Get A First Class Degree

Most of my posts relate to getting a first class degree, however, whatever level you are working at, post listed in the Study Tips section will help you improve your degree marks.

That said, some people will end up with a third class degree, what you do next really depends on why you ended up with a thrid class degree.

You worked really hard but are not academically gifted:

Try and get a good reference from a lecturer stating what a hard worker you are. Employers value people who work hard, turn up on time, commit themselves and do the best job they can. Play on this as best you can in applications.

Dont dispair, you are still in the top 50% in terms of education and have an advantage over those who decided against a degree education.

As time passes, the specific grade will carry less meaning as work experience becomes the key factor employers are looking for, as opposed to degree results.

On that note, try and get into a good company at a lower level, i.e. if you fail to get in on a graduate scheme, see if you can get a job in a lesser admin role. If you are able to get a role in a decent company, your hard work will allow you to progress.

You have the ability but did not work hard at University:

Consider taking another degree!

This may sound like crazy advice, but, if you think you can change your ways, then getting a good Masters degree will allow you to draw a line under your poor degree result.

Both myself and the author of Getting A First (Insiders Guide) perfomed badly in courses prior to getting a first class degree. Both of us were consequently far more dedicated on our degree courses, and determined to put past mistakes behind us.

You are still at University and heading for a Third Class Degree:

• Get advice from your degree lecturer’s
• Consider switching degree courses
• Consider adding another year to your course to write an outstanding dissertation, thus drag your marks up
• Read and act on the advice found in the Study Tips section of this site, (and other related sites / books)
• Work like a maniac, quit your part time job, dont waste a second of your time!

Mnemonic techniques are a good way of remembering terminology, or lists of key points for your degree.

Anachronyms take the first letter of each word in your list, and use these letters to form a single word which you can more easily remember

Acrostics as with anacronyms, take the first letter or each word to be remembered, and use these to form a memorable phrase, for example, the order of the planets from the Sun can be remembered with the phrase:

My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nine Pizzas (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto)

Or, as Pluto is no longer a planet (apparently)

My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Noodles

Chunking is usually used when remembering numbers, instead of trying to remember individual number, group them together to make fewer larger numbers.

Link Methods use visualisation to associate items in a list. To use this technique you must associate (imagined) images with words you need to remember. Then imagine these images grouped together in a larger picture, for example placing items on top of each other or having them interact in some way.

Variants of this technique allow things to be remembered in sequence, linking images within a story, or placing images alongside an imagined walk.

Give it a go, these techniques are well proven! There is lots of really good free information available on the Internet, just Google for Mnemonic Techniques

Here is quite a good article on Mnemonic’s written by a student in Australia:

• Memory 101 (University of Sydney)

Yesterday I was sent the following mail, it is so bad I thought I would post it:

Want hte degree but cant find the time?

WHAT A GREAT IDEA!
We provide a concept that will allow anyone with sufficient wokr experience to obtain a fully verifiable University Degree.
Bachelors, Masters or even a Doctorate.
Think of it, within four to six weeks, you too could be a college graduate.
Many people share the same frustration, they are all doing the work of the person that ha sthe degree and the person that has the degree is getting all the money.
Don?t you think that it is time you were paid fair compensation for the level of work you are already doing?
This is your chance to finally make the irght move and receive your due benefits.
If you are like most people, you are more than qualified with your experience, but are lacking that prestigious piece of paper known as a diploma that is often the passport to success.
CALL US TODAY AND GIVE YOUR WORK
EXPERIENCE THE CHANCE TO EARN YOU
THE HIGHER CMOPENSATION YOU DESERVE!

A “Prestigious Non Accredited University” seems a contradiciton in terms, nothing could be worse!

I hope these people are not actually able to take peoples money from them, it is a real shame that there are people out there trying to rip people off like this…

Using past exam papers are very useful for revision for your degree examinations. Past exam papers allow you to test your knowledge, in depth on real degree questions. Trying to answer these degree questions can identify areas of weakness, and lead you to revise in areas you may otherwise have overlooked.

These exam papers will give a good indication of the level of difficulty you are likely to experience in the actual exam.

Often you will see that different year’s degree papers revolve around key points themes, make sure you revise these thoroughly, but do not rely too heavily on this principle, it could be disastrous!

In my first year I revised using past degree exam papers, and to my delight, many of the questions in the real exam were along similar lines. So, for my next examination I did the same, and not a single question was in any way related to the previous exam paper I had practiced with.
Hedge your bets and revise everything you have learned on your degree properly. only use old papers to supplement your other revision methods and gauge the depth of knowledge expected on your degree course.

