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Ever felt like settling for a grade?

In my first year I didn't work nearly as much as I should have (the grade didn't count towards the degree), and I averaged a 2:2. In second year I put much more effort in, spent hours at the library, read as much as I could, aimed to get drafts completed so I could have them checked over, etc. I averaged about 68% that year. In my final year I am working just as hard, but I just can't see myself pushing past that elusive First grade barrier. I see other people being way more chilled about essays, happy to achieve 61/62% because it still means they can write "2:1" on their CV.

Do you ever feel like you may as well settle? I know if I don't push myself then I'll never know if I could have got a First, but I feel like I am sacrificing too much just for a very small shot at a First. I don't go out too often, I decided against working part-time this year, and it feels like none of that matters, because I'll still leave with a 2:1, just like 70% of my class!

Reply 1

chester.

Absolutely. I need to be hitting the equivalent of 75 in all my modules this year to get a first. Can't see that happening, so I'm not going to sacrifice social life and the income from my part-time job for the small chance I get a first. I'm sitting on a pretty good 2:1 at the minute, so I don't need to do a lot to keep it.

Reply 2

SunderX

Think of how awesome it would be to get 70% though, and have done the absolutely the minimum amount of work to get a First :tongue:

.

What precisely are you sacrificing? If you're the type of person who doesn't enjoy going out every other day, or working in a part-time job alongside uni, then you're not missing particularly much, and might as well channel the extra time into studies where it'll count in the long run?

And uni isn't all about just meeting a grade - how about learning just because something is interesting?

Reply 3

TurboCretin

Original post by SunderX

Think of how awesome it would be to get 70% though, and have done the absolutely the minimum amount of work to get a First :tongue:

Or how much it would suck to get 69...

I see what you're saying though.

Reply 4

flown_muse

I think though, you have to think about the fact that it gets harder each year, so it's really good that you are improving your grade each year :smile:

But yeah, I know what you mean, it's really hard to keep motivation up.

Reply 5

physicsfuntimes

If after my second year I was on a solid 2:1, I'd very happily settle for that. If it was a high 2:1 and I hadn't completely worked my arse off that year, I'd consider stepping up my game and trying for the first. However, if I'd out all my energy into that 2:1, then I'd be perfectly happy with a 2:1 at the end... too much work starts getting more and more unproductive, in my experience!

...to sum up, laid-back second year = aim for first in third.
Really hardworked second year = 'settle' for 2.1 overall.

Reply 6

Bill_Gates

it depends on your effort/ambitions, im quite content with a 2:1 after my 2:2 in first year. I will need to put in ALOT more work for a first i simply dont have.

Reply 7

xoxAngel_Kxox

I worked hard in first year and got a first, worked hard in second year and got a 2:1, and now that I'm in 3rd year everything seems to be a lot harder with more difficult marking criteria which just makes me think that I'm going to be lucky to get a 3rd never mind anything else! But I'm not "settling" for a third, and would prefer to push myself as hard as possible to try and get a 2:1 overall.

Reply 8

GentlemanOfTheRoad

Original post by TurboCretin

Or how much it would suck to get 69...

I see what you're saying though.

Reply 9

aaron1

i no what you mean always did that, but in my final year i thought mite as make the most of it and work my @$$ off i got a high 2.1 (friends and peers make a fuss if people get a high 2.1 or low 2.2) so if u dnt think your gonna get a 1st u could aim for a high 2.1, :-)

Reply 10

FilthyYouth

Yeah I'm pretty confident that even if I don't work my arse off I'll get 65+, but I'm not naturally academic, if I want to do well at an essay I really have to put extra time into it. I am sacrificing a few things, like I said, I haven't tried to get a part time job this year (had two last year!) and I don't go out/drink too often (hangovers last like two days with me haha) I just dunno.

There is always that thing too, where if I DO work my arse off, I'll just be very down if I don't reach my goals. Hmm I dunno! I get some essays back tomorrow, I'll see how I feel about it all then haha.