The Problem of Intentional Failure
Students go to college or a university to learn, succeed, and graduate. Students don't generally go to the time, trouble, and expense of pursuing higher education with the intention to deliberately fail. It's easier to fail staying in the basement. But students sometimes do get into a position or situation where they begin to believe that deliberately self-sabotage and failing on purpose is their only way out. And those students who seek their own failure often soon learn that their strategy wasn't a good one. They regain their footing and senses, and wish to resume their education but can't because of their prior deliberate failure. That, in a nutshell, is the problem of failing on purpose. It happens more often than you might think.
Why Students Self-Sabotage
Students self-sabotage for various reasons, whether personal, professional, relational, financial, or academic. The personal reasons can involve depression, anxiety, inability to think clearly, delusion, and other mental, emotional, and psychological grounds. Self-harm is a known phenomenon, one that reaches college and university students. But students can also have relational reasons. Success and graduation might mean moving on from a romantic or other valued relationship that the student wishes to continue. Or graduation might mean continuing a relationship the student wishes to terminate. Students can also have professional reasons for deliberate failure, that they have realized that they are pursuing a program to get a job they don't want. Or students may see financial reasons to fail, that they cannot picture a future after graduation in which they can pay their student debt while managing life.
The basic reason for self-sabotage, though, is that failure begins to look better than success. Students are, by definition, inquisitive, curious, ready to think and learn. Students are often rational, calculating, and strategic. Their calculations may not always be right, but they are weighing things in the balance. And when the scales tip toward failure being better than success, students sometimes act on that conclusion. They refuse to study. They refuse to turn in assignments. They deliberately skip examinations. And they get a failing grade warranting probation, suspension, or dismissal from school.
Are Those Good Reasons?
In a word, no. Self-sabotage because the calculation for success doesn't look good is just not sound thinking. Something is wrong with your calculation if you believe that intentional failure is better than earnest success. Consider these examples:
- If your reason for self-sabotage is personal, you are generally far better off diagnosing and addressing the personal reason than treating it symptomatically through self-sabotage. If, for instance, you suffer from severe anxiety or depression, then medication and counseling would generally be far better than failing school so that you don't have to address your mental health;
- If your reason for intentional failure is relational, you are generally far better off admitting, acknowledging, and dealing with the relationship issue on its own than sabotaging an education to accomplish that end. Don't manipulate relationships. Deal with them honestly and openly, as they deserve. Either end or continue the relationship on its own terms rather than sabotaging your education to finesse the relationship issue;
- If your reason for failing on purpose is professional or vocational, that you no longer can see yourself in the job for which you are training, then change your program, major, or school rather than fail your present program on purpose. School advisors and administrators understand that students are exploring without clear sight of their goal, purpose, or end. Schools may have creative and winning solutions to what may seem to you to be a no-win situation;
- If your reason for deliberate failure is financial, that you cannot see yourself making it into a gainful job and career with student debt or other financial burdens and limitations, then re-evaluate the financial issue. You may indeed need to change your financial strategy and approach. Or you may not see the full picture.
Is Intentional Failure Ever a Good Idea?
Intentional failure is probably never a good idea. Emergency circumstances do arise in which students can no longer continue their studies or should not do so. But in those circumstances, you are generally far better off withdrawing or seeking other emergency relief. The fundamental problem with intentional failure is that you misrepresent your educational capacity and record. Failure appears on transcripts that others use to evaluate your future educational, vocational, and professional opportunities. Let your academic record represent your true self. If you are capable of meeting your program's academic requirements but have determined that it is better that you do not do so, then ensure that your academic record accurately represents your determination. Don't deliberately fail.
What You May Be Able to Do About It
The primary thing you may be able to do about your situation in which deliberate failure begins to look like a better option than success is to negotiate with your school's administrators for appropriate relief from your academic program. That doesn't mean asking the school to lower its standards. Instead, you may find that your school permits emergency withdrawals or recognizes similar administrative relief from requirements. And if you have already failed on purpose, you may find that you can gain reinstatement under a satisfactory academic progress (SAP) appeal policy or similar procedure recognizing your extenuating circumstances. You may already have consulted advisors without relief. But our Student Defense Team can often reach school oversight officials in the general counsel's office or other administrative office for special relief about which your advisors are unaware.
Premier Student Defense Services
The Lento Law Firm's premier Student Defense Team is available to represent you if you went through a self-destructive phase, failed in your school program, but have recovered and want to proceed with your education. We have helped hundreds of college and university students preserve their enrollment and education against misconduct charges of all kinds. Call 888.535.3686 or chat with us now.
