What Happens If I Submit My Assignment Late?

Assignments are pretty vital in the academic life of every learner. They offer students an opportunity to learn, practice, and showcase to have attained their learning goals. However, some students, especially high school and college students, fail to notice the importance. They end up submitting their assignments late or not submitting them at all.

Some common reasons for late submission among these students include mixing up the deadline date, personal illnesses, family emergencies, and mostly mere laziness. Therefore, as a student, what happens if I submit my assignment late? Please stick around to answer this question and educate yourself more on this matter.

What Happens If I Submit My Assignment Late?

Different instructors give out assignments with varying deadlines. Some deadlines are hourly, while others offer students some days or weeks to work on various assignments. Failure to submit such assignments on time is punishable, although the degree of penalty is subject to the institution’s rules and policies regarding late submission of assessed work.

So, what happens when students fail to observe the deadlines and submit their assignments late?

Consequences of Late Submission of Assignments

As earlier mentioned, penalties for late submission of assessed work depend on individual, institutional policies or the instructors’ views and beliefs. Below is a list of some of the most common consequences of late assignment submission.

• Failing the course

If an assessment is graded on a pass/fail criterion, the penalty for late submission is a fail. Failures in pass/fail packages cannot be excused or made up for. Still, they can typically be reassessed if unsuccessful on the first try unless the course specification specifically prohibits automatic re-evaluation.

• Deduction of Marks

A penalty of 5% of the total mark awarded for the assignment will be subtracted per day for the first seven days (counting public holidays and weekends) if you hand in your assessment beyond the due date or time. After that, your instructor may not accept your work.

Also see: Best places to do homework 

Unless a request for Special Consideration is granted, assessments turned in more than seven days after the deadline are given a score of 0. You must submit your Special Consideration application before the due date, or if there are aggravating factors, no later than three working days outside the due date if you think you qualify for an extension.

• Added Grace Periods

Professors allow for extensions in rare cases where a student has a legitimate reason for missing out on the submission deadline. For extended periods, professors consider cases to include family emergencies, for example, the death of a close family member, personal illness, stolen laptops, or accidents.

In such situations, the instructor will not deduct marks from your assignment or fail you the course. However, ensure that you complete the work and submit it within an extended period to avoid the possible consequences.

What to Do if You Submit an Assignment Late

So, if you find out that you will not meet the deadline for submitting a particular assignment or the deadline has already passed, what should you do? Do you just give up? Below are several tips to help you solve the issue and possibly avoid the consequences that may come with a late submission.

• Communicate with your instructor

You show that you are not waiting until the last minute to come up with an excuse by informing your professor that you won’t be able to turn in your work by the due date. If you let your lecturer know about any unexpected issues in advance, they’ll appreciate it and probably be more sympathetic than you think. You may call them, write them an email or visit them in their office.

If you can convince your professor of your issue, they might give you additional time. Give a justification for your need for more time to complete it, such as difficulties with your topic’s research or a pressing personal matter.

• Take Responsibility

If you find yourself in a circumstance where you believe you will skip your deadline, accept responsibility for it and make every effort to find a solution. Never accuse your professor or educational institution of not giving you enough time to achieve your deadline; your professor will not be pleased.

Teachers do not like it when students fail to take due dates seriously. What they even dislike more are unjustifiable excuses and lies. Make sure to present yourself as an adult who understands that your first obligation is to study. Personal accountability demonstrates maturity and responsibility for your deeds. Assure your professor that the situation won’t occur again and ensure that you follow through.

• Submit the assignment anyway

Remember, better late than never. The best course of action is to submit the homework as soon as you can if you finished it but forgot to submit it. The longer you delay finishing it, the greater the likelihood that the professor will not approve your assignment.

Nothing is lost if you do this. Your instructor might give you a reprieve if you approach them with a completed assignment; you won’t receive a failing grade. They may appreciate your persistence and effort as long as you strive. You don’t want to fail because you wasted your opportunity, do you?

• Present work that is of high quality

If a professor gives you an extended period to complete your assignment, make sure you use the added time to work hard on the homework. Remember, educators also pay close attention to which learners care about the assignments they submit.

• Be prepared for the possible consequence.

Instructors ought to be impartial to the students who submit their work on time. In order to avoid confusion regarding grading, late work policies are frequently included in the syllabus. Therefore, be prepared for whatever outcome may arise from your late submission. Avoid getting upset if your professor takes away some points.

Conclusion

So, what happens if I submit my assignment late? After reading this article, you are better positioned to understand the repercussions of late submission of assignments. Furthermore, you learn the necessary steps to take if you find yourself in such a situation.

Nevertheless, be aware of your due deadlines and observe them as a student. Meeting deadlines will help you have a smoother stay at school because you will have minimal collisions with your professors.