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Failed first year of Uni (Law) twice.

Hi, I am currently at uni studying first year law. Last year I did first year Law at another uni but was sure I wanted to move, so failed. I am afraid I will fail this year again, as if I fail more than a specific amount of credits, the uni will not let me take resits in summer, but I will have to redo first year again next year. To be honest, I didnt work as much as I should have, and if i really apply myself (which I will), i have the potential to get very high marks.
Please help and tell me the best thing to do, also, I dont want to leave the course and my other concern is, as a result of failing first year law twice, I will be starting my first year at 21. Would that be a problem, and how will employers look at me when Ive failed first year twice?

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Reply 1
Original post by Anonymous
Hi, I am currently at uni studying first year law. Last year I did first year Law at another uni but was sure I wanted to move, so failed. I am afraid I will fail this year again, as if I fail more than a specific amount of credits, the uni will not let me take resits in summer, but I will have to redo first year again next year. To be honest, I didnt work as much as I should have, and if i really apply myself (which I will), i have the potential to get very high marks.
Please help and tell me the best thing to do, also, I dont want to leave the course and my other concern is, as a result of failing first year law twice, I will be starting my first year at 21. Would that be a problem, and how will employers look at me when Ive failed first year twice?

Your age won't be an issue, but it goes without saying that employers aren't going to be thrilled that you failed first year twice.

Probably financially supporting yourself through your third attempt at first year will the biggest hurdle.

There's not much you can do until you get your results. And you may even surprise yourself. You might pass enough of the exams to allow you to do summer resits for the rest.

If you do fail the entire year again, you need to rethink your choice of subject. You will have sat through the material twice and still failed to have learned enough to pass. Worse still, the content also hasn't inspired you enough to put in the level of effort required. What will be different the third time around? Is there anything else that you might find more motivating to study than law? It could just be that the subject isn't for you, and you would excel academically at a different subject.
(edited 4 years ago)
Reply 2
Hi, i like the couse and do not want to drop out or change courses. Its just the fact that i didnt do the work needed, didnt submit some courseworks and i know if i fail again this year or not, i will work 10 times harder as i am definetly capable of getting very high marks.
Original post by RV3112
Your age won't be an issue, but it goes without saying that employers aren't going to be thrilled that you failed first year twice.

Probably financially supporting yourself through your third attempt at first year will the biggest hurdle.

There's not much you can do until you get your results. And you may even surprise yourself. You might pass enough of the exams to allow you to do summer resits for the rest.

If you do fail the entire year again, you need to rethink your choice of subject. You will have sat through the material twice and still failed to have learned enough to pass. Worse still, the content also hasn't inspired you enough to put in the level of effort required. What will be different the third time around? Is there anything else that you might find more motivating to study than law? It could just be that the subject isn't for you, and you would excel academically at a different subject.
Original post by Anonymous
Hi, I am currently at uni studying first year law. Last year I did first year Law at another uni but was sure I wanted to move, so failed. I am afraid I will fail this year again, as if I fail more than a specific amount of credits, the uni will not let me take resits in summer, but I will have to redo first year again next year. To be honest, I didnt work as much as I should have, and if i really apply myself (which I will), i have the potential to get very high marks.
Please help and tell me the best thing to do, also, I dont want to leave the course and my other concern is, as a result of failing first year law twice, I will be starting my first year at 21. Would that be a problem, and how will employers look at me when Ive failed first year twice?

1. First uni first year did you sit the exams and actually fail or fail by default?
1.1 What caused you to want to leave first uni? Any health issues?
2. Are you a UK or EU citizen?
3. If you moved, then why didnt you do any work and upon what basis do you think you have the potential to get very high marks?


Tbh I find saying you didnt work as hard as you could have when its second year pretty lame. It is your future you are messing with.

4. Do you have some sort of aspirations towards a legal career?
5. People shouldnt be failing year 1 Law. You need to take a serious look at yourself.
6. You don't know your results, but if you fail x modules then your next attempts will be capped at 40% and that will be on your transcript. It may not count to your degree grade, but you need to get your act together.
7. If you sort it out and make dramatic improvements to get a good grade, then they might be ok depending on the job, but you need to be careful as you are in danger of having a poor to mediocre degree unless you sort it out.
8. Do you really think Law is the right subject for you?
Personally, i've been in this position before, where i've failed once... I then get this rush of motivation about me not failing again, and believe me... it doesn't work and you just get put back in the same position... BUT, there is a way, I call it extreme sacrifices, if you're willing to sacrifice something time consuming whether it be going out w/ friends or gaming, something that you do daily that you really shouldn't be, delete it from your life and don't put yourself in a situation where you can go back to it.

