University. One to two marks off a first? Experiences?

GwylimT

I know the feeling, I came out of my university with 69.4%, just .1 more and I would have had a first, yes, it is annoying at the time, but it makes absolutely no difference to employability etc.

Person_one

Prothet_of_Doom wrote: »

You do realise that in 10 years time NOBODY will give a monkey's banana ?


Will any employer, (that you would want to work for), care whether you got a 2:2 or a 1st ?

Generally, you need at least a 2:1 to get into graduate job schemes or to do any further study at postgrad level.

So there is an important difference between a 2:2 and a 2:1 for some people, not usually between a first and a 2:1 though.

NoGoodNamesLeft

I know the feeling of stressing over a single mark!
I've just finished my first year of a biology degree and one of my last assignments was marked at 69. Every other assignment or exam has been a first except this one and I've been obsessing over it.

But really, the first year doesn't count towards your overall mark and a 2:1 is still acceptable - especially as we are only in our first year and still learning.

Congratulations on getting through your first year at all - a surprising number of people at my uni need to resit or resubmit work to even pass the year, so we've done pretty well I think!

susancs

OP, students often find this book helpful when structuring essays. It is an easy read type of book.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Good-Essay-Writing-association-University/dp/0857023713/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1402743899&sr=1-1&keywords=good+essay+writing+a+social+sciences+guide

Gloomendoom

Knowing the amount of angst it causes some students, I don't know why anyone would mark a single essay at 69%.

Turtle

Prothet_of_Doom wrote: »

You do realise that in 10 years time NOBODY will give a monkey's banana ?


Will any employer, (that you would want to work for), care whether you got a 2:2 or a 1st ?

Personal satisfaction? Maybe the OP will still give a monkey's banana.

AlexLK

A few pointers:

*Plan ahead and start reading / making notes early.
*Ask questions and get to know your tutors, each person is different and will be looking for slightly different things; do not forget your "audience".
*Be critical about what you are writing, ask yourself if it is relevant and be succinct.
*Proofread your essay: check for spelling, grammar, syntax. Print, read, correct and repeat this process until you are happy.

samtoby

Think I need to look at writing critically - thanks for the book recommendation I have bought it.

Quite a few essays have been marked 68's and 69's so I need to change something for the better.

Person_one

samtoby wrote: »

Think I need to look at writing critically - thanks for the book recommendation I have bought it.

Quite a few essays have been marked 68's and 69's so I need to change something for the better.

I've always been told that writing critically is what unlocks the access to the higher grades, especially as you move into second and third year.

Good luck, and enjoy the summer break!

Errata

Tutor's aren't interested in your opinion, they're interested in you digging out opposing views: eg Freud said about xxx this that and the other but Adler said quite the opposite about it.