The Student Room Group

Third Class Degree from Oxford University?

I'm confused. My life was going soooo well, and then I left the safety of Gloucestershire to go to Oxford Univerity... Now what?

I'm quite clever, (10 A* GCSEs, 6 A for A-Level, multi-lingual, multi-instrumental), but I'm really struggling with my Mathematical Sciences degree at Trinity College Oxford. Even if I put lots of effort in, I expect I won't get better than a third. I realise that it's not the end the end of the world in that no-one's going to shoot me, but it's disheartening to think that I have no prospect whatsoever of getting any job or onto any postgrad course. Am I really this worthless and unemployable? Don't bother replying to say, "ha ha ha you're completely fucked!", I know that already, but I'd like to hear from anyone who's had a similar experience, or just anyone's constructive thoughts.

I don't want to sound like the spoiled bratt that I in fact am; I know that much worse things have happened to people than going to uni and getting a third. I'm just finding it difficult to come to terms with the fact that my career options consist of manual labourer or binman rather than management consultant or banker. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't want to work for KPMG even if they were glazed in honey, but it seems so unfair that any pathway to success seems to be blocked by the crushing stigma of this stupid degree, even though I dare venture that I am at least as talented as Joe Bloggs with a 2.1 in media studies from XY former polytechnic. [No offence intended.]

If you're thinking of going to university, note that only degree class seems to matter to the obtuse set of people who unfortunately for me call themselves employers. Do an easy degree at an average university, have a little bit of fun whilst you're at it, romp home to your 2.1, and then you can get on with a successful life whilst I empty the wheelie bins at the bottom of your driveway on thursday mornings. Otherwise you might end up like me toiling all night and all day with an impenetrable subject, only to be dumped onto life's shit-heap at the end, regardless of what real talent you may possess.
[Look you sound very clever, and you have done remarkably well in your a-levels, just try your best.N.B YOU ARE AT OXFORD!!THAT IS ONE OF THE TOP UNI'S IN THE COUNTRY!!!!They will be queuing up for you anyway, as to get into Oxford you have to be clever.Don't worry and try hard and you will get through it.Try and think postive. I know it is hard.



You will be fine
[email protected]

p.s I'm thick..lol..i'll end up as a bin woman.you can talk to me on msn if you want sometime.
Reply 2
thanks amy.

amy_2201
[Look you sound very clever, and you have done remarkably well in your a-levels, just try your best.N.B YOU ARE AT OXFORD!!THAT IS ONE OF THE TOP UNI'S IN THE COUNTRY!!!!They will be queuing up for you anyway, as to get into Oxford you have to be clever.Don't worry and try hard and you will get through it.Try and think postive. I know it is hard.



You will be fine
[email protected]

p.s I'm thick..lol..i'll end up as a bin woman.you can talk to me on msn if you want sometime.
Call me stupid, but when you do medicine, no matter which Uni, you will get a job wont u? Becasue ull all end up being doctors in the NHS, or is my view wrong.
(okay - this is a few days after the fact, and hopefully life is looking brighter for you by now, but here's my ranty reply anyway. For what it's worth...)

And here I was thinking that once you had an Oxford degree - even a third - you were sort of home free. Obviously that's not completely true, and I know absolutely nothing about the British job market (although I'd better find out, considering I'll probably be entering it at some point), but...you're obviously bright. And you got into Oxford, which says a hell of a lot. I refuse to believe that any employer would chuck you because you got a third, without even considering all your stellar qualities (and the ones that would, well, you probably wouldn't want to work for them, anyway). I mean, they have to consider that a third in a tough subject at Oxford can be as difficult to get, and indicate as much work/talent, as a first in an easy subject somewhere else.

Seriously. I know this must be very stressful, and the agony of trying to get into a good university is probably nothing to the agony of trying to get a good job after university, but the worst thing you can do is to keep thinking like this. You are going to do well.
Reply 5
erika_johanna
(okay - this is a few days after the fact, and hopefully life is looking brighter for you by now, but here's my ranty reply anyway. For what it's worth...)

And here I was thinking that once you had an Oxford degree - even a third - you were sort of home free. Obviously that's not completely true, and I know absolutely nothing about the British job market (although I'd better find out, considering I'll probably be entering it at some point), but...you're obviously bright. And you got into Oxford, which says a hell of a lot. I refuse to believe that any employer would chuck you because you got a third, without even considering all your stellar qualities (and the ones that would, well, you probably wouldn't want to work for them, anyway). I mean, they have to consider that a third in a tough subject at Oxford can be as difficult to get, and indicate as much work/talent, as a first in an easy subject somewhere else.

Seriously. I know this must be very stressful, and the agony of trying to get into a good university is probably nothing to the agony of trying to get a good job after university, but the worst thing you can do is to keep thinking like this. You are going to do well.



