and i am failing biology with a 68 and algebra 1 with a 65 both of them do not put grades in until last minute and i forget to turn in work, my biology teacher is not very nice and will not print off lost work i made a 25 on a test because she did not let us have more time to write down notes, when she does notes it is n the board and on a slide show we get about as much time as she needs to read it off and she goes to the next slide, we have to ask her to go back every slide and we have to keep asking her until we finish with writing the slide, she has been a teacher for a while so i am not saying she is a bad teacher but i am having issues with the way she is teaching and suffer from adhd making it almost impossible to get work done, i am also correcting that test and i have 50 questions to fully write out and correct, also everyone struggles in her class . sorry about the grammar but i don’t have much time to type this as i am very stressed and if i fail i cant show my steer (4h/ffa) i have to be able to show him or i get punished and shunned.i am making 90s in all my other lasses and i have never failed a science class before, and math i have never failed but have been close.

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1. magoosh expert
  
  september 22, 2023
  
  hi rachel,
  
  sorry to hear about your troubles here! i recommend trying to meet with your teachers after school to ask them what you can do so as not to fail. also, be sure they know that you have adhd and that they are taking that into account. i’d also recommend you check out the study resources we have on our blog about both biology and algebra–they may help! if you take the time to work on both of these subjects after school each day, and speak with your teachers individually, i’d bet you’ll start to see some progress!
  
  best of luck to you! 😀
  
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