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.

I'm (nearly) 46. I got a 2.2 from Manchester Uni in 1989 - but in those days that was a perfectly acceptable, average degree, because not many people got firsts. If you wanted to do postgrad degree you needed a 2.1 or a 1st, but it certainly wasn't bad to get a 2.2. I think there was about 1 first on my course, a fairly even split between 2.1 and 2.2, and one 3rd. I, and my course mates who also got 2.2s were very happy with our grades! More people get firsts these days, so a 2.2 isn't seen as so good. It's a shame. My friend got a 3rd - which wasn't particularly good, but it was still a degree and a pass. I believe there was an ordinary degree too, which was below a 3rd, but was still a pass, but without Honours.

For sure some avenues are closed to you. But there are so many different job positions out there, a less obvious job can also be a dream job. And for those who feel their avenue of choice is blocked, there can be ways around it. An additional degree in a different area can make a job candidate stand out (computer science + any business related degree, business degree plus law, etc).

My sister works in senior management for a leading supermarket chain with a well-known graduate scheme.

Although they advertise 2:1 as being the requirements, with the amount of applicants they get, they have to weed out those with 2:1s and non-relevant degrees and limit it to those with 1sts plus Masters and relevant working experience.

I had to move abroad to get decent foot on the career ladder and start out and minimum wage salary. I know a lot of my peers feel entitled to a decent job and good starting salary just because they have a degree.

Some avenues are closed but if you are prepared to work for lower starting salary and work your way up, other options start opening up.

I got a First. Dh got a Third. He just didn't put his classification on his CV and it was only an issue for his first job. After that, experience was all that employers cared about. He's also very good at interviews.

After you get that first job your degree shouldn't make that much of a difference. My brother got a 2.2 (mainly due to laziness) he had trouble at first but now works for a pharma company earning a very good wage he is 27 so not that old.

I will say one thing though he worked in some absolutely shit jobs but he always had a positive outlook and gave 100% in every job he has had. They were always sad to see him go and gave him glowing recommendations.

DH has a 2:2. He has a good job in publishing and it's not an issue.

I got a 2:2. I still got the job I wanted (this was in the 90s-a graduate management scheme with a major retailer). My current public sector role didn't even require a degree, just a levels. I earn a good wage and we have a nice three bed house (OH does same job).

Yes, once upon a time a 2.2 was a perfectly respectable grade - and a pre-1995 2.2 from a decent Uni would probably still be considered respectable.

However, given the grade inflation of recent years, a current or recent 2.2 will possibly not be good enough for a lot of graduate roles - I've noticed many job adverts demand a 2.1 or higher.

As an aside, I'm shocked at the number of firsts that are awarded these days... In my day (yawn...) there were only a handful in each year.

Kein I came seventh in my year and was by no means the highest scorer not to get a first. And that was in 2003, so not aeons ago

Now that you have to buy a degree, there is more pressure on institutions to give students value for money, even though ironically that means what they get has less value.