In college, students are expected to maintain a balancing act of maintaining grades, covering job shifts, and whatever else they've got going on in their personal lives, all while still living under the perception that all of the grades in all classes are paramount to graduating. But what many of them start to learn along the way is that it's not always what you know, but who you know. Academics and knowledge are important, but networking, resume polishing, and building connections are equally important to getting that long awaited career upon graduating.

To many college students, failing a class is a life or death scenario that they want to avoid at all costs. But failing a class from three semesters ago doesn't start a domino affect that leads to a lifetime of failure and prohibition to walk in the commencement ceremony. As many students know, colleges work round the clock with students to make sure that they're up to date on networking events, career fairs that bring in potential employers, and even field trips to companies like Sirius XM or CNN that offer internships and job opportunities for students, to take advantage of, regardless of whether or not they're graduating. Similarly, when students apply for said jobs, or internships, companies aren't going to ask for a copy of their past and current transcripts. They're going to ask for copies of resumes and cover letters. Both of which should be a reflection of how students operate as potential employers, rather than just students going to class and getting good grades.

Yes, grades are important to maintain, given how expensive it is to actually go to college, but at the end of the day, qualifications are what are needed to back up that education. Even community service on and off campus can endear future employers to hiring students fresh out of college, or still attending. Focusing solely on passing and failing grades can create worry where there shouldn't be any. In a like manner, college should be a place where students can not only learn the skills to pass their major, but also get the tools needed to grow their resumes, gain experience, and apply that experience to the real world.

Of course in high school, there's a big emphasis on making perfect grades and passing all tests with flying colors, but when this happens, students neglect to work on their networking and social skills that come into play when it comes time for college or even job interviews.

Overall, failing a class in college may be a minor setback, but it shouldn't be the reason why students a start catastrophizing about whether or not they'll be allowed to graduate with their class and receive their diploma. In doing so, it creates problems where there shouldn't be any. Where they should be sitting down with their advisors and discussing plans to prepare for a job interview with a potential client. Which is leaps and bounds more important than worrying about how best to raise a bad grade to its former glory.

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