The Student Room Group

My grades haven't improved since I started uni

This is mostly just a frustrated rant and I know every comment will just tell me to give up and drop out because I've posted similar threads and received similar replies before.

I'm a second year Oxford law student. My first ever assignment in my first week of first year scored 60 and the one I did last week scored 56 (my first ever 2:2). In between that I've had modules where I've averaged 63 and some where I've averaged 67 but I've never got a first. The highest score I've ever got was 69. So basically no improvement over a nearly two year period.

I put in at least 40 hours of work a week and try to take on board feedback from tutors and I ask how I can improve and try but nothing makes a difference. At this point I don't even know what I'm wasting my money and going into debt over.

I'm not having a uni experience or enjoying myself here either. I don't have a single friend, both my mental and physical health are steadily declining and I spend all day studying in the library (to no ******* reward) and all night drinking alone. I'm sick of working myself to exhaustion for absolutely no reward. I've tried different methods of studying, I've tried asking my tutors for help. but nothing works. and I'm consistently humiliated and made to look as if I've sat on my arse doing nothing all week in tutorials.

So yeah, frustrated rant over (I know every comment will say I should drop out and I deserve to get a third with this attitude because I;ve posted similar rants threads before and I'm not planning on dropping out)
Original post by Anonymous
This is mostly just a frustrated rant and I know every comment will just tell me to give up and drop out because I've posted similar threads and received similar replies before.

I'm a second year Oxford law student. My first ever assignment in my first week of first year scored 60 and the one I did last week scored 56 (my first ever 2:2). In between that I've had modules where I've averaged 63 and some where I've averaged 67 but I've never got a first. The highest score I've ever got was 69. So basically no improvement over a nearly two year period.

I put in at least 40 hours of work a week and try to take on board feedback from tutors and I ask how I can improve and try but nothing makes a difference. At this point I don't even know what I'm wasting my money and going into debt over.

I'm not having a uni experience or enjoying myself here either. I don't have a single friend, both my mental and physical health are steadily declining and I spend all day studying in the library (to no ******* reward) and all night drinking alone. I'm sick of working myself to exhaustion for absolutely no reward. I've tried different methods of studying, I've tried asking my tutors for help. but nothing works. and I'm consistently humiliated and made to look as if I've sat on my arse doing nothing all week in tutorials.

So yeah, frustrated rant over (I know every comment will say I should drop out and I deserve to get a third with this attitude because I;ve posted similar rants threads before and I'm not planning on dropping out)

You're working at a solid 2:1 level. What's the issue? :confused:

Surely you're not considering anything less than a first to be a "failure"?
Reply 2
Original post by DataVenia
You're working at a solid 2:1 level. What's the issue? :confused:
Surely you're not considering anything less than a first to be a "failure"?

My most recent mark was 56, if I get a 2:2 I will struggle to get any job in law really. Also the problem is that I’ve seen literally no improvement since first starting uni despite the work I’ve been putting in. My mediocre marks wouldn’t be a problem if there was any prospect of improvement but there really isn’t
Original post by Anonymous
My most recent mark was 56, if I get a 2:2 I will struggle to get any job in law really. Also the problem is that I’ve seen literally no improvement since first starting uni despite the work I’ve been putting in. My mediocre marks wouldn’t be a problem if there was any prospect of improvement but there really isn’t

Your most recent mark may have been 56, but you've also averaged 63 in one module and averaged 67 in another. Your range of marks is 56 to 69, so why focus on the 56? Just because it was your most recent mark? Do you genuinely think that you're becoming a less capable student as time goes on? Or is it more likely that the most recent assignment just didn't suit you?

Your marks are not "mediocre", however much you attempt to characterise them as such.

