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Getting on the BCL

Katy_Jane

Hmmm...how very interesting. You all ignored the fact that I am achieving As at university (with the exception of one B) and made a judgement about me purely based on my A-level results. Actually - I am in the top 10% at university - because contrary to all of your very insulting opinions - I am very intelligent and hard working.
That's because you provided precious little other information to judge you on and specifically stressed your bad A-level performance, without even mentioning that there were mitigating circumstances.

Laziness? Stupidity? No no no. I have never been lazy and I have never been stupid. If you must know I had very serious personal problems during my A-levels that caused me to suffer very serious depression and consequently I only got two Ds. Apart from my A-levels, I have always been a grade A student, I was at one of the best colleges in my area - I won't tell you the name as I don't want to reveal my identity - but I can tell you that it was a college that only accepts A grade students. Oh - and I hope that none of you are going to try and attack me for suffering depression - because I'm pretty sure that IS discrimination and I would suggest that any of you with such discriminative views refrain from voicing them in the future or it will wind up getting you into some very serious trouble.

What exactly are you getting so worked up about? :s-smilie:

You gave people a rather short and distorted account of your situation, which was bound to make them draw some very wrong conclusions about your academic ability and then you fly into a self-righteous rage because people did draw the wrong conclusions. If you're so keen to have your intelligence properly acknowledged, you need to give people a fair chance and tell them the whole story rather than just give them a few select snippets which misrepresent your situation.
No offence, but you got what you asked for. To get more balanced responses, you should have provided more information. You can't call people judgemental and discriminatory for not taking into account a context which you failed to provide and which they couldn't possibly have known about through other sources.

Reply 41

Cirsium

19

As far as I can tell those of us who 'criticised' you said:
- Being at a poly will not disadvantage you
- Getting very good results will put you in a good position
- Your A-level grades in and of themselves are not particularly relevant
- BUT unless there is a good reason for them getting DD at A-level probably shows you're deficient in some area.

Now that you've decided to point out what the reason is then fine, great, many of us said that the Ds in themselves are not the issue - the reason behind them is. But if I were you, when applying, I'd be a bit more forthcoming with the information, instead of expecting people to figure it out for themselves :rolleyes:

Laziness? Stupidity? No no no. I have never been lazy and I have never been stupid. If you must know I had very serious personal problems during my A-levels that caused me to suffer very serious depression and consequently I only got two Ds.

So first you say yourself that we don't already know.

With all the steps this society has taken to try and rid itself of discrimination - it still lives as strong as ever. Do not judge me for a terrible illness that I suffered five years ago.

And then you accuse us of discrimination for something we don't know about?! Jeez, where do you get off?

Reply 42

KwungSun

13

Katy_Jane

Hmmm...how very interesting. You all ignored the fact that I am achieving As at university (with the exception of one B) and made a judgement about me purely based on my A-level results. Actually - I am in the top 10% at university - because contrary to all of your very insulting opinions - I am very intelligent and hard working.

Laziness? Stupidity? No no no. I have never been lazy and I have never been stupid. If you must know I had very serious personal problems during my A-levels that caused me to suffer very serious depression and consequently I only got two Ds. Apart from my A-levels, I have always been a grade A student, I was at one of the best colleges in my area - I won't tell you the name as I don't want to reveal my identity - but I can tell you that it was a college that only accepts A grade students. Oh - and I hope that none of you are going to try and attack me for suffering depression - because I'm pretty sure that IS discrimination and I would suggest that any of you with such discriminative views refrain from voicing them in the future or it will wind up getting you into some very serious trouble.

Quite frankly I am absolutely shocked and disgusted at some of your attitudes. More than anything it saddens me. With all the steps this society has taken to try and rid itself of discrimination - it still lives as strong as ever. Do not judge me for a terrible illness that I suffered five years ago. A-levels are for getting into a university - the quality of the degree should be what gets a person into postgraduate courses. Oh and by the way, life is long and full of problems - one day it is very likely that one of you will suffer such a problem, one so terrible that it will smack you off your feet, and you will come crashing to the ground - perhaps resulting in you losing a very important legal case or even getting fired from your firm. Would you be content to be judged forever on the basis of losing that one case or getting fired? No? Well then neither should I forever be judged on the basis of my A-level results.

You sound like a wonderful person...

Reply 43

eve_22

18

Katy_Jane

Hmmm...how very interesting. You all ignored the fact that I am achieving As at university (with the exception of one B) and made a judgement about me purely based on my A-level results. Actually - I am in the top 10% at university - because contrary to all of your very insulting opinions - I am very intelligent and hard working.

