The Student Room Group

How hard is it to get a 2:1?

I'm interested to know - the majority of people usually graduate with a 2:1 and I'm just wondering how hard it is to actually achieve it.

Obviously, it's based heavily on the intelligence of the student but for argument's sake, let's say an above average student studying at a Russell Group university.

And am I right in thinking the first year of university doesn't count towards your final degree classification? You need 40 percent to pass if I'm correct?

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i am not sure about pass grade, but it depends uni to uni which year count, at some they count 1st year i think, but to get a 2:1 you just have to work your ass off where it counts.
Reply 2
Original post by Part A
I'm interested to know - the majority of people usually graduate with a 2:1 and I'm just wondering how hard it is to actually achieve it.

Obviously, it's based heavily on the intelligence of the student but for argument's sake, let's say an above average student studying at a Russell Group university.

And am I right in thinking the first year of university doesn't count towards your final degree classification? You need 40 percent to pass if I'm correct?


Yeah, first year does not count and 40% is a pass.
As for how hard a 2:1 is:
History/Art degree - easy and common. Do what they set and revise when you should.
Science - hard. You have to put in lots of over time and revise a huge amount.
Reply 3
I'm thinking about doing Law - it's just that quite a lot of people graduate with a 2:1 and that's the requirement for many city law firms/employers.
Reply 4
In most courses a fair proportion of students get 2:1s or above, so it should be attainable with hard work. It shouldn't be a cakewalk though.

To generalise any further on an individual basis is obviously impossible. An 'above average' student should get a 2:1, but then again how can you tell you're an above average student? A level performance isn't particularly relevant, so you start with a clean slate at the beginning of uni.
(edited 13 years ago)
It depends on whether you see Uni as 3 years of partying or 3 years of study.
Reply 6
You have to check your student's handbook every university has different rule on the weigh of each year's mark towards your degree. In my university, the first year counted towards 10% of my degree classification. It is not that hard to achieve a 2:1 if you are organized and dedicate a few hours every week towards your modules and assignments (a lot of people suffer because they underestimate the importance and time that is required in order to complete one and at the end they suffer no matter how well they did in the exams)
Reply 7
I am convinced that a lot of people that don't get a 2:1 could get it if they worked harder/more/better (better in the sense that some people don't know how to revise).
The head of my department said everyone on the course should be able to attain a 2:1 if they put the work in.
Reply 9
Original post by Jimbo1234
Yeah, first year does not count and 40% is a pass.
As for how hard a 2:1 is:
History/Art degree - easy and common. Do what they set and revise when you should.
Science - hard. You have to put in lots of over time and revise a huge amount.


Jumping to conclusions again?!? This is bull**** and obviously biased, it depends on the person, not their subject.
Reply 10
I would imagine it takes a lot of effort to gain a 2:1, as with any decent qualification. Some people are naturally able to get a really decent degree and still have time to socialise, and some have to work really hard and block everything out, everyone is different so it would be impossible to generalise.

You only get out what you put in.
(edited 13 years ago)
It's average. I've seen work that I wouldn't have even given a passing grade get a 2.1. Just do the minimum required of you and sail through the course.
so how hard is it to receive a first?
Reply 13
I'd say an essay subject like ferinstance history was going to take a lot of work because regardless of how clever you are, you can't magic up a first class essay overnight.

at the opposite end of the spectrum you get some rare maths prodigies who appear to sail through without ever appearing to put any effort in just cos they seem to have brains that are highly tuned up to the required sort of thinking.

Mostly degree class is more a measure of effort and effective time management rather than intelligence IMO.
I think it's a bit of a surprise to a lot of 1st years how much effort they need to start putting in, A levels having made them perhaps a bit overconfident that last minute cramming will always get them through.
A 2.1 is not hard as long as you put in a decent amount of work.

A first does take quite a lot of extra effort and intelligence, in most cases.
Come to Scotland, the first two years don't count :awesome:
You do have to do three subjects though.
Reply 16
Original post by dothestrand
Come to Scotland, the first two years don't count :awesome:
You do have to do three subjects though.


But then exams get cancelled due to snow. :tongue:

And to OP, I don't think a 2:1 would be that difficult as long as you make sure you keep up with all the lectures and tutorials and reading etc and don't leave things until the last minute.
Original post by tillytots
Jumping to conclusions again?!? This is bull**** and obviously biased, it depends on the person, not their subject.


It depends on both........why do you think so many arts students get 2:1's yet science students don't? :rolleyes:
Seriously, stop kidding yourself.
Original post by Jimbo1234
It depends on both........why do you think so many arts students get 2:1's yet science students don't? :rolleyes:
Seriously, stop kidding yourself.


Maybe arts students work harder?

Or maybe science subjects are more difficult?

There's more than one reason why some people do better than others :rolleyes:
Original post by Jimbo1234
It depends on both........why do you think so many arts students get 2:1's yet science students don't? :rolleyes:
Seriously, stop kidding yourself.


Please could you say what you are basing this on? Is it just your own experience, or are there official figures?

I disagree that science students have to work harder; subjects like History, English and Law, from what I hear from others as well as my own interpretation, require a lot of effort. As was said above, it's impossible to generalise in that way; to say one degree is easier than another is subjective.

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