STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

Sandy · Kate Spade

I failed a class

kahluamilk · Dooney & Bourke

Hey Sandy, did your prof know you were hospitalized? That's pretty serious and it wasn't like you were hungover and missed a class. I would go talk to him and see what's going on. Is it too late for extra credit? It's been a couple of yrs since college but I thought I remember something along the lines where if an emergency came up, you could do something extra and get a pass or a deferral til next semester... It beats getting a failing grade. I could be wrong though..

calichic · Dooney & Bourke

I've failed some classes and you should DEFINITELY go and check with the prof about why you failed. Also, if he didn't already know that you were in the hospital, it would be a good thing to tell him (might be too late though...). You should get your work back from the prof and see exactly what you did wrong or he thinks that you did wrong. That way if he just mismarked your assignments (or whatever) you will catch it or you can contest the grade. I am not sure as to how you can contest the grade, you might have to go through the English department for that, but I know that people do it and their grades have been changed. Good luck and I am sorry that this happened.

Kelly · Hermes

If I were you, I'd email him and ask to set up a meeting to discuss your grade. Showing that you'll put forth the effort to really understand what went wrong, as well as go to campus, schedule your day around it, etc., might show him that you're serious and if you were kind of on the fence, he might feel like bumping you. Also, if you guys start going over things, he might realize that he recorded the grades wrong or something! I got an A+ in a class this spring semester that I wasn't expecting, and with that class I am able to see all my individual assignment grades online. Turns out, it was because the professor recorded a grade wrong... but of course I didn't set up a meeting to correct *that*!

blink · Coach

I would advise going to the professor to find out why you failed. If you ever eventually transfer elsewhere or apply to a grad school no matter how many years from now, you might someday need to write a letter explaining why you failed this one class, so it would be the responsible thing to find reasons from the professor himself besides the pesonal ones only you know of.

This requirement happened to a friend of mine who had literally failed one class during her freshman year six years previous....her explanation was a humble and amusing one however, she was basically an immature 17 yr old and she and her roommates had skipped class the morning of the final because they were watching The Price Is Right. Can you imagine??