Should I stretch the truth about my degree

I graduated from a top University with a 2:2 degree.

I was expected to achieve a 1st or a 2:1 but due to long term illness (including brief spells in the hospital) I missed whole chunks of my course and a couple of deadlines. Despite this, after a retake or two I was relieved to be able to gain a 2:2 overall.

I am now in the process of trying to get a decent job or onto a decent graduate scheme. Many only accept 2:1 and some accept 2:2. I am positive that even the positions which accept 2:2 discard my application because of this grade and am frustrated that there is never an opportunity to explain my circumstances on application forms.

Should I just put 2:1 on the application forms and then explain the situation later or continue to be frustrated and turned away from positions I know I am more than good enough for?

You're going to lie about your degree classification? Way to get yourself blacklisted from any company you apply to. What a moron.

Thanks for calling me a moron, moron!

Why should I be punished for almost dying whilst at University? None of the application forms give you a chance to explain exceptional circumstances like mine.

Are the application forms online or in paper form? im not sure if this would work if they were online, but have you thought about putting down 2:2 and writing a covering letter to explain the sitatuon?

Lying to them is the quickest way to being rejected. However, Ive not known many places ask for proof.

Just to clarify... I don't intend to keep lying. I just want to be able to get through to a stage where I am able to speak with a real person either over the telephone or face to face where I can explain the actual situation.

Most graduate scheme application forms do not allow me this opportunity without first lying about degree classification. However, I have come across some schemes where there IS a part of the form where you can do this and on these occasions I have always been through to the next stage.

Whatever you do, DO NOT LIE! No matter how you explain it later you WILL NOT come away from it in a positive light. If your going to lie about the most simple black and white information on an application form, how the hell are they going to want to trust you to work on their behalf on potentially very important business issues?

Maybe you could get a reference from a university tutor who could offer a brief explanation as to why you didn't achieve your expected grade?

You're going to lie about your degree classification? Way to get yourself blacklisted from any company you apply to. What a moron.

But really, what you did was pretty moronic. How did you think you'd ever get away with that?

Thanks JellyBean. I already have references from tutors and copies of medical records and notes from the doctor.

The thing is... these are useless bits of paper unless someone in the HR department of the Grad Scheme companies see them. At the moment, every Graduate Scheme I have ever applied for bounces me at the first stage do to the Degree classification I obtained.

I have however, been able to use this evidence for jobs where I am able to go direct to the employer or through recruitment agencies though.

So you are basically saying that I should just not bother applying for any grad scheme which requires a 2:1 (or even a 2:2 in most circumstances) because their forms do not allow exceptional circumstances to be explained.

Wish I had died.