Could I get into English MA with a high 2.1?

I’ll be going into my third year of BA English at King’s College London in September, and am currently averaging a 67 (which is a 2.1). I know the Cambridge website (for the MPhil in Modern and Contemporary Literature) says that applicants with high 2.1s are eligible to apply, but realistically, what are the chances that I might get in given that I don’t have a first? Thanks so much in advance :smile:

(edited 4 years ago)

Reply 1

voyageur123

I think you'd have a good chance if you don't need funding and have great references. Have you thought about getting in touch with a faculty member at Cam who shares your interests? You could send them a short

Reply 2

voyageur123

TSR ate my post :/ basically the rest of it was saying - why not try to get as high a 1st as you can and apply after graduating with grades in the bag while working/interning?

I averaged a low 2.1 in 1st and 2nd years (mid-tier UK uni), suddenly started liking my subject for the first time in final year, decided I wanted to do a master's, ended up with a low 1st and applied to Oxford while interning abroad for a year. Didn't apply during final year as was mindful my references wouldn't be great - I used the year to show my tutors that I was now motivated etc. Finishing up at Ox now and so glad I did it this way round.

I also said if you're thinking of becoming an academic, a 2.1 at UG would probably make your application (for doctoral funding, but also anything really - postdocs etc) less competitive (despite what greatness you went on to achieve afterwards) - so worth putting in your all to get a 1st.

Reply 3

Qwerty1257

This is really helpful. :smile:

I'll think about what you've suggested.

Just one question- you mentioned that I should send a quick email to one of the tutors at Cambridge. Would this improve my chances at all? Also, at the risk of sounding dim, I'm not entirely sure what I would include. Would the email just be outlining my interests, and how these align with the lecturer's interests or...?

Thanks again!

Reply 4

QHF

Original post by Qwerty1257

Just one question- you mentioned that I should send a quick email to one of the tutors at Cambridge. Would this improve my chances at all? Also, at the risk of sounding dim, I'm not entirely sure what I would include. Would the email just be outlining my interests, and how these align with the lecturer's interests or...?

It's impossible to overestimate how busy most full-time academics are, and you won't win many friends by asking someone who's not employed to teach you to do substantial amounts of work, so your best bet (in my view, at least) would be to ask something they can answer very quickly, e.g. something along the lines of:

'I'm studying English at [institution]. I'm very interested in [X] and am considering applying for [course]. I recently read your [article/book], [title], on [X], and was wondering whether, if I take that course in [academic year], you might be available to supervise a [MPhil dissertation] on [X-related topic]?'

This sort of initial contact is unlikely to make a big difference to a future application (certainly it won't have anything like as much influence as your degree classification) but it's unlikely to harm your chances.

As for the original question with which you opened the thread, a high 2.1 can get you onto some master's courses, but it would be better for various reasons to have a first. It's not possible to estimate someone's chances of getting on to a particular course, because so much depends on unknowable factors such as the other applicants in that specific application round. Or, to put it another way, the only reliable system for finding out what your chances of admission are is the application process itself.

(edited 4 years ago)

Reply 5

Qwerty1257

Do Oxbridge take into consideration that some applicants apply only with grades from their first two years of uni, and that third year is weighted much more, so there is a chance than their grade might improve? I'm currently at a high 2:1, (and have just finished my 2nd year) and if I continue getting similar grades in my third year, since modules are weighted much more, I'm sure I will be able to pull at least a low first. Do Oxbridge take this into consideration when deciding whether or not to extend a conditional offer?

Thanks again :smile:

Reply 6

QHF

Original post by Qwerty1257

They're definitely aware that this is the situation for many applicants. This is one reason that your references are likely to be important, as your referees' assessment of your trajectory and likely final degree classification will help the places you apply at understand your academic profile better than your transcript alone can show. Similarly, if written work has to be sent as part of the application, that's another way they can see how you're working at your best rather than just the picture of past marks.

Obviously a string of first-class marks right from the start of the BA is always going to be impressive, but everyone in academia understands that some students flourish later than others: if everyone was hyper-competent out of the gate, there'd be no point in education. That's why final-year courses are weighted more pretty universally in the sector.

In your situation there might be some sense in applying after you finish the BA, with the first-class degree classification in hand. Or, I suppose, if you want to, you can apply during your third year, and then if you don't get offers you like, reapply the year after.

Reply 7

University of East Anglia PG Student Rep

Official Rep

Hey,

I applied to the same MPhil and got a place but no funding so didn't do it in the end. I would add to the good advice given above that you take the research proposal very seriously. If your grades aren't amazing, a strong proposal could compensate for that. Seek the advice of your current lecturers. Try to write a proposal that displays a knowledge of (and speaks to) contemporary debates in modern literature. Don't do what I did and just write a proposal for an essay you'd quite like to write!

Good luck,

Gabriel, Postgrad Rep

(Original post by Qwerty1257)I’ll be going into my third year of BA English at King’s College London in September, and am currently averaging a 67 (which is a 2.1). I know the Cambridge website (for the MPhil in Modern and Contemporary Literature) says that applicants with high 2.1s are eligible to apply, but realistically, what are the chances that I might get in given that I don’t have a first? Thanks so much in advance :smile: