Third year disaster at Uni

[DifferentChild]

DS has just finished his 3rd year at Uni. He’s been told that he will graduate with a 2:2 as he got a very low grade on a module as he misunderstood the task and it’s reduced everything. DS has had DSA for dyslexia and ADHD since the first year but earlier this year the uni changed his personal tutor due to redundancies and he’s had zero contact with his new tutor since. He was told he could resubmit the module assignment at first and now told he is to graduate with the lower grade.
Is there anything he can do to appeal this and resubmit for a chance to improve?
I don’t understand why students with additional needs are left to get on with it. Help is available we’re assured but he has to access it himself and chase things himself. His difficulties mean this just doesn’t happen and he’s left feeling he has wasted 3 years.

What are his plans after uni? Does he specifically need a better degree?

I don't think his final grade will be based on one low module mark in his final year. They will look at his second year results and all his third year subjects too.

Not everyone is going to get a first or a 2:1.

And a 2:2 isn't a 'waste' of 3 years. It's only in the last few years everyone seems to be awarded a 2:1 or a first. 30 years ago a 2:2 was the norm and many of us have been pretty successful with one

He’s in no way wasted the last three years. The best you can do is support him and celebrate his achievement, they’re unlikely to change a mark even if you complain.

Getting a degree is amazing, especially at the moment with all the disruption

I think saying, or even thinking, that he’s wasted three years is an overreaction.

I know many people with 2:2 degrees who have been very successful so it’s not a waste of three years!

Thank you for the above it’s a real relief to see a 2:2 might not be that bad, I think I’m more disappointed for him than about him if you see what I mean. We will be thrilled to watch him graduate whenever and with whatever.

Most degrees use modules over two years for final grade, each carrying different weighting. So one assignment won’t pull it down significantly unless it was the dissertation. Did he miss the opportunity to resubmit it? Agree a 2.2 is fine unless he wants to continue post grad.

I think a lot depends on whether his dyslexia or ADHD was the cause of his misunderstanding or not. Also, was his tutor also the module leader? If not, I think the module leader would have been the right person to ask, if he was unsure. If he wasn't unsure but just got the wrong end of the stick, then is that the result of some form of support that he should have been getting not being made available to him? I don't just mean contact with his tutor, I mean some sort of special support/arrangement for his assessments.

Unfortunately universities don't always have the resources to proactively keep a check on all students with additional support requirements - they do often require the students to ask for help if needed. Usually their resources are more focused towards carrying out 'proactive' checks on students about whom there are wellbeing concerns.

All that said a lower second class degree is far from the end of the world, and unless he's aiming for one of the most competitive and selective employers, it's unlikely to do him any harm, and is in fact something to celebrate.

His personal tutor changing isn’t relevant here — he needed to see the module tutor to check his understanding of the assignment was correct. And, respectfully, university Disability Services or personal tutors can’t check that each individual student understands each assignment! I spend a huge amount of time chasing up personal tutees and seminar no-shows, but other than emailing them, and flagging up non-attendees to their personal tutor, I can’t actually show up at the accommodation of a student. They need to communicate if they’re struggling with personal stuff, or confused by an assignment. Unless your son’s personal tutor was also the module leader, all the personal tutor would have said was ‘Talk to the module leader if you don’t understand the assignment’. Presumably he was in a classroom with whoever was teaching the module, and had multiple opportunities to approach them?

I got a 2.2 by one point, a 59. I was absolutely gutted at the time, but it has made zero difference in the long term with jobs and further study.

Most employers will not need to know his classification. He will have a degree that’s all they care about.

I left uni with a 2:2. It didn’t stop me getting my Masters either.

I got a 2.2 and have autism and ADHD that wasn’t well manager during uni (undiagnosed). Have a sparkling career in investment banking now and my employer is now paying for my MBA. I’m enjoying studying the second time around and the maturity from 10 years in the workplace and much better management of my neurodiversity!

It’s still a degree. It will count him out for some graduate jobs, but plenty will be fine with it.

It’s quite poor of the university not to have had any oversight at all of a presumably very large task for a student with dyslexia and adhd.

I graduated with a 2:2 in the mid 90s, my final year was tricky due to my dad being very ill with bowel cancer (thankfully he survived and is now a healthy 80-odd yr old) - but my focus was not on my studies, and I didn't think to tell uni, the help just wasn't there in those days.
I've had a successful career in my chosen area, I did a post-grad which I aced, and have done very well professionally. Like many academic quals, a degree is a stepping stone to the next stage, and your DS has many years ahead of him to prove himself. Wishing him much luck!

