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!
Is it possible to get a third class degree uprated/ upgraded by doing another industryc recognised course.
I.e It looks like I will get a third class degree in quantity surveying, the institute of civil engineering surveyors, requires canditates to take an additional 2 year distance learning course in commercial management.
If I were to complete this course do you think I could get my degree upgraded? can this ever happen?
Hi Lee,
No, you really need to speak to your own University on this, but as I understand it, once you complete your degree the mark is cast in stone… there is no upgrading.
An alternative may be to add a year to your study to try and pull up marks for your dissertation and final year modules. Often the final year modules are worth more than year one and two modules, so, if you do a good job on these you could potentially drag your marks up.
Someone I knew was heading for a third / fail when they dropped back a year, now they should get a 2:2…. it really depends how far down the line you are on your course…
Other than that you would have to take another course…. if you were to take another degree at the same level in a similar subject you would get exemptions for the first year, but you would still spend two years effectively repeating work at the same level.
If it were me I would consider taking a masters, but it really depends on your reasons for doing badly this time around and whether you think you can raise your game.
A Masters is a lot more difficult than a first degree. If you think you have learned lessons from this course and are capable of doing a lot better, then I would look for another course….
If you do not think you can realistically improve on your academic performance then I start looking for a job.
Good luck with whatever you decide….
I live in Nigeria and here they pose emphasis on the class of graduation and i came out with a third class.
What do i do?
I would love to do a post graduate course but i need to work to save some money to do that.
What is your sincere advice?
Lucie
Hi Lucie,
Sorry for my delay in replying…
You really need to know why you did not get the result you wanted.
For example, was it that you chose the wrong subject, or that you could have worked harder, or perhaps you are just not suited to that kind of education?
If you think you could do better in another subject, or that you could achieve more by working differently / harder I would consider higher education.
But… if you did everything you could on this course, and it was still not enough, then taking another, more difficult degree is probably not a good idea.
If you are going to have to pay for the course, then you need to make sure you make the correct decision!
You could go and work for a year and see how you feel then. You may find that slills you develop whilst working in a given field may make you a better student should you decide to take a higher level course.
Again, the key is really to understand what you could do differently / improve on another course…
I am on course to graduating with a high 2:2 in Russian with Management Studies from UCL…what are my prospects for getting into a decent Masters programme??? any feedback would be greatly appreciated
I really cannot say, I mean what do you mean by decent?
I would shortlist the Universities and courses you are interested in and contact the “course director” directly and get their advice.
Remember Universities are run more like businesses these days, and, you are the customer! Masters courses are expensive, so, you will usually find they are happy to advise you as to your options, within or outside of that University.
If you are not able to get on a given course, then find out what would be required by you to gain entry…
Hi,
First of all I would like to thank you for running this website as it is really informative and educating for most people, including the “educated”.
I am currently in a very difficult situation and require some concrete advice on my future and career prospects. Any information or advice will be truly appreciated.
EDUCATION
I attained 9 GCSEs (2As, 5Bs & 2Cs), 4 A-Levels (B-Maths, C-Chemistry, C-Biology, E-General Studies) and finally but unfortunately, a Third Class (III) BSc (hons) degree in Medical Sciences at the University of Leeds.
HISTORY
As a youngster, I have always wanted to embark on a career in Maths/Business/Finance as Maths is my strongest subject, I have ran my father’s business from a very young age and various aspects of finance have always interested me.
