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what can you do with a 3rd class degree?

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At many Unis you wont get this far - it will be 'suggested' to you that you find a better way to waste your time (and theirs) long before your final year.

Essentially, its worthless. If anything it reveals everything you'd rather an employer didn't know - that you arent very bright, you are lazy and you enjoy wasting time. Anyone adding it to their CV is hardly doing themselves a favour and would be better off hiding their degree certificate in their sock drawer and pretending they'd 'been travelling' for the last three years.

Would you say the same for someone with a 2.2 ? As in hide they've been to uni

Reply 21

returnmigrant

No. A 2.2 is still indicative of a trained brain which is what many mainstream employers are after. Clearly it isnt as impressive as a 2i or a First but its still worth having on the CV. A Third, or even worse a 'Pass' degree, simply shouts 'lazy and probably a bit dim' - ie. apparently had the A levels etc to get into Uni but was stupid/immature and just messed about for 3 years.

Reply 22

donutaud15

Original post by imabigboynow

Lol @ people saying do a msc. Getting a 3rd means you probably were not motivated or smart enough to get a good grade. what specifically is getting a masters going to do? Just accept education isnt for you and apply for entry level jobs and work your way up.

Tbf the person I mentioned got a merit in his masters.

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Reply 23

Shaolin Punk

Original post by maryamzahid

as the title says. Usually people prefer at least a 2:1 or 2:2 in a degree so what can you do if you get the lowest grade?

I can't remember the last time an employer asked me what grade I got on my degree. more time than not they just want to know if you have an BA hons degree

Reply 24

the bear

tbh it depends which institution issues the 3rd.

a 3rd from Cambridge would equate to a 2:1 from somewhere like Liverpool ?

Reply 25

Caedus

Original post by the bear

tbh it depends which institution issues the 3rd.

a 3rd from Cambridge would equate to a 2:1 from somewhere like Liverpool ?

Probably a first.

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 26

maryamzahid

Original post by the bear

tbh it depends which institution issues the 3rd.

a 3rd from Cambridge would equate to a 2:1 from somewhere like Liverpool ?

Does it really depend on the university though? surely a first is still a first no matter where you get it from.

Reply 27

Joshale

I know someone who's wanting to go in the police with a 3rd, think he's going through specials or something first, which could of been done without a degree but he's enjoyed his time nevertheless

Reply 28

the bear

Original post by maryamzahid

Does it really depend on the university though? surely a first is still a first no matter where you get it from.

it is a bit like the belt system in martial arts; it used to be a rare honour for someone to become a karate or judo black belt. nowadays the local paper is packed with lists of youngsters graduating from the Academy of Wing Ding Ting with black belts. Their Mums would go elsewhere if this did not happen.

Reply 29

ASami92

Original post by Shaolin Punk

I can't remember the last time an employer asked me what grade I got on my degree. more time than not they just want to know if you have an BA hons degree

What kind of jobs are they? I want to know as my results ain't that great either...

Reply 30

Shaolin Punk

Original post by ASami92

What kind of jobs are they? I want to know as my results ain't that great either...

well some jobs care about ucas points more than the grade.

the navy requires 180 ucas points on top of 5 gcse's of c and above level to become an officer. and thats £30,000 a year. which is above the average wage of a university lecturer.

teaching jobs. media related jobs.

a lot of employers just want to know that you can stick to something for 3 years and not drop out. its a test of dedication more than anything.

obviously for certain jobs they want you trained in what ever.

i've hired people before and I cared more about the fact that they had done the degree and had all of that stuff programmed in the back of their mind rather than what grade they got.

loads of things in life at uni can effect your grade. and tbh the people i've met who got firsts are usually better suited for staying back in uni rather than working in the real world.

i know a few lecturers who got 3rds.

the only time i'm aware of 3rds mattering is when posh people bring it up to brag. or for allowing you to do certain masters degrees.

but theres a lot of places that will let you do a masters with a 3rd BA degree.

i'd take someone with a 3rd over a 1st any day if person with a 1st didnt have the right attitude or if i just didnt like the work they'd done.

put it this way. a lot of my friends who did maths. got varied grades for their gcse's. 6 years later they all have about the same skill level.

