Overcoming academic failure
IF you’re halfway through a study course and still not grasping what is being taught, it’s time to take action. Check out these points for help.
Can you start over next semester?
If you are an adult learner, and you have signed up for a flexible course, it may be possible for you to take a break and start over again next semester. Talk to the course administrator or your lecturer and consider your options.
If you must stay
If you have this one shot, you need to do something radical. Re-evaluate your study technique and the time you put into it.
Be honest with yourself. If you haven’t applied yourself, this is the time to start.
If you have tried but you are not hitting the spot, schedule an appointment with your teacher and ask for advice.
Get a new textbook
Sometimes a certain text just doesn’t do it for everyone. Go to the bookshop and see what other tomes are available. Pick one that suits you. The best ones have learning objectives and mini tests with answers.
Visit YouTube
Go to YouTube not to watch videos of your favourite artistes, but to look for lectures on subjects you need to master.
There are lots of excellent two- to eight-minute lectures on everything from simultaneous equations to allied politics in World War II.
Get a tutor
A good personal teacher can help you get up to speed fast. Make sure you have an expert and that you both know what you need to achieve and when.
Don’t panic
If the worst happens and you fail, look at it as a life lesson. Failure is painful but it won’t kill you. You can always take the course again or do another course later.
Schedule an appointment with your teacher or a career counsellor to discuss your options.