Unfortunately, due to family pressure, I was forced to aim for becoming a doctor. Hence, the subjects I studied. As you may be able to see, Maths is my strongest subject along with physics and other related fields. Throughout the years I tried to persuade my family that I should change my career path because I can achieve so much more in my preferred career. However, I was discouraged from anything other than Medicine. I completed various work experience placements and realised at the age of 18 what I wanted to do. After failing to obtain a place at Medical School post A-Levels, I was wrongly put under the impression that I could “easily” enter a postgraduate medical degree if I attained a 2.1 in Med Sci (BSc). However, this did prove rather difficult towards the end of my degree. As I did not obtain a place in any of my Postgraduate Medical School applications, although i was predicted a 2.1, I lost heart with my degree and eventually ended up with a dismal third class degree. Since then, I have set up my own business which has proven relatively successful as I have managed to pay off all my debts and on a current salary of £25k+ (p.a.). I have also begun trading on the financial markets and I’m on the verge of taking this up full time. My business partners are well versed in business and trading on the financial markets. According to them I have learnt approximately 3-4 years of trading strategies within 1 year of self taught education.
I would like to go back into higher education and study a degree in relation to my current interests as I feel I would prosper in these fields. After this, I would like to embark on a career working in the financial sector hoping to work for some large financial institutions to gain further experience. I believe that I have a head start in some aspects, yet I also think that I lack the basics and foundations of a career in finance.
What would you advise me to study at university and why?
What are my chances of gaining entry onto a course at a main (red brick) university?
Would it be worthwhile to mention my previous degree or is it best to omit this from my records of achievement?
Thank you very much for your time.
Kind regards
IM.
Hi IM,
I just give opinions on this site and am not qualified to advise you as to which specific course you should to.
What I would say is find one as close to your are of expertise as possible.
Your partners say you have gained years worth of knowledge of trading strategies…. so look for a course that teaches trading strategies.
If you have direct work experience, you may find in certain areas your knowledge exceeds that required on the course.
Another tip would be to search the recruitment sites for jobs you would be interested in doing… what are they asking for?
You may find that professional qualifications are preferable to academic ones.
As for mentioning your past degree… personally I would.
Being honest about your abilities and limitations will enable staff at the University to give you better advice.
Remember, the aim is to get a qualification, not to get entry to a course. There is no point telling “part truth’s to get onto a course only to fail it.
If you explained what went wrong on your previous course I think they would understand. Also, you did pass it, and your A-Level results are good.
Currently there is a trend for students to avoid subjects with a bias towards Maths, this will go in your favour as there may be less competition on the type of courses you are looking at.
It is possible to get onto some post grad courses on the basis of work experience alone. It really depends on the organisation, competition for places on the course and the level of your (work based) expertise.
Something else to think about is how you can avoid “losing heart” on your next course. Things are a LOT easier if you enjoy the course, however you will still have your down days, or modules that you do not enjoy. It is important to put 100% into all modules, losing heart is not really an option if you want the best results…
My advice if you get a Third? If you want to go into work rather than academia, do that and don’t worry about your degree. Other than a small number of graduate schemes, most employers will judge you on your performance in the interview and the fact that you are smart enough to obtain a degree in the specified subject. I have NEVER had any enquiry about the class of degree I obtained. (Just put ‘BSc (Hons.) or BA (Hons.) etc. on your resume, not the class, by the way.) After your first job, experience counts for more than any degree. I graduated with a 3rd and am a Director for a US Technology company, having always been one of the high performers wherever I’ve worked and earned high salaries throughout my career (currently $200k+). So, forget the class of degree and use it to show that you have the intelligence to be useful in the real world.
Other people who graduated with a ‘Gentleman’s Degree’:
Sir Alec Douglas-Home, Former Prime Minister
Sir Ernest Soares, Member of Parliament
Simon Burns, MP, Chelmsford West
Writers W. H. Auden, Lewis Carroll, Christopher Hitchens
Photographer Antony Barrington Brown
Actor Hugh Laurie, TV presenters Richard Whitely, Rory McGrath and Carol Vorderman.
My advice if you get a Third? If you want to go into work rather than academia, do that and don’t worry about your degree. Other than a small number of graduate schemes, most employers will judge you on your performance in the interview and the fact that you are smart enough to obtain a degree in the specified subject. I have NEVER had any enquiry about the class of degree I obtained. (Just put ‘BSc (Hons.) or BA (Hons.) etc. on your resume, not the class, by the way.) After your first job, experience counts for more than any degree. I graduated with a 3rd and am a Director for a US Technology company, having always been one of the high performers wherever I’ve worked and earned high salaries throughout my career (currently $200k+). So, forget the class of degree and use it to show that you have the intelligence to be useful in the real world.
