2nd year results for postgrad at top universities

6

I am a second-year sports science student at the University of Nottingham. I have just had the first two coursework results back from this year (results which count toward final classification). I got a 58 and a 52, I'm very disappointed, and it feels like I have thrown away my opportunities for postgrad. I have one more piece of coursework, as well as three exam results, to have returned. But, my aim of having a 70%+ average is looking entirely out the window. I intended to apply to an MSc at Oxford, a couple of other MScs at Cambridge, and one at Imperial. I feel incredibly crushed as I don't think those universities would even consider me for an interview now with these results. I feel sad, but I also need the reality check.

What were your results like in the second year for those that have gone on to study at top universities for postgrad? I thought that 70%, i.e. on for a first, would be the minimum that would be considered, even with the best of interviews and applications. I put a lot of value into getting into a top university, and I'm really struggling to deal with the feeling of having squandered those chances. The stress of being graded and feeling like my work was not good enough is hurting me a lot :frown:

Reply 1

Pwca

TSR Community Staff

17

Hiya,

The first thing I would say is that all is not lost and you have two things you need to do now:

1. Find out how your second year is weighted against your third year. This will let you know to what extent these results will impact your final grade. For example, some undergraduate courses place 40% of the final grade on the second year, and 60% on the third year. Your dissertation may likely also be double weighted, so essentially equivalent to two modules.

2. Find out where you went wrong with the lower scoring assignments. Was there something going on for you personally while you were doing them? Did you have difficulty understanding what was expected of you? Tutors have office hours for this exact reason - find out when they are and book in to have a conversation.

It's always a bit of a weird feeling being graded and it's hard not to take it personally. That said, resilience is a skill you can absolutely learn. Try to focus on enjoying building your skills and knowledge and don't become fixated on your grade because it certainly doesn't reflect your value as a person. You can feel the pain of it but then you have to dust yourself off and keep going.

The final thing is that you might want to think about what your motivation is for attending Oxbridge for an Msc. Is that the best choice for your subject? Are there other universities that offer courses that might be more tailored to your interests and career aspirations? Don't limit your horizons unnecessarily and be open to possibilities!

Reply 2

toby4

OP

6

Hi, thanks for the reply.

For the first point, you're entirely correct. My third year is worth 2/3 of the overall classification, these two individual bits of coursework don't have a tonne of weight, but I feel that it doesn't bode well for how I'm going to do on other exams + coursework. As for the second point, the feedback I've had is essentially that all the points I made in my work were excellent and correct, but that I need to develop them more. This does concern me a bit because I thought I had gone into a lot of detail explaining what different research papers found and the context of their results compared to mine. It's the first academic writing I've ever done, so I know I will improve various skills and can expect to do better in future work.

However, my understanding is that if/when I apply to master's courses in the autumn, I will do so on my second-year results - and, therefore, my projected grade for next year.

Or the alternative would be applying after I graduate next year and looking at a later start to a master's course. As far as I know, Oxbridge applications for September 2024 open in September 2023. So I am worried that if my results aren't good enough this year, I will have to wait a year to improve my results via my dissertation and next year's work. I'm going to have months or up to a year after I graduate of uncertain time, applying to masters courses, but whilst no longer being a full-time student.

You raise a good point about why Oxbridge. In full honesty, I feel a lot of pressure to succeed, and I need to attend the best possible university to get good career opportunities; furthermore, I don't believe my BSc will take me far, and I don't feel that it is immensely valuable. I also feel quite disenfranchised with Russel group universities in comparison to Oxbridge. I think there is a significant gap in the quality of teaching at undergrad and the extracurricular activity available. So for those reasons, I feel that going to Oxbridge would be more enjoyable and do more for me. At the same time, I don't know that I belong at those institutions. The particular course I want to do is musculoskeletal sciences at oxford, and I have been working very hard and researching to find out everything I can do to get into that course. Hence, I feel crushed now that my academic results may well let me down.

Reply 3

Admit-One

Universities Forum Helper

21

Original post

by toby4

Hi, thanks for the reply.

For the first point, you're entirely correct. My third year is worth 2/3 of the overall classification, these two individual bits of coursework don't have a tonne of weight, but I feel that it doesn't bode well for how I'm going to do on other exams + coursework. As for the second point, the feedback I've had is essentially that all the points I made in my work were excellent and correct, but that I need to develop them more. This does concern me a bit because I thought I had gone into a lot of detail explaining what different research papers found and the context of their results compared to mine. It's the first academic writing I've ever done, so I know I will improve various skills and can expect to do better in future work.

However, my understanding is that if/when I apply to master's courses in the autumn, I will do so on my second-year results - and, therefore, my projected grade for next year.

Or the alternative would be applying after I graduate next year and looking at a later start to a master's course. As far as I know, Oxbridge applications for September 2024 open in September 2023. So I am worried that if my results aren't good enough this year, I will have to wait a year to improve my results via my dissertation and next year's work. I'm going to have months or up to a year after I graduate of uncertain time, applying to masters courses, but whilst no longer being a full-time student.

Postgrad admissions staff here :smile:

Whilst fundamentally unis will be looking at your overall average weighted mark + classification, you are right that stray marks, (especially into year 2), could be of concern. They'll also look at things like your grade trajectory over all years of study, as well as whether the weaker grades are in particularly relevant modules.

I can't speak for Oxbridge, but the courses I look after are competitive. For us, if you were still expected a 1st or high 2:1 then you'd still be considered. It'd be more a matter of a comment being added about mixed marks, and the selectors making a decision based on the overall strength of your application.

In brief: Don't get disheartened, your application will likely still be considered even with these marks.

Reply 4

Pwca

TSR Community Staff

17

Hey,

So it sounds like you've got two things to consider - whether you'll be able to pull the grade up later and whether it will still be worth applying for your masters course without taking a year out in between. Based on the feedback you were given, it sounds like you don't have to worry too much about your grades improving, since the points you made were good and it was only your first piece of academic writing. Your university should offer additional classes on academic writing, so if you still feel you're struggling with it then it might be worth seeing what's available.

Taking a year out isn't necessarily the worst thing to do, I know many people who've done this, including myself, for a variety of reasons. It may even give you additional skills and experiences to add to your CV. It will depend on what's right for you but it's an option that could be worth considering.

Quite often, the "best university" will depend on your subject; different departments within the same institution can vary massively in terms of quality. The important thing, and I'd say especially important at postgrad level, is looking for the best department for your subject. Maybe consider attending some open days? Even attending an open day at Oxford would give you an indication of whether your concerns about fitting in are well-founded.

2nd year results for postgrad at top universities

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