Not really asking your question but just a word of advice from someone who has done it before :smile:
Original post by Anonymous
Hi, I am currently at uni studying first year law. Last year I did first year Law at another uni but was sure I wanted to move, so failed. I am afraid I will fail this year again, as if I fail more than a specific amount of credits, the uni will not let me take resits in summer, but I will have to redo first year again next year. To be honest, I didnt work as much as I should have, and if i really apply myself (which I will), i have the potential to get very high marks.
Please help and tell me the best thing to do, also, I dont want to leave the course and my other concern is, as a result of failing first year law twice, I will be starting my first year at 21. Would that be a problem, and how will employers look at me when Ive failed first year twice?
Reply 5
first year i didnt do my resits, so automatically failed as i was so dead set on moving. I was just really depressed where i was(not diagnosed or anything) and it pretty much continued into the this year. I am a UK citizen and i know i will get very higher marks as it wasnt that this was hard, i just didnt try, which is completly my fault. I didnt submit some courseworks, as i thought i could resit them in the summer, but turns out i cant. yes i am complety certain law is the degree i want to do. also would the 2 first year fails matter as much if i get a high 2:1 or first class degree with some legal experience?
Original post by 999tigger
1. First uni first year did you sit the exams and actually fail or fail by default?
1.1 What caused you to want to leave first uni? Any health issues?
2. Are you a UK or EU citizen?
3. If you moved, then why didnt you do any work and upon what basis do you think you have the potential to get very high marks?


Tbh I find saying you didnt work as hard as you could have when its second year pretty lame. It is your future you are messing with.

4. Do you have some sort of aspirations towards a legal career?
5. People shouldnt be failing year 1 Law. You need to take a serious look at yourself.
6. You don't know your results, but if you fail x modules then your next attempts will be capped at 40% and that will be on your transcript. It may not count to your degree grade, but you need to get your act together.
7. If you sort it out and make dramatic improvements to get a good grade, then they might be ok depending on the job, but you need to be careful as you are in danger of having a poor to mediocre degree unless you sort it out.
8. Do you really think Law is the right subject for you?
Reply 6
what age did you start/finish uni if you dont mind me asking? As if i fail this year, i will be 21 when i start first year next year and will only graduate when i am 24/24. this is bothering me.
Original post by haxhacks
Personally, i've been in this position before, where i've failed once... I then get this rush of motivation about me not failing again, and believe me... it doesn't work and you just get put back in the same position... BUT, there is a way, I call it extreme sacrifices, if you're willing to sacrifice something time consuming whether it be going out w/ friends or gaming, something that you do daily that you really shouldn't be, delete it from your life and don't put yourself in a situation where you can go back to it.

Not really asking your question but just a word of advice from someone who has done it before :smile:
Original post by Ugess98
first year i didnt do my resits, so automatically failed as i was so dead set on moving. I was just really depressed where i was(not diagnosed or anything) and it pretty much continued into the this year. I am a UK citizen and i know i will get very higher marks as it wasnt that this was hard, i just didnt try, which is completly my fault. I didnt submit some courseworks, as i thought i could resit them in the summer, but turns out i cant. yes i am complety certain law is the degree i want to do. also would the 2 first year fails matter as much if i get a high 2:1 or first class degree with some legal experience?


How are you going to pay for the third attempt? SFE won’t fund your first year again.
Original post by Anonymous
Hi, I am currently at uni studying first year law. Last year I did first year Law at another uni but was sure I wanted to move, so failed. I am afraid I will fail this year again, as if I fail more than a specific amount of credits, the uni will not let me take resits in summer, but I will have to redo first year again next year. To be honest, I didnt work as much as I should have, and if i really apply myself (which I will), i have the potential to get very high marks.
Please help and tell me the best thing to do, also, I dont want to leave the course and my other concern is, as a result of failing first year law twice, I will be starting my first year at 21. Would that be a problem, and how will employers look at me when Ive failed first year twice?


You've already identified the issue yourself, you actually need to work for those grades, that'll be a start.

