Cambridge Graduate - Failing at Life! =/

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Do something you enjoy or forget it.

Doing something you don't enjoy for multiple hours a week - for years on end is stupid.

Reply 21

joebloggs89

Original post by keliouster

Plenty of graduate schemes accepting graduates with a 2:1 from London Met. Just because Cambridge has a better reputation doesn't mean a 2:2 is treated better than a 2:1 from a ex-poly uni. Whether it's a 2:2 from London Met or Cambridge it's still failure to meet the minimum 2:1 requirement for most graduate schemes and that's a auto rejection. Employers won't even bother with you the minute they see a 2:2.

Yes but getting a degree from London Met would suggest you got bad grades at A-level and a lot of grad schemes require high ucas points, even if they don't state that in the requirements. If OP applied to a grad scheme with a min. requirement of a 2:2, he'd stand a better chance of getting onto the grad scheme than someone with a 2:1 from London Met because he has far superior A-level grades. It's not ONLY about your degree grade.

To those who negged me, I am speaking from experience here. I got a 2:2 from Warwick and I still got onto a grad scheme and my employer said based on academics, he preferred me over others with a 2:1 from ex-polys because I had better A-levels and GCSEs which shows a more consistent academic record. I'm just saying getting a 2:2 isn't the end of the world!

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 22

n65uk

£19k isn't bad, so stop with the "omg I graduated from Cambridge so I must earn a billion pounds a year!"

JSA would be worse, surely?

You're only in your 20's....you'll be working for 40 more years dude.

Reply 23

Drogue

Original post by ch0llima

Arrogance at its finest. This whole post reflects an attitude problem and a sense of self entitlement just because you went to Cambridge; as much as it may hurt you to hear this, the "Oxbridge and set for life" ship sailed ages ago and has now been torpedoed, unless you are loaded and well connected in which case your degree doesn't even matter because you are usually guaranteed work through nepotism. Get used to it, and that goes for all of you Oxbridge quacks out there.

Without wanting to get into a discussion of which unis are better than others, it's not arrogance to point out that a 2.2 isn't good, even when it's from Cambridge. Nor did anything in his post suggest he somehow thought going to Oxbridge meant he was "set for life". He just showed disappointment at how his life is currently turning out. Misplaced in my view, but an entirely valid emotion, that doesn't need people assuming he's some self-aggrandising idiot who thinks he's entitled to his dream job. Strikes me like you're reading an awful lot into his post that isn't there. Also, nowhere did he try to place responsibility anywhere else and he's admitted he didn't put the effort in, so your bottom line seems a bit unnecessary too.

Reply 24

SnoochToTheBooch

Original post by fourskin

Do something you enjoy or forget it.

Doing something you don't enjoy for multiple hours a week - for years on end is stupid.

that is how most people spend their LIVES.

Reply 25

ch0llima

Original post by Drogue

Without wanting to get into a discussion of which unis are better than others, it's not arrogance to point out that a 2.2 isn't good, even when it's from Cambridge. Nor did anything in his post suggest he somehow thought going to Oxbridge meant he was "set for life". He just showed disappointment at how his life is currently turning out. Misplaced in my view, but an entirely valid emotion, that doesn't need people assuming he's some self-aggrandising idiot who thinks he's entitled to his dream job. Strikes me like you're reading an awful lot into his post that isn't there. Also, nowhere did he try to place responsibility anywhere else and he's admitted he didn't put the effort in, so your bottom line seems a bit unnecessary too.

Way to miss the point of what I was trying to say, but thanks for your time.

Reply 26

Jamil1987

Original post by keliouster

No it doesn't. A 2:2 is a 2:2 regardless of which uni he graduate from. The only time when uni reputation is taken into consideration is when there's two 1st class graduates whose likeness and applications are similar strength in all areas.

His degree won't help him get into good companies. He'll have to rely on getting further qualifications and most of all, work experience.

So do you think a 2.2 from Cambridge is the same as a 2.2 from Middlesex?

Reply 27

chad_bro_chill

Original post by Jamil1987

So do you think a 2.2 from Cambridge is the same as a 2.2 from Middlesex?

I was just going to post a similar thing.

Sure, a 2.2 is NOT a good grade; I think everybody will agree on that. But if you had to choose between a 2.2 from Cambridge and a 2.2 from some mediocre uni, everybody would choose Cambridge... After that, it makes sense that people with firsts and 2.1s would probably have better job prospects (assuming they have comparable work experience)...

It's the same in the USA. Everybody knows a 3.0 GPA at Harvard/MIT is better than a 3.0 at University of South Dakota (or some other random mediocre uni)...

