Is it really justifiable to not put the real resit grades on a students transcript?

Hi there,

I think I understand why resits are capped, it's because it would be unfair on other students who don't get a second chance to better their grades when they might have just scraped a pass, while you would let those who have failed (for numerous reasons, including laziness) a second chance.

Briefly, I'm just finishing a MSc Computer Science conversions course (my bachelor's was in politics (first class)). I mention my grade just to point out that I don't believe I have performed poorly due to laziness, rather just my mathematical illiteracy and lack of problem solving skills have always been somewhat below average.

I haven't found out yet, but I should be allowed to resit two modules I have failed. Both will capped at the pass mark (50 percent).

I performed abysmally in the option module (assessment is weighted Coursework 1 & 2 -10% each, labs - 10%, and exam - 70%), I got 50 percent in the first coursework, didn't attempt the second coursework and didn't pick up any lab marks. Failed the exam badly. If I pass the resit, the maximum I'll get for the module is 40%, "tolerated failure".

The point I really want to make is that the material for the course is slowly starting to sink in, I'm starting to catch up with the maths and I just know I'll nail the resits in August, I haven't stopped revising even after I took the exams, I'm determined to get the material locked in. I'm not far off, I just know it.

I want to move onto a PHD after this, my transcript won't look all that impressive with the tolerated failures, but I've done okay in a few other modules and assuming my thesis is graded highly, can't I put a note on my transcript explaining my actual grades I got in the resits (because if I score really high then surly that's what reflects my actual ability, albeit it took me a few extra months to get there).

I get that the university can't put my actual resit results on the transcript for fairness reasons.
But what's the downside of me putting a note on my transcript to explain the tolerated failures? Would I have to take to the grave my actual resit results?

It seems a bit silly that I can't explicitly or formally state to a potential employer or academic that my ability in this particular topic is actually more in line with a student who got a merit or distinction.

Thanks for reading, all comments would be greatly appreciated.

Putting resit grades kinda defeats the object of capping resits at 40%, as well as allowing low achieving students multiple chances to get a better score - which is unfair to those who passed first time.

A student who gets a merit or distinction has consistently worked at that level at university. Someone who requires multiple retakes to get there is not in the same league and shouldn't be placed at the same level.

Employers need to know who is actually qualified to work for them, not anybody who think they deserve to. I don't want my surgery to be carried out by people who need multiple attempts to get it right or people allowed to pass when they're not good enough.

You can mention the fact beforehand or include a note or mention it in interview if you wish. You cant alter the transcript. Im sure they have lots of experience with the situation , so they will take it all into consideration.

Thanks for your reply, of course I don't mean altering my transcript, that would be fraud ha!

I simply mean attaching a note if I perform significantly better in my second attempt at the resit exams explaining the result in order to show that I can now comprehend and apply the material at a very high level.

Or at least that's what I hope to be able to do!

Hi there,

I think I understand why resits are capped, it's because it would be unfair on other students who don't get a second chance to better their grades when they might have just scraped a pass, while you would let those who have failed (for numerous reasons, including laziness) a second chance.

Briefly, I'm just finishing a MSc Computer Science conversions course (my bachelor's was in politics (first class)). I mention my grade just to point out that I don't believe I have performed poorly due to laziness, rather just my mathematical illiteracy and lack of problem solving skills have always been somewhat below average.

I haven't found out yet, but I should be allowed to resit two modules I have failed. Both will capped at the pass mark (50 percent).

I performed abysmally in the option module (assessment is weighted Coursework 1 & 2 -10% each, labs - 10%, and exam - 70%), I got 50 percent in the first coursework, didn't attempt the second coursework and didn't pick up any lab marks. Failed the exam badly. If I pass the resit, the maximum I'll get for the module is 40%, "tolerated failure".

The point I really want to make is that the material for the course is slowly starting to sink in, I'm starting to catch up with the maths and I just know I'll nail the resits in August, I haven't stopped revising even after I took the exams, I'm determined to get the material locked in. I'm not far off, I just know it.

I want to move onto a PHD after this, my transcript won't look all that impressive with the tolerated failures, but I've done okay in a few other modules and assuming my thesis is graded highly, can't I put a note on my transcript explaining my actual grades I got in the resits (because if I score really high then surly that's what reflects my actual ability, albeit it took me a few extra months to get there).

I get that the university can't put my actual resit results on the transcript for fairness reasons.
But what's the downside of me putting a note on my transcript to explain the tolerated failures? Would I have to take to the grave my actual resit results?

It seems a bit silly that I can't explicitly or formally state to a potential employer or academic that my ability in this particular topic is actually more in line with a student who got a merit or distinction.

Thanks for reading, all comments would be greatly appreciated.

Putting resit grades kinda defeats the object of capping resits at 40%, as well as allowing low achieving students multiple chances to get a better score - which is unfair to those who passed first time.

A student who gets a merit or distinction has consistently worked at that level at university. Someone who requires multiple retakes to get there is not in the same league and shouldn't be placed at the same level.

Employers need to know who is actually qualified to work for them, not anybody who think they deserve to. I don't want my surgery to be carried out by people who need multiple attempts to get it right or people allowed to pass when they're not good enough.

Thanks for the response. You use the word multiple, I'm talking about one extra attempt to redeem a failure, I don't anywhere allows students multiple attempts.

I'll be more explicit with my example to explain my point better. I failed an IT security exam, I'll have one more chance to retake it in August, by September the degree is over and I'll have graduated in time with everyone else.

Imagine for a second that what follows is what will happen, I suspect it will happen given that I'm already starting to understand the material better.

The way I look at it is that yes, for whatever reason (mainly that my background was not in the sciences, engineering or maths as everyone else was) it took me an extra 2 months to fully understand the material for this class. However, now I'm up to date, I got a high grade in my resit proving my ability. I'm now at the same level as other students in my class (it's not like they have done anything extra after they passed the exam two months prior), regardless that they did it two months quicker than me, what matters is that I FULLY understand the material now.

I mean, in this particular module I was studying alongside third year undergrads, advanced master students (they all had years more experience than me in maths, programming and other Computer Science concepts).

Again, I accept that on my transcript they cannot put my actual resit result. But surely it would not be dishonest for me to attach a note to my transcript explaining (if it's worth it of course, if I only scraped a pass the second time around then that would be different) my actual resit result so the employer/academic can make a decision that actually reflects my ability at that current time?

Have to disagree with this as long as you put both marks down then the results speak for themselves. Exams are just how you performed on the day and most exams can be retaken. If you want to follow it through then people shouldnt be allowed to retake anything be that driving test, A levels, professional exams. Just because you had a poor GCSE shouldnt and wont mean you can never improve.

Unfortunately that is altering your transcript. Which makes you no different to someone who alters theirs to say they got a 1st from Cambridge when they got a lower score from somewhere less prestigious (not that I give a poo about prestige).
If you're really good, you don't need to twist things to prove your worth. I got my IT job a few months after starting my degree. On my CV I put I'm an aspiring degree holder (i.e. ain't got no degree) with lots of programming skills, worked as in IT in UK and abroad (that gap year). There's a guy in my work place who left school at 15, self taught programming over many years and now works at age 50 in an IT job, alongside a load of grads. Degree isn't everything but attitude is.

I could be wrong but I get the feeling from your post that you don't think you're good enough. Which is why you want things altered to make you look better. My thoughts are that if you don't think you're good, nobody else will think you're good either.

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