Very depressed from getting a bad grade, what should I do?

Question

I'm taking an advanced Chemistry class this summer and I already screwed up on my first test. I have the absolute worst teacher ever: I mean study 5-7 hours a day and I still got a B on the test. Keep in mind that this is a very demanding course and i'm taking it in a very compressed format. I'm 15yrs old (the youngest in the class) and everyone else in the class is 17-19. I'm just really really depressed because I currently have a B average and I don't know what to do. Should I talk to my teacher. What should I tell her?

I don't want to "beg" her to give me an A but at the same time I don't want a B in chemistry to ruin my 4.0 GPA and ruin my chances of going to Cornell.

Answer 1

Wow, B averege. That's pretty good. Well better then me. And your age in the class is very good too.

For the problem, you should really ask your teacher what to do, and what your doing wrong.

Answer 2

You can't beg the teacher to give you an A, you have to earn it.  Did you beg for any of your previous A's?  If so, than you truly do not have a 4.0 GPA.  

A "B" is not a "bad" grade.  You'll learn later in life that having perfect grades is not the most important thing in life.  Just work hard and do your best.

Answer 3

I empathize with you, but as long as you get the grade that you earn then there is no reason to complain.  Just remember that this is just one grade for one course.  In the scheme of your life, it probably will not be as significant as you think right now. Your grade is not a reflection of your worth as a person.  Keep working hard, shoot for that A, if you earn a B it'll be OK.

Answer 4

First of all your taking a very hard class. I took that class last semester and I got a C+ average while studying 2-3 hours a day. If you just took 1 test then its not that bad, but you should seriously consider getting a tutor if you want to get that A. Or find a friend of yours that can help you.

Answer 5

You are wasting your precious brain energy on failing and being depressed. This thought pattern affects your performance. Just stop! And also talk to your teacher about tutoring if you need it.  Just do it!  If it is that important to you, then you will do it well.  Good Luck!

Answer 6

First of all, a B is not that bad a grade.  I understand you want to get into your school of choice, but as a teacher, I can tell you that most students would looove to get a B.  

Have you tried getting a study partner in the class, or talking to the teacher about your frustrations?  Both these things have helped me in the past.  If you are really worried, and you can afford it, try getting a tutor.  Many teachers are willing to tutor in the summer, as they don't get paid in the summer and need to make some extra cash...Look in the classifieds or ask your teacher.  Many university students would also be willing to tutor you.  Many universities have tutor registries where you can find people to tutor you in all manner of subjects.

Good luck!

Answer 7

become a hero

Answer 8

As a Cornell graduate myself who didn't do too well in chemistry there when I was a teenager--but who later took a chem course again at a different school and got an A -- I see your point.

You can do a couple of things. First, schedule an appointment with the teacher. Ask him or her how you can improve your grade. Are there extra study helps in the text? Can you form or join a study group with your colleagues? Does the textbook have a companion website or workbook, even if you have to buy it? (look in the preface of the book to see if there is a website you can access).  Are you going to labs? Do you sit close enough to the board to write down everything that the teacher puts on the board--because it's probably important? Are you doing all your homework?

Do you read the text? Do you know how to read a science textbook--it's a different skill set from reading history or fiction. Do you look at chapter headings? Is there a glossary? Are you sure of all the terms printed in boldface or italics in the test? Can you make flash cards to memorize the terms and get someone to drill you on them?

You can tell the teacher you want to learn how to EARN an A. Not ask to be given one. "Earn" is the key word here - it shows you are willing to work. Can there be extra credit? Can you come in for extra study time? Can you get --or hire--a tutor skilled in chemistry, perhaps a college faculty member at the local community college who'd be glad to earn a little extra cash and who can give you 1:1 time for explaining?

Remember there's a big difference between studying in high school and studying for advanced classes. In high school, often you do the homework and then the teacher goes over it. In college or advanced classes, you are expected to read the text material in advance (usually several times.) Mark up your book. Underline or annotate key words. Ask questions a lot when you don't understand something. Plan special review times.

Psych out the tests. What kind of test was this last one? Multiple choice? Essay? Equations to complete or write? Terms to know? Are you required to show your work or just check off what you think is the correct answer?  Test-taking skills can be learned and practiced, too. Are these timed tests? Did you finish all the questions? Did you finish them in time to check your answers?

Also, stop being depressed. If you're 15 and several years younger than your classmates, a B is a good grade for the first test. Is the teacher grading on a curve, or is he or she measuring the progress of each student individually, so that it doesn't matter if all the kids in the class earn As--if they have good test scores.

Try the above suggestions. They should help. What you may need to do is to change how you are studying and how you are answering the test questions. Look ahead to the next unit. See the table of contents for it. What topics in the text book get the most attention? Look at the topic sentences in each paragraph of the textbook. Check the headings - how large is the typeface? Larger typeface means (usually) more- important material.

Good luck. If you do go to Cornell, you'll enjoy it. I graduated from there in 1951. GREAT school!