Getting a U

The quarter is over, what do you do if you get a U in dissertation? First, this really should not be a surprise; hopefully you have already discussed the issues with your chair. If you have not done so, I suggest requesting a phone call with your chair and talk about it (politely and calmly). Take the approach that you want to know how to avoid it in the future.  

The implications are large for getting a U; if you get two in a row or three ever, you can be dismissed from the program. Be assertive in finding out what you did or did not do to get this grade. Typically, it is not reaching your goal for the quarter. Discuss some alternatives for the future. Perhaps you are setting too high of goals for yourself. Ask your chair to help you come up with realistic ones for the next quarter. 

Refrain from beating yourself up over this. Learn from the experience and commit to yourself that you will do better in the summer. Carefully lay out your plan for summer, including any family or work commitments. Then think about how much realistic time you can devote to writing. What if you can see already that you won’t be able to get much done? It may be time to consider a leave of absence and get yourself reorganized and recommitted to the project. If this seems to make sense for you, talk it over with your chair and your academic advisor. 

Next time I will talk about how journaling can empower you as a writer.  Do you have an issue or a question that you would like me to discuss in a future post? Would you like to be a guest writer? Send me your ideas! leann.stadtlander@waldenu.edu