Reply 28

Drogue

Original post by ch0llima

Way to miss the point of what I was trying to say, but thanks for your time.

I got bits of what you were trying to say, and I agree that his situation isn't that bad at all and the need for him to buck up his attitude, but the whole arrogance and Oxbridge set-for-life thing seemed entirely misplaced to me, and frankly pretty nasty. You seemed to miss his point entirely - I don't know what aim your post had in this thread, other than just to pile some ridicule on a guy clearly feeling pretty bad already. The other, on-topic bits had already been said by others without all the nasty crap.

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 29

Overmars

What do you want to do?

A 2:2 is not ideal and you can't really change that. But you can change everything else. Find out what you want to do and then just start playing the game. You have a load of hoops to jump through and a load of boxes to tick. As Drogue has said, at 22/23 it's hardly the end of the world that you are struggling to land your dream job. Just be smart about it from now on.

It's hard to offer any specific advice on what you should do because you haven't said what you want to do. Something in Geology? Research? Finance?

Reply 30

im so academic

You had everything given to you and you didn't make the most of it. Your own ****ing fault, so learn to deal with it. Who cares I you're from Cambridge with an attitude like that?

Reply 31

Samtheman1

Original post by keliouster

Not true - as much as it shouldn't, a 2:2 from Cambridge is worth more than a 2:2 from a lower ranked uni

Reply 32

scribble_girl

Of course, there's always the argument that a 2:2 from Cambridge is worse than London Met/Middlesex/whatever, because you had one-on-one access to some of the finest tutors in the world, greatest libraries and like-minded intelligent peers, and you still only got yourself 51%....

*is playing devil's advocate*

*leaves thread as is aware this is slightly off topic*

Reply 33

shaz111

Why on earth is op getting so much sympathy, the guy ****ed himself up, he buggered any good relationship up with his tutor, and clearly has little to show for his 3 years at one of the best universities in the world, and even then he still managed to get a respectable job, and I'm sorry but since when is 50 hours a week something to complain about, welcome to the real world. Deal with it. Pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and make up for your **** ups.

If you need anyone to talk to pm me, Im a **** up as well I had an amazing education, got myself into medical school, then didn't give a **** about it and got chucked out. My advice to you is that self pity is the worst thing you can do right now, concentrate on making amends to your life.

Reply 34

keliouster

Original post by Samtheman1

Not true - as much as it shouldn't, a 2:2 from Cambridge is worth more than a 2:2 from a lower ranked uni

You can argue a 2:1 from Cambridge gives a better first impression - but not 'worth more' other than that - compared to a 2:1 from a lower ranked university. A 2:2 from Cambridge is not worth more than a 2:2 from a lower ranked uni since they are BOTH equally worthless. By worthless I mean failure to meet the minimum 2:1 requirement set by nearly all employers looking to hire graduates. Nobody cares which uni you graduated from if they see a 2:2 and their personal specification says you need a 2:1. That's the reality.

I know a number of recruiters who agrees with me. One of them even said a Cambridge 1st class graduate is like a guy walking into the interview room dressed formally when all others fail to adhere to the dress code. The others don't immediately get disqualified and the one wearing the suit only gets the better first impression advantage.

Reply 35

keliouster

Original post by Jamil1987

So do you think a 2.2 from Cambridge is the same as a 2.2 from Middlesex?

Yes. Both useless if you're looking to get into a graduate scheme. Neither meets the ESSENTIAL minimum 2:1 requirement. There's no exception because of your university's reputation.

Reply 36

Rahul.S

SUPERPEAK! anyways cool story brah =)

Reply 37

nerimon18

Proof that even with a degree from Cambridge University you are not guaranteed a career.

Stop looking down on people and focus on how you can improve your CV. Relevant work experience or internships can make you more competitive as an applicant for jobs and hopefully employers should overlook the 2:2.

Reply 38

ebam_uk

Loads of people get 2.2's and still get decent jobs, etc, apply for internships, maybe consider going for Front Office, Internship & Convert to Full Time, its possible with your Op's experience as a leverage tool.

Reply 39

Drogue

Original post by keliouster

Yes. Both useless if you're looking to get into a graduate scheme. Neither meets the ESSENTIAL minimum 2:1 requirement. There's no exception because of your university's reputation.

Considering the vast majority of graduates don't go on formal graduate schemes, and even some of those (civil service for example) don't require a 2:1, I'm not sure this is true. Yes, a 2:1 is a minimum for a lot of graduate employers, including most of the big ones and almost all formal graduate programmes, but by no means all.