Am I not bright? 3rd in my degree.

[OnTrain]

A thread kind of about a thread. More about a post in a thread! Someone slagging off Carol Vordeman because she only got a third in her degree. Saying she wasn’t bright.

I got a third, tbh I’m just glad I passed but I also thought I was bright! Do I need a reality check? Am I a thicko?!

I also got a third but I did get a degree which many people don't (my DH failed his first then second years so dropped out).

However I didn't go down the traditional route to get my degree and did a HND first then the final year was the degree. I struggled with the assignments. When I talked to others who had done the first two years of the course they said the first year was spent teaching them how to write assignments - I didn't get that so found it really hard. I clearly excelled in my exams to bring up my marks on failing subjects plus one section I got a first in so overall my score just fell into a third. Had I been able to do better on my assignments I would have achieved much more. But I don't ever think of myself as thick. Never.

Vashti do a masters, different funding

For far too long now the emphasis has not been on final examinations. Coursework - that old chestnut - is given way too much credit. In fact it is possible to achieve a 1st at two decent universities if my acquaintance without sitting ANY examinations in your final year. That is ludicrous.

of my acquaintance

For far too long now the emphasis has not been on final examinations. Coursework - that old chestnut - is given way too much credit. In fact it is possible to achieve a 1st at two decent universities if my acquaintance without sitting ANY examinations in your final year. That is ludicrous.

That’s the plan for my next degree. I write really good essays and suck at exams, so I end up with high distinctions at masters level (no written exams) and 2:1 at undergrad (written exams).

Hence, OU here I come ———-> 🥳

The OU?
Liberty hall and no real rep.

I had no idea how much disparity there had been in degree results over time. It makes me quite pleased with the 2:1 I got in the mid-80s!

The OU?
Liberty hall and no real rep.

Just as well I don’t listen to strangers on the interwebs.

I'm deeply ashamed of my 2.2 (which is the most common grade on my course at my university) but I don't think its a demonstration of my intelligence more of my fecklessness and neuroticism. Honestly I am not sure that isn't worse though!

"Yeah I'm actually clever but it doesn't matter because I crumble under the slightest pressure and am incapable of focusing on anything that isn't immediately interesting to me" doesn't exactly sell me as a valuable human being :/

"Yeah I'm actually clever but it doesn't matter because I crumble under the slightest pressure and am incapable of focusing on anything that isn't immediately interesting to me" doesn't exactly sell me as a valuable human being :/

An honest one, though.

Anneabiel perhaps you have ADHD. I was diagnosed in my 40s and know that has stopped me fulfilling my potential throughout my life. I once did a civil service apptitude test with 3000 others and was 1 of 100 interviewed. I know I am intelligent just not academic in the sense of being able to apply my thinking in writing or the required formats.

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I have a third OP. I hate that people think I got it for turning up. I hate that I got a third because I actually worked very hard, whilst also working part time to support myself. Even worse I did an arts subject, but with Hons, so we did do a dissertation which I got good marks in.

I was told that the university laid out everyone's practical project work on my subject and went through it as a marking group ( 4 course tutors from various subjects) and then they divided it into grades. How it was put to me was that my work wasn't at the lowest end of the third, but that due to the large number on my course, it meant I was in the bottom lot. It doesn't make me feel any better and I had expressed concerns to my tutor during the year about my provisional grades. He just said it was like that for everyone and carry on. Buy obviously I didn't meet the brief well enough, but in my subject we wrote our briefs so very confusing. They felt the quality was bad. So it seems for us it wasn't the case that everyone could get a 2.1, I don't know if the percentages are moved per year for academic subjects or set in stone if you get 75% that's a 2.1.

I wanted to go into teaching and I had a post on here were people were very rude to me about my third ( name changed since then).

Anyway I appealed my degree result and lost, but my course tutor quickly left after this appeal so I feel I did achieve something. However due to this I didn't attend my graduation and no cards or congratulations from family etc. It made and makes me very sad, because it is an achievement. But I had no trouble getting work once I showed my portfolio, but have had issues with declaring my degree result such as jobs that's only take 2.1's etc.

