Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

University results - u certicate

87 replies

getrunningirl · 21/07/2024 15:23

Found out this week offspring got a u certificate for degree. Got good Alevels though - covid version, but went to good grammar school.Knew it existed, never heard of anyone that actually got a U. ABU to feel more worried than cross,which is how I feel and am struggling to think how I 'should' feel. Perhaps expectations managed by failing 2nd year, but believed it when told knuckled down and turned round. Thoughts?

OP posts:
Igotu · 21/07/2024 16:24

I've name changed for this. I got an unclassified degree i.e. without honours, not due to lack of ability but because I was too busy enjoying myself. It's not necessarily the end of the world. I worked in lower paid jobs in the area I was interested in and by age 25 i'd been accepted into a postgraduate course because I had relevant experience. I was more mature, more committed and did so well they asked if I'd like to convert to a masters. Fast forward a few decades and I'm now a senior academic.

xxSideshowAuntSallyxx · 21/07/2024 16:24

University isn't for everyone, where I used to work I saw so many students who went because it was expected or they didn't know what to do and you could tell.

Also (not to take this the wrong way) covid had a knock on effect on students I think. Especially if they were the ones who were in the 1st year as covid hit in 2019/20 I don't think home schooling and lessons on zoom really equipped them with the necessary skills.

Put it down as a ( expensive) lesson for him. He might find something where he learns or studies on the job more interesting. He might find a vocational subject more his thing.

mm81736 · 21/07/2024 16:22

Could he/she retake the final year?

Crosc · 21/07/2024 16:22

Sorry, despite being having two degrees O have no idea what a U is. Is it below a third?

Original poster
getrunningirl · 21/07/2024 16:13

No it's final you can't resit. Failed 3 modules. So signicant, some due to over run of time on exams. Painful! Sobering lesson.

OP posts:
Original poster
getrunningirl · 21/07/2024 16:11

See my response @igivein - it's in the UK, at Nottingham Uni. They did progress to the 3rd year. In hindsight maybe that wasn't a good thing. Seemed like it at the time.

OP posts:
Original poster
getrunningirl · 21/07/2024 16:07

I think after Covid they wanted to get away, not brave enough to travel or driven enough to work. And didn't really think through the consequences/cost of 3 years at uni without anything to show for it. Can't understand why am not cross

OP posts:
Original poster
getrunningirl · 21/07/2024 16:05

I should have said, they were in 3rd year as were allowed to retake one module from the 2nd year during the 3rd year having failed the resit at the end of the 2nd year. But your point still holds good. Need to mature and think again

OP posts:
igivein · 21/07/2024 15:59

I think what’s happened is that they failed second year last year and were given the opportunity to restudy the year. They’ve failed the restudy year, so can’t progress to third year (you can usually only restudy a year once).
They’ll have been given a ‘fall-back’ award of a University Certificate in Higher Education, which is a qualification equivalent to the first year of a degree.
It’s not ideal, but it is a higher level qualification that can go on their CV.
They could also use it to access a degree at a different university, perhaps taking a couple of years out first to mature / decide if HE is for them.

Jammydodger1981 · 21/07/2024 15:48

As someone who works in Higher Ed, I have never heard of this either. Is this in the UK?

Usually, if they’d failed their second year they’d not have been allowed to progress to 3rd year until they had repeated and passed the necessary credits. If they’d completed their first year they’d at least receive a certificate of higher education.

What were they studying and where?

x2boys · 21/07/2024 15:42

If they managed A levels ,it doesn't seem like it's a lack of ability
What's changed did they not like the course ?

Ellerby83 · 21/07/2024 15:35

Can they do resits? How many modules did they fail?

Swipe left for the next trending thread