Let’s face it, failing a class is the worst nightmare of a high schooler. It will not only bring down your GPA but also give you a hard time getting into college. In the worst-case scenario, you won’t even graduate your high school. These worst-case scenarios will keep piling up if you let your imagination run the mill, and that’s where you need to take a deep breath and stop. Just know that this is not the only possible end of your high school life.
It’s important to understand that it is okay if you are facing one of those terrors right now with your high school grades. However, as much as you stay motivated even after not performing that well, the truth is, failing a few classes in high school can affect your GPA and your future college applications.
Hence, have you wondered, what happens if you fail 3 or more classes in high school? Read on to find your answer and some pro-bonus tips on how to improve your failing grades.
What happens if you fail three classes in high school?
The whole case depends on the type of class you are failing. If the failed class is mandatory, you need to retake that class. And if the class is elective, then you won’t necessarily need a retake, but the failed grade will reflect on your transcript. Therefore, you will need to make up for the lost credits.
But, since you have failed three classes, it will definitely lower your GPA score. Therefore, you will need to earn extra credit points to graduate high school safely. And you will also need to retake the core subjects over the summer or repeat them the following year. Your new score from the retake will reflect an improved grade on your report card.
When does a student gets held back?
The maximum number of classes you can fail varies depending on the region in which your school is located. Different regions of the US have different requirements. For example, in Arizona, students must pass 22 credits with a minimum grade of D or a score of 60%. Whereas in New York, students need 44 credit points on the said subjects plus a minimum score of 65 in the five major exams to earn a regent high school diploma.
Depending upon the region, each school has a minimum number of credit points that a student needs to earn every year to graduate from high school. Moreover, the students must also meet the high school requirements in the following subjects:
- Language Arts
- Maths
- Science
- Social Studies
- Physical Education (depending on the state)
Failing to meet the requirements set by the school will hold you back from graduating high school. Therefore, the only recourse that remains for you is to repeat another year of high school.
How to boost your grades up?
Now, let’s move onto the brighter side of the picture, shall we? This failure could also be your wake-up call. An alarm to get you moving and working towards better academic performance as well, right? Therefore, don’t ruminate over those failed classes, instead, focus on how you could improve your grades for the better.
These tips and tricks will help you recover your lost path in the field of academics:
- Change your studying habits: Poor time management skills could be one of the many reasons why you are falling behind with your grades. Therefore, You need to devise a plan to effectively use your time to manage your academics, after-school activities, and other miscellaneous work. Use tools like a to-do list and calendars to plan agendas for your day. You will immediately find yourself getting more work done in a short time.
- Study hard: Failing a class should have brought you some clarity on where you are falling behind. Therefore, if academics are becoming your sore point, then start studying as much as you can. This way, you could make up for the lost grades by performing better in other classes.
- Talk to your teacher: If you are studying hard without getting anywhere, then the problem might lie in the teaching method of your teacher. It could be that you are not responding well to their style of teaching. If that is the case, you should talk to your teacher and let them know of your problem. This will help the teacher make you understand things differently.
- Take extensive notes and pay extra attention to all the classes: In order to pull your grade up, you need to have full command over your study materials. Therefore, you need to seriously start attending your classes while taking your own notes to retain all the important information.
- Join a peer study group: If you feel you are hopeless on your own, then finding a peer study group could do you some good. Discussing the materials with each other could enhance your engagement and boost your overall understanding of the subject.
With that being said and instructed, you need to understand that high school cannot always be as fantastic as it is shown in those high school T.V. series. It cannot always be about friends and fun; sometimes you need to take it seriously and set your priorities straight. Keeping a healthy boundary between fun and studies will ultimately give you the most fulfilling high school experience. So, good luck with that.

Having a 10+ years of experience in teaching little budding learners, I am now working as a soft skills and IELTS trainers. Having spent my share of time with high schoolers, I understand their fears about the future. At the same time, my experience has helped me foster plenty of strategies that can make their 4 years of high school blissful. Furthermore, I have worked intensely on helping these young adults bloom into successful adults by training them for their dream colleges. Through my blogs, I intend to help parents, educators and students in making these years joyful and prosperous.