I'm sure you'll make a great teacher.

A third isn’t great a unfortunately at lot of people will think you pissed about at university instead of going to lectures. Even a 2:2 wouldn’t be classed as a ‘good degree’.
Does it matter though? You did your best and enjoyed your course and are doing well in your training now.
It doesn’t mean you are thick it just means that you didn’t get a great mark for this particular qualification.

Underoverunder Honestly I do suspect I have what people call ADHD, it would account for a lot, but I am adverse to the trend of medicalising human difference so I probably won't pursue the notion.

I think millionaire Carol Vorderman hasn't done too badly for herself with a third!

OP, I know loads of people without degrees who are really successful in their careers. Some of my best managers have been people who've worked their way up from the bottom, who dropped out of school at 16 and who've never even set foot in a university.

I have a 2.2 from an RG uni - mainly because I had crippling depression and anxiety in my final year and barely made it to classes. But it doesn't mean I'm thick or a failure or stupid. It means I'm human and I struggled. I now have a management job and most importantly, I'm happy and enjoy going to work and have a good balance between work and pleasure.

Life is so much more than academics.

Butchyrestingface: No. I'm currently studying a criminal justice and criminology BA at a Russell Group uni. I mentioned previously, for context, that I have studied various 60 point courses with the OU during which I achieved comparable assessment results.

My original point was that the op should focus on her own strengths and that academic ability is only one of a multitude of valuable assets. I illustrated my point by explaining that I struggle with some everyday tasks (I'm autistic) despite achieving unusually high marks in academic work. Since then, it's been suggested that I must either be lying about my marks or have been given them by a crap uni inclined towards inflating results. Neither is correct.

Since then, it's been suggested that I must either be lying about my marks or have been given them by a crap uni inclined towards inflating results. Neither is correct.

Well, I don't agree with anyone saying that to you. However, such sustained high grades in a non maths/science-y subject are unusual to more power to your elbow.

AnnAbbieLian
Yes, I tend to agree, although believe it is useful to help kids and students to know themselves better and get the support they need to jump through the right hoops to get the pieces of paper which will allow them to progress through life.

OP, I'm still curious how you can teach kids the format and process to answer 9 mark questions in a humanities subject but can't apply that to your own learning. I have a high performing Dd in her Gcse doing 2 humanities subjects in her Gcse year and the depth and breadth of writing is far greater than what was required when I did mine in the 90s. Perhaps there is something solvable causing you a block.

@Underoverunder how is gcse level 9 harder than a degree? To gain a degree even at a third level, you still have to study. If part of your course requires you to write an 5000 word essay then you still do that. They don't say ok have a third, you handed in 1500 words

For someone to win someone has to come second, third, last and a lot drop out, change courses, repeat or fail.

My exH achieved a science degree at 2.1, but he repeated the 2 year and the third year to achieve that, bless him. So was he an amazing 2.1 student yes eventually.

Maybe degrees should be you get one or you don't.

@SarahAndQuack

Yes I mangled my post. I meant to say that it's not true that lower ranked universities don't help their students as much as Oxbridge does. And that the degrees from lower ranked universities are not rubbish.

The ranking comes from a calculation which includes entry tariffs, research money, attrition rate and NSS and does not mean that a degree from a lower ranked uni is easier or less useful or well taught.

@Underoverunder how is gcse level 9 harder than a degree?

I didn't say it was.

The ranking comes from a calculation which includes entry tariffs, research money, attrition rate and NSS and does not mean that a degree from a lower ranked uni is easier or less useful or well taught.

The workload at my mid-tier uni was significantly lower than what I've heard oxbridge people need to do. I can only assume less work means you don't learn as much. I do feel like my degree only really skimmed the surface of lots of not even that well connected topics - it was almost like a 3 year introduction to a topic rather than seriously studying it. Like it gave you an idea what was out there (with lots of gaps mind) to learn about but you didn't actually learn much about those things except in a really superficial way.

Lots of people get thirds but they enjoyed uni.
Plenty of politicians and some scientists. If you get a third from Oxford or Cambridge it's a badge of honour!