Q I have always scored in the 90s in all subjects but this time I was shocked to see my results. My overall percentage was only 78. I don’t know what to do now. My parents will be so shocked. I don’t know where I will get admission with these results. Is my career finished for good? Please help.

Name withheld

It sounds like you are really upset because you have scored relatively low marks. I would encourage you to vent your anger and to discuss your disappointment with a good friend or a parent. It is always better to let negative emotions out instead of bottling them up.

It will take a while before you get over your feelings of disappointment but, gradually, you will be able to come to terms with your marks. Do take the time to introspect and figure out why you did not get the grades you thought you had worked for. Are the subjects you have chosen to study playing to your strengths? Did you get distracted in between and lose focus? Answering such questions will help you take decisions in future.

Your parents, just like you, will initially be disappointed but, I am sure they will eventually overcome it and support your subsequent decisions. In no way is your career “finished” — in fact, it has only just begun.

You do not get only one chance at a good career — the biggest myth is that you get only one shot at it. The second biggest one is that only students with high marks succeed in life. The truth is that while good grades make it easier to get admission to select colleges, attending a college lower in the pecking order does not prevent you in any way from succeeding. So you’ll always have another chance.

However, do figure out what mistakes you made during this term so that you know how to avoid those problems. Then develop a plan of action that will enable you to have better study habits. As far as admissions are concerned, I am sure there are colleges that will take you in. I would suggest that instead of picking the best-rated college that accepts you, focus on the subject you would like to study. If the subject you choose is in line with your talents, you are more likely to do academically better, provided you put in the effort that is required.

The secret formula for success is not so secret actually. You just have to be goal- oriented, hardworking, persist in face of failure and reward yourself for small victories — so that you can keep motivation levels high. I am sure if you adopt this formula of success, you will go from strength to strength. And your relatively bad result now, far from ruining your career, will only be a faint memory.