There's nothing wrong with being older and employers won't look down on you for being slightly older.
But yeah, just put the work in, make some effort then maybe you won't fail again.

Or, if you have failed again then perhaps consider a different course of action, maybe law isn't for you?
Have you considered looking at legal apprenticeships?
Reply 9
family will support tuition for that year
Original post by gdunne42
How are you going to pay for the third attempt? SFE won’t fund your first year again.
Reply 10
no as i stated before i am certain that this is the degree for me and i will 100 percent work hard to get very good marks if i have to redo first year again for the third time.
Original post by MidgetFever
You've already identified the issue yourself, you actually need to work for those grades, that'll be a start.

There's nothing wrong with being older and employers won't look down on you for being slightly older.
But yeah, just put the work in, make some effort then maybe you won't fail again.

Or, if you have failed again then perhaps consider a different course of action, maybe law isn't for you?
Have you considered looking at legal apprenticeships?
Reply 11
Original post by Anonymous
Hi, I am currently at uni studying first year law. Last year I did first year Law at another uni but was sure I wanted to move, so failed. I am afraid I will fail this year again, as if I fail more than a specific amount of credits, the uni will not let me take resits in summer, but I will have to redo first year again next year. To be honest, I didnt work as much as I should have, and if i really apply myself (which I will), i have the potential to get very high marks.
Please help and tell me the best thing to do, also, I dont want to leave the course and my other concern is, as a result of failing first year law twice, I will be starting my first year at 21. Would that be a problem, and how will employers look at me when Ive failed first year twice?


You're not obligated to tell employers about anything you failed. If you do fail the year again then you'd need to have a rethink about law. Is it really for you? Is there something else you could study? Plus if you fail again you'll probably have to fund one year yourself if you're getting student finance.
Original post by Ugess98
no as i stated before i am certain that this is the degree for me and i will 100 percent work hard to get very good marks if i have to redo first year again for the third time.

Well if you're sure then good luck! That's some determination at least.
Original post by Anonymous
Hi, I am currently at uni studying first year law. Last year I did first year Law at another uni but was sure I wanted to move, so failed. I am afraid I will fail this year again, as if I fail more than a specific amount of credits, the uni will not let me take resits in summer, but I will have to redo first year again next year. To be honest, I didnt work as much as I should have, and if i really apply myself (which I will), i have the potential to get very high marks.
Please help and tell me the best thing to do, also, I dont want to leave the course and my other concern is, as a result of failing first year law twice, I will be starting my first year at 21. Would that be a problem, and how will employers look at me when Ive failed first year twice?


This all sounds like a bit of a mess. You went to university A, failed the first year and moved to a different one. You now think you're in danger of failing the year again at this new university.

I don't know what you are basing your assertion that 'you have the potential to get very high marks' when you've failed one year and sounds like you're going to fail another - this sounds like pie in the sky.

I think you need to be a little bit more honest with yourself, and maybe even a bit harsh and ask yourself whether you're really cut out for university study, let alone Law. It's going to have a big impact on your future employment as it is, and you can kiss a law career goodbye I'm afraid, if that is what you were after. Probably best to not waste more money on it but have a think about what you actually want to do and think you'd be good at.

I'm not being horrible. I'm just being straightforward with you.
Reply 14
i am basing it on the fact that i know i didnt try hard enough. I was lazy and didnt submit courseworks cause i thought i could resit in summer, which turns out i cant. Also, I know if i apply myself i can get the results. and how much of an impact will it have on future employment. Also, you mentioned that "you can kiss a law career goodbye", how is that the case? if i resit first year again and end up getting an overall first class or high 2:1 degree with relevant work experiences, can i not get a legal job?
Original post by Reality Check
This all sounds like a bit of a mess. You went to university A, failed the first year and moved to a different one. You now think you're in danger of failing the year again at this new university.

I don't know what you are basing your assertion that 'you have the potential to get very high marks' when you've failed one year and sounds like you're going to fail another - this sounds like pie in the sky.

I think you need to be a little bit more honest with yourself, and maybe even a bit harsh and ask yourself whether you're really cut out for university study, let alone Law. It's going to have a big impact on your future employment as it is, and you can kiss a law career goodbye I'm afraid, if that is what you were after. Probably best to not waste more money on it but have a think about what you actually want to do and think you'd be good at.

