is it still possible to get a decent grade after a horrible first term?

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(edited 6 years ago)

I just had a horrible first term at uni academic wise- i didnt do any work (about 30% of what i should have done) and my attendance is very low which will show in my mock exams next week. I have a feeling im going to fail all of my units.

Do you think it would be possible for me to get a decent grade at the end of the year if i seriously start studying this term and basically have no life until exams in June?

Im at a russell group uni studying law. did any of you find yourself in a similar situation?

If you're in first year, it's unlikely this year's grade will count towards your final grade. So long as you manage to pass everything, you can definitely turn things around next year. However, if you think you are going to fail everything, that will mean you have to put in a lot of independent work between now and June.

You won't necessarily need to sacrifice your entire social life, but you do need to get your attendance up, so it might be better to limit going out to the weekends and do as much work as you can during the week.

Have you submitted any assignments yet, and what grades did you get?

Reply 2

username993178

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(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 3

SlowlorisIncognito

Original post by purple_clouds

Yes, it is my first year. The problem is that i need to get at least a high 2.2 this year in order to have a chance at applying for vacation schemes next year. In an ideal world i would get a 2.1. The assignments I have submitted so far have been done at the last minute, but I managed to get 53% in both, so maybe if I actually start taking my studies seriously this year I would manage to get a better grade.

Depending on the weighting of your assignments, you should be able to bring your grade up to a 2.1 by the end of the year. However, that would probably mean getting a minimum of a 2.1 in all other work, and probably needing some higher grades (68% or over) to guarantee a 2.1. That's totally do-able though.

Have you looked at the feedback on your other work? What does it suggest you improve? Is it lack of knowledge or your writing style that is letting you down? Both of these can be improved, but if it's an issue with the way you're presenting the information, it might be worth seeking help from someone like your academic tutor, so you're sure about how to improve.

I would suggest getting your attendance up as well. It doesn't need to be 100%, but often lecturers will give out tips/advice relating to assignments and exams during lectures, and you also have the chance to clarify anything you don't understand in person.

Equally, you're going to have to go back through everything you've missed (if you haven't already) and check your understanding. It might be a good idea to start straight after your mocks, as this will give you some idea of what you need to know for your exams.

It can be really hard to get back into the swing of things after being lazy, though, so you are going to have to be very strict with yourself and very self motivated.

Reply 4

username993178

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(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 5

SlowlorisIncognito

Original post by purple_clouds

Thanks for the tips. The assignments that i have done so far were formative, so they dont count towards my grade. I will try and be more motivated this year and will probably speak to my personal tutor about this soon.

Ah, I see. Well in that case, your position is even stronger. I would still try and aim to get a 2.1 in everything, but it does mean you don't need to compensate for previous grades.

This situation does happen to a lot of people, and most of them do manage to turn it around. However, most do have the advantage of not having so much pressure on their first year grade.

Good Luck!