[Rob1000]

Bit pathetic I know, especially as everyone says that I've done well. Worked hard, certainly harder than others, for a 1st. Others have it but not me. Mope with me.

On a more serious note, any recommend anything to get rid of the hollow sense of failure and replace it with a more realistic sense of my own achievement of a 2:1?

How important is not getting a 1st to my future job prospects?

[Rob1000]

It's my final degree grade btw.

[Politics Student]

What is wrong with a 2.1?

You only need a 2.1 to go onto an masters.

Secondly, job prospects are a joke for graduates. Even so they value experience over qualifications so no loss and most grad programs ask for a 2.1. So I would say none. You are worrying over nothing.

[Pindar]

I don't think there's that many places which actually care if you got a 2:1 or a 1st. Most places will take someone with experience and extracurricular merits with a 2:1 over someone with just a 1st.

[Politics Student]

(Original post by Xhotas)
Unless you're going into research or law or some insanely high-end, competitive profession, a 2:1 is still great!

Put it this way, plenty of people will come out with a 1st in your degree, employers will care more about people who took the years to get experience than someone who tried just to get a first in a few exams.

Experience, stuff you can put on your CV while at uni + a 2:1 > a 1st.

Obviously depends if it's Oxbridge where a 2:1 = 1st at most other universities I think most people would agree, but point still stands.

Even a 2.1 will get you into research as the you can easily get onto the required masters course for the PhD with PhD funding chances based upon how well you can produce a research proposal that is well written and unique. (Differs for the sciences)

[Politics Student]

(Original post by Rob1000)
Bit pathetic I know, especially as everyone says that I've done well. Worked hard, certainly harder than others, for a 1st. Others have it but not me. Mope with me.

I think this is the most offensive part of your post. I had friends who missed out on getting a 2:1 and it is not through lack of trying on their parts.

Hell one of them worked with me in the library 12 hours a day for the entire final year and he walked away with a 2:2 after all his hard work, but that did not stop him (he managed to get onto a masters in Poland and he is doing well).

A 2.1 is a very good grade.

[Rob1000]

ok. Further info. It's for a humanities subject at KCL and I was not trying to be offensive at all, merely trying for dark humour.

[*Elizabeth*]

There's nothing wrong with a 2.1!

Most graduate jobs and courses use the 2.1 as a filtering criteria for applicants. Obtaining relevant experience seems to tip the balance when comparing applicants.

That said, I have a 2.2, but managed to get onto numerous postgraduate courses (MScs, PhD, professional doctorate) as well as numerous graduate positions, so when applying for stuff, it also depends on the individual applicant, level of competition and relevant experience.

[Aeschylus]

A lot of students I know doing scientific work have achieved PHD funding with a 2:1. And everyone I know who had a grad scheme job just needed a 2:1, or sometimes a 2:2. Some just needed to pass their degree.

If you're going on to academia it might matter but it will not anywhere else. I can understand frustration if you feel that your hard work is not rewarded but firsts still make up less than a sixth of all qualifications.

[A Mysterious Lord]

Nothing wrong with a 2:1 at all.

[Indieboohoo]

Like everyone said OP there is nothing wrong with a 2.1 just get some work experience and develop more skills.

[fredscarecrow]

I was miserable when I got my 2.i. I should have worked harder blah blah...but I got onto my masters so I sucked it up. But do you know what, now I couldn't care less. Not once in all of my job applications have I thought 'oh if only I'd got that 1st I'd have been given the job' - in my field it's all about experience and past employment - absolutely nothing to do with missing out by 3% on a 1st class degree!

[Teofilo]

It doesn't matter a damn for job prospects really (in my experience at least). By the time you start getting interviews etc., whether you got a 2.1 or a First is pretty much irrelevant.

Which is a damn shame, considering I managed to scrape a First.

[TheSownRose]

To be fair, I do see how it can be annoying. Many people who get high 2.1 degrees do get 1sts in a lot of exams and essays, so they are obviously capable of working to that standards. It's just not achieved in enough of them or in the wrong ones (they get the 1sts in things with a small weighting, then a 2.1 in the big exam.) In many cases, the difference between a high 2.1 and 1st is luck.

A 2.1 is still very respectable, though. Don't let it get you down.

[affinity89]

You should definitely not be downhearted about it. A 2.1 is a great grade.

A lot of people are saying that people with firsts often do 'nothing but study' though. A tad unfair. I did two years of voluntary work, a paid part-time job [up to 30 hours a week during term time] and took an active part in societies and sports teams... The point being made about experience and doing additional things is certainly true, but the idea that someone with a first has not done those things is silly...

OP, your prospects will be as good as anyone's. Things are tough at the moment, but a 2.1 will in no way hold you back.
Congratulations on the grade and enjoy the summer!

[hiding12]

(Original post by Rob1000)
Bit pathetic I know, especially as everyone says that I've done well. Worked hard, certainly harder than others, for a 1st. Others have it but not me. Mope with me.

On a more serious note, any recommend anything to get rid of the hollow sense of failure and replace it with a more realistic sense of my own achievement of a 2:1?

How important is not getting a 1st to my future job prospects?

what did you get it in?

[Rob1000]

War Studies and History at KCL.

[DynamicSyngery]

2.1 vs 1st is unlikely to be a deciding factor in getting a job. For a PhD it matters more, especially in arts and humanities.

[Politics Student]

(Original post by DynamicSyngery)
2.1 vs 1st is unlikely to be a deciding factor in getting a job. For a PhD it matters more, especially in arts and humanities.

Even then for PhD it is not that important. As arts, social sciences, and humanities require a masters before PhD application. The 2.1 is key to get onto a masters, but even then people can still get on them with a 2.2 depending on their references and the willingness of the institution to accept people who may just be off the required grade.

Your research proposal, personal statement, and supporting references are far more important than your undergraduate degree classification in the PhD application.

[edjunkie]

(Original post by Rob1000)
ok. Further info. It's for a humanities subject at KCL and I was not trying to be offensive at all, merely trying for dark humour.

You have a 2:1 from a "good" university, stop feeling "a bit pathetic". You will pass most general graduate computer job filters, your university may help. But what will let you down is a woe is me attitude, I didn't get a first.

After you have secured your first job, your experience is what counts. The current employment climate and internet based applications means that companies get overwhelmed by the number of applications. They try and reduce the number that they have to consider by filtering based on criteria such as degree grade and the presence of key words. Sometimes they end up finding no suitable candidates in 25000 applications for an entry level graduate position. Then said company will complain about the quality of the applicants instead of looking at their recruitment process.

Do yourself a favour, put together a good CV, make sure that any public online presence that you have is employer appropriate. Make sure your applications are targetted at the job you are applying for and address the key skills identified in the job spec. That is what will get you to interview ahead of someone else and the rest is up to you!