I'm not being horrible. I'm just being straightforward with you.
Original post by Ugess98
i am basing it on the fact that i know i didnt try hard enough. I was lazy and didnt submit courseworks cause i thought i could resit in summer, which turns out i cant. Also, I know if i apply myself i can get the results. and how much of an impact will it have on future employment. Also, you mentioned that "you can kiss a law career goodbye", how is that the case? if i resit first year again and end up getting an overall first class or high 2:1 degree with relevant work experiences, can i not get a legal job?


This is what is unrealistic. You're saying you 'didn't try hard enough'. But that's happened twice, at two different universities. What evidence is there that the third time is going to be different - why would it be different? And what sort of student doesn't bother submitting coursework because they thought they could 'resit in the summer'?! That's just a bit ridiculous, to be honest with you.

It's really not credible to suggest you could get a 2i or I, based on what you say here. Even if the aptitude was there (which we don't have any evidence for one way or the other) you'd need the application to go with it to get a result like this. And the application clearly isn't there. Your transcript is going to show the failed year, or even worse failed two years and this, in the absence of any mitigating circumstances to explain the failure, is going to stymie any legal career aspirations. The law is ultra-competitive; a 2ii can often be a deathknell for the more competitive areas. It's pretty obvious where failing your first year twice is going to lead.

Again - I'm not being horrid. I'm just trying to be straight with you and not lead you down the garden path. You'll have plenty of people do the whole 'go team', 'if you believe you can succeed you will' and all that crap, if that's what you're after.
Original post by Ugess98
i am basing it on the fact that i know i didnt try hard enough. I was lazy and didnt submit courseworks cause i thought i could resit in summer, which turns out i cant. Also, I know if i apply myself i can get the results. and how much of an impact will it have on future employment. Also, you mentioned that "you can kiss a law career goodbye", how is that the case? if i resit first year again and end up getting an overall first class or high 2:1 degree with relevant work experiences, can i not get a legal job?

Just to point out as well, most uni's cap summer resits.
So if you're not intending to pass the first time then please don't waste another year, find something you're more passionate about.
Reply 17
I appreciate the advice. BUT if i apply myself the third time around and end up with a first degree, with experience, how bad of an impact will the failed 2 years be for employers? what im asking is what can i do in the future to make the 2 first year fails negligible for employers?
Original post by Reality Check
This is what is unrealistic. You're saying you 'didn't try hard enough'. But that's happened twice, at two different universities. What evidence is there that the third time is going to be different - why would it be different? And what sort of student doesn't bother submitting coursework because they thought they could 'resit in the summer'?! That's just a bit ridiculous, to be honest with you.

It's really not credible to suggest you could get a 2i or I, based on what you say here. Even if the aptitude was there (which we don't have any evidence for one way or the other) you'd need the application to go with it to get a result like this. And the application clearly isn't there. Your transcript is going to show the failed year, or even worse failed two years and this, in the absence of any mitigating circumstances to explain the failure, is going to stymie any legal career aspirations. The law is ultra-competitive; a 2ii can often be a deathknell for the more competitive areas. It's pretty obvious where failing your first year twice is going to lead.

Again - I'm not being horrid. I'm just trying to be straight with you and not lead you down the garden path. You'll have plenty of people do the whole 'go team', 'if you believe you can succeed you will' and all that crap, if that's what you're after.
Reply 18
no thats the thing, based on the number of credits i believe i have failed, the uni will not let me resit in summer for capped marks. If they did i would have 100 percent complete them.
Original post by MidgetFever
Just to point out as well, most uni's cap summer resits.
So if you're not intending to pass the first time then please don't waste another year, find something you're more passionate about.
Original post by Ugess98
I appreciate the advice. BUT if i apply myself the third time around and end up with a first degree, with experience, how bad of an impact will the failed 2 years be for employers? what im asking is what can i do in the future to make the 2 first year fails negligible for employers?

OK - let's suppose for the sake of argument this miracle happens. You can't erase the two failed years, and neither can you explain them through any mitigating circumstances. So you'd need some sort of story for them - you can hardly tell them you couldn't be ar sed, which is the basic explanation for it. This is the trouble of it, for me. However well you did in your degree, you'd still have to explain why you failed your first year twice, and this is a big hurdle which I can't in all honesty see how you could clear. Maybe someone else has a solution to it.

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