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QMUL Chances?

Hi, as of current, it’s very likely that I will be graduating with a high 2.2 (a 68% which is almost 2.1 at my uni) due to my university’s policies and grading system. However, I have been doing legal work with top law firms for the last 2 years and plan to keep working until graduation, and I will have another 2 post graduate legal qualifications (incl a PGDip) by the time I come to apply for an LLM at QUML. I also am very involved with the law society at my university and being involved in law exchanges with Cambridge University. QMUL requires a 2.1, but would I still be able to apply and actually have a chance of getting in at QMUL (or UCL and KCL)? Thank you!
(edited 1 year ago)
Hopefully somebody else a little bit more knowledgeable replies to you, but from what I understand, universities aren't very willing to bend entry requirements for masters and will only do so due to extenuating circumstances, and they won't bend the entry requirements even if you excel in other matters. I'm not sure if you haven't graduated because of the marking boycott strikes or because you have a year ahead of you... if you have a year left, I'd really step up your performance in that year so graduate with a 2:1 so that this isn't an issue for you!
Original post by kelagiorgio
Hi, as of current, it’s very likely that I will be graduating with a high 2.2 (a 68% which is almost 2.1 at my uni) due to my university’s policies and grading system. However, I have been doing legal work with top law firms for the last 2 years and plan to keep working until graduation, and I will have another 2 post graduate legal qualifications (incl a PGDip) by the time I come to apply for an LLM at QUML. I also am very involved with the law society at my university and being involved in law exchanges with Cambridge University. QMUL requires a 2.1, but would I still be able to apply and actually have a chance of getting in at QMUL (or UCL and KCL)? Thank you!


There's no harm trying! they are dead slow though. Good luck! I've just enrolled!
Original post by Scotland Yard
Hopefully somebody else a little bit more knowledgeable replies to you, but from what I understand, universities aren't very willing to bend entry requirements for masters and will only do so due to extenuating circumstances, and they won't bend the entry requirements even if you excel in other matters. I'm not sure if you haven't graduated because of the marking boycott strikes or because you have a year ahead of you... if you have a year left, I'd really step up your performance in that year so graduate with a 2:1 so that this isn't an issue for you!


At my University in Europe, a 2.1 is a 70-79 average. However, our degrees are 4 years long and very few students manage to push over the 70%. Due to my low marks in first year, I would need to get an 80 average 2 years in a row, which is pretty impossible for law at my university, especially because our lecturers often fail people so that the course gets smaller.
Original post by kelagiorgio
Original post by Scotland Yard
Hopefully somebody else a little bit more knowledgeable replies to you, but from what I understand, universities aren't very willing to bend entry requirements for masters and will only do so due to extenuating circumstances, and they won't bend the entry requirements even if you excel in other matters. I'm not sure if you haven't graduated because of the marking boycott strikes or because you have a year ahead of you... if you have a year left, I'd really step up your performance in that year so graduate with a 2:1 so that this isn't an issue for you!


At my University in Europe, a 2.1 is a 70-79 average. However, our degrees are 4 years long and very few students manage to push over the 70%. Due to my low marks in first year, I would need to get an 80 average 2 years in a row, which is pretty impossible for law at my university, especially because our lecturers often fail people so that the course gets smaller.


Ahhhhh you should have said that before! It looks more optimistic now :smile:

A British 2:1 degree classification is 60-69%. The scoring system your university uses is clearly different than the British standard so the correspondence between degree classifications isn't exactly linear, so I'd think you might get away with a 2:2 after all then, but I'm not sure. From which country is your degree from?

Also, you can send an email to the universities admissions department telling them what you want to study and what's the mark you expect to receive. Specify the institution/country and tell them in the format you'll receive it (be that a percentage, a score out of 5 or 10 or whatever) - do not translate it into a UK mark or degree classification for them. They should be able to provide you with an answer on whether if that's admissible!
Original post by Scotland Yard
Ahhhhh you should have said that before! It looks more optimistic now :smile:

A British 2:1 degree classification is 60-69%. The scoring system your university uses is clearly different than the British standard so the correspondence between degree classifications isn't exactly linear, so I'd think you might get away with a 2:2 after all then, but I'm not sure. From which country is your degree from?

Also, you can send an email to the universities admissions department telling them what you want to study and what's the mark you expect to receive. Specify the institution/country and tell them in the format you'll receive it (be that a percentage, a score out of 5 or 10 or whatever) - do not translate it into a UK mark or degree classification for them. They should be able to provide you with an answer on whether if that's admissible!


I am currently studying in Malta :smile: When I spoke to the unis, I was told a 2.1 (70% in my case) is usually required. However, it's pretty hard to reach due to my low average in 1st year, which pulls everything down for me :/
Original post by kelagiorgio
I am currently studying in Malta :smile: When I spoke to the unis, I was told a 2.1 (70% in my case) is usually required. However, it's pretty hard to reach due to my low average in 1st year, which pulls everything down for me :/


Wow our 1st year didn't even count for my degree.
Original post by Aminakelly366
Wow our 1st year didn't even count for my degree.