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 31

ASami92

Original post by Shaolin Punk

Thanks for the reply, there were certain circumstances which caused me to end up with a third, even though at the start of the year I was doing great and got 70% in assignments. It's made me really depressed and I feel like I don't have a bright future :frown:

I may try and find a masters program to do, or start the ACCA qualification.

I've also heard that after a few years your degree qualification doesn't matter as much as your work experience, which I hope is true.

Reply 32

ASami92

Original post by Shaolin Punk

but theres a lot of places that will let you do a masters with a 3rd BA degree.

Can you suggest some unis that allow people with thirds to do masters?

Reply 33

Shaolin Punk

Original post by ASami92

it is true. dont worry. the way your feeling is quite common.
uni work is actually easy. its not the work thats so much the test. its getting on with the work while "life happens to you" which could be anything of the above. its about your ability to live with your flat mates and resolve conflicts then try and read up on what ever. its about dealing with break ups, family stress, tryna manage your own time without your parents or your teacher. tryna shop for your self do your own laundry and be an independent adult for the first time. when your at home and your stressed with work your parents can show sympathy and let you off with "doing the dishes". but at uni theres no sympathy. so either your dishes build up and or your flatmates complain and you have an extra problem. lol.

so yea unis a test about your ability to leave home and work whilst being independent and dedicated.

some people have a smooth time. some people have a smooth life. some don't. some people just click with and are suited to doing exams and passing course work.

but i can tell you now i know people who are good at doing course work but suck at doing their job.

like i've noticed a lot of people at uni simply take stuff in to pass the subject and then dump all the information in their head after. they dont wanna learn for the sake of learning. its learning for the sake of getting a degree. but i've noticed people who really enjoy the subject rarely get 1st's.

plus u see how your getting depressed about the grade? thats what got in the way of your work. its all in your head. the works easy. just dealing with the thoughts and negativity in your own mind is the hard part.

degrees are becoming fairly standard now days. theres been an inflation in degrees so their not as valuable any more. masters are like the new degrees and and degrees are like the new a levels and a levels are like the new gcse's.

if i were you. i'd be glad you achieved your degree. you got through the finish line. now you should deserve a break. chill out. go on holiday. have gap yah experience traveling. then when you feel bored because your not kept busy. look at if you want to do work or masters.

Reply 34

Shaolin Punk

Original post by ASami92

Can you suggest some unis that allow people with thirds to do masters?

what subject you want to do?

Reply 35

ASami92

Original post by Shaolin Punk

what subject you want to do?

Thanks for that, I've been feeling so down and miserable lately. lol. I guess mostly I was learning for the sake of just passing, I didn't enjoy much of the course especially in my final year.

I did BA Hons Accounting and Finance, and I realised I enjoyed the business studies side of my course more. Therefore, I would like to do a business/business finance related masters.

Reply 36

Tomsta

Original post by maryamzahid

as the title says. Usually people prefer at least a 2:1 or 2:2 in a degree so what can you do if you get the lowest grade?

Actually the lowest you can get is a regular degree (no honors) and you can still be proud none of us know the personal stuff you went through, 80% of companies don't care about your degree classification

Reply 37

returnmigrant

You are highly unlikely to get a place on a Masters with a Third - and you certainly wont get any funding. Can you afford about £20,000 for a 1 year course? Contrary to what most students think, a Masters does not 'make up for' a bad result at u/grad level or somehow 'cancel it out' or 'make it all better'. And if you can't cope with an u/grad degree, how will you cope with study at an even higher level?

Start looking for relevant jobs where they are only interested in 'degree' not grade (or they dont mention the words graduate or degree at all), or look at something like the Royal Navy, Civil Service etc. You might even surprise yourself and get a 2.2.

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 38

Shaolin Punk

Original post by ASami92

no problem

ah i see. thats not really my area. there will be unis that will let you in.

also even if they say you need to have a 2.2 phone the uni and ask how strict it is and if you should apply anyway. if you have work experience that might help make a difference.

Reply 39

Nia Okz

A little pick me up:

My mum studied part time, with 3 kids and a full time job and a part time job - as a result of that and a few other things going on in her life, she got a third. She's currently doing a masters at kingston uni.The person that interviewed her valued her determination and experience in the field. She too lacked confidence because she got a third and English isn't her first language but we pushed her to apply and as a result shes halfway through her masters and her grades are good.

Basically - Not saying it'll be easy, but whatever you want to do, don't lose hope. Persevere.