If someone has a 2:1 English literature degree , would you say they are very intelligent/academic?

[Curiousss]

Just basically this question, curious to know what people think.

No. Intelligence comes in many forms.

I guess it’s the first level of tertiary education. I have 2 degrees at 2:1 level but no masters, PHD or anything really academic. I feel like I got the entry requirements into my profession but I don’t feel especially clever. And to be honest, I’ve learned so much more while working than I did at university.

Oof, ok I wasn't trying to do anything except mention a fact relevant to the question which relates to what 'degree' you can gather someone's level of intellect from a 2.1 English Lit. All I am saying is that a 2.1 English Literature degree doesn't tell you much in itself because you can get 60% and still get a 2.1, and alot of people do get 2.1s. They can't all be super intellectuals. Sorry if that hurts your feelings though it sounds like you've got some issues around this subject, all the best but I'm not getting into a b*tchfight on mumsnet over it but if I was I'd probably say that your reading comprehension could do with some work.

@Loveduppenguin , presumably you graduated outside the UK.

@Arraminta

DD2 is studying at a RG university and has a guaranteed graduate career with one of the Big Four. In her first year she shared a flat with students at the ex-polytechnic in the same city. They were all supposedly studying for the same 'degree' but DD2's breadth of knowledge was so much wider, and her course is much more academically rigorous

But if, as you say your daughters went to selective schools, then they would have benefited from a better education. Not sure holding additional knowledge is the same as intelligence.

@UninterestingFirstPost , I'm not particularly impressed or unimpressed. It depends more on the person and what they are like, and what subject they read and at which college.

Jesus I said I was in Ireland…this is what we have.

note the word “class” and the 1.1…

I can say or do no more…

Yes I said it was NUI universities…I’m in Ireland 😌

I would say about average. If you said a PhD I would say yes probably. A degree isn't especially high and it isn't a first. At degree level you can get a decent grade with hard work as opposed to necessarily being academic. So we'll done to them, any qualification deserves recognition. But an Einstein? No.

Not really because that’s what I have and I’m not really academic at all! Maybe if you had a first, but not a 2.1

The classification of a degree ( or indeed a degree at all!) is no evidence of intelligence! Additionally depends how long ago, under what circumstances studied , dedication to subject ( or not) and further study / interests. Remember the taxi driver winner if mastermind many years ago who didn’t even get a levels?! I have a 2.1 but would say I was too young and disinterested to apply myself properly- however in later years became a member of Mensa! Know very many intelligent people who didn’t go to uni at all, and dine with 1sts who studied exceptionally hard, supported by similarly educated parents, who actually have limited ability when it comes to applied intelligence ( ie working things out, functioning as a contributory member of society etc). I’d say it’s literally impossible to determine from such narrow parameters !!

That's the result I got and I'm reasonably intelligent in some ways. Awful at maths though!

I wouldn't make too many assumptions based on that alone.

I've always felt quite proud of my 2:1 I which achieved against all odds in difficult circumstances. I now feel utterly demoralised!

Intelligent - yes.
Very intelligent - no.

Oof, ok I wasn't trying to do anything except mention a fact relevant to the question which relates to what 'degree' you can gather someone's level of intellect from a 2.1 English Lit. All I am saying is that a 2.1 English Literature degree doesn't tell you much in itself because you can get 60% and still get a 2.1, and alot of people do get 2.1s. They can't all be super intellectuals. Sorry if that hurts your feelings though it sounds like you've got some issues around this subject, all the best but I'm not getting into a btchfight on mumsnet over it but if I was I'd probably say that your reading comprehension could do with some work..

@StupidBitchy My feelings aren't hurt. I was correcting your 'facts'.

I've already stated, I got a 2:2! However, I was out of my depth. I had good knowledge (a photographic memory helps with that) but I wasn't very good a developing that knowledge and demonstrating my understanding of the content, developing a critical evaluation and synthesising different aspects of that knowledge into a coherent argument.
Getting a 2:1 does not mean you only know 60% of the content. That's not how it works.You need to be able to do all of the above. It wasn't until my masters and then my PhD that I truly understood that.

If you've achieved a 2:1 you've demonstrated a pretty decent level of intelligence which goes beyond simply knowing stuff.

I've had students who have excellent levels of knowledge but struggle to articulate that knowledge into a written assignment so don't achieve a 2:1 or a first.

Ignore the naysayers! This is MN where the only degree worth anything is a first from Oxbridge.

You should be proud.

It certainly wasn't. Grade inflation even in unis.

I hope we haven’t hurt your feelings OP.

I think it sounds like there was definitely a stretch in there for you.

Like many have said there are enough clever people without a degree so that having a degree only lightly correlates with having one.

Maybe work in not needing external validation.

No, I wouldn't say they were very intelligent or academic. You cannot conclude that from a 2:1 in English Literature from University of Ireland.
It shows that you have an aptitude/interest in that particular subject and that you had enough self-discipline to complete the coursework and to revise for any exams.

Intelligence and academia do not in my experience go hand-in-hand

I've got a 2:1 in English from a Russell Group university. I was definitely considered 'academic' at school but sadly that didn't carry on to university!

But there are different types of intelligence.
I work with some undoubtedly brilliant academics who academically intelligent- to get a PhD there has to be a level of academic intelligence as you're contributing new knowledge to your subject.
However, some of them lack emotional
Intelligence, or common sense.

Having a degree or any kind of higher level qualification isn't the only way to measure intelligence. It's just one way of measuring a particular type of intelligence.

Same here. The thing is, it's relative isn't it? I was easily top of my (quite rough comprehensive) school - front of the local newspaper etc. Then I went to university and found it full of people exactly like me, and suddenly I realised I was just one of many intelligent people. In my school I was considered 'gifted' - they told me they'd never had a student so smart before. I was the only one to get all As and A* at GCSE for instance. However, in other (eg grammar or selective independent) school you're seen as a failure if you DON'T! I have a PhD and a collection of Masters Degrees now, am published, have taught in a university and am considered very intelligent. And I certainly don't feel like I've 'failed' by getting a 2:1 in an English lit degree. In fact, as I'm the first person in my family to go to university at all, and my cousins and parents don't have a single GCSE (or equivalent) between them, I'm damn proud if it.

The difference between a 1st and a 2.1 is really just about the amount of work put in.

Agree 100%. I may have a PhD but I get lost in carparks, lose everything multiple times a day, am terrible with faces and names, and am awful socially. I have a specific type of intelligence but am deeply UNintelligent in other ways - this spiky profile is common.