Other people who graduated with a ‘Gentleman’s Third’:
Sir Alec Douglas-Home, Former Prime Minister
Sir Ernest Soares, Member of Parliament
Simon Burns, MP, Chelmsford West
Writers W. H. Auden, Lewis Carroll, Christopher Hitchens
Photographer Antony Barrington Brown
Actor Hugh Laurie, TV presenters Richard Whitely, Rory McGrath and Carol Vorderman.
Hi David,
Thanks for your comments; you make some really good points and I’m sure your success will be an inspiration to others who have not done so well at University.
However, my observations and experience are very different to yours.
Work experience is often a catch 22; you cannot get work experience without work experience because no-one wants to employ you.
When I checked recruitment sites at the start of my course I saw employers routinely asking for a 1st / 2:1 in their advertisements.
Whilst the statement “most employers will judge you on your performance in the interview” is true, you are very unlikely to make it past the paper sift to interview without a good grade.
As the government (UK) pushes more and more people into degree education, a first degree is losing its value, employers are increasing their requirements and differentiating yourself as a candidate is difficult.
All that said, once you are in work you are judged entirely on your performance not academic ability, and, over time your degree becomes less relevant.
The problem for people with poor academic results is getting that first job which allows you to “show that you have the intelligence to be useful in the real world”.
hi
i graduated with a 3rd class in engineering from a nigerian university am still young but i want to pusue my masters in uk an i know my chances are slim except i take a postgrduate diploma ,but during my search i was told i could join a final year class in a uk university so as to finish up with a better grade pls is that possible what other advise do u have for me
thank you
Sorry thats something I cannot help with, what I would say is speak to the UK Universities directly. You can easily contact them via their websites…. go to the source for your advice, do not listen to ‘middle men’.
Good luck
I’m going to get a 3rd class degree in IT. I thinking of switching the course, but because I got conscripted to the army. So I’m going to be quite old like 27 when I finish this 3rd class degree.
Do I switch course, or just finish this and get masters ?
Wait a minute, I’m from Australia and I’m doing only an ordinary degree. So I don’t have to worry about the classes as in the case of UK.
They don’t classify degrees in Australia?
In the UK, the class of degree is the grade / award.
BTW I wouldn’t worry about your age, you will find a more disciplined approach will give you an advantage… I worked for a year or so before taking my degree, that is one of the reasons I did well… I applied a work ethic to my course.
Australia is different, we got honors as well that classify degrees into first, second and third class. But we have to do like an additional year in research to do this, so instead of 3 years we do 4 to get honors.
We can also get masters if we just do an ordinary degree. So some just skip the honors and do masters degree instead.
Just look at this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bachelor%27s_degree#Australia
Hi I currently graduated in international business management from northumbria university, but it’s just a 3rd class. And i am thinking of doing masters, i really want to do masters and i believe i can do better this time. How much is possibilities that i could get enroll to university and currently i am in london. I would prefer to study around london areas. Is there anyway i can study masters or have any alternative way to get in.
Too all those with 3rd class degrees. I would just like to say that its not the end of the world, read this…
I was a lazy B*&^&*^%$ at Uni and ended up with a 3rd from lack of effort, not lack of brain. I am 21 and graduated with a 3rd in Aeronautical Engineering from a top 10 univeristy. I was immeadiately employed as a Direct Entry Graduate with a MAJOR Aerospace company (crazy eh?) and currently earn £24,500. Industrial Experience is ESSENTIAL in fading that 3rd off your chest. I had previously gained experience with 3 airlines, 1 flight training centre and Bae Systems. this on top of being an ace person helped me get this job.
