As much as I would like to say that I’ve had perfect attendance in college and would rarely miss assignments, there have been several situations where I had to miss class or submit an assignment late due to circumstances outside of my control or outside of my professor’s control. While proactively missing a deadline sounds like an oxymoron, I have found that being proactive about planning for absences or requesting extensions has made it a lot easier to stay on track with classes compared to panicking about what to do and begging the professor for help, which I refer to as taking a reactive approach. Here is how I would answer the question “what if I miss assignments or classes in college?”
Many assignments are missing, need to make them up
I started writing the first draft of this post after one of my friends came to me asking how they could tame a “snowball” of late work that had built up while they were dealing with a health issue- I have a feeling this will be the case for many students who come across this post. The semester was still going on, and my friend wasn’t quite sure how to go about completing the missing assignments or bring it up with their professor. Depending on the type of class, there are a few ways to approach catching up on missing assignments:
- Complete two modules a week, either in chronological order or complete the current week’s module plus an additional module
- Set a goal to finish an entire category of missing assignments (reading quizzes, discussion board posts/responses, short classwork) at an agreed upon time.
- Go to office hours or meet with the professor to arrange alternative deadlines or assignment modifications (e.g. not responding to discussion board posts). Acknowledge why there have been issues with turning in assignments on time, and identify an option or change that can prevent this from happening in the future
- Make a list of everything that is due for accountability
In this situation, my friend had been attending classes, but had not been turning in assignments, so they already had some degree of familiarity with the material. While they did lose some points because they hadn’t told their professor what was going on sooner, they still passed the class (though would not have lost points if they told their professor they were struggling sooner).
Related links
- Low Vision Assistive Technology For Discussion Board Posts
- Tips To Stay Organized In Virtual Classes
- How To Create A Disability Services File
Assignments missing, not in accessible format
I have low vision that impacts my ability to read standard print, and sometimes encounter assignments that do not support large print or other accessibility settings that I use to access information. In one situation, I missed a series of quizzes that could not be enlarged on the software used in this class, so I contacted the assistive technology office to troubleshoot what was going on and help me figure out an alternative. Before making contact, it helped to have the following information:
- Screenshot(s) of original assignments
- Copies of error codes, if any
- List of accessibility settings and device details
- Steps taken to reproduce error
- Goal for getting issue resolved and preferred modality (display text in a specific font size, have it read out loud with a screen reader, etc.)
- Any additional accommodations that may be needed, such as additional retakes enabled or alternative software (e.g. no lock down browser)
I contacted an assistive technology specialist first because I didn’t think my professor would know how to troubleshoot this issue, since it was specific to my computer’s accessibility settings. I contacted my professor after my meeting with assistive technology to let them know I had been struggling with the quizzes and had figured out a workaround earlier today. I requested that I not receive a late penalty and have an additional retake added to my course profile since I had not been able to access the quizzes before, and the request was granted.
Related links
- What To Know About College Assistive Technology Specialists
- What If I Have To Report Disability Accommodation Violations?
- Reporting Accessibility Issues: College O&M
- Learning to Self-Advocate
Missing one assignment, need extension
Before requesting an extension to turn in an assignment late, check the syllabus to see if the professor automatically drops the lowest homework grade or has any policies in place for “life happens” situations. Something that has helped me to stay on top of assignments is taking note of when assignments are due and when new ones are posted, but in general the following tips are helpful for getting an extension for missing assignments in college:
- Submit what has been done so far, and re-upload/edit the submission the next day to add additional content. While the edited timestamp will be visible, this can be better than submitting nothing at all.
- Send an email to the professor stating that the assignment will be submitted within 8 hours, 12 hours, or another self-imposed deadline. In my experience, my professors did not give me the late penalty if I followed through on the deadline I set for myself
- For students with extended time accommodations, request extensions within 24 hours of when the assignment is first posted. Alternatively, ask for copies of assignments to be posted or sent early to have extra time to work on them.
- Unless the professor has said it’s okay, don’t email assignments without checking with the professor first.
Almost all of my class assignments are submitted via the class website, though some professors let students bring paper copies to office hours or drop things off with the department manager.
Related links
- Ten Templates For Emailing Professors
- How I Use Blackboard With Low Vision
- How I Organize Emails In College With Low Vision
- All About Extended Time Accommodations
Missing one class
Going to college and living on-campus with chronic migraines means that a 3 AM fire alarm can make it difficult to get out of bed for an early morning class. Since my professor posted the assignments for the day on the class website along with the lecture slides, I had greater flexibility with how to make up a college class absence:
- I could watch the lecture slides and use class readings to complete assignments, which I submitted by their posted due date
- If slides were not posted, another option would be to complete textbook readings before going to office hours or scheduling an appointment with the professor to ask questions
- Alternatively, if I was confused by something in the slides or reading, I could send my professor or the teaching assistant an email to ask questions
Some professors will share transcripts of class lectures on request, or post recorded slide decks that include narration, which are typically not exactly the same as what’s presented in a lecture but still very similar.
