University results - u certicate

[getrunningirl]

Found out this week offspring got a u certificate for degree. Got good Alevels though - covid version, but went to good grammar school.Knew it existed, never heard of anyone that actually got a U. ABU to feel more worried than cross,which is how I feel and am struggling to think how I 'should' feel. Perhaps expectations managed by failing 2nd year, but believed it when told knuckled down and turned round. Thoughts?

Can they do resits? How many modules did they fail?

If they managed A levels ,it doesn't seem like it's a lack of ability
What's changed did they not like the course ?

As someone who works in Higher Ed, I have never heard of this either. Is this in the UK?

Usually, if they’d failed their second year they’d not have been allowed to progress to 3rd year until they had repeated and passed the necessary credits. If they’d completed their first year they’d at least receive a certificate of higher education.

What were they studying and where?

I think what’s happened is that they failed second year last year and were given the opportunity to restudy the year. They’ve failed the restudy year, so can’t progress to third year (you can usually only restudy a year once).
They’ll have been given a ‘fall-back’ award of a University Certificate in Higher Education, which is a qualification equivalent to the first year of a degree.
It’s not ideal, but it is a higher level qualification that can go on their CV.
They could also use it to access a degree at a different university, perhaps taking a couple of years out first to mature / decide if HE is for them.

I should have said, they were in 3rd year as were allowed to retake one module from the 2nd year during the 3rd year having failed the resit at the end of the 2nd year. But your point still holds good. Need to mature and think again

I think after Covid they wanted to get away, not brave enough to travel or driven enough to work. And didn't really think through the consequences/cost of 3 years at uni without anything to show for it. Can't understand why am not cross

See my response @igivein - it's in the UK, at Nottingham Uni. They did progress to the 3rd year. In hindsight maybe that wasn't a good thing. Seemed like it at the time.

No it's final you can't resit. Failed 3 modules. So signicant, some due to over run of time on exams. Painful! Sobering lesson.

Sorry, despite being having two degrees O have no idea what a U is. Is it below a third?

Could he/she retake the final year?

University isn't for everyone, where I used to work I saw so many students who went because it was expected or they didn't know what to do and you could tell.

Also (not to take this the wrong way) covid had a knock on effect on students I think. Especially if they were the ones who were in the 1st year as covid hit in 2019/20 I don't think home schooling and lessons on zoom really equipped them with the necessary skills.

Put it down as a ( expensive) lesson for him. He might find something where he learns or studies on the job more interesting. He might find a vocational subject more his thing.

I've name changed for this. I got an unclassified degree i.e. without honours, not due to lack of ability but because I was too busy enjoying myself. It's not necessarily the end of the world. I worked in lower paid jobs in the area I was interested in and by age 25 i'd been accepted into a postgraduate course because I had relevant experience. I was more mature, more committed and did so well they asked if I'd like to convert to a masters. Fast forward a few decades and I'm now a senior academic.

Sadly failures in year 2 and 3 have not been unusual for the “Covid generation” who got their A level results based on assessment rather than exams. My DN failed year 2, resat modules and failed again so had to leave. At least 7 others on his course did the same and 2 of their cohort scraped through year 2 and failed year 3. Unfortunately because of Covid a number of teenagers ended up at university when they weren’t prepared due to lock down etc. and or perhaps should never have gone because they weren’t suited to further education but didn’t realise due to online learning and assessment rather than exams so didn’t develop the skills needed or realise it wasn’t for them.

Very sad for a number of young people caught up in this. A neighbour works at a Uni and says it’s been very tough with the Covid generation.

Time for you and your DC to assess options : perhaps an apprenticeship, get a job or rethink whether they want to go back to uni to do another degree with the benefit of experience. Not a time to be angry with him. I know that’s a tough ask but it’s one to chalk up to a life experience, learn from it and move forward.

OP, university wasn’t for your child (well more specifically the course at this time in their life). Something else will be. My family member got a third from Manchester - not really worth the paper it was written on. He went on to join the RAF and now lives in the ME earning mega bucks (tax free).

Just comfort your dc - people put an awful lot of pressure on themselves when it comes to academics. Really stress that an alternative path is out there. Life is long. Your dc has plenty of time.

It's unclassified and means without honours. 300 credits as opposed to 360 for a degree with honours.

@getrunningirl

Which subject, OP?

Why do you think you should feel cross?
They are an adult and it is their life and studying is their responsibility.

What subject were they doing? Perhaps there are other routes into the sector - higher level apprenticeships etc.

My cousin got an unclassified degree (much tutoring during GCSEs and A levels, never really learned to study independently, wasn't really very interested in studying that subject but wanted a uni life).

She got a fairly low level job in an insurance company to pay the rent, the company ended up a year later paying for her study part time along work as part of a higher level apprenticeship and now she has a specialist qualification in something to do with financial fraud which is a well paid and growing area to be in.

His university career service is worth talking to - can discuss next steps. They will usually continue to provide support for a year or two after graduation

I’m not quite sure what you’re actually asking. Your ‘offspring’ failed their degree. There is nothing they can do about it now. You can worry as much as you want, but they’re not a child. They’re a grown adult in their 20s. Their future is up to them to sort out now.

Wow! That’s some turnaround. Anything is possible!

I think it all depends on the reasons. Mental health, other illness, other circumstances beyond their control when they were trying really hard I would understand, put it down to experience and move on.

But a bright child that didn’t try, went out too much etc, I’d be really pissed off.

Either way though I guess she has to find a way to move on- I think if I were you I’d be leaving it all to her but making it clear that she will need to start earning some money and supporting herself after a certain period (a month?).

Yes - a 3rd is the lowest pass u can get. U is fail

Sadly not.

@getrunningirl

What plans does he/she have now, OP?

@Igotu- Thanks that's so heartening g to hear 😃

@getrunningirl

Something which might be possible might be to derive credits for their previous study and have them credited to a new degree.