This post is not to boast, but to inspire others that its not the end of the road. I have already made great mates with a few other graduates here who have 1st class honours and one has a 2.1 with Masters in aerospace eng. YET we all earn the same. 3rd class means jack when u get some experience!
so go out children and sieze thos opportunities.
PS> this post in no BS. true life story
Hi M, great comment thanks!
I don’t think its crazy (that you got that job), I get the impression those kind of qualifications are in demand, and laziness is something you can remedy
The classification definitely loses its value within a short time frame.
The real hurdle is getting that first job, and the experience that go’s with it… and you got over it!
Good luck in your new job
I really need some help!! I definitely chose the right course because I enjoy it emmensely but in my first and second years of uni (in the uk) I had some health problems as well as medical and I notfied my uni of this and they were really good in helping me and allowing me to resit. But my second year resits went very badly because I had to work full time at the same time as doing them because I just had to submit coursework but I just didn’t have enough time! So, i just managed to pass submitting 1 out of 4 and without any medical reasons for this they couldn’t let me resit the others. Currently im carrying 3 modules worth of failed modules and just failed another due to poor performance despite still having to submit my dissertation I think there’s a distint possibility I’ll only get a 3rd. The only masters program in the country I wanted to do requires a 2:1 at least! I haven’t done a required degree like engineering I’ve done politics (not from a top 10 uk uni) and don’t wanna be a MP rather a lobbyist which requires a masters. What can I do? As well as family pressure I don’t have the finances to another degree. I’m worried that due to misfortune I won’t find employment or such like with a 3rd.
Hi Nia,
Im not an expert in this stuff, you really need to get some support from your University, both in terms of your academic options and career advice.
Regards the Masters program, have you tried speaking to the course director at this University? I would definitely do this… try and establish some kind of relationship with them… you may still be able to squeeze a place on the course if you show you really want it.
If you can produce an outstanding dissertation that demonstrates you have the ability to work at a higher level, this will also help you.
Ultimately, if they are over subscribed with 2:1 applicants you may be out of luck…. if not the above points may give you a slight advantage.
If you dont get onto the Masters, ask whether doing a PgC elsewhere would help you…. this would only take 1 year.
I graduated with a 3rd class degree maths in 1995 and have since then become a member of ACCA and doing my MBA at oxford brookes because of my ACCA but i would really want to have a better first degree because in Nigeria a lot of emphasies are placed on the first degree classification and i feel having a 3rd class first degree is not doing me any favours.I intend to do another Bachelor’s degree course to get a better grade or do you have any advise on how to go about this.
Hi,
I’m glad I stumbled across this site, I am feeling really worried about my degree classification. I am due to graduate on 19th July and studied Retail Buying (Fashion). I am waiting for my degree classification but think I am due to get a 3rd class degree. I will even be disappointed with a 2:2 as I will have limited opportunities to apply to graduate schemes as they usually want a 2:1. Most of my marks I just scraped by with 40% apart from a couple of firsts for essays. I really don’t think that they will boost my grades up enough though. I work near full time hours as a manager at HMRC so have been a bit lazy with uni and put it to one side. I was complacent with my a-levels too and only got D’s and it really doesn’t reflect what I am capable of achieving. I have attempted to email my tutor on several occasions but she has never replied to me as I wanted advise on what I should do/if I could submit another piece of work to bump my marks up. I liked my course but feel I may have done better with a more academic degree. I am now considering doing a masters (but this won’t override my degree will it?) or a law conversion course but then if I wanted to apply to be a solicitor companies look at your grades for each year at uni. I feel like I have really limited my options and can’t help but feel disappointed and down about it as my grades do not reflect the potential that I have.
Any advice on what to do would be greatly appreciated,
Thanks,
Dana.
