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

topdaddy_2

Speak to your personal tutors. Utilise every thing at your disposal. That means all the different libraries accross different campus, have a look at what technology can help. Sounds pretty close to being there but remember if you do get into the first score range you will still be close to the 2:1 range.

dizziblonde

I missed a first by one mark overall when all my module results were combined - I only found out about it (couldn't face waiting in the queue for individual module marks in our cramped department) when an employer mentioned it had been said in the reference I'd got from my university.

I refuse to get het up about it - if I'd spent a bit less time in the pub I'd possibly have got it - just one of those things.

Ettenna

It also depends on whether you have a weighting of the marks. In my degree the first year is discounted, 2nd year is one third and 3rd year is two thirds. Add to that the practical element weighting. We won't actually know our final degree classification for sure until the final week in September!

cgk1

The amount of people I run into who think they were 0.546% off a first or 2.1...

Most students never actually read their academic regs and have no ideas about the important bit - credits - so if you ever sit down with them and work it out, they were generally never close to start with... because they have confused themselves with adding up individual assignment or module percentages.

Person_one

cgk1 wrote: »

The amount of people I run into who think they were 0.546% off a first or 2.1...

Most students never actually read their academic regs and have no ideas about the important bit - credits - so if you ever sit down with them and work it out, they were generally never close to start with... because they have confused themselves with adding up individual assignment or module percentages.

Bit patronising...

onlyroz

On my course you needed 70% for a first. I did a four-year course with each year contributing 10%, 20%, 30% and 30% respectively. I ended my first year on 58%, my second on 63% my third on 69% and my final year on 72% - so I managed to improve my a grade boundary each year.

We were told that those who fell just below a grade boundary would be offered a viva to try and improve their grade. Considering that I ended my penultimate year just below a first I thought that I might be one of these, but in the end I got one fairly comfortably.

If you're on a "good" 2:1 after your first year I see no reason why you can't improve. As others suggest, talk to your lecturers and tutors about where you can make changes to your study and your approach to questions.

pollypenny

Ah, the days of being finally classified on a normal curve!

I find it amusing that so many just missed a first, as did I apparently when a young lecturer told me I'd been moderated for a first, but not given it.

I missed my special applause at graduation.

whodathunkit

There are more important things in education than grubbing around for a couple of marks.

marywooyeah

Samtoby I think you've done amazingly well, you must be so relieved to have finished your first year! how are Toby and your little girl getting on?

samtoby wrote: »

For essays where I am getting 69 - what do I need to think about to get 70 and above?

What is a viva?

A viva is an oral presentation where you can explain your piece of work, set out why you included certain information, how you interpreted that information, what your findings were and justifying your conclusions etc. The tutor can ask questions too to get a better feel for the piece of work and the viva accounts for a certain percentage of your grade.

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 ?

A lot of jobs need at least a 2:1, but a degree is very personal, it represents years of hard work and studying, often alongside raising a family and/or holding down a job. So OP will certainly give a monkey's as to what classification she gets!

keep it up Samtoby, you're doing brilliantly! xxx

purpleshoes_2

marywooyeah wrote: »

Samtoby I think you've done amazingly well, you must be so relieved to have finished your first year! how are Toby and your little girl getting on?



A viva is an oral presentation where you can explain your piece of work, set out why you included certain information, how you interpreted that information, what your findings were and justifying your conclusions etc. The tutor can ask questions too to get a better feel for the piece of work and the viva accounts for a certain percentage of your grade.



A lot of jobs need at least a 2:1, but a degree is very personal, it represents years of hard work and studying, often alongside raising a family and/or holding down a job. So OP will certainly give a monkey's as to what classification she gets!

keep it up Samtoby, you're doing brilliantly! xxx

The OP should be proud, but speaking as someone who did an ordinary degree and chose not to do honours (honours degree is 4 years in Scotland and 3 for an ordinary), Im proud of the hard work I put into my degree and it's never concerned me that I didnt do my honours year. I know lots of people who did a BA degree and didn't do their honours year. I also know people who sweated buckets to get a 2:1 and still struggled to find work or got made redundant when they did get a job. Everyone's story and what they want to do and where their career ends up is different.

I went on to postgraduate study, I'm proud of everything I did, matters not to me that I didnt get an honours degree.

I do think that it's important to say that not everyone goes into a job that's automatically connected with their degree or a graduate programme.

Few jobs Ive applied for since I got my degrees have cared that I dont have an honours degree. Of course in some careers its vitally important and the classification of your degree matters a lot. In others it won't matter at all.

I just missed a distinction at postgraduate level, but I was really proud of the grades I actually got. All people can do is their best.

I hope it goes well for you OP and you get the classification you want.