The Only 2 Reasons Why Your Essay Grades Aren’t Higher
If you’re frustrated that your essay grades aren't higher and don’t reflect the time and effort you’ve put in, you’re not alone. Many students tell me they’ve spent hours reading, planning and writing—only to receive feedback and marks that feel deflating.
In this post, I’m breaking down the only two reasons why your essay grades aren’t higher, no matter your subject or academic level. And the best part? Both of these problems are fixable with better study skills.
This post originated as a podcast episode which you can listen to below or watch on YouTube. Or, if you’re more of a learn-by-reading student, carry on for the blog version based on the podcast script.
If you’re not getting top marks, something is missing
Let’s start with some truth that might feel a bit uncomfortable—but is actually empowering.
If your essay grade is anything less than the top possible mark (whether that’s 70, 80, 90 or even 100), it means there were marks you didn’t earn. There were criteria you didn’t meet. And here’s the important bit: that’s not a reflection of your intelligence or effort—it’s a sign of a skills gap.
Skills gaps are not your fault. Most students are never taught how to properly understand essay questions or how to write the kind of answers that get top marks. But that means once you do learn these skills, your grades can go up dramatically.
So what are these skills? It all comes down to the two core problems behind why your essay grades aren’t higher…
Reason #1 why your essay grades aren’t higher: you don’t fully understand the question
You might think you understand your essay question. You might read it, read the guidance, and feel confident enough to start researching. But if you’re not 100% sure of what every word in the question and guidance is asking you to do, you’re likely missing the mark.
Signs you haven’t fully understood the question:
You get feedback like:
“This section isn’t really relevant”
“You included information that wasn’t needed”
“Interesting, but not really within the scope of this essay”
You feel confused by vague questions or overcomplicated guidance
You try to play it safe by including “everything just in case”
You repeat the question in your introduction but never really return to it
Real talk: Reading the question isn’t the same as understanding it.
Most students are told, “read the guidance carefully,” but they’re never shown how to do that. No one teaches you how to break down a question, identify the task words, spot key themes, and understand how the guidance shapes your answer.
Here’s a quick example:
Essay question: “Critically evaluate the impact of digital media on political participation.”
You might think, Great, I’ll talk about how social media helps people get involved in politics. But that’s only a piece of it.
What the question is really asking:
Critically evaluate: Don’t just describe. Weigh up strengths, limitations, and evidence
Impact: Focus on effects, not just uses.
Digital media → political participation: Keep a clear thread between cause and effect.
If you only write about digital media’s role in politics without evaluating its impact, or without clear analysis, you won’t hit the mark.
You don’t need to be a mind reader—you need to be a question detective.
Reason #2 why your essay grades aren’t higher: you’re not writing at the right level
Let’s say you do understand the question. You’re clear on the task. But here’s where a second trap appears—and it’s a big one.
Most students never learn how to write at the level required to get higher marks.
There are different levels of thinking and writing in academic work. You might have heard of Bloom’s Taxonomy—it’s a pyramid that shows how academic skills move from simpler to more complex:
Describe
Explain
Apply
Analyse
Evaluate
Create
If your assignment is asking for critical evaluation, but you spend most of your word count explaining a theory, you won’t get the top marks—no matter how well-written your explanation is.
Common signs you’re writing at the wrong level:
Your feedback includes:
Too descriptive”
“Lacks analysis”
“You’ve explained this well, but not evaluated it”
“Missed opportunities to go deeper”
You explain everything clearly… but never critique or explore different viewpoints
You use lots of quotes and evidence, but don’t say what they mean or why they matter
You run out of word count before getting to the good stuff
Here’s an example:
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is a theory of motivation where basic needs must be met before self-actualisation. It includes five levels: physiological, safety, love/belonging, esteem and self-actualisation.
This is description.
While Maslow’s theory offers a useful framework for motivation, it has been criticised for cultural bias and its assumption of a fixed order. For example, in collectivist societies, community needs may outweigh individual achievement. Therefore, its application may be limited depending on context.
That’s evaluation—and that’s where the higher marks are.
Another common issue:
You might reach the right level (e.g. a critical paragraph here and there), but spend too little of your word count there.
If your essay is 80% explanation and only 20% critical thinking, you're limiting the number of top-level marks you can earn.
So…why are your essay grades not higher?
Because of these two issues:
You didn’t fully understand the question
You didn’t write at the required level
Neither of these problems are about being “bad at essays.” They’re not about being lazy or not trying hard enough.
They are study skills problems—and that’s great news, because study skills can be learned.
Final thoughts
If you’ve been wondering why your essay grades aren’t higher, know this:
It’s not about being smart enough.
It’s not about working harder.
It’s about learning the right skills—and applying them with confidence.
You don’t have to figure it out alone. Let’s fix this together.