Hi i’m in the same sort of situation, ive just finished a mathematics degree and kings college london. I dont think i am going to do too well, aiming for a 2.2. My degree was very hard and still found myself helping those doing different degrees that have nothing to do with mathematics and they are aiming for firsts. Does doing a difficult degree mean nothing as all sites seem to want a 2.1 and place no weight on the degree itself. I have no money from parents to do another degree. What should i do?
hi i had a third class degree in law, and i have been reliably informed that its very unlikely i would be accepted into law school, but this has been my long time aim and still is, what options please in your opinion are opened for me, is it possible to re-do year 3 to boost my grades or should i get a masters degree or look for a solicitors firm to get work experience; because i am really confused now on what to do. please i would seriously appreciate it if you could advice me on what to do, because i still want to go to law school and eventually practice as a barrister. thanks as i anticipate your response.
I’ve recently finished studying for my degree in Information Technology. My final degree classification isn’t out but provisional results are out. I’m really disappointed as my tutor calculated it with me and I’ve narrowly missed out on a 2.1 and shall most definitely graduate with a 2.2.
You need a 6.5 average to graduate with a 2.1 and I managed a 6.75. I feel kinda defeated at the moment as all the graduate schemes I’ve looked at ask for a minimum of a 2.1.
I’d quite like to do a masters but I can’t really afford it and at the moment my confidence has really taken a knock maybe I’m not the academic type.
I really don’t know where to go from here.
Hi
I’m a bit late coming to this debate but I thought I would share my experiences anyway. I got a 3rd in Physics from a ‘top’ university. Not from lack of work or intelligence, but just because (a) the maths element of the subject was beyond my grasp and (b) my grandmother, who raised me, was dying from cancer as I was doing my finals. I now know that had I advised my tutor of the circumstances I would have been given a 2.2 because as it was I was only 1 mark short of a 2.2 anyway, but I didn’t realize that at the time.
Anyway, straight away I enrolled on a Master of Medical Science course, did a belter of an interview for the course, got a bursary that paid my fees plus a stipend of £6,000 for the year ( a lot of cash in 1991 ). I jumped in with both feet, realizing that the MMedSc was my opportunity to prove myself academically. I graduated top of the class 12 months later, then went on to do further postgrad courses in management ( PGDip ) on a part time basis as I was working. I always got good grades in everything after my primary degree. I never use my BSc on job application forms. Any job that says it’s minimum requirement is a 2.1 I’ve always been shortlisted for as employers consider a Master’s to be higher than a 2.1 undergrad degree. My point is, don’t let a 3rd ruin your plans. Go on a get a Master’s. You can apply for a PGDip with any grade of degree, then when you perform well in the first part of the diploma you’ll be allowed to move to the Master’s stream. The only difference between most PGDips and their Master’s course is generally that the latter requires the completion of a thesis. GO FOR IT!!!
Hi Adrian,
Sorry for the late reply, this website was hacked… anyway…
Thanks for posting that its a really good story!
One of the reasons I was so determined to get a high mark on my degree course was because I did not get the A level results I wanted.
I did miserably at A level Physics because I am not strong on maths. I chose Physics because it interested me without considering my aptitude for it.
When it came to choosing a degree course I was very careful about finding one that would suit my skills.
Hi,
mine was like i did my degree in electronics engineering in india and got a good 2:1. but as it was 4 years . i had enough time to focus on my degree and improve my grades and i came here to do MBA in liverpool, uk and got third class in masters as its just 1 year and everything was new for me and the fun factor in new places affected my marks aswell.. now am stumbled with it. because since i did masters, no body cares about 2:1 in degree and i have 3rd in masters. so couldn’t get any interviews.. what would be good option.. do a second masters? isnt tat a bit crazy?..lol am sure i cant do phd.. its beyond me or try to get interviews with my job experience..yeah i have 2 years of experience as a software programmer in an average company in india.. but am trying to get a job in the management.. so will my experience come handy?
thanks,
Prabhu
I got an ordinary degree in Civil Engineering from Glasgow University a year ago and find myself between a rock and a hards place. Looking at Postgrad courses in the odd chance I could get in at diploma level and then join the MSc. Is this feasible? I also entertained the thought of applying at a different uni at undergraduate entry to see if I could possibly get advanced entry into 3rd year for example. I’ve found graduate jobs very hard to come by, but I think that’s also partly down to the economic slowdown so I think now would be as good a time as any to study again.
