does getting a first class degree matter

If you find yourself thinking, "I've been to all my lectures and seminars, … Bolster up that slightly less impressive grade with all the skills you have attained alongside your degree. For graduates disappointed with their final grade, it can seem like everyone else graduated with a first-class degree — or at least a second-upper. So while it is always a good policy to aim for the stars, do not panic if your final grades fall short of what you hoped for – just find other ways to dazzle potential employers. Essentially, "first-class honours" and "2.1 (or 2:1) honours" are the top two categories of honors degrees in the UK system—sort of like the summa cum laude and magna cum laude in American universities. Some 30 per cent of maths students gain a first class degree, with 24 per cent in engineering, 22 per cent in physics and 20 per cent in computer science. "It's widely understood that no one ever looks at what boundary you have in your master's unless you're going into academia.". Myth 2. Meet the students who aren't aiming for a first... Jack Denton is in his final year studying electronic engineering. It's too expensive and I … Whatever the reasons for the recent spike in firsts, you can … Getting your graduate degree from any institution demonstrates to employers that you have what it really takes to succeed: persistence and determination. A first class degree completely eclipses any A-level results you may or may not have achieved. The best way to think about grades is to think about it as an indicator. November 29, 2020, Brooke Chaplan, "Those hours slaving over doing extra-curricular work for the paper on an out-of-date Mac were worth it.". 29%. There is a lot of criticism for the degree classification system which creates a chasm between students whose results are only separated by 2 or 3 percent. Photograph: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images, Guardian Students banner Photograph: guardian, the skills students really need when they graduate. Guy Drury got a 2.1 in international politics at Aberystwyth University and is now working for Southampton University's student union as a Democracy Coordinator. Your final certificate of attainment is by no means a definitive judgment of your value in the working world. Getting a first is difficult, but far from impossible. First Class Honours, referred to as a 'first', is the highest honours classification and indicates high academic achievement. Liked this? Research does show, resoundingly, that unemployment rates are lower for those students who get a first. 10 work-life balance tips to set you up for a better 2021, Four great industries if you want to work in sales, Want to work for the Royal Family: Here is what you need to know. jungle_boogie. In his spare time he works for his union as a technician, and feels that projects he does there are a more practical use of his skills and will lead to a better way into full-time employment. Graduate jobs: Do graduates need a first-class degree to get a good job? This is partially due to the fact that having a first-class degree often means that red carpets are laid out to encourage students to go onto further study. Yeah I’m with Jungle Boogie hear. A first-class degree takes hard work and dedication, no matter where or what you study. "It feels like the end of the world when you get a 2.2, but it really isn't," she says. "The alternative activities provide a wider scope into the world I will step into. Internships, society involvement, references, part-time work and volunteering experiences can all override a percentage and will probably have shaped you as an individual more than that final cram for those exams. Advertisement. Outside of his degree, he takes part in the International Youth Forum Seliger and Y20 Russia which he says help "provide wider networks" which will help him in the future. My top 10 tips to getting a graduate job with a 2.2 or 3 rd class degree; Why companies are crying out for candidates with a 2.2; How companies have been relaxing their degree requirements for getting a graduate job; Why your degree might not matter as much you think; The importance of work experience in getting a graduate job with a 2.2 or 3rd Author has 7.5K answers and 6.4M answer views. Is this the field that really inspires you? She is now a reporter for PoliticsHome and has worked for the Reading Post, Sky News and Total Politics after she got a 2.2 in politics and international relations at Reading University. They don't mind if … The nonmachinable surcharge applies only to First-Class Mail letters. They value something behind the grades, those qualities that we just mentioned. "Most of my mates and I don't care, as long as we pass," he says. He was heavily involved in politics and media throughout his time at university, and claims this helped him secure his job just two weeks after graduating. If you are to have any hope of getting a first class degree then you are going to have to learn to research and to do it independently. I'm just looking to pick up knowledge that I think will be the most relevant right now.". Your degree is a prerequisite for the competitive workforce; the topic is irrelevant. Not for these students. Then you’ll love… Student hacks uni system 90 times to change exam grades – FBI. It does not apply to postcards eli­gible for the card rate, large envelopes, or packages. Not having a first class honour does not prevent one from getting a good job. No matter what degree classification a graduate achieves, it is important to remember that they should always walk away from a course with a thorough understanding of the subjects they have studied. And that is a class where pretty much everyone had AAB or better at A-level (back in the 90s when those were actually pretty good A-level results). Required fields are marked *, Career Camel, In highly competitive fields, employers with an overwhelming number of applicants may screen out everyone who did not manage to achieve a 2:1, or may even demand a first to proceed to the next round of the application process. So what if you end up falling into the 2:2 band? Our free site work towards this mission by offering an array of advice from professionals and peers, access to millions of jobs via the biggest job search engine and a social platform to create an engaging network. ... do all your school tasks, get a degree, get a good job and take care of business. "Without that experience, I wouldn't have stood a chance," he says. November 15, 2020. Do you want to continue hitting your head against a brick