What To Do If You Are Dissatisfied With Your Grade In An Online Course

You chose to pursue online classes to increase your knowledge and skills set, enhance your resume, and eventually get a higher paying job. However, you have just received a grade in an online course that you are less than happy about. What do you do when you are unsatisfied with a grade you received in an online class?

First, try to identify why you received the low grade. Did you forget to turn in any assignments? Did you do poorly on one or more tests? Was the subject matter too complex? Determining why you received a low grade can help you avoid this situation in the future. If the low grade was due to the complexity of the work, you may want to rethink which major you should pursue, especially if the grade was in an introductory class. If, however, the low grade happened because you did not complete your assignments or study as much as you should have, consider this a wake-up call that encourages you to focus more in your next online class.

After determining why you received a unsatisfactory grade, consider writing to your professor to ask if you might be able to make up any work you missed or do extra work to boost your grade. While most professors and schools are hesitant to change a grade once it has been issued, it never hurts to ask.

If you cannot do extra credit or make up any work to boost your grade, you need to find out whether or not you have failed the course. Some schools will accept a “D” while others will consider a “D” a failing grade. What counts as a “Fail” will vary from school to school. Also, keep in mind that most programs require a higher grade to pass a class if the course is part of your major. In most cases, a passing grade is a C-, although this may differ from school to school.

If you haven’t reached passing marks, you will have to retake the class if it is required for your major. While this is a setback, don’t let one class hold you back from continuing your education. Determine to work harder and correct your mistakes the next time around. While receiving a low grade in an online course is frustrating, the best thing you can do is move forward and not let the low grade stop you from taking further online classes.