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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To give up a degree in my final year because I think I am too stupid?

50 replies

FeministStar · 04/08/2014 15:59

Just that really. AIBU?

OP posts:
Aeroflotgirl · 04/08/2014 16:01

No don't. If your enjoying the course keep on!

RegTheMonkey1 · 04/08/2014 16:02

Not unreasonable, but it does seem a bit of a waste to get this far and then just top so near the end. What kind of grades have you been getting, and does your tutor forecast what kind of degree you might achieve based on your two years?

CarefullyAirbrushedPotato · 04/08/2014 16:02

have you passed the other years presumably ?
are you well supported? what do you struggle with?
have you been assessed, for example for dyslexia?

I'd caution against leaving now (I've done it actually, and you may come to regret it)

cardibach · 04/08/2014 16:02

If you have got as far as the final year I'd be very surprised if you aren't capable of doing well... Stick at it.

WhatsGoingOnEh · 04/08/2014 16:02

Do your tutors agree? If they don't agree, if they think you can do it, then YABU.

Awful to give up just because something's hard. Not a good precedent to set for yourself! Are you sure you're not just being insecure, or a bit lazy (sorry!) or worrying?

What does your family think? I'd go by your tutors' opinions the most, though.

TeWiSavesTheDay · 04/08/2014 16:03

If you've got to the last year then you're capable of finishing. Keep going!

Bingbongbinglybunglyboo · 04/08/2014 16:04

Please please don't do this. If you feel like this go and see your academic tutor. Don't give up your last 2 years work, all that time, effort and money because you are having what must be essentially a crisis of confidence.

I highly doubt you are too stupid of you were accepted onto the course and have made it to the final year.

You would be really stupid to give it up for this reason, if this is your only reason.

Put your big girl pants on, big deep breath and crack on. You can do it.

LindyHemming · 04/08/2014 16:06

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

FeministStar · 04/08/2014 16:06

My tutor doesn't agree, but she constantly says my essays aren't up to standard, though I don't seem to be able to fix what she doesn't like as all the feedback is that my essays are either with too long paragraphs, too short and that they read more like a series of notes rather than essays.
I was getting A grades for the last two years but they have dropped to C grades. I haven't understood much of the course and can't seem to a decent essay written whereas the last two years were relatively easy.

OP posts:
LindyHemming · 04/08/2014 16:08

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

CarefullyAirbrushedPotato · 04/08/2014 16:09

if your tutor can't seem to help ask her to find you someone who can! Universities are huge places full of all kinds of experts, you sound like you need support from one you haven't found yet.
It's bloody hard though, I feel for you

MrsMinton · 04/08/2014 16:09

What are you studying? Is there any writing support offered on site? It would be a shame to give up now. It is a harder year but don't give up. Is there another tutor you can talk to?

elfycat · 04/08/2014 16:10

How are you scores on essays or other work going?
How busy are you in the rest of your life that may be impacting in your grades?
Who is (or has made) making you feel stupid?

Both DH and I have taken OU degrees, while having our babies/toddlers and preschoolers stages. We both wanted to quit just after the half way stage. We'd done enough and had lost the initial enthusiasm.

We persevered and it got good again- the final push. I just claimed my Eng Lit degree 2 days ago. But a year ago I was so tired and fed up and my friends and family pointed out that I didn't need a degree and could stop.

You can stop, but if you don't then this time next year you'll have cracked it and be finished. I vote for gritting your teeth and plodding on as it worked for me. I do not believe you are too stupid. DH's parents thought he was, he did too at times. Your Uni wouldn't have taken you on if you didn't have the ability.

I think you've hit a wall for whatever reason. Can anyone help give you a boost up?

SallyMcgally · 04/08/2014 16:16

It sounds as if you're hitting a wall with the format of your essays - not that you're too stupid at all. If you weren't up to the course you wouldn't have been getting A grades for the first two years. Do you know anyone on the course who's got A grades for essays this year? would they let you look at their essay. It sounds as if you need to read through a couple of sample essays to get an idea of where you're going wrong. In some cases these might be posted online, if your course has an electronic website?
You also need to look at the course description and see if there are learning outcomes attached to it. Quite often there'll be criteria posted which will show you what you need to do to achieve a First, a 2.1 etc. Look at these carefully, and try to ensure that you meet the criteria for the grade you're aiming at.
Your tutors should have visiting hours free for consultation with students. You could take your essay along, and ask for more detailed feedback and advice over what you would have needed to do to get the mark you wanted for that particular essay.

elfycat · 04/08/2014 16:17

ex post with your update. Yes please go for help to get detailed explanations of why your grades have dropped.

