what to do when youre about to fail an exam
Disclaimer: With grades coming in from tests and exams, it'southward the perfect time to revisit this article from a couple years ago. If you failed a test, don't worry! Even if you simply skim this article, yous can find some great advice by reading the bolded 'pro tips'.
Last year, my cousin Zoe—a first-year McMaster student—sent me a panicked text bulletin. She was freaking out almost failing her microeconomics midterm. Like about students who only experienced failure for the first time, she was feeling embarrassed, panicked and anxious AF. Basically, she wasn't sure what to exercise adjacent.
I channelled my inner Yoda and helped her overcome her failure hangover past creating a simple plan of attack that I believe will help any pupil (much like yourself) overcome academic failure. I phone call this: The Failing Forward Framework. Why? Because I thought it sounded cool. Plus, alliteration!
Let's get started. Introducing The Failing Forward Framework.
Meet With Your Prof (Simply Don't Waste Your Time).
I told Zoe to book a meeting with her prof ASAP Rocky. I know this may seem similar obvious advice. Simply the secret sauce is how y'all come prepared to see with your prof or the class TA. The mistake that I most often come across is one that a lot of profs hate. That'south when students show upwardly and say, "I failed my midterm, please assistance me!" I told Zoe to avoid this approach.
Instead, you want to take the time to review your midterm and make notes ahead of time. Notes that showcase not only your thinking just also acknowledge where you struggled. By doing this, y'all're showing your professor that y'all actually give a shit and you're not just there to beg for a course bump. You'll also salvage them time past conspicuously articulating your trouble, and, in return, they tin identify and strategize the best mode to aid.
Come prepared with notes and solutions, not just problems.
Plus, your prof tin put a face to your name (that'southward of import when they mark your next test) and yous can start to build a meaningful relationship. In Zoe's case, her prof reviewed her notes and put her in touch on with a great TA who helped her with step two of the Failing Frontwards Framework—your study habits.
Pro Tip: Communicate the problem with your prof before stepping into the coming together.
Transport your prof or TA a quick bullet point agenda the day before your initial meeting to give them the chance to review your exam and have resources ready to assist yous.
Copy and Paste Calendar Example:
How-do-you-do [insert teacher proper noun],
I know you're busy, and then I created a quick agenda to continue our meeting tomorrow focused and to help the states interact more efficiently. Hope this helps you understand where I need to amend.
Quick Agenda:
→Review my midterm and brand notes for futurity help
→Review my study habits and help me improve them
→I would love your recommendations for tutors or a TA that tin can help me
Thanks then much for your time. Looking forwards to your help tomorrow at ii p.m.
[Sign-off]
Review and Suit Your Written report Habits.
I asked Zoe to walk me through how she studied for her midterm. Let's see if information technology stacks up with how you study. Zoe explained the following:
→I lock myself in my dorm the night before the examination.
→Skim the required reading.
→Try a few practice questions.
→Stay up late re-skimming while taking notes.
Sound familiar? Allow'southward intermission down these mutual study 'misteaks' (meet what I did there) that Zoe made when she was preparing for her midterm. And let's adapt for amend written report habits. It'southward important to realize that examination prep is a procedure, not a concluding-minute dart.
Requite Yourself Fourth dimension to Discover Your Cognition Gaps.
When you cram, you're increasing your odds of declining exponentially. Permit me explicate. When you run into something you lot can't figure out (noesis gap), you don't have fourth dimension to trouble solve it or get assistance. This caused Zoe a great deal of unnecessary stress. Requite yourself more time!
Pause All Social Sites and Porn. Seriously.
These fun, just soul-sucking distractions are an addictive vice. I understand that seeing a notification icon on your phone is digital crack. But for every interruption or distraction, it can have 23 minutes and 15 seconds to go back to where you left off. If you have cipher cocky-control, try these apps to shut off all notifications while you study: Self Control App + Freedom.
Basically, Netflix & Chill later on you pass your midterm.
Environs Yourself With Problem Solvers.
Report groups are incredibly helpful. I explained to Zoe that if she locks herself in her dorm, and isolates herself from her classmates, that she is missing a huge opportunity to learn from them. You will remember more when you actively participate in conversations versus merely studying. As you talk to your group, you're teaching them as well every bit yourself.
Actively Read. Make Notes. Summarize. Share.
When you sit down downwardly to actually showtime the studying process. Your goal shouldn't exist to reinforce what you already know. It should exist to discover what you lot don't know.
Yous should be actively reading, not skimming. That ways as you read, you lot should be;
→ Tabbing your pages.
→ Writing notes.
→ Jotting questions.
→ Summarizing sections.
That way, you lot identify issues fast and spend less fourth dimension trying to solve everything yourself. You tin can then turn to the group or your TA to get you lot to a solution faster.
Pro Tip: Use a notes tool that tin brand collaborating with written report partners easier
Apps like Evernote, Google Docs, or Dropbox Paper permit for you to capture your thoughts, notes, and questions every bit you read and written report. If y'all have a study group, you lot tin can all hands compare your notes, merely, more importantly, you can help solve each other'southward knowledge gaps. Give information technology a shot.
Mock Testing and Modules.
This is virtually learning and agreement, not memorizing. Subsequently you lot've actively read, put your knowledge to practice with modules and questions. Doing this will aid y'all conspicuously identify what you either know or don't know about the fabric: a.k.a identifying exactly what you need to spend more time with.
Over again, go your friends to participate. Compare answers and teach each other. Or, volume more than TA or prof time.
Equally long as yous can identify what you don't know, yous're making progress.
Pro Tip: Utilize costless programs that can help you test your knowledge
Check out Quizlet. It'south a free online study module site. It's very helpful for quick mock testing.
Get More than Sleep. Period.
That's it. Sleep more. Terminate pulling all-nighters. It'south super unhealthy and not a badge of accolade. It doesn't mean y'all're a hard worker, information technology means you don't know how to study properly. Your grades, health, and progress will suffer. Sorry for switching from Yoda to an asshole, merely this is important.
Pro Tip: Sleep.
Read Katherine's article almost tips for improve slumber and amend wellness.
This Story Has a Happy Ending.
I'm pleased to report that Zoe passed microeconomics and built a great relationship with her classmates, prof, and her TA. She was pumped to share her story with you and hopes it will help.
If you want to dive deeper on any of the points I've shared or desire to tell me y'all hate this article, y'all can hit me at stephen.sills@studentlifenetwork.com. I love hearing from students on what's working and not working so we can create better resources.
Key Article Takeaways:
→Brand notes for your prof to relieve you both fourth dimension as y'all problem solve.
→Ship a quick agenda before the meeting.
→Give yourself more trouble-solving time.
→Actively read and brand notes—don't skim.
→Build a written report group or a relationship with TA.
→ Slumber. No more all-nighters.
More Study Resource for the Keeners.
The best report videos on YouTube.
And a Free App.
Self Control is an app designed to close off notifications for a specific corporeality of time. Like when you're studying and don't want to get distracted.
Then yous failed a test? Don't permit that get you down. Follow The Failing Forward Frameworkand you'll exist okay.
*Opinions expressed are those of the writer, and non necessarily those of Student Life Network or their partners.
Source: https://blog.studentlifenetwork.com/2021/01/11/failed-a-test-exam-steps/
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