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I got an extremely low mark from my first uni assignment :-(

Hi everyone,
today I got the first grade of my first assignment in the uni. I am a first-year student and I am getting used to some stuff but this grade was really important for me. In the school, I have never got a lower score and now that I got lower than 50 I feel like I made a wrong choice with my course and uni, that this is not what I should be doing. Now when I have already submitted my other assignments for my other modules, I already feel like I failed them too, I am so scared that I won't succeed so I don't know what should I do.
Reply 1
Original post by AE2300
Hi everyone,
today I got the first grade of my first assignment in the uni. I am a first-year student and I am getting used to some stuff but this grade was really important for me. In the school, I have never got a lower score and now that I got lower than 50 I feel like I made a wrong choice with my course and uni, that this is not what I should be doing. Now when I have already submitted my other assignments for my other modules, I already feel like I failed them too, I am so scared that I won't succeed so I don't know what should I do.


Try not to be too downhearted. Are you otherwise enjoying the course? It can take time to get used to the course, particularly new marking schemes.

If you didn't receive detailed feedback, make an appointment with the lecturer concerned to identify how you can improve. Don't panic over one low mark.
Reply 2
Original post by RV3112
Try not to be too downhearted. Are you otherwise enjoying the course? It can take time to get used to the course, particularly new marking schemes.

If you didn't receive detailed feedback, make an appointment with the lecturer concerned to identify how you can improve. Don't panic over one low mark.


Thanks for the advice. In some way it is detailed but I disagree with his feedback. I want to meet with my lecturer and discuss it with him. Some part of the course I enjoy, but especially this module I don't like it that much. I don't know if I can make this grade fixed
Original post by AE2300
Thanks for the advice. In some way it is detailed but I disagree with his feedback. I want to meet with my lecturer and discuss it with him. Some part of the course I enjoy, but especially this module I don't like it that much. I don't know if I can make this grade fixed


Quite sure every university will have some sort of study skills help.
Original post by AE2300
Hi everyone,
today I got the first grade of my first assignment in the uni. I am a first-year student and I am getting used to some stuff but this grade was really important for me. In the school, I have never got a lower score and now that I got lower than 50 I feel like I made a wrong choice with my course and uni, that this is not what I should be doing. Now when I have already submitted my other assignments for my other modules, I already feel like I failed them too, I am so scared that I won't succeed so I don't know what should I do.

Chin up! Don’t be disheartened. Pay attention to the feedback on your assignment and see if you can get 1-1 chat with your lecturer to see how you can up your game.
1st year marks don’t usually count towards your overall classification, so you have plenty of time to make improvements. Don’t let your disappointment get in the way of reaching your potential.
Reply 5
Original post by random_matt
Quite sure every university will have some sort of study skills help.


Yes, I should probably go and ask for some help in my studies. I am just worried about the assignments that I have already submitted, I am scared that they are going to be as bad as this one
Reply 6
Original post by AE2300
Thanks for the advice. In some way it is detailed but I disagree with his feedback. I want to meet with my lecturer and discuss it with him. Some part of the course I enjoy, but especially this module I don't like it that much. I don't know if I can make this grade fixed


Meeting with him is a great idea. It will give you an opportunity to clarify any of his comments that you are unsure about and talk about it in more detail.

With any degree, there are likely to be one or two modules that are a struggle to get through for one reason or another. It's not necessarily representative of the whole course. Some modules will be more enjoyable than others.
Original post by AE2300
Hi everyone,
today I got the first grade of my first assignment in the uni. I am a first-year student and I am getting used to some stuff but this grade was really important for me. In the school, I have never got a lower score and now that I got lower than 50 I feel like I made a wrong choice with my course and uni, that this is not what I should be doing. Now when I have already submitted my other assignments for my other modules, I already feel like I failed them too, I am so scared that I won't succeed so I don't know what should I do.


Maybe
(edited 5 years ago)
I could literally have written this in first year after my first mark - so hopefully this is useful!