My last OU tutor gave feedback that was useful essay writing skills. All the previous tutors has merely told me how THAT essay could have been improved but without giving me specifics of what to do to improve grades.

It's not unreasonable to ask for things to be clarified. Was the recent topic more difficult, or very different from before? Did you have a change in tutor to one who isn't explaining things in a way that works for you. I've had tutors like that. They explain something but it sounds like gobbledegook. Maybe next module/class etc will link back to your knowledge base?

Lizzy1975 · 04/08/2014 16:17

Please don't give up - get whatever help you can to keep going. I I I gave up in my final year for a number of reasons - loss of interest, tiredness, pregnancy, but looking back I was looking for excuses when it started to get tough for me and I felt I wasn't as 'good' as I had been in the first few years (grades reflected this for me too). Three years on and I still regret it bitterly - I wish I had had the confidence in myself to see it through.

Maryz · 04/08/2014 16:19

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MagratGarlik · 04/08/2014 16:23

If you've got as far as your final year, you will be unlikely to fail. IME, most people who are going to fail do so in years 1 or 2.

Academic writing is a skill which some people pick up more easily than others. What I'd suggest is to find a few journals within your field, study the writing style used within those journals and try to emulate it. When I am writing an article, I will usually first decide the main section headings, then how I will break these down (subheadings) and only then, start filling in the gaps. Don't try to keep to the word limit whilst you are writing, try to focus on getting all your points down and keep on top of the references - don't fill them in at the end. Once you are happy with what you have written, only then start look at the word limit and start to cull your writing to meet the word-limit. It may seem heart-breaking to remove stuff you have sweated over, but ime you end up with better coverage of the topic than if you simply stop writing once you hit the required number of words.

Finally, a common mistake is to simply write Joe Bloggs (1990) wrote, "blah, blah, blah", whereas John Smith (2004) argued, "blah-de-blah-de-blah" without critiquing the work. You need to ensure that you are critical of everything you read. Don't take it at face-value. Why did Bloggs observe something different to Smith? Which observation, if any, fits with your experience and observation? How can you explain this? Where are the holes in the literature? How do you see your work/the field in general developing in the future? Why do you think this? etc

ALittleFaith · 04/08/2014 16:25

Please, please go to student services to see if they can help. I had exactly the same problems - got through initially by working my arse off but struggled the higher up I got. Turns out I'm dyslexic. Once I got support I started passing again and got my degree. I also stopped calling myself stupid :)

PumpkinPie2013 · 04/08/2014 17:11

Aww don't give up now!

Either go to student services as they have people who can help with things like essay structure (take a marked essay or two with you so they can see the tutor comments).

Or go see your tutor (maybe do this anyway) with a couple of essays she has marked which have conflicting comments e.g. essay A - she said paragraphs were too long, essay B - she said they were too short. Say something like 'I really want to use your feedback to improve my essay structure but I think I'm misinterpreting the comments - this paragraph was too long, if I did x, y and z to it would that be more what you are looking for?' Etc. She should be able to help you and then you can use that in future essays.

Don't give up - you're nearly there!

CoffeeTea103 · 04/08/2014 17:13

Don't give up now, you're almost there! You got this far not by being stupid. What happened to change your grades?

JimBobplusasprog · 04/08/2014 17:21

Don't give up now. Get help from student services and perhaps your tutor might help you with structure of essays. If you are saying "I'm stupid" that makes me wonder if you are feeling down in general?

PasswordProtected · 04/08/2014 17:49

What are you studying?

Picklepest · 04/08/2014 19:46

Essay writing is a skill like any other. Do you submit enough drafts to her to critique? Are you writing the night before? How are you writing? Over weeks or hours?

There are people there tasked with helping you learn this stuff. Find them!

Failing for structure if you know the subject is silly isn't it?

KeemaNaanAndCurryOn · 04/08/2014 19:52

Your Uni will probably have academic skills advisers in their support services. Go and speak to them rather than your tutor and get some advice about essay writing.

Giving up in your final year would be such a waste.

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