Failed degree and am a complete failure

[loseridiot]

Hi,

Failed an OU open degree after failing the final EMA. Thought it would just mean a lower classification but it'll be a diploma. When it comes it's going straight in the bin.

Can't stop crying. Everybody always said I was useless, stupid and would never amount to anything. Wanted to prove they were wrong. They weren't. Always had minimum wage jobs as no better for anything else. Thought it might improve prospects and help others.

Hope nobody is in this position. What a waste of time and money.

What was your final mark for your other level 3? 60s and 70s are good scores! Don't throw it away, or you'll be proving those fuckers right. You DO deserve this degree and you're allowed to be upset at the moment. It's how you deal with it that matters.

It sounds like you might need some advice on essay writing because there is a knack to academic writing that’s quite different to other types of writing. Is there another person, other than your tutor that you could speak with?

eg you have to back up every single statement with a citation or by clearly linking a set of ideas to a conclusion. It’s incredibly tedious.

Have you seen the marking criteria? Always ask for this. Highlight the key phrases they’re looking for and make sure those phrases are in your essays so the examiner cannot miss them!

Sometimes the key is eliminating the very interesting but irrelevant parts (always painful)

Referencing can drag your mark down too if it’s not done right.

I’ve seen many people struggle to get good marks because of these technical aspects despite knowing their subject well.

What was the feedback? If your previous marks were that high you absolutely should resit! It sounds like it was simply an issue with the final paper itself, you were missing something very important which gave an automatic fail?

The other Level 3 was high but sorry can't remember! It was two years ago in French. Even went to a residential school in France for a week despite crying and shaking. It was okay and the other students were nice. Psychology's a whole different matter!

Yes to the marking criteria thanks so much and was told there should have been more citations.

Will have another look and consider resitting as nothing to lose suppose but even if do pass, won't be going to a graduation as failures shouldn't be allowed to celebrate.

When Things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road you're trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low and debts are high,
And you want to Smile but have to sigh.
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest, if you must, but don't you quit.

Life is queer with its twists and turns,
As everyone of us sometimes learns,
And many a failure turns about,
When he might have won if he'd stuck it out,
Don't give up though the pace seems slow,
You might succeed with another blow.

Often the struggler has given up,
When he might captured the victor's cup.
And he learned too late, when the night slipped down,
How close he was to the golden crown,

Success is failure turned inside out,
The silver tint of clouds of doubt,
And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems afar,
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit,
It's when things seem worst that you mustn't quit.

@fitnessmummy thanks so much and to all of you. That's so kind and generous.

My daughters head teacher likes to read this to her students! I think you need to hear it. Don't quit! Pick yourself up and try again

Been feeling sick and crying. Hope none of you ever feel like that.

Ok I have copied this from Google but... Many notable success stories began in failure: Henry Ford went bankrupt before starting the Ford Motor Company; Thomas Edison and his colleagues tested thousands of materials before creating the carbon-filament lightbulb; J. K. Rowling received twelve rejections before the first Harry Potter book was published.

I had this circumstance .. got averages of 70-80 on all prior assessments.. I did got mine remarked but still failed did the resit and failed that too.. so did another module and passed it was an extra 9 months but was worth it as I got the degree .. yes felt like shit .. yep knocked my confidence But I achieved my degree so was worth it and all the tears that went with it !! Good luck you will achieve it!!

Stop beating yourself up @loseridiot This is just a bump in the road. Resit. You haven't failed until you stop trying.

Thanks a lot. Yes, success can come after trying many times. They started with nothing as well.

Oh and that was an OU degree I finally achieved 👍

Anyone who can stick through an OU degree is amazing in my book. I gave up before I started, I just could not have done isolated learning.
You will have kept so many credits won’t you, up to the EMA? You could rewrite that so you’ve got most of the work done. Could you get another student to help you/tutor you, someone who passed recently? Would a tutor do more 1:1 tutorials with you?
I know it’s a huge disappointment but if you did 7/8 of it you can do this bit.

Thank you to all except Itslosenotloose

I know you’re upset and of course you’re allowed to be but people are only trying to help. This was a bit unnecessary.

Try and not be so hard on yourself. You are not stupid and you are not a failure. You’ve had the weekend to be upset. It’s how you react next that matters. Keep feeling sorry for yourself and believing that you’re a failure or pull up those big girl pants and prove you most definitely are not. Don’t let all the work and effort you’ve put in so far be in vain.

You are wallowing in self pity. That’s fine. You can have some time in that pity hole and tell yourself all the negative things you want.

However once you’ve done that you can remember you have options! You can still pass and yes you do deserve to go to graduation!

I am just doing my second degree. I barely passed my first one. It was tough! I know how I have processing issues and I’m a self sabotaging student all the time.

Well done Zelda93. You deserved that after all your hard work!

Could you go to a brick uni AbbeyGailsParty? It might help and no reason why you couldn't do this. Maybe do 30 credits instead of 60? :)

hello OP could you maybe take a year out and do a Top up Degree at a uni? Most are only 1 or 2 evenings or half days a week at a uni and classed as a full time degree so you get the access to student loans(wow! I know more debt sorry ) over 1 year but you might get more support. They have them in lots of different subjects. Maybe not Psychology like you want but Childcare, Education etc Good as a way of getting a degree and into a job possibly. Please don't give up. I've been there.It's bloody hard working and trying to do a qualification later on away from the convential after school.

I failed my degree - I dropped out. At 40 I got accepted in a pgdip at a Russell group uni.

failing at something is a part of life. Life isn’t linear. Your scores show you’re not stupid. One module tripped you up. Take a breath, learn from the feedback and build some resilience rather than throw all the hard work away. Lick your wounds, have a pity party and get back up and hold your head held high.

In the kindest possible way, pull yourself together.

You are so close. You've worked at this for years. Given up all that time and proved you can pass degree level study.

Yes you've had a setback. Yes dissertations are hard but with decent direction you will get there.

Once you get over the disappointment you will kick yourself for ever if you don't give it another shot.

@loseridiot

Bit rude. I’ve just completed an OU degree myself so I’m fully aware of the ins and outs. You can absolutely resit this module and you know you can it’s why you’re not appreciating what I have to say. If you want to wallow in self pity then do so. It’s self sabotage and a bit poor me.

Been there done that.

You said you work for the NHS - would you speak to the patients using harsh words? No.
Would you speak to me using these harsh words? Also no.
So I am saying don’t speak to yourself like that either. You have a diploma, a well earned diploma, and you have the opportunity of upgrading it to a degree.

‘Failures’ do deserve to have their achievements celebrated and should be encouraged to celebrate themselves. But what is the definition of failure?

Find out the time scale ie do you have to resit by a certain date? Can you do it next year etc and come back here for help. Use your tutors and use the library. It’s their job and they know the way around these things.

i work in a university. Many students do not pass courses first time, it is why re-sits are allowed. Not having enough citations can pull your grade down. I don’t know if there is a student learning service at OU you can speak to, to help you go through the feedback, not only your tutor. Speaking to someone who has advised many other students will help.
You are being very down on yourself, but I think this situation can be turned around. They are allowing you a re-sit if I understand you correctly.

I think there’s a bit left in the corner you didn’t kick.

Success = empathy, concern for people, kindness, gentleness.