This. I got a 2:2 and no-one has every asked, it’s been the attainment of a degree that has counted.

Ds got a 2:2 - ‘cleaned’ it with a good Masters and now on a grad scheme. All is not lost at all, and plenty of grad schemes take a 2:2 anyway.

Hi, OP -

I am an academic and I agree that this is far from a disaster! Yes, some large firms screen out those without a 2.1 and you may need to work harder to find a good job with a 2.2.

As a practical matter, some of my personal tutees who have blown one or two modules have briefly explained matters on the CV. Eg if I got 2.1’s in Y1, Y2 and a 2.1 average in nine of my 10 Y3 modules I might write a subheading

Year 1 66% average marks (may not count)
Year 2 61% average marks
Year 3 61% average marks in 9/10 modules, and one mark of 41%

Some reading this may think that is too much information. However it is obvious that only a low 2.1 would be killed by one (passing) mark, so I think honesty is the best policy. Employers would prefer this profile to the possibility of 54% all the way through.

If DS takes this route he will need to be prepared to explain lessons learned!

Best wishes to him

PS - This is more for others than for OP:

At my university, DSA is not as tightly integrated with Student Services as one would wish and this may not be unusual. It is indeed up to the student to take their diagnoses to the Office for Students with Disabilities or to their School’s Student Services Officer, who will liaise in the first instance.

Many are reluctant to do this. It is understandable but very sad. The OSD can put in place extra time and all sorts of assistance and, crucially, an OSD officer attends all Mitigating Circumstances Panels.

Partly this is to make sure that proper procedure is observed for all students with disability, but partly it is also to advocate for students who are registered with OSD, following their plans, and may be experiencing bad luck.

I scraped into a 2:2 25 years ago. It stopped me getting a job with KPMG, but I still managed a very decent board level finance career if we ignore getting sacked this year

It was gutting at the time, of course - and grade inflation will not have helped.

Thing is, life is full of disappointments - and it helps if you can get used to them a bit. Not that I have, mind you.

Hi again, OP -

Sadly the Mit Circs panels I speak of will have met earlier this summer. It doesn’t sound like your DS had a compelling reason not to submit a Mit Circs petition, citing his diagnoses as a reason for misunderstanding, in time. Hence at the unis I know he would not be eligible to appeal.

The only possible reason I see for appeal is if DS had it in writing that he could resubmit because of his diagnoses and again in writing that he could not, for an inadequate reason. And I would not make a wager on the success.

The change of PT is not relevant. Gently, why DS never saw the new PT is hard for you and us to judge. Many students do not respond to invitations to attend meetings issued by email. Again gently, DS’ diagnoses only increase the likelihood of this.

I think DS needs to recover and get a sense of his options.

There will have been options to ask for clarity from tutors, get support from disability services, submit ECs etc. also see wellbeing/counselling, study skills mentors.

i work in a RG and find the students are hugely coddled if anything and lots of leeway is given.

all the above will come with specific time frames though and if he missed them all due to his adhd that is understandable but what are they meant to do? It isn’t there responsibility to chase after students who aren’t replying to emails etc.

saying that, it’s hardly a disaster! A 2:2 is fine :)

They probably decided against a resubmission because the score would most likely be limited to 40% ie a bare pass which would result in a lower average grade and that the grade he achieves without resubmission is therefore higher for that module anyway.

There are lots of graduate schemes including Civil Service, Accountancy etc that accept people with a 2.2.

I think a 2:2 will be fine for jobs - I've generally needed to list what I got but its never been discussed or a requirement apart from 1 job. Even if it is listed as a requirement to have a 2:1 there's normally ways around that - apply anyway and they may still take you, or apply for a different role without the requirement to gain experience then move over / move internally. I've had jobs which say Masters Degree required without one. The further you are away from graduating the less its considered as well - jobs are more about experience and skills and being able to get through interviews.

Same!!!

I can't fathom how he's supposed to deserve a better mark on a university assignment he admits he didn't understand.

If specific and reasonable support is needed, the time to ask if there and then.

If a lack of knowledge is now apparent after it's been assessed, then the grade will obviously reflect that.

The qualification is supposed to represent the level of actual learning and expertise.