For all my life I have gotten only one or two Bs on my report card for semester grades, but i think I am going to end up getting 2 Bs and maybe even a C and only 4 As for my quarter grade! (The C is if my test grade in math sucks). Today I completely forgot a test and I felt so stupid and my grade went under a letter grade and I am freaking out. My family says Bs aren’t bad, but to me I can’t get past how much they freak me out!!! Every time something like forgetting to study for a test, or when my letter grade drops, I get so anxious and I can’t sleep or eat much because of how worried I get—I completely shut down. I just need some advice so I don’t worry so much so I can sleep and eat without worry and not always have emotional breakdowns…
- Order your transcript.
- Calculate the GPA with the Bs.
- Calculate the GPA with the B and C.
- Calculate the GPA with the As.
- Compare.
- Determine if it really would hurt you that much by looking at the average GPA at your target colleges. Compare the practical quality of the colleges versus one another.
- Repent by homing in on why you got the B or C by asking your teacher what you can improve on or preferably, figure it out yourself. Ask him or her to base it on what the top students do in his or her class.
- See what the future actually holds.
Research the psychology concept of the availability heuristic.
There are many wonderful schools and the important thing is to focus on finding the right match for you. Of course, try to keep your grades up and take the most rigorous classes available that are appropriate for your interests and abilities. Also participate in extracurricular that you truly enjoy putting energy into. You are much more than your GPA and only your chances at the very most selective schools might be negatively impacted by some Bs. Your mental health is som much more important than a perfect GPA. And a perfect GPA doesn’t ensure getting in. Relax. It will be fine.
If you earn a lower grade because you forgot to study or another personal lapse, then a B is on you. Keep track of tests and assignments and other reasons under your control, fix them. If the class content is really difficult, then think about and ask your teacher what you can do learn better. Divide lower grades into goofs versus academic challenge and address problems by what happened. Finally, school tends to become more difficult over time. That means you may have to work harder to maintain the same grades you earned before. At that point, balance classes by level of difficulty, think about how you learn best and adjust study practices, adjust your time by regular study times and spare moments. For example, if you have reading requirements, focus on the assignment between classes or read whenever you have a few spare minutes. Overall, you will have different learning challenges that you can address in different ways. Be a sponge and soak in learning whenever the opportunity to learn productively presents itself.