Definitely seek further feedback than what you’ve already been given, and in person. In a 1 to 1 situation, you get much more detailed feedback and can ask any questions you may have. Make sure you completely understand what you missed on this particular essay (but also what you did well, and carry this over to your next essays.)

Don’t panic about other modules. Often I find at uni that sometimes it’s just one question that you don’t click with. Every assignment is separate so take each mark and feedback as separate too.

Uni is very different to school/college and the way things are marked can be very different too, so getting a lower mark in your first essay isn’t the end of the world, it just means you need to adapt to uni writing, which, since you’ve never done it before, is understandable! To put your mind at ease, I got a 3rd in my first uni essay and was so frustrated, I considered dropping out, but averaged 65 and 66 in my first and second years respectively (with some firsts along the way too!) Just make sure you understand your feedback and apply it to your next essay. But a lot of people at uni get a low mark on their first essay - it’s completely normal so please don’t be too disheartened :smile:
Reply 9
Original post by BlueEyedGirl_
I could literally have written this in first year after my first mark - so hopefully this is useful!

Definitely seek further feedback than what you’ve already been given, and in person. In a 1 to 1 situation, you get much more detailed feedback and can ask any questions you may have. Make sure you completely understand what you missed on this particular essay (but also what you did well, and carry this over to your next essays.)

Don’t panic about other modules. Often I find at uni that sometimes it’s just one question that you don’t click with. Every assignment is separate so take each mark and feedback as separate too.

Uni is very different to school/college and the way things are marked can be very different too, so getting a lower mark in your first essay isn’t the end of the world, it just means you need to adapt to uni writing, which, since you’ve never done it before, is understandable! To put your mind at ease, I got a 3rd in my first uni essay and was so frustrated, I considered dropping out, but averaged 65 and 66 in my first and second years respectively (with some firsts along the way too!) Just make sure you understand your feedback and apply it to your next essay. But a lot of people at uni get a low mark on their first essay - it’s completely normal so please don’t be too disheartened :smile:


Thank you so much for the advice. I understand that school and uni are very different The thing is I am just getting started and I don't know a lot of stuff about how to write a university-based academic work. Plus I am an international student so the way I was thaught to writing and research is different from here. Guess I just have to work and wait.
Reply 10
Original post by RV3112
Meeting with him is a great idea. It will give you an opportunity to clarify any of his comments that you are unsure about and talk about it in more detail.

With any degree, there are likely to be one or two modules that are a struggle to get through for one reason or another. It's not necessarily representative of the whole course. Some modules will be more enjoyable than others.


Alright, thanks for the support
Reply 11
Original post by Seamus123
Chin up! Don’t be disheartened. Pay attention to the feedback on your assignment and see if you can get 1-1 chat with your lecturer to see how you can up your game.
1st year marks don’t usually count towards your overall classification, so you have plenty of time to make improvements. Don’t let your disappointment get in the way of reaching your potential.


Thank you very much. Now, I just really want to know my mistakes and work towards correcting them and developing myself
Original post by AE2300
Hi everyone,
today I got the first grade of my first assignment in the uni. I am a first-year student and I am getting used to some stuff but this grade was really important for me. In the school, I have never got a lower score and now that I got lower than 50 I feel like I made a wrong choice with my course and uni, that this is not what I should be doing. Now when I have already submitted my other assignments for my other modules, I already feel like I failed them too, I am so scared that I won't succeed so I don't know what should I do.

I was in your position last year. You were lucky that you passed. I failed my first Uni assignment and I had to resit coursework over the summer which I finally passed and progress onto my 2nd year. I got low marks last year the ones I did pass. If you are interested in the course you are doing then keep at it! I am in my 2nd year atm doing media studies which now I'm getting higher marks. It does take time because I told my lecture last year coming from further to higher education is a big jump to get over. Don't worry it'll all work out fine. Keep positive.

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