If you left Oxford with a 2:1 (which seems likely based upon your current marks) do you really think that you would "struggle to get any job in law"?!
Reply 4
Original post by DataVenia
Your most recent mark may have been 56, but you've also averaged 63 in one module and averaged 67 in another. Your range of marks is 56 to 69, so why focus on the 56? Just because it was your most recent mark? Do you genuinely think that you're becoming a less capable student as time goes on? Or is it more likely that the most recent assignment just didn't suit you?
Your marks are not "mediocre", however much you attempt to characterise them as such.
If you left Oxford with a 2:1 (which seems likely based upon your current marks) do you really think that you would "struggle to get any job in law"?!
I've resigned myself to getting a 2:1 now, I don't think it would make me completely unemployable but I think it would make me an unremarkable candidate. The issue is that I'm potentially working at a 2:2 level (especially as standards of marking between tutors can be very different and I don't know if previous tutors who have given me high 2:1 marks were marking generously). If I come away from this with a 2:2 then I would struggle to find jobs and have basically wasted my money
Original post by DataVenia
Your most recent mark may have been 56, but you've also averaged 63 in one module and averaged 67 in another. Your range of marks is 56 to 69, so why focus on the 56? Just because it was your most recent mark? Do you genuinely think that you're becoming a less capable student as time goes on? Or is it more likely that the most recent assignment just didn't suit you?
Your marks are not "mediocre", however much you attempt to characterise them as such.
If you left Oxford with a 2:1 (which seems likely based upon your current marks) do you really think that you would "struggle to get any job in law"?!

😍PRSOM!!!

Oluwatosin 3rd year student University of Huddersfield
Original post by Anonymous
This is mostly just a frustrated rant and I know every comment will just tell me to give up and drop out because I've posted similar threads and received similar replies before.
I'm a second year Oxford law student. My first ever assignment in my first week of first year scored 60 and the one I did last week scored 56 (my first ever 2:2). In between that I've had modules where I've averaged 63 and some where I've averaged 67 but I've never got a first. The highest score I've ever got was 69. So basically no improvement over a nearly two year period.
I put in at least 40 hours of work a week and try to take on board feedback from tutors and I ask how I can improve and try but nothing makes a difference. At this point I don't even know what I'm wasting my money and going into debt over.
I'm not having a uni experience or enjoying myself here either. I don't have a single friend, both my mental and physical health are steadily declining and I spend all day studying in the library (to no ******* reward) and all night drinking alone. I'm sick of working myself to exhaustion for absolutely no reward. I've tried different methods of studying, I've tried asking my tutors for help. but nothing works. and I'm consistently humiliated and made to look as if I've sat on my arse doing nothing all week in tutorials.
So yeah, frustrated rant over (I know every comment will say I should drop out and I deserve to get a third with this attitude because I;ve posted similar rants threads before and I'm not planning on dropping out)

Hi there,

Sorry to hear that you are having a tough time. You are doing so well even if you don't think that you are and if you get a 2:1 or a 2:2 it is not the end of the world if you feel like you have worked hard for it. I know it can be hard to focus on the good marks you are getting and forgetting about the odd lower/less desirable marks that you are getting especially if you have high standards for yourself. I know that I am the same in that regard.

As others have said your marks will fluctuate across your years at universities and will be dependent on the type of assignment and how you find the assignment as some may feel trickier or be less interesting than others. Therefore naturally there will be some assignments that you will not do as well in compared to others.

In regards to feeling lonely and feeling like you have not got a single friend have you tried joining a sports or society? This will allow you to meet people who have similar interests to you and create some good new friends whilst also allowing your brain to have a bit of a study break.

I hope this helps and the rest of your studies go well 😊
Katie - Student Ambassador
Hi there,

I'm sorry to hear that. But I have some thoughts about your current situation, I don't think you need to drop out of school, you just need to take a break, not physically but mentally. 67 is a very high score and I agree with the user above that you don't need to care too much about this 56 because you are still a very good student.

If you think it's really too hard to ignore, I suggest asking your tutor why this score isn't very good, as well as giving you some feedback on your studies. And to give feedback to the university to request a change of tutor, the role of a tutor should be to help and encourage you, not to make you feel down.

I always believe that when you feel sad in life it means better days ahead, and I hope you do too.

Yu
Wrexham University Student Rep 3rd Year Media Production student
Im still a high school student so obviously my info might not work but i feel rlly bad and i just wanna help a TSR friend out :smile:
One thing is first sit down and try to calm down (ik this sounds stupid but you cant achieve anything if your running about confused) Don't exhaust yourself your not failing your doing pretty good maybe spend a bit getti g your mental health and physical health back on track . then organise form what ur good at too least. If you suck at a particular topic use most of your time on that. YT videos help out a bunch for me and use the internet it has everything! If you ever need to talk im here :biggrin:

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