GPA Shock: How Your Grades May Change in College
You have always been a good student and brought home good grades. You planned for a strong academic future, and your hard work panned out. You got accepted to your dream college or university and fully intended to continue to shine academically.
So, it’s quite understandable that you are upset and confused to see that your semester grades are far different from the 4.0 or higher that you had back in high school. Where did you go wrong? Below are a few reasons to consider as you plot a better course for next semester.
University Life Is Far Different From High School
You are likely living far away from your home, family and friends. That alone can be quite distressing — and then you add in the culture shock. Living in close quarters with people from different backgrounds and whose values may be unaligned with yours takes patience and forbearance from everyone involved. You might discover that some of these “strangers” turn into good friends. With others, you may just have to agree to disagree.
The one thing that you don’t want is to allow your living situation to affect your grades. Speak to the resident adviser (RA) or dorm manager if the situation becomes untenable and you can no longer focus on studying.
College Courses Are Hard
Even if you got through your high school classes by hardly cracking a book (and still pulled down A’s), university courses are by design much harder than high school work. You might be surprised by the effort and hours you have to dedicate in order to remain competitive with your GPA. Put in the extra time, hit the tutoring labs, address your concerns with your instructor and see what you can do to bring up your grade.
If you truly are working at capacity and still are receiving less than stellar marks, you may need to speak to your adviser and see if your career aims are realistic.
You May Have Been Distracted
Between the invitations to keggers, bids from sororities and fraternities, and the genial party atmosphere at many colleges and universities here in the United States, it can be quite easy to lose focus on grades and get distracted by fun. It’s fine to enjoy the fun times college life has to offer, but prioritizing your grades allows you to achieve a healthy work-life balance when you do cut loose and party like a rock star.
If your dorm room or even wing has become Ground Zero for parties and pranks, it’s up to you to make the decision to spend more time in the library studying in a quiet atmosphere that is conducive to learning. If you really feel like a fish out of water in the party atmosphere, you can seek a change in your living situation.
Get Tutoring If You Need It
There is absolutely no shame in seeking a tutor in subjects that are leaving you in the dust. It can be short-term tutoring to pass a tough test or ongoing to help you throughout the semester. Your peer may be able to explain a concept to you in a way the instructor couldn’t but that allows you to now grasp fully.
Often, tutoring is provided free of charge by upper-class students in university-run tutoring labs. But even if it isn’t and you feel it may be too expensive, ask if you could barter with them in exchange for tutoring sessions. Offer to teach them a second language, clean their dorm room, type some papers or offer to be their sober designated driver for a few nights on the town. Be creative and use your abilities to their best advantage.
Assess Your Career Path
Maybe you are pursuing a degree that will lead to acceptance in medical school to please your parents. Just because they have always longed to say, “My son/daughter, the doctor,” doesn’t make a medical degree your dream as well.
All colleges have career counseling services that offer skills and interest assessments that can help you discover how to lead your best life doing what you love most. Make use of these “free” services because your tuition goes toward paying for them. You can also seek guidance from Elite Path College Counseling for some extra assistance.
Last but not least, don’t despair. You will have a chance to bring up those grades even if it takes a semester on academic probation to do so. Re-commit to your academic pursuits and move on from your bad semester.
