To think there's life after getting a 2.2

[GladToBeGlobal]

It's that time of year again. I've been consoling lots of students who've narrowly missed out on their 2.1 or their First. I really mean it when I tell them a 2.2 is still an achievement and a valid qualification. Unfortunately many people out there in the world think differently.

Please tell me your stories of success in life after a disappointing degree result.

Neither dh and I ( shock horror) went to uni. Never ever stopped him from getting very good contracting roles. He recently out performed 2 other men in their 30s with degrees to get a contract. Dh is 50 too so there.

Waiting for ds 2s results and hoping he gets what he wants a 2.1 but hey if he doesn't we will be there to catch him and we all as a family focus on the doors that are open not the ones that are closed.

Husband got a

And you could have a first class from a RB and quite frankly be as boring as fuck with no people skills. You could also have a 2:2 from Stoke and be a wow at an interview.

Not everyone stays in academia or research. There's a huge wide world of sales, commerce, hospitality and retail that prefers drive and personality, commitment and work ethic to a mark on a certificate.

As I posted above, I'm the one with the 2:2. DH has a 2.1.

I did a masters straight away and that helped me get to the position I'm now in as it was a vocational course. DH did a PhD but slightly changed direction by way of a masters which led to his current job.

I earn 50% more than DH in terms of basic salary and at least double taking into account an average years bonus.

Big difference for us is the sector we work in. DH is environmental, I'm in finance. He gets more of a feel good factor in his job, I plug away for the money.

*husband got a 2.2 and is really successful.

I got a first, graduated and found out I was pregnant and then got diagnosed with a severe mental illness and have been written off sick

I've seen lots of masters recently listing a 2.2 as acceptable as long as in a related discipline. Courses accepting less relevant discipline if applicant has a 2.1.

Maybe it's just my area of study/work then. But a lot of the program's I am applying to at the moment (not MSc) say that they might accept people who have a mid or low 2.1 IF they also have a MSc and/or PhD, but if the applicant has a 2.2 in their first degree they will no considered even if they have since done a PhD.

My brother got a 2:2, he is md of one of the largest financial firms in the country.
My sister headed up one of the government's largest departments for a few years. She got a 2:2 and is now also MD of a large financial firm.

*programs

Ok I have to say.... I got a 2.1 by 0.5%. If I hasn't I wouldn't be in a much loved vocational profession now. I was asked for proof at every step.

MellowJello the last company I worked for was the same (as were most of the others I applied to) - a masters didn't cancel out a less than 2:1 undergrad degree. Even more crazy, I had a friend/colleague who had a degree he'd done in his teens/twenties which he'd got a 3rd in. But as an adult he's gone through open uni and got a 2:1 or 1st (can't remember which) in maths. He was rejected from graduate schemes anyway because of his earlier degree.

Just whispers, by the way lots of people earn shed loads of money and have great careers and businesses without any degree at all.

ComposHat
I've noticed a trend here.. lots of posts along thr lines of:

Husband got a 2:2 has a management job and makes a fuck ton of money, whereas I got a first or a 2:1 and have a routine admin job. Therefore your degree classification doesn't matter.

Am I alone in thinking 'well that's down to the patriarchy'

I thought that too. Kind of gives credence to those who thought there was no point educating women eh?

(Also, second time today I've thought "yes, EXACTLY that" about one of compo's posts).

In the late 90s I got a 2:1 BA hons no idea what the "hons" bit is as I don't remember doing anything specific for it from an ex-poly. So did husband. Career wise we've done ok - professional jobs, not mega bucks captains of industry, but certainly respectable.

For some people/employers the university itself might be the most important thing, rather than the degree classification. Agree that for the very best law & accountancy firms you may need a first or 2:1 but, did you know the likes of Ernst & Young are now offering accountancy apprenticeships to sixth form leavers? There are other routes...

Like other posters, I was bored shitless by the end of my degree, couldn't wait to get out and earn money.