Laziness? Stupidity? No no no. I have never been lazy and I have never been stupid. If you must know I had very serious personal problems during my A-levels that caused me to suffer very serious depression and consequently I only got two Ds. Apart from my A-levels, I have always been a grade A student, I was at one of the best colleges in my area - I won't tell you the name as I don't want to reveal my identity - but I can tell you that it was a college that only accepts A grade students. Oh - and I hope that none of you are going to try and attack me for suffering depression - because I'm pretty sure that IS discrimination and I would suggest that any of you with such discriminative views refrain from voicing them in the future or it will wind up getting you into some very serious trouble.

Quite frankly I am absolutely shocked and disgusted at some of your attitudes. More than anything it saddens me. With all the steps this society has taken to try and rid itself of discrimination - it still lives as strong as ever. Do not judge me for a terrible illness that I suffered five years ago. A-levels are for getting into a university - the quality of the degree should be what gets a person into postgraduate courses. Oh and by the way, life is long and full of problems - one day it is very likely that one of you will suffer such a problem, one so terrible that it will smack you off your feet, and you will come crashing to the ground - perhaps resulting in you losing a very important legal case or even getting fired from your firm. Would you be content to be judged forever on the basis of losing that one case or getting fired? No? Well then neither should I forever be judged on the basis of my A-level results.

It's funny how you come on this forum asking for advice and get mad when you actually get some. If you don't want people to make wrong assumptions, you should make sure that they have all the information needed to make the right ones. In your original post you never even mentioned anything about your illness and, consequently, you yourself have no right to accuse people of being judgemental or having the wrong attidues. No one is discriminating against you. In fact, majority of people on TSR actually make an effort to help you. I have no A levels at all, as I left school at sixteen, but no one on here called me stupid or lazy when I explained my situation to them. It might surprise you, but everyone on here is a person just like yourself and I bet that, should you have made your situation clear at the begining, you would have got completely different responses. Being an aspiring lawyer, you should really try to learn how to state your case a little better.

Life is indeed long and full of problems, and I am sure that each and every one of us have or will come across them at some point. However, from what you have written, it almost seems like you wish us exactly that. Let me tell you something though-by trying to paint a 'scary' picture of someone else's future you just make yourself look a little sad and, frankly, this is probably the last time anyone will ever want to give you any advice.

You are right that no one should be judged by their previous mistakes or misfortunes, if you wish, and I believe that only sad and self centred people will ever aim to do exactly that. However, when it comes to people's advice, you should simply accept it for what it is and not get offended by it, since you yourself have made the decision of asking for it in the first place. If you don't agree with it, say it, but at least make some effort to be polite...Oh, and try to learn that not every answer that you'll get will be to your liking.

Reply 44

Katy_Jane

OP

It's true that I didn't tell you about my depression in my first posting and of course I never expected you to guess that I had it. I am not saying I was discriminated against because of depression. I'm saying that most people immediately attacked me on the basis of my A-level results, ignoring completely the high grades that I am getting now. Logic would tell you that someone who had only attained Ds at A-level due to stupidity would never be capable of achieving As at university. But the majority of people ignored that logic and leapt straight to the conclusion that because I only got Ds I am too stupid or too lazy to get a first. Indeed, the fact that I have good reasons for underachieving at A-level is highly irrelevant to my point. Even if someone had got poor A-levels because of laziness at college, it would still have been wrong for any of you to come out and dismiss them purely on that basis if they were achieving high grades at university.

To eve_22, I would never wish anything bad on anyone. I did not mean it literally. I was merely illustrating my point which was that just as no-one would want to be judged solely on the basis of a mistake such as losing their job so too would I not want to be judged solely on the basis of my poor A-level results. And I'm afraid that was exactly what many people were doing. They were ignoring my current performance at university and judging me purely on my A-level results.

I won't apologise for arguing that it was wrong for people to judge me by my A-levels, but I will apologise if the way that I made my argument was offensive to anyone.

Reply 45

Katy_Jane

OP

What I will say as well is that perhaps I did let some comments get to me - and perhaps I did overreact - just a little. I think some comments were quite harsh and hit a raw nerve. So I do apologise for going into a bit of a "emotional rant." But again - I stand by my point that no-one should be judged on their A-levels alone.

Reply 46

flugestuge

3

Katy_Jane

Logic would tell you that someone who had only attained Ds at A-level due to stupidity would never be capable of achieving As at university.

Not true.
Some universities like London Met and Westminster have notoriously low standards. I am sure that some DDD students there get Firsts.