This is just a summary of the things I did which helped me most to get a first class degree:

1. Learn to touch type, it will save you hundreds of hours
   
2. Learn to use your word processor properly, this too will save a lot of time
3. Choose the right degree course, obvious but often ill considered
4. Use past exam papers and projects to benchmark your work
5. Take time to find out about every service the University offers you, and make sure you take advantage of these services
6. Manage your time, be as productive as possible

Of all the above, I would say the ability to touch type was the single biggest advantage I had over other students. I was able to complete work in far less time, then re-invest that time in what you could call ‘value adding’ activities, i.e. further research, extra revision or spending more time refining and polishing assignments.

That said, getting a first class degree, for me at least was not about quick wins, it is about chasing every possible mark, every percentage point and taking advantage of every single opportunity.

Opportunities are not put before you on a plate, opportunities have to be sought, getting time with lecturers, investing time finding out about services and resources, learning how to take notes effectively, practicing mnemonic techniques, developing time management skills and lots more.

Each one of these things contributes in a small way to improving your degree performance. Using one or two of these techniques will give you some advantage, but putting all of these things together is what really gets you a first class degree.

• Procrastination is the thief of time. - Edward Young (1683-1765)

A point I have made a number of times on this site is the need to get ahead with your work. Getting ahead enables you to plan your work and get the most out of your time. You do not have to spend hours working on a problem if you have time to ask for assistance. The later you leave your work, the fewer opportunities there will be to find things out ‘the easy way’. You will have to work harder, not smarter!

The following article taken from a Californian University site sums up procrastination:

Discussion

Procrastination is a complex psychological behavior that affects everyone to some degree or another. With some it can be a minor problem; with others it is a source of considerable stress and anxiety. Procrastination is only remotely related to time management, (procrastinators often know exactly what they should be doing, even if they cannot do it), which is why very detailed schedules usually are no help.

Characteristics

The procrastinator is often remarkably optimistic about his ability to complete a task on a tight deadline; this is usually accompanied by expressions of reassurance that everything is under control. (Therefore, there is no need to start.) For example, he may estimate that a paper will take only five days to write; he has fifteen days; there is plenty of time; no need to start. Lulled by a false sense of security, time passes. At some point, he crosses over an imaginary starting time and suddenly realizes, “Oh no! - I am not in control! There isn’t enough time!”

At this point, considerable effort is directed towards completing the task, and work progresses. This sudden spurt of energy is the source of the erroneous feeling that “I only work well under pressure.” Actually, at this point you are making progress only because you haven’t any choice. Your back is against the wall and there are no alternatives. Progress is being made, but you have lost your freedom.

Barely completed in time, the paper may actually earn a fairly good grade; whereupon the student experiences mixed feelings: pride of accomplishment (sort-of), scorn for the professor who cannot recognize substandard work, and guilt for getting an undeserved grade. But the net result is reinforcement: the procrastinator is rewarded positively for his poor behaviour. (”Look what a decent grade I got after all!”) As a result, the counter productive behaviour is repeated over and over again.

Positive reinforcement for delay (a good grade) is a principal contributor to continued procrastination.

There are a lot of explanations as to why people procrastinate, the best one liner I have heard on the subject is:

• The hardest part of getting started is getting started

There is no easy way around this, sometimes on assignments you will not know where to start. The best solution I have found is just to get on with it, start writing up your work, identifying topics for discussion and then working on those topics.

You may not make progress at first, but eventually you will get into the flow and things will start coming together.

Most of us struggle with certain topics, experiencing some kind of writers block, but as you write and think about the subject ideas will come to you.

• You will find the work a lot easier to do the work tomorrow if you make a start today!!

This popular article is also worth a read if procrastination is a problem you suffer!

• The Effectiveness of Self Imposed Deadlines on Procrastination

Getting a first class degree has never been easier according to some press reports, so what does that mean for students, is a degree worth having if it is ‘losing its value’?

Well for a start the above question assumes you accept that a first class degree has lost its value, which I don’t.

OK, a degree education is less exclusive today than it was thirty years ago, so in that sense there is some truth in the statement.

However, today almost every employer asks for a degree, even for the most mundane job, just because they can, its expected.

So, if you flip the argument on its head, you are at a bigger disadvantage if you do not poses a degree than you would have been thirty years ago.

If standards really have slipped then where does that leave you if you do not get a first class degree or a 2:1 degree (upper second)?

In terms of getting a first class degree, I think most students are capable of achieving one if they are put the work in, and are smart about how they spend their time.

It is not enough to just work hard, you need to be organised. You need to do things that other students are not doing which will give you competitive advantage.

That’s what this site, how to get a first is all about, how to get ahead of your ‘competitors’ at University.

In the post on taking degree notes I mentioned the Cornell Note Taking system, and thought I would add a little more information on the subject.