For us, each year is weighted equally; it is one of the 2 courses which has the average weighting equally each year. My first year was on and off due to covid (mixed classes).
Even that is different here it's 30% for yr 2 and 70% weighting for year 3 x
Original post by kelagiorgio
For us, each year is weighted equally; it is one of the 2 courses which has the average weighting equally each year. My first year was on and off due to covid (mixed classes).

That is really tough. First year in the UK either doesn't count towards your final grade or it only accounts for a measly 1/9th or some other low and relatively insignificant fraction of the final grade.

I had a look for you at a few universities and for Malta degrees, it does seem they want you to achieve a 70% :frown:. I'd try contacting the admissions department of the unis anyway and ask them if your predicted mark is still acceptable, given the impact of covid, but I wouldn't count on it. Is a iia / 2:1 completely out of the question for you?
Wait what??? 68% is a 2.2 in Malta??? They’re absolutely wildin’.
Original post by Scotland Yard
That is really tough. First year in the UK either doesn't count towards your final grade or it only accounts for a measly 1/9th or some other low and relatively insignificant fraction of the final grade.

I had a look for you at a few universities and for Malta degrees, it does seem they want you to achieve a 70% :frown:. I'd try contacting the admissions department of the unis anyway and ask them if your predicted mark is still acceptable, given the impact of covid, but I wouldn't count on it. Is a iia / 2:1 completely out of the question for you?


A 2.1 is rough, since in my first year I had to resit 3 exams which automatically are given as a 45* (even though I got C+ and B level grades) to show that it was a resit examination. So, my average is a 55 in first year. In 2nd year, I got 3 As, like 4 C+s and borderline Bs, a B+, but I got 4Ds, and my average is a 65. But to be able to bump up my average, I'd need an 80 average over the next 2 years, which is really difficult due to having 10 ECTS credits all examined in 1 exam. I have no idea what to do anymore :frown: I wish I could go back and start over now that I know about my ADHD and now that I've found medication that helps me perform well in exams! I sometimes consider doing the LLB of University of London, especially since I don't plan on practicing in Malta.
Original post by Sorcerer of Old
Wait what??? 68% is a 2.2 in Malta??? They’re absolutely wildin’.


Yep! And all years are weighted equally for the LLB. Lecturers put 10 and 8 ECTS modules all in one exam at the end of the year. I truly believe we shouldn't have such high standards, since our lecturers aren't the best and the uni itself is like in the 800s area of uni rankings. Our Faculty of law is known to be extremely unfair, such as giving resit examinations a forced 45 (D) grade to lower the average due to not passing the first exam (I got 3 of my resits in the B range, and have a 45 just because I had to redo the exam).
(edited 1 year ago)
Original post by kelagiorgio
Yep! And all years are weighted equally for the LLB. Lecturers put 10 and 8 ECTS modules all in one exam at the end of the year. I truly believe we shouldn't have such high standards, since our lecturers aren't the best and the uni itself is like in the 800s area of uni rankings.

That seems just absolutely ridiculous if I’m being too honest. But how would that work in terms of conversion, would any UK uni recognise that as a high 2.1 or???
(edited 1 year ago)
Original post by Sorcerer of Old
That seems just absolutely ridiculous if I’m being too honest. But how would that work in terms of conversion, would my UK uni recognise that as a high 2.1 or???


No, all unis I've seen which I would love to study at (I would love to study at Uni of Birmingham or Exeter) consider our 2.2 as a 2.1 UK equivalency. I have no idea why, especially since a lot of our modules are based on UK law since our law comes from it, and our LLB is a year longer than 3 years, with 240 ECTS. Not to mention the 45 resit thing, it lowers your average tremendously and we have to complete a masters which isn't recognised anywhere other than Malta. The top students in the LLB course here achieve a 2.1, no one hasn't gotten a first in years. There's lots of bureaucracy and many lecturers will favour children of prominent lawyers in our country (There are students who I easily beat out in a levels but all of a sudden are getting As all the time and their dad is the lecturer...). I honestly was considering doing the LLB of Uni of London online, since I don't plan on practicing here anyways since I was born and raised in Staffordshire/Oxfordshire and have citizenship since my dad completed his studies at the University of Oxford.
(edited 1 year ago)
Original post by Sorcerer of Old
Wait what??? 68% is a 2.2 in Malta??? They’re absolutely wildin’.


To be fair at the open Uni a 69% is a 2:2
70 -85 is a 2:1 and 85+ is a first I was 3% off a first Xx and the marking was very inconsistent
Original post by Aminakelly366
To be fair at the open Uni a 69% is a 2:2
70 -85 is a 2:1 and 85+ is a first I was 3% off a first Xx and the marking was very inconsistent


Open Uni has no entry requirements for Bachelors, this course requires A levels in languages at C or better (translates to a B in UK A levels).
I'm unclear on the point you're making. I'm talking about the marking criteria on assignments not the entry criteria. Two distinct things
Original post by Aminakelly366
I'm unclear on the point you're making. I'm talking about the marking criteria on assignments not the entry criteria. Two distinct things


The Open Uni will probably have higher standards since it allows everyone to pursue a degree, and they cannot 'filter' out "weaker" students so to speak.
Original post by kelagiorgio
The Open Uni will probably have higher standards since it allows everyone to pursue a degree, and they cannot 'filter' out "weaker" students so to speak.


Ahh that makes sense nowb

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