Related links
- Recording Video Lectures For Visually Impaired Students
- How I Take Notes During Video Lectures With Low Vision
- How To Create Accessible PowerPoints
- Managing Chronic Migraines in College
Missing 1-3 weeks of assignments and/or classes
When I got sick during the semester and couldn’t submit assignments as planned, I got in contact with my professor(s) as soon as possible to let them know that there would be a delay in submitting assignments. Sending a copy of medical documentation made it possible to turn in assignments without penalty, and I use the following strategies to get back on track:
- Have an agreed-upon deadline for when assignments will be submitted, and ask the professor to keep assignment submission links, quiz links, and other course website resources visible.
- If possible, stay on top of “current” work after returning to class, and try to complete two modules per week on an accelerated schedule.
- Attend office hours remotely or schedule online tutoring
When I was traveling out of state for a professional conference, I asked my professors if I could complete assignments early so that I didn’t miss the deadlines while I was gone. Some professors opened up links on the course website early, while others asked me to submit assignments via email.
Related links
- Brainfuse Online Tutoring and Low Vision Accessibility
- Implementing Shared Folders For Accessible Materials
- National Homework Hotline: Free Tutoring For Blind and Visually Impaired Students
Missing 4+ weeks of assignments
Any situation where I have had to miss over four weeks of assignments was due to medical issues that impacted my ability to sit at a desk, such as a car accident or emergency surgery. In these circumstances, I qualified for the following options:
- Students who are otherwise passing a class but cannot complete coursework due to factors out of their control can request an Incomplete (IN) or Incomplete Extension (IX) grade from their professor, which gives them additional time to complete coursework, typically providing an extension into the next semester (excluding summers). If the work is not completed by the date set by the student/professor, the grade automatically converts to an F.
- Incomplete grades are granted on a per-class basis and are requested by the professor of the course, who submits documentation provided by the student. If the student needs additional time, an IX can be filed which will give the student until the end of the semester to submit the work (otherwise the grade is converted to an F).
- Students who have extraordinary situations (extensive hospital stay, major surgery) may petition to have a Special Provision (SP), which gives them even more time to submit assignments and does not convert to an F at a set time.
Students who are in contact with psychological services or other campus offices may also have access to these options for submitting late work without penalty, though they should consult their case manager or support team for more information on their specific situation.
Missing 4+ weeks of classes
I split missing 4+ weeks of classes and assignments into separate categories, because I encountered a situation where I could still submit assignments but could not attend in-person classes after a hospital stay. I have an entire post dedicated to this topic, but some options for taking classes remotely include:
- Conducting an individualized study or meeting with the professor during office hours to review course content
- Attending class on a telepresence device or attending a different section of the same class offered at another time/location to catch up
- Requesting access to the online version of the class, which may have additional recorded lectures or other material designed for asynchronous learning.
Depending on the situation, students may end up wanting to take an incomplete for the course (see previous section) or explore withdrawal options to take the course in a future semester.
Related links
- Options For Attending College Classes Remotely
- Tips For Taking Online Classes As An On-Campus Student
Missing a midterm or final exam
I had a family emergency pop up the day of an exam, and contacted my professor as soon as I knew that I might not be able to make it as planned. I offered to take the exam at a different time, or suggested that I could take the exam virtually from a remote location later that day since I wasn’t on campus. While ultimately the professor is the one to make the decision on how the exam should be taken, I’ve had professors offer the following options for making up a missed exam after I sent them an email:
- Taking a different version of the exam in the Disability Services Testing Center or via remote proctoring. This exam was (allegedly) different than the one taken in-class so that I didn’t share the exam with anyone else.
- Sitting for the exam during office hours or at another agreed-upon time and location
- Taking an incomplete for the class (if it was a final exam) and retaking the exam at a later time.
- Implementing short-term disability accommodations such as extended time or the use of an approved scribe
In the case of the family emergency, my professor exempted me from the exam because I already had a high grade in the class, but had to get departmental permission first. Don’t count on this option- I was surprised when my professor offered it!
Related links
Other tips for what to do when missing assignments or classes in college
- Looking for study tips that can help with making material easier to understand? Read The Best Study Tips For Visually Impaired Students and The Best Study Tips For Auditory Learners
- Always missing late night classes? Try to avoid these next semester using College Scheduling Hacks For Students With Chronic Illness
- Assignments getting lost in a backpack or folders? Read Choosing A Backpack With Low Vision or How I Organize Digital Files For My Classes
Published July 18, 2019. Updated December 2024