To use the Cornell note taking system, divide you page into three sections as shown below:

The three areas of the note taking template are used as follows:

1. Add bullet points, brief information
2. Add more detail in the main area
3. Write a summary at the end

When in lectures make notes in sections one and two. After the lecture think about what has been learned and write a summary.

Writing the summary is good revision in itself, thinking properly about the information presented in a lecture will help you retain it. The more you think about the topics you are studying, the more familiar you become with the subject, and the more easily you will find subsequent revision.

What you should end up with at the end of this process are notes that are easily read (the bullets / brief notes in section one). Being able to quickly read / scan your notes for relevant information will greatly assist you in your revision.

If you find what you are looking for in section 1, then you have additional detail near to it in section 2.

The summary in section 3 try and summarise the essence of what has been said. Make sure you capture all the key points and try and put these in some kind of context. The idea being that you can read the summary at a later point, as a quick memory jogger. This section will be particularly useful in the later stages of revision, when you already understand the topic, and are just looking for reminders to cram with before the exam.

While writing the post “Do Employers Value Experience or a Degree” I was reminded of a colleague who does not have a degree. He would always argue that he

“Had a degree from the University of Life“

He was of course referring to the fact that whilst he did not have a degree he had a lot of life / work experience, which he believed was worth more.

To a point I have to agree with him, a degree is after all only a bit of paper, it does not ‘prove’ you can do anything useful in the ‘real world’ (I hate that term, just how many worlds are there, besides the real one?).

And he is right in that there is no substitute for hands on experience, and so, a degree from the ‘University of Life’ is certainly of great value (this person was successful, having a good job etc).
What I think this person missed was the fact that it is even better to have both, i.e. a degree and good life/ work experience, and that studying for a degree is, in itself good experience as, in order to do well you need to be self motivated, disciplined etc.

Also there is the question of transferability of work experience. Although the person who made the statement regarding the University of Life was in a good job, his skills were not transferable outside the organisation he was working in. I think that in spite of his strong experience he would find it difficult to find a similar role elsewhere without the paperwork (a 2:1 or 1s class degree) employers (often wrongly in my opinion) insist upon.

I recently read an article “Experience, Not Degree Comes First for Employers” on the Guardian Website.

“The study of 500 employers found that, when hiring graduates, almost half were looking for relevant work experience, a good work ethic and a degree subject relevant to the job…

However, only one in four employers was interested in the class of degree, while even fewer were worried about a university’s reputation…

Anusha Everson, director for graduate employment at Hertfordshire, said: “It’s clear that gaining real-life work experience as part of your course, or on your own initiative, is an absolutely key requirement for students getting ready to go to university this September…

Those students yet to decide which university to go to, or who find themselves in clearing, would be well advised to look for courses which combine relevant subjects with opportunity to gain first-hand, practical experience.”

This is good advice, employers do look for experience. Many students find themselves in the catch 22 of needing experience to get a job, but without getting a job they are unable to get experience. To a point this can be overcome by taking courses which combine work experience, however, much of the work given to students on work placements are small menial projects, not necessarily the high value experience they really need. That said, any work experience is better than none.

The issue I have with this article is the statement that:

“only one in four employers is interested in the class of the degree”

Go and read some job advertisements (monster jobs is a good UK site) and you will see that a high proportion of employers stipulate a 2:1 or a 1st class degree as a minimum requirement, and I am sure almost all would consider degree results when choosing between closely matched candidates.

If you read the article in full, there is a list of things employers look for, however many of the items on the list would probably not be apparent on a students application form, for example ” Easygoing, cheerful attitude” or “Natural Leadership”. This implies these are interview / assessment criteria. I would argue that without a good degree you are far less likely to even get an interview. Students with a 2:2 or a third class degree will find it far harder to pass the paper sift. Again, this is why so many employers stipulate a 2:1 or a first class degree as minimum requirements, many do not even bother to interviewing students with poor results.

The bottom line is that most employers select candidates on a points based system. A certain number of points will be awarded for each attribute they are looking for. If a 2:1 or a first class degree is on their list then you will get points for it, but those points alone will not get you the job.
Another important point to remember is that in the process of getting a first class degree you are likely to learn more than a student who only achieves a 2:2. This additional knowledge and experience, gained on your degree course will (if your degree is relevant to the post you are applying for) allow you to talk authoritatively during job interviews, raise your confidence, and ultimately lead to better (interview) performance.

Conversely, if you go into a job interview with a poor degree it is likely you will be in possession of less knowledge, and feeling less confident (knowing you are already at a disadvantage).

My advice, don’t be fooled by such articles into thinking it does not matter what grade you achieve at University, it matters greatly, and will remain on your C.V. for the rest of your career!