Failing MSc resits at LSE-Please help!

Green86

Thank You

Reply 1

Haksa

Green86

I never thought I'd have to ask for help on something like this but I believe i have failed my resits for the MSc Accounting and Finance program at the LSE. I just sat the exam a week ago and I still have 3 more left. but I am 99.9% positive I failed the first exam(bad fail). I was ill on the day and the week prior- I have a note from the doctor to prove this. But I have been so depressed, its affecting my study for the other papers and I'm not sure how well I will do/or even pass all of them.

I have a good job currently at a top city firm, full time which is why I haven't really had time to study. However it is more the course I am studying, that demotivates me, since I realized after I started it, how much I hated the subjects and should have studied something more management or social science related instead of attempting hard core quant finance papers. So no matter how hard I try I dont have the motivation or inspiration to study for them. all that is happening is I fall sick and get depressed.

I've always been a high achiever, with a first honours at undergrad, so to actually fail a degree is killing me. It is also the fact my parents paid a lot for this degree and I cant bear the thought of not having something to show for it. Also I'm concerned how this affects my work prospects, even though my company is currently satisfied with my undergrad degree, it doesnt bode well for future progressions at a higher level or career changes.

My questions are

1) If someone has been though this before,what was your coping strategy? please get in touch with me.

2) What are the chances of LSE accepting my mitigating circumstances and either letting me resit or passing me if it is a marginal bad fail?

3) I want to do a second masters(in another subject), what are the chances of getting accepted to a top school when they find out I failed one degree?..Should i ever mention it on my CV or explain the circumstances and pray for the best?

I hope to hear your responses soon.

Thank You

First of all, don't panic or become too disheartened. You're clearly a smart cookie and this is just a minor academic blip in the grand scheme of things. People recover from bigger setbacks and it's experiences like these that build character.

With regards to your questions,

2) The only way to find out for sure is to contact LSE yourself. My hunch is that they would be somewhat sympathetic. However, considering this is a retake, they might not be that lenient. Mere speculation though.

3) I don't imagine this failed masters would be too much of a blemish for future applications, especially if you want to apply for a completely different subject. However, it may be a problem if you wanted to apply for a similar subject. People change their minds all the time - you wont be the first person to fail a masters and you certainly wont be the last...heck, you haven't even failed yet!

Hope that helps.

Reply 2

Green86

Thanks a million for your advice Haksa.

It really does help having the encouragement because it is such a blow when you realize you messed up something. I'm going to wait a few years, get some good work experience and then apply for a masters in a different subject, one i actually like. My confidence has taken a blow but hopefully LSE will be somewhat sympathetic since I really was terribly ill this time around.

It will take a while to get my confidence back but i guess i just need to move on and stay strong.

Thanks again, your encouragement means a lot.

Reply 3

thling06

Hey,

I can appreciate what you are going through. You feel hopeless and dishearthened that you are studying really hard and doing your best and yet it is not showing through your result. The fear of being rejected and failure just makes the whole matter worse and you can;t understand it as you were top in your undergraduate!

Well, you had tried your best and that is that! You have learn to fail and move on and that i think it is the greatest lesson you have learnt from your course! Not everyone fails, and not everyone who fails stands up again and try again. So don;t feel bad about it!

Reply 4

gtuz

I really wonder the further consequences of this thread post. That is because I feel the same. Exactly.

Graduated as a first of the school, worked in a good job and a career now embarked on LSE masters but feel like I do not like the subjects, courses at all. And it's getting more overwhelming, if I fail I need to pay back my scholarship to the institution that gives me this.