In the school i went to, you would have to get like 85% to get an “A”, And i might graduate with a third class. Does that mean i cant do my masters, or i just went to the wrong school. Because all the schools i check online seem to require a FIRST CLASS or UPPER. does that mean i am hopeless in further studies in computer science………
i had a third class for my Bachlor of architecture degree in a top 20 uni in uk and BArch is a 6 years course. 3 years undergrad, one year placement and 2 years postgrad. I was so worried about it when i just got my results… im now working for 2 years in an architecture firm aboard and hoping the more experience i gain, the easier to find a uni that would accept my third class degree,so i can carry on with the course in uk. i tried to apply to a few uni last year and they all rejected me. it made me realli upset and think is just impossible for me to find any uni. I wonder if anyone got similar experience and would be able to give me some advice on this? do uk unis ever consider a third class student? I really want to carry on with the course but my uni only take back students with a 2:2 minimum, it made me hv no hope at all. can anyone help me here? ur reply will be much appreciated. Thanks!
I had a third class degree from a university in Nigeria, and i got a job with one of the top banks in africa (i have worked in this bank for 3 years now). however, i really want to change jobs now to another bank and i went for an interviews, at the 2nd stage of the interview, i was told that although i came across as having a perfect knowledge of the job, i will not be allowed to proceed to the next stage of the interview because i had a third class from university.
i need the new job to be able to save for my masters and CFA, which i know that if i put my mind to it, i will surely do well this time. am in a fix now and dont know what to do.
Not a bad website! Anway, enough sucking up… My problem is proving to be a little irritating and I was wondering if you had any suitable advice. Simply put I missed the majority of my first year through injury, then spent the second on an exchange in America and came back to Uni in England (Northumbria). Supposedly to finish off the year, however, as a result of being away my modules were automatically assigned and therefore History became incredibly dull.
Unfortunately, my marks dropped, significantly and withought a decend 2nd year to look back on (it was way too much fun) I am looking a third at best.
Now here is where it gets interesting, in order to redo the year I will have to drop out now then come back in September and start all over again…
Do you think this is the best move, or not? And, if you do could you recommend anything to get involved with/work for etc in order to improve my CV in the mean time??
Any feedback would be greatly appreciated!
Graduated with a 3rd in (STATISTICS),two years ago from a Uni. here in Nig., basically,’ cause I had to work part time, to sponsor my Education, plus the fact that, we barely had study materials back in the days, lecturers never keep to time, then over populated classrooms was also another hindering factor, all said…been thinking of going for my PGD in computer science,
(not sure if a 3rd class degree in Statistics would qualify though…)
the other option under consideration is going for professional training in IT, CISCO to be precise, ’cause it’s always been where my passion lies,
(not certain if my degree level would still cause a setback when it’s time to get employed after completing the IT training and certifications),
any meaningful response would be much appreciated! Thanks in anticipation.
i have a third class result in biochem,would love to switch to a management course, how do i go about dis wen considering a masters? Can i get a skool dt will accept me for masters direct or i just go for my PGD?pls advice me.
I didn’t do well on my BSc in biology, I came away with a 2:2. Now people with 3rd class have gone on to do very well, in fact I sometimes get advice from my friend whom has a thrid class degree and I now have a masters. My problem is that my thesis on my masters let me down significantly, only gaining a D (but this was a Norwegian uni and they seemed they like people who get told wht to say and say it back in exams). Anyway, I was on a B average until my thesis brought me down to a C avergae. Trouble from my experience is that I was on a PhD with a huge company until I told them my grade and it was taken away. Two years work down the drian you may say, but I see it as two years of hard work and the development of understanding my weak points and that is thesis writing. So I am applying to do another MSc with thoughts on how I can improve my thesis writing. It is exactly what this site tells you and that is the magic words “what did you learn?”.
