We all start each term with great intentions and expectations, but things don’t always go as planned!

If you’re really worried about your grades in one or more classes, it’s ok to get creative about salvaging your term.

Always remember: your school wants you to succeed and has ways to help you do so!

Even if you feel like all hope is lost, you DO have options. There are ways to get more time or more bandwidth.

We’ll tell you how they tend to work—but it’s critical to know your school’s policies, terminology, and deadlines.

It’s up to you to gather info relevant to your specific situation and decide what resources and options you can or should turn to.

But remember, one of your best resources is advice. Don’t be afraid to ask for it! Your advisor, professors, and coaches are all good sources of wisdom.

Depending on your school’s policies, you might be able to:

• drop a class from your schedule altogether (often called a late drop or withdrawal)
• change your grade option from letter grade to pass/fail or pass/no pass
• take an incomplete, which gives you extra time to finish the work for a class

And any of these options might require you to:

• demonstrate that you have a legit reason for needing that option
• fill out paperwork and/or get special permission from one or more people at your college
• have a record put on your transcript, for example a “W” if you withdraw from a class.

You can sometimes negotiate less formal ways to ease your coursework burden, at least temporarily, like by asking a professor to give you more time on an assignment (or more than one).

Extensions are usually up to professors’ discretion. Some only grant them for emergencies; others are more casual or will even give you an extension if you just ask for one.

If you feel like you’d benefit from having more time, go ahead and ask.

Sometimes a term can become extra tough if you’re just overextended. 

But sometimes it’s because something has created additional burden for you. Common examples include:

•  medical issues (including mental health)
•  family emergencies
• financial hardship

If you suspect that you might qualify for an extension or exception to regular policies because of your situation this term, don’t hesitate to look into that option! That’s why it’s there.