Failing & Then Re-Taking a Class Croskey notes that dropping a class is better than withdrawing, but withdrawing is better than failing. “A failing grade will lower the student's GPA, which may prevent a student from participating in a particular major that has a GPA requirement,” Croskey says.
Dropping a class is much better for your GPA than failing a class or getting a C or D in it is because a dropped class does not affect your grade point average. Dropping a class may also raise your GPA because it can allow you to spend more time on other classes and raise your grades in them.
Yes, you should retake the class. Not because the new grade will look better on your application, but because you almost certainly didn't learn the course material properly. (If you're more worried about your grade than your mastery of the material, you should stay out of grad school.)
As a result, “Pass/Fail” grades can be retaken as their cumulative GPA will not be affected. If students retake a course in which they earned an “F” and withdraws (“W”), the original “F” grade remains for grade point average calculations towards credits attempted and credits earned.
A W will not bring up or down your GPA. W is neutral. A C however will bring down your GPA A LOT!
Withdrawing from a class means that the class will still show up on your transcript, but in place of a letter grade, you'll see a W. While this class doesn't affect your grade, it will still follow you through your academic career, so you should use your withdrawals wisely.
It, however, does not look bad in most cases. Suppose you retake the course and perform the same or get a lower grade, making retaking look horrible. It shows that you have a poor understanding of the unit. However, if your second attempt shows a significant and higher performance, then your decision seems worth it.
Even if you do fail, you can retake the class and ask for help. Although it will negatively impact your GPA and could affect your financial obligations, you can bounce back. Start by asking for more help and studying differently or harder if you retake the course. Most importantly, don't give up.
Retaking a course is a good solution for some students in some situations. It will improve the student's GPA and, although it will not remove the lower grade from the transcript, it will demonstrate that your student is interested in and capable of improving.
The second grade always replaces the first grade. However, you can retake a class and get a worse grade. For example, if you have a D (a passing grade) and retake a course and receive an F (a failing grade), you now have a failing grade in the course and will have to take the class for a third time.
If you receive a grade lower than an A in a class, you may be able to retake the class to remove that grade from your GPA. (Note that both grades will remain on your transcript; however, the earlier will have an X next to it and, depending on your school, may not be included in your GPA.)
The original failing grade will show as “R” on your transcript, and the previous failing grade will be removed from your GPA as long as you complete the course retake. However, you will still see your original failing grade on your personal online academic plan and on your individual online grade reports.