For those that are just about to go to Uni make sure you do some research about the uni and maybe speak to a group of students in different years of the course to get an all-round idea. I wish I had done that before coming to this Uni in Norway. I won’t tell which it is. And the last bit of advice is that if you want to do well and you know where you want to end up (technician, PhD ect…) then you may have to make some social sacrifices which could be going out, coffee meetings or even sport associations just to get work done, re-written and final draft.
Hello,
Look’s like i’m going to get a 2:2 in business + marketing, don’t stand a chance of getting a job now and feel like i have wasted three years of my life where i could of been going out getting experience.
I’m easily a 2:1 student, but external influences such as family + girlfriends + friends all ripped away my chances of succeeding. Now i’m going to be massacred with this for life and bare the shame of failure.
I’m not looking to do another course, i want to live my life and not devote another year to education it obviously isn’t my thing. There wouldn’t be a chance with rising tuition fees, and it look’s like in a weeks time i will have to join the unemployment heap or settle for a life of mediocre. I will knock on every door in Britain and a get up and go person, but that’s still not going to get me anywhere.
Any Advice?
I’m thinking of going it alone because the world won’t give me a chance at the moment.
Guys
There is hope. Its all about your attitude, and thinking outside the box. YOu have to be flexible and think where you went wrong. With me, my degree choice, was not really my ambition when I left college or even when I was at high school. I had good A level grades at grade As and Bs, but got into University through clearing for any course I could find ( I was under pressure from parents). That was my first mistake.
I got a third class degree from a top 20 uni. I had a tough time in the job market, a real tough time. So straight after my degree I enrolled in an accountancy qualification, professionally. Over the last few years I have developed my accounting career within practices, reputable practices in the city and have proved who I really am. I am now a qualified accountant, and my degree is a distant memory. I am also studying other diplomas in finance and banking to further my career.
The hard part is getting that first job is hard and family connections / networking can help you in the first steps up.
Z K
Hey man – that really inspired me! I recently graduated with a 2.2 in Physics from Imperial College and i’m hoping to get into accountancy too. I’m asian too but I don’t have the whole family connection seen going on – do you have any tips for places to network? I’d really like to do the ACA qualification but it’s so hard to get into the place to do that with a 2.2 because the exams are apaprently really tough.
Congratulations on not giving up and qualifying! J x
HI,
I just found out today i got a 3rd class honours from a UK university. I applied to a masters degree within the same university, and was given a conditional offer as long as I achieved a 2:2. However, as I didnt get this, do I simply give up on the masters degree? is there a way they could take me with a 3rd? or could I even just do the Postgraduate diploma with the 3rd instead of the masters?
reagrds
This is a bit of a late reply, but here is my experience of something similar.
I got a 3rd class undergraduate masters from a top 20 university in theoretical physics. I knew that I was much better than this (I got all A’s in school) but due to family issues just didn’t care about passing my degree whilst doing it.
Anyways, I applied for a MSc at the same university in mechanical engineering. I got in because I talked to the tutor for the MSc. My references both said I was better than my mark suggested. So he let me in and I worked hard. I got a Merit (very close to a Distinction but not close enough clearly).
Then I got onto a PhD at the same university. I’m now writing up, looking for jobs. I don’t think employers are too bothered about my degree classification. I don’t mention it on CVs, they make an assumption that I must have done good if I have a MSc and PhD.
I am a mature student, and I am about to graduate with a first class honours. I know that goes against the grain of this site but I have a slightly different problem. You see, when I was young I messed about and received very poor GCSE results, and a few other mickey mouse qualifications, and only scraped onto my degree by the skin of my teeth because I had relevant blue collar work experience.
My question to you is, do you think that even with my first class honours will a 34 year old with next to no previous qualifications get a good graduate job?
