Does the difference between a low 2.1, high 2.1 , 1st class mean anything?

[eggsbenedict23]

That's all really. It's in relation to careers and earnings after uni.

I think once someone has a bit of experience under their belt the degree becomes less and less relevant (assuming it’s not a specialist degree for a specialist job, of course).

The only place I've seen that it makes a difference is if you want to do postgrad at Oxbridge. There may be other places but I haven't seen them. Everywhere else as far as I know seems happy to accept a 2.1 or above for entry onto grad schemes and postgrad study.

The more experience you get in your chosen career the more money you will hopefully earn. If it's degree level then it's all theory and no hands on experience you will struggle initially regardless of the grade.

I wouldn't even know how to quantify what sort of 2:1 I have, my transcript was all letter grades and my old uni has long since moved to a model more suited to the decimal age. I'd be happy to submit a list of B+?+ type grades if required, if only to see their faces, but sadly no one has ever asked. That said, I never did a formal graduate scheme - I can imagine the big organisations which do them might appreciate an extra way to distinguish between 21 year olds.

A 2.1 is a 2.1 irrespective of level
There a gulf between a 2:2 and a 1st.

depends where you wish to work - does it pride itself in employing 1st from certain uni’s.

I've never heard anyone reference a low 2:1, though a 2:2 is sometimes called a lower 2 or lower second.

Your degree classification can make a difference early on and when applying for postgrad courses or grad schemes. However, like with most things, once you have enough of the next set of things under your belt (in this case, experience), it matters less.

My (1st) degree has been practically irrelevant in my career. It's all about provable skills and relevant experience.

Some employers care. A few of the blue chip firms my son had been applying for specified a minimum requirement of a 1st, others specified a 2:1.

Have a look at the Institute for Fiscal Studies research paper - How much does it pay to get good grades at University

higher degree classes associated with substantially higher earning but huge variance by subject.

Yes if you want to do a postgrad or prestigious masters. Eg some Ivy Leagues and IIts need 70% or over for your undergrad. You can get this with a high 2:1 from the OU but in most universities it is usually a 1st.

Oh wow. What firms required the 1st?

This depends on the course and method of study.

In the OU a high 2:1 could be the same as a 1st at other universities.

Technical courses - a 1st is easier to manipulate than non-technical courses which is why experience is often needed.

Arts courses - in terms of practical skills (eg writing) even a 2:2 can be useful in work. But if you want to take a topic to the top career wise you really need a 1st. Eg I don’t know any economists or accountants who’ve gotten to the top of their professions without a 1st.

If you want to study at postgraduate level then you will need a minimum of 2:1. For work, I think once you've managed to get your first job any future employers aren't really interested in classification

An OU 2.1 is the same as any other - they just mark on another scale where you need 85% or so to get a first, rather than normal 70%.

Lots of masters places i looked at wanted a high 2.1 to get onto their course - so an average of around 65%, probably 68% - ie just missed a first, rather than just scarped a 2.1. And legal firms will review your transcript and want marks for all modules, so getting lots of 68s looks a lot better than maybe a few firsts and a few 3rd (but overall a 2.1)

a 2:1 is a 21 regardless of whether they just scraped it or were one mark off a first. and once your passed your first job I seriously doubt anyone will ask or care

I disagree that a 2.1 is a 2.1 these days. It certainly used to be. But looking at some masters courses, the requirements the ask for a 2.1 with a final mark of 65 or above (ie a high 2.1). See for example the war studies department suite of masters at KCL. I doubt they are the only ones.

No, it really isn’t. I discovered that the other day when I realised just how much independant research I had to do for my OU course compared to other universities that did far more hand-holding. The course materials at the OU will give you a pass if you follow them - but to get the top grades you must research & lecturers often give you zero support with this. You also do the equivalent of a short dissertation project for every single module (in my course that meant an 8k paper) so you do understand the topic on a much deeper level.

Yes this tracks with my experience of wanting to do a tech masters. I have a 2:1 but 75% - I received interviews at Oxbridge and all the red bricks I applied to except Imperial who said I must take some of their maths courses first.

It can make a difference to accessing other education. Some universities offer as much as 50% fee reduction on a masters degree to their alumni who achieved a first.

if the markings are still the same then a 2:1 grade is awarded for marks betwee 60% and 70%, a first is above 70%, and a 2:2 below 60%,

within the 2:1 boundary, I am not sure whether employers care if you got 61% or 69%. There may be some who ask, but I’ve never come across it.

I was googling a bit about the masters reqs. Yes a high 2.1 can make a different. I was moreso thinking about outside of academia and the working world.

Cambridge accept 2:1 for some of their postgrad courses….on paper anyway. Dd is teetering between a 1st and a 2:1 for her degree (two results pending) but she’s planning on applying even if she gets a 2:1. Whether she gets in or not is another story.

And yes they do say a high 2:1.

I got a first with the OU 2 years ago and subsequently started post graduate masters at a bricks and mortar university. My undergrad was much harder and needed far more independent research than the post grad.

I hope your DD gets in. What's she hoping to study?