Reply 47

Cirsium

19

Two points:

- There's nothing wrong with judging your A-level scores if that is what the university is likely to do. I am certain that without mitigating circumstances they would look at A-levels and have (potentially a more measured) a reaction along very similar lines to those in this thread.
- Getting As at university is more than possible if you're less than bright depending on the university. I've read work by friends at other very good universities that has been highly marked there, and would have barely scraped a 2i here. For whatever reason there clearly is some disparity in things like the standard of essay writing expected. If it varies so much between Bristol and Oxford, then I imagine universities further down the league table follow the same trend. That doesn't negate the fact that there is no higher mark really, so you could be producing superb work, but don't kid yourself that just because your university grades you at an A that that puts you on a par with everyone everywhere else.

I'm sorry if that sounds pessimistic, but I wouldn't want you to go forward with false assumptions.

Reply 48

Katy_Jane

OP

With attitudes like that, can you understand why I'm so sensitive about this whole thing? It's no-one's fault but I feel that I am pounding against a brick wall when it comes to getting into the legal profession. Time and time again the attitude seems to be - if you've got poor A-levels and if you're at a poor university - you can forget a career in law. That is why when I read some - and I must stress - not all - of the comments on this forum they hit a raw nerve.

Reply 49

flugestuge

3

Katy_Jane

if you've got poor A-levels and if you're at a poor university - you can forget a career in law

Law does tend to be very merit/ability/mark based.

However there is always paralegaling.
http://www.ten-percent.co.uk/paralegals.htm

http://www.paralegalnet.co.uk/

Reply 50

Teebs

16

Katy_Jane

With attitudes like that, can you understand why I'm so sensitive about this whole thing? It's no-one's fault but I feel that I am pounding against a brick wall when it comes to getting into the legal profession. Time and time again the attitude seems to be - if you've got poor A-levels and if you're at a poor university - you can forget a career in law. That is why when I read some - and I must stress - not all - of the comments on this forum they hit a raw nerve.

I think the answer has been made pretty clear though. If you get a first then you have a chance. Both at the BCL and a legal career. If you don't then you have no chance with the BCL (you need a 1st regardless of your uni as I understand it) and will have difficulties with certain firms in a legal career.

Reply 51

hobnob

14

Katy_Jane

With attitudes like that, can you understand why I'm so sensitive about this whole thing? It's no-one's fault but I feel that I am pounding against a brick wall when it comes to getting into the legal profession. Time and time again the attitude seems to be - if you've got poor A-levels and if you're at a poor university - you can forget a career in law. That is why when I read some - and I must stress - not all - of the comments on this forum they hit a raw nerve.

Well, that's because frankly, you are - which doesn't mean you can't still punch a hole in it, obviously, but you are up against the odds. That's partly due to the fact that you had a bit of a shaky start, of course, but it's also because the BCL simply happens to be a highly popular course with particularly high entry requirements, which means it'll be tough to get an offer for, no matter what your background is. :dontknow:

Reply 52

username138106

What's an "A" at university?

Reply 53

Teebs

16

2 5 +

What's an "A" at university?

Better than a B, worse than an A*. :yep:

Reply 54

username138106

Teebs

Better than a B, worse than an A*. :yep:

What's a "B"? :confused:

Reply 55

Teebs

16

2 5 +

What's a "B"? :confused:

Worse than an A and better than a C. :yep:

Reply 56

serrellen

11

Katy_Jane

- perhaps I did overreact - just a little.

... a tad!

Reply 57

Katy_Jane

OP

LOL. Yes alright maybe more than just a tad. I have a tendency to overreact sometimes - it's my emotional nature I'm afraid. But like I said, I really didn't mean to offend anyone so I'm sorry if I did. I suppose as well as everything else I was annoyed about the fact that it seems I'm going to have to spend the rest of my working life raking over my past when I'd much rather put it behind me and forget about it. The personal problems that I went through were, very personal, and it's not a memory I particularly want to relive every time I fill out an application form or go to an interview. But at least now I know that I'm going to have to tell prospective universities and employers about why I did so badly in my A-levels.

Reply 58

eve_22

18

Katy_Jane

LOL. Yes alright maybe more than just a tad. I have a tendency to overreact sometimes - it's my emotional nature I'm afraid. But like I said, I really didn't mean to offend anyone so I'm sorry if I did. I suppose as well as everything else I was annoyed about the fact that it seems I'm going to have to spend the rest of my working life raking over my past when I'd much rather put it behind me and forget about it. The personal problems that I went through were, very personal, and it's not a memory I particularly want to relive every time I fill out an application form or go to an interview. But at least now I know that I'm going to have to tell prospective universities and employers about why I did so badly in my A-levels.

Now this is something that's much more down to earth and honest. I can totally relate to how you feel, however, don't let this stop you in trying to achieve your goals. You, just like every one of us, may not get everything you want, but it is always worth trying.

Try to be a little more open with people next time though, as it may lead to a completely different form of discussion and replies that you'll get from them.

Getting on the BCL

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