So I just found out that I’ve got a third in my degree. I’ve been googling and checking out threads and comments for many people and am so angry at my university and these peoples attitudes towards people with a 3rd. They all seem to assume I did not work hard enough, am just ‘not bright’ or too stupid to have achieved anything higher. I just wanted to put this comment out there as this is a top website when searching about thirds that I, and I assume MANY other people with 3rds are not stupid. My reasoning for getting a 3rd was that I spent 4 weeks in hospital in my 3rd year, my Mother was in a serious accident and is now permanently disabled and I had to take a 40 hour a week job to pay her bills. But because of peoples attitudes and my universities inability to work around this issue i’m going to be branded forever with the label of ‘too stupid to get a better degree’.
Fantastic.
A bit of a late reply but most if not all universities allow you to suspend your studies for a year. This could have helped you when you were in hospital for four weeks instead of trying to catch up on what was probably a third of a semester. Its unbelievable and unfortunate that you had to work 40 hours a week in a job, but I would ask why were you in University at the same time? No one should expect to be able to do a degree as a part time job or taking second fiddle to something full time. It is not surprising that someone has achieved 40 – 50% when they were spending most of their time working in a job.
I would be gutted if one of my mates got a 2.1 when they were not even in uni most of the time. It would devalue the rest of our degrees if some one could do that, and from the way you write you know you don’t deserve more.
This is a lesson to us all. We are all constantly told that grades do matter and are as important, although not more important, than experience. It may be worth suspending studies to look after your family.
Also, if there is anyone else in a similar situation, please look up the Access to Learning funds that give one off grants to people in financial difficulties.
Hi,
I am a Honors student studying History in my last year. It looks to me that I am heading for a third-class degree now.
Back in high school i was very much interested in History and achieved very good results also. I had achieved 88% in the subject as I passed out from high school. I was also good in English and Maths but poor in Economics. But family pressure forced me into Economics and Business studies. I failed miserably and my family was shattered by what had happened. It lead to many conflicts between my parents and me. With one year lost, i got into a history course finally.
But because of my poor attitude and the constant jibing from family members made me do poorly again. Where I come from, a student of humanities isn’t taken seriously as others in Science or Business Studies. I found myself lost and losing interest in studies. I cannot blame anyone but me.
The second year I really tried very hard to cover up the previous years loss but still couldn’t achieve the desired results.
This is my last year and I have not lost hope yet. If I try really hard, I may yet achieve a 2.2 Class degree. But I fear the worst.
Could you advise me a good course of action if things go bad.
I really wish to pursue a Masters degree.
am a third class student just finished my university education do u think it is necessary for me to apply for a post graduate studies will it enable me to go for masters
Hey man – that really inspired me! I recently graduated with a 2.2 in Physics from Imperial College and i’m hoping to get into accountancy too. I’m asian too but I don’t have the whole family connection seen going on – do you have any tips for places to network? I’d really like to do the ACA qualification but it’s so hard to get into the place to do that with a 2.2 because the exams are apaprently really tough.
Congratulations on not giving up and qualifying! J x
I got a level 3 degree this year after being ill for a couple of months – passed all my final year exams – getting min 70% in all subjects – Uni will only give me level 3 as I failed to hand in my dissertation – any advice on how I can get a better degree – Uni seemed detremined to ignore results and stick me with level 3 – I was flying high until this year – was in line for a 1st!!!
hi amy
i think i might end up with a third in BA architecture aswell, due to some personal problems and family illness, however i still want to carry on with the course and was wondering if u had found any luck applying for postgraduate after having your experience?
Hi,
I have had fantastic results in my previous studies and entered as a direct entrant to honours year, thinking of doing a PHD, after that i met with an accident with which the surgery did’nt went well and have to undergo again, this really affected my studies and could only able to get 3rd class honours, but since my university was aware of my situation and with valid mitigating circumstances, my marks was not capped. After completion i worked for 3 years and got more experience in my related field, and got almost 3 professional qualifications in IT, now i am ready with my research proposal of the project which i always wanted to do. my question now is would my 3rd class honours stand in my way getting an admission or selecting a supervisor for my PHD. i don’t want to waste money in doing msc…….please help thanks……