I’m a third year student and getting back my final grades for the course. I’m also looking at grad school, so my grades need to be in B+ or higher range. For one course, I noticed on two assignments I got a 60 on one and a 65 on the other. Both were worth 10 percent and the second grade surprises me as I thought I had improved my work on it. For the other 10 percent assignments, I got a 85, 85 and 77. This puts my grade currently at a B. I am waiting for my final paper grade, which is worth 30 and my participation mark, which is worth 20. I’m super anxious now as I hope I did well enough in both for my grade to be at least a B+ as I worked hard on the paper and was active in class, but I’m also worried for my grades as well. I’m constantly checking my school website and can’t get it off my mind and even feeling a little tired with a slight headache honestly. I was wondering , what are some tips to not be so anxious?
This is the question you SHOULD go talk to your professor BEFORE the final exam period, not here on a public forum.
It seems like you did everything you could to improve after those couple of poor grades. Now it’s just a waiting game. I’d keep telling yourself that you did your best. I don’t know what research area you’re interested in, but many graduate programs see grades as a benchmark but pay much more attention to research etc. One B in a sea of B+/A-/A grades will not make too much difference if you’re going for PhD, and it seems like you’re used to that range of grades if you’re this concerned about a B. Just try to relax and find ways to distract yourself.
I’m going for a masters
Remember that the A in GPA means “Average” so you can maintain a B+ average with a couple of B’s here and there! Don’t know your field but graduate programs generally seem to have minimum published cutoffs between 3.0 and 3.5, right there in your B/B+ sweet spot.
The semester is in the can, as they say, and, barring errors or omissions, your grade is your grade. Freaking out over it now is not going to change the outcome - it is wasted energy. Even if you wind up getting the grade you want, it’s been a lot of white-knuckling not knowing. Remember this feeling - it is unpleasant, and you probably don’t want to feel it again. To decrease the uncertainty moving forward (read: gain some control), honestly reflect on how you prepared for this course and see where you can and must improve.
You asked for tips to not be so anxious. Download a mindfulness app. Meditate. Practice yoga. Breathe. Relax. It will all work out as it is meant to be. Also, if you believe in a higher spiritual power, perhaps say a prayer, or two, for often through prayer or mediation fears are allayed and anxieties released. Deeprak Chopra wrote a book entitled, “Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff.” As for right now, getting a B vs. a B+ seems like “Big Stuff,” but in the grander scheme of things, this “worry” or “fear” does not deserve the attention you are giving it. In the words of Bob Marley and Three Little Birds, “Don’t worry, about a thing, 'cause every little thing’s gonna be alright.”
I’ve been worrying about final grades lately. I got them back and I finished with A-, A, B, B+ and B. I’ve been looking at grad school and was hoping to get more A’s to look good and I worry I might have too little grades. As well, I’m sort of disappointed as I study long and hard for the courses I got a B in for my final exams and was hoping for an A. I also worry what my parents thinks as if I had straight As for grad school, I could get a scholarship and since I don’t have it and the fact that my brother got straight As and could get one, I feel my parents will think I’m a slacker or don’t take school seriously or something. A scholarship could have helped ease the burden for paying for my schools
Your grades are fine. What is your area of study? How was your GPA before this semester? Grades are only part of the equation for getting into grad school. Your GRE / GMAT scores matter. What you did outside of the classroom on campus matters. Have you done research with a professor, for example. How you spent your summers matters. You’re obviously focused on a goal and take your studies seriously. Keep it up. Do your research on grad schools. Follow the relaxation advice @Netsirknna offered.
You need to step back & adjust your perspective. There are some serious problems in the world worthy of such concern, but whether you earned a “B” or a “B+” is not one of them.