You're trying hard to cheer the fellow up butttt....even with a 2:1 from Oxford there are often rejections without interview. With a 3rd....well, application goes straight into the bin. For some particularly competitive positions, they have over a thousand applications for 1/2 places.
2776
Call me stupid, but when you do medicine, no matter which Uni, you will get a job wont u? Becasue ull all end up being doctors in the NHS, or is my view wrong.


yeh u'll get a job as long as u get the degree
Reply 7
SparklLZz
yeh u'll get a job as long as u get the degree

which is good :biggrin: :biggrin: :biggrin: :biggrin:
your a fuckin idiot
stop whining and get that ******* overpriveleged fat arse ******* stuck in.
you've got a challenge, wheres your *******s man?
Reply 10
I read your post and i must query....why do you think you will get a Third? I mean, how can you be sure? Have you been told that by tutors?
Reply 11
bob69
your a fuckin idiot


Your = belonging to you
You're = You are
DamianHolt
I'm confused. My life was going soooo well, and then I left the safety of Gloucestershire to go to Oxford Univerity... Now what?

I'm quite clever, (10 A* GCSEs, 6 A for A-Level, multi-lingual, multi-instrumental), but I'm really struggling with my Mathematical Sciences degree at Trinity College Oxford. Even if I put lots of effort in, I expect I won't get better than a third. I realise that it's not the end the end of the world in that no-one's going to shoot me, but it's disheartening to think that I have no prospect whatsoever of getting any job or onto any postgrad course. Am I really this worthless and unemployable? Don't bother replying to say, "ha ha ha you're completely fucked!", I know that already, but I'd like to hear from anyone who's had a similar experience, or just anyone's constructive thoughts.

I don't want to sound like the spoiled bratt that I in fact am; I know that much worse things have happened to people than going to uni and getting a third. I'm just finding it difficult to come to terms with the fact that my career options consist of manual labourer or binman rather than management consultant or banker. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't want to work for KPMG even if they were glazed in honey, but it seems so unfair that any pathway to success seems to be blocked by the crushing stigma of this stupid degree, even though I dare venture that I am at least as talented as Joe Bloggs with a 2.1 in media studies from Sheffield Hallam former polytechnic. [No offence intended.]

If you're thinking of going to university, note that only degree class seems to matter to the obtuse set of people who unfortunately for me call themselves employers. Do an easy degree at an average university, have a little bit of fun whilst you're at it, romp home to your 2.1, and then you can get on with a successful life whilst I empty the wheelie bins at the bottom of your driveway on thursday mornings. Otherwise you might end up like me toiling all night and all day with an impenetrable subject, only to be dumped onto life's shit-heap at the end, regardless of what real talent you may possess.




There are lots of famous and rich people with thirds from Oxbridge. Carol Vorderman got a III from Cambridge in Engineering and she's rolling in it:smile: Even if you do get a third, it ain't the end of the world - you'll still have a degree from Oxford after all! But I'm sure you won't. Don't give up! It'll be OK I'm sure.
Reply 13
I know what you mean Damian. I am at Durham and will probably end up with a 2:2, which makes me vitually unemployable for all the jobs i want to do. Thank you very much to all the banks on Canary Wharf who only take a 2:1 and above.

So if you see me selling the big issue, please stop and buy a copy...lol
Reply 14
Which college, clare bear ? I'm at chad's (:
you really are. "I'm quite clever"..bullshi*. you never got 6A's thats damn rare and i know you sure as hell ain't one of them.
Why are you guys so stupid as to reply to this losers rubbish.
btw I know of someone who got a 2:2 from oxford (PPE) and now a Goldman Sachs investment banking associate. He went to LBS and got an MBA, you know what that stands for prick?
Reply 16
theECONOMIST
you really are. "I'm quite clever"..bullshi*. you never got 6A's thats damn rare and i know you sure as hell ain't one of them.
Why are you guys so stupid as to reply to this losers rubbish.
btw I know of someone who got a 2:2 from oxford (PPE) and now a Goldman Sachs investment banking associate. He went to LBS and got an MBA, you know what that stands for prick?


who the f*ck are you to say i didn't get 6As - damn right it's rare in the old system - you prick I worked f*cking hard for those six As if you've got nothing useful to say then p*ss of you w*nker but don't tell other people whether or not then can givetheir useful opinions, or insult their intelligence for giving them. What's the MBA got to do with this anyway? You are such a c*ck.


Thanks for the input from everyone else.
Reply 17
DanielW
Which college, clare bear ? I'm at chad's (:


The one and only Hild Bede, which year are you in and what are you studying?

xxxx
Reply 18
1st year, maths
Reply 19
Clare Bear
I know what you mean Damian. I am at Durham and will probably end up with a 2:2, which makes me vitually unemployable for all the jobs i want to do. Thank you very much to all the banks on Canary Wharf who only take a 2:1 and above.

So if you see me selling the big issue, please stop and buy a copy...lol


hey clare bear. what are you studying?

the thing that annoys me, is that not only the big banks demand this 2.1, but absolutely everyone seems to. Even to do teaching in the 'Teach First' program, you need a 2.1 . I find it absolutely pathetic that these idiots, with one sweep of a brush, have deemed me incapable of teaching basic maths to kids. Why? would a 2.1 from somewhere easy make me better qualified? I know you can get into teaching in other ways, I'm just highlighting this baffling and in any case unhelpfully vague threshold of a "2.1 in any subject from any university" as an across the board marker of ability. I don't understand it.