I don't have a degree, but have several certificate and professional qualifications. I was very immature in school and college, spent a lot of time on my hobbies and generally having a good time. One of my college lecturers met me in a night club, and told me that I was one mark away from a credit but Dept wouldn't bump me up because I never put the work in. I was very taken aback, and got top marks in everything since.

I started in a fairly junior position in IT, found work interesting and always went the extra mile. I moved sideways a few times, initially with view of rounding out my experience and coming back to IT. Those early on sideways moves and corresponding professional qualifications and my (late found) work ethic put me in a great place. I am now a senior manager in a global position at an international company. Working part time hours for work life balance is the cherry on top.

booooooooooo my first job was at EY. Had to do Accounting Technician qualification as part of my contract. It was a very lucky first step in career ladder for me.

Yeah, I work for a medium sized firm of accountants and at all levels up to partner it's about fifty fifty split between people who have degrees and don't.

Plenty have trained with us and left to join big four firms.

After graduating with a 2:2 (which I thought was fine as it was what most students on my course got...) I didn't know what I wanted to do. I got a bottom rung of the ladder job in a big organisation and within three months got a promotion. Within a couple of years they offered to pay for me to gain the professional qualifications in that area of work (a post-graduate course but it only required a 2:2 or above) - which I actually did much better in that I did in my undergraduate degree! Part way through my studies I got another promotion.

My organisation had a highly competitive graduate scheme which funded the successful few to do the same postgraduate course I did and, at the end of their placements and studies, to get a permanent job within the organisation. I ended up working with two people who had finished the graduate scheme - in the same job, on the same pay band, having been funded to do the same qualification (although it did take me a bit longer to get to that position). I've also seen people who haven't been to uni but are ambitious and hard-working who have been very successful.

It may vary from sector to sector but, in my experience, getting a 2:1 and getting on a graduate scheme doesn't offer you a route to an exclusive successful career that no one else can access - There are lots of different routes to a successful career.

I am 41 and am currently waiting for my degree results. I should get a low 2.1 or high 2.2 ..obviously i would prefer the 2.1, however I am immensely proud of my achievement what ever grade i get. In my field of work my grade will not make any difference.

DH got a 2.2 in history because as he says he spent most of his time pissed and playing Street Fighter

DH is now the Manging Director for the largest Manufacturing Food Sector Import Company in the UK. It's not the end of the world.

I left school at 16 with no qualifications. grew up in a violent and abusive home etc etc

On maternity currently but I am an Executive Director in a Globsl Business and my gramma and spelling is shit

It's really not the end of the world. I would assure him that people look at more than what you get in your qualifications.

See... global...

Me and my third have always earned more than my husband and his 2:1. And my friend's first, now I come to think about it. Exceptions to everything, I guess.

Burren I agree with you, while it is not a complete disaster, my students with a 2:2 have far fewer options, now a 2:1 is a minimum requirement for much graduate entry and as you say, upper 2:1 or first is now often specified.

Twenty or thirty years ago, far fewer people went to uni, most people got 2:2's that was the most common grade, this is now not the case.

I still think you can go on to have a happy successful fulfilling life if you get a 2:2, or even no degree at all, but you can't kid yourself that some graduate professions are closed to you- law, academia, civil service, many corporate graduate training schemes. If you don't want to do them it won't matter though.

I found having a 2:1 a huge obstacle to getting funding for a PhD, despite having a Distinction at Masters level.

I got a 2:2 nearly 10 years ago. DP dropped out and earns far more than me, he definitely has more confidence and ambition though. We have both started our career's in call centres and progressed from there. I can't say it was my dream but there is scope to move in to very well paid jobs. On my team probably around half have a degree and opportunities for progression are the same.

A 2:2 will limit the number of graduate schemes you can apply for and your CV may be filtered off for some jobs but once you are in a job it won't matter so much, but you might have to drop your salary expectations to start with.

We have both started our career's in call centres and progressed from there. I can't say it was my dream but there is scope to move in to very well paid jobs.

But couldn't you have just started in the call centre with no degree? And been in exactly the same position?