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Nightmare report card? Decalogue for recovering failing grades in less than 100 days

With the new four-month term, grade point average counting starts again from zero and, in the end, it is the results achieved from the second half of the year that will count above all (if not only). The 10 golden tips from the experts at Ripetizioni.it, Italy's leading private tuition platform, who have put together a strategic decalogue for tackling the second term on the right foot

by School Editorial

16 March 2026

5' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

5' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

There are just under 100 days to go until the end of the school year, but even though the school year is drawing to a close, it is not yet time for final verdicts. There are, in fact, more than two good months of lessons, with just as many opportunities for written and oral exams, to make up for one or more inadequacies in the first term report card. Because, Skuola.net explains in a note, with the new four-month period, the grade point average count starts again from zero and, in the end, the results achieved from the second half of the year will count above all (if not only). Not to mention that, thanks to the class council's grade, an arithmetic insufficiency in a subject can be transformed into a sufficiency, while a serious insufficiency can be converted, in high school, into a formative debt to be recovered after the summer. So, when faced with a nightmarish report card, one must not lose hope but roll up one's sleeves. How? For example, by putting into practice the 10 golden tips from the experts at Ripetizioni.it, Italy's leading private tuition platform, who have put together a strategic decalogue for tackling the second term on the right foot, making up for any shortcomings and even improving grades that are already good enough.

The Decalogue

1. Analysing the report card with lucidity (without panicking): The first step to recovery is to metabolise the blow. Crying over spilt milk or pretending that the report card never arrived does not solve the problem. Students, on the contrary, should sit down, read the grades objectively and accept the situation. The first quarter serves precisely to highlight the weaknesses: taking note of them is the best starting point for building a plan of attack.

2. Understanding the severity: the difference between a '4' and a '5': not all failures are equal and cannot be treated equally. A '5' (or '5 and a half') can be considered a minor deficiency, often the result of distraction, a single subject not fully understood or a bit of bad luck in a test. And it can be made up for with focused revision and more attention in class. A 4 (or an even lower grade), on the other hand, is a structural alarm bell: it means that the basics are missing in that subject. At that point, it is not enough to study more, but one literally has to go back, almost from scratch, to the concepts of the first term, in order to then be able to tackle the new ones.

3 Quantifying the damage: a blank pass or a war bulletin?: quantity also counts. Having only one 'insufficiency' allows a 'sniper' approach: the student can keep his daily routine virtually unchanged, simply devoting a few extra hours of study per week to that single discipline. If there are two or more failures, on the other hand, a total reorganisation of the days is required. The workload must be spread out surgically, creating a proper weekly schedule that prevents excessive concentration on one subject and neglect of the others.

4. The double track: making up for the past without losing the present: the most tragic mistake of the second term? Spending the whole afternoon studying old chapters to make up for the bad grade, and ending up making a resounding hole in the tests on new topics. If there are failures to make up, in fact, studying should proceed on a double track. One solution could be to devote midweek afternoons to keeping up with current explanations and doing homework for the next day, while during the weekend (or at certain fixed times of the day) the 'worksite' is opened for catching up on the backlog of gaps.

5. Tame the 'black beasts' with special care: there are subjects that traditionally claim more victims than others. Mathematics, Greek, Latin, Physics: they are above all the 'black beasts' of the students, generating a psychological block even before the didactic one. Tackling them by reading the same formula or text a hundred times is useless. Better to dismantle the problem and tackle it at its root. Like, for example, identifying the exact weak link in the chain - an equation that is not understood, a missing grammar rule, etc. - and to begin with, practising only on the weakest link in the chain. - and to begin with, practise only on that, in a practical way, doing dozens of targeted exercises, starting with the simplest until you gain confidence. Then move on to the rest.

6. The study method for catching up: stop passive reading: when there is a lot to catch up on, time is a tyrant. Reading and mentally repeating endlessly is a passive, slow and ineffective method. Instead, one must switch to active study. The use of concept maps, waterfall diagrams, flashcards helps to better synthesise huge volumes of information. Explaining concepts aloud, perhaps by simulating being the professor, can also be another way of understanding whether a topic has really been internalised or whether there are still grey areas.

7. Don't forget the good grades (to raise the average): in the heat of making up for bad grades, many students make the mistake of neglecting the subjects in which they do well or in which they otherwise defend themselves. The result? By June, the failures may have been made up, but the 7s and 8s of the first term may have turned into stunted 6s. In order to have a safe and secure final report card, it is essential to 'pamper' high grades. It doesn't take that much: constant revision and some active participation in class are enough to protect the excellences, which will then keep the overall average afloat.

8. Rebuilding the relationship with teachers: part of the recovery also starts with a 'human' consideration: the professor is not an enemy to be fought, but the arbiter who will decide promotion. Having an attitude of renunciation, hiding at the last desk or showing disinterest in front of the holder of the indigestible subject only worsens the judgement. Better to change approach. Move to the first few desks, take notes, raise your hand to ask questions if a concept is not clear. A teacher who notices the commitment and real willpower of a student will be much more likely to reward his or her improvements.

9. Playing it safe: the importance of volunteering: the second term is short and opportunities to get a good grade become scarce as we approach the end of the year. Waiting in silence to be called 'by surprise' could generate a lot of anxiety, with the added risk that the test will happen on a day of poor form or preparation. The winning move, on the other hand, involves playing in advance, volunteering for the questioning. In fact, this allows you to choose the day of the test, to arrive 100 per cent prepared on a subject, and to demonstrate to the professor a maturity and sense of responsibility that will surely be appreciated.

10. Ask for support from a tutor (before it is too late): if despite your efforts results do not come, stubbornly going it alone can lead to total frustration. Often all it takes is for someone to explain things to us in a different way to spark things off. This is where outside help comes in: relying on a private tutor, such as the experts available on Ripetizioni.it, can literally save the year. Whether it's constant coaching to acquire a good study method or targeted lessons to defeat the 'black beast', a professional knows exactly where to put his hands to unlock the student and lead him, without anxiety, towards promotion.

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