wall, or is it time to re-evaluate what motivates you? Well im 2nd class lower btw. December 6, 2020, Emma Sturgis, Enjoying yourself is usually the easy bit – you’ll have new friends, more freedom than … If you are looking to pursue postgraduate education, and particularly if you are hoping to get your hands on some special funding to do so, a first can make all the difference. Any one with a first and upper second degree should be proud of their qualification because they have a greater chance of getting jobs or getting graduate degrees than people with a lower class degree(irrespective of the university they graduated from). They are told by employers that your grades don't matter in the job market; it's your skills that count. They don't mind if they don't get a first, as long as they have the skills employers want. It is more difficult to get a first class degree in law than it is in any other subject, including medicine. In 2015/16, just under 14% of law students graduated with first class degrees. having a 1st class honor degree is definately is an upperhand but then again communication skills is pretty much important. She's aiming for a 2:1 rather than a first and feels that concentrating solely on studying would not make her very employable. By throwing themselves into sports, societies, part-time work and volunteering, they reckon they have a much better chance of getting a job after they leave than spending their entire lives studying. You would typically need to get 70 percent or more total in your tests and examinations to get a first class degree at university. I can only speak for Economics/Econometrics as that is where my experience is but it is often it is over 50%, but at the same time the Honours cohort … At the beginning of the semester, have a wander around the … A lot of companies does put the degree results as one of the important, but as a fresh grad do take some time to do presentations in class and start communicating well. But now many students are taking a different approach to standing out in the job market – by putting their extra-curricular activities above their education. Despite studying what he describes as "one of the most useful degrees", he argues that the life skills he learns through volunteering for student support service Nightline, training for a marathon and playing in a jazz band are more useful for his employability in the long run. If you have left university with a third then there is probably a reason which you need to pay serious attention to. The table below shows the percentage of each class of honours degree awarded across the UK, by year. Around 59 percent of students who go onto postgraduate or PhD study gained a first in their undergraduate degree (according to the Higher Education Statistics Agency). She is the news editor for her student paper and works for the university as a student ambassador. According to the Higher Education Statistics Agency, 28 per cent of students in 2018 graduated with a first, and a further 48 per cent with an upper second class degree. "I've learnt just as much through the paper as I have with my degree," she says. Your degree gets you an interview (and a 2:1 from a good university should be plenty for that). If you find yourself just short of the boundary above then it is possible to appeal for remarking and reconsideration which could vastly change your immediate opportunities as a graduate. ", With more students focusing on their employability skills to try and get a graduate job, these students are no longer aiming for firsts, Some students are throwing away their hopes of getting a first-class degree and focusing on their employability instead. Does a College Degree Still Matter? Of course, on the idealistic side of things, what really matters is that someone is following a course that they really like and in a place that suits their needs. Not for these students. Do not price these cards as parcels. Your email address will not be published. UK: Too many first-class degrees sign of … Thanakorn Cheungchantrakul is a history student who plans to go to Russia to study after he graduates. The "definitions," such as they exist, of the different degrees, are available from Wikipedia. "From my extra-curricular activities I have learnt skills which employers want, like copywriting, communication and business-awareness," she says. Your email address will not be published. Historically, First Class Honours were uncommon, but as of 2019 are awarded to nearly thirty percent of graduates from British universities. With more graduates comes more competition for jobs, but is a first-class degree really the best way to stand out from the rest of the applicants? Many job roles have a minimum grade requirement of a 2.1 or a first in a degree. The model of economic class we use today is a derivation of German philosopher Karl Marx's (1818–1883) definition of class, which was central to his theory of how society operates in a state of class conflict. Employers never value grades for the sake of grades. When greeting cards exceed any one of the letter-size measurements (e.g., 6-1/8" height), they are classified and priced as flats (large envelopes). That’s just over 4%. A 2:1 is heralded as the gold bar which students need to propel themselves over in order to consider their degree a success with a capital ‘S’. A big shiny first is of course the ultimate dream for a student but it is not always attainable. If two otherwise identical candidates are applying for a job and one has a 1st and the other a 2:1, then obviously the one with the 1st will get the job. Attending the lectures and seminars, completing the assignments and reading the set texts will allow you to pass. "I'm spending a lot of time trying to make myself as employable as I can, which is why I sometimes neglect my course a bit.". Zena hopes to graduate with a 2.1 in English at the University of York, and says that she feels more productive developing "real-world skills" through working part-time in marketing rather than reading poetry. Anyone who has received a first-class degree will tell you that the library was like a second home to them. "I'm prioritising my work over uni. But degree grade inflation has not really inflated employers' expectations to want a first. It is never the only consideration and having a first is unlikely to be enough if you have neglected the real world and chained yourself to a desk for three or four years in order to be able to wave it in people’s faces. We are here to help drive positive social change for young people in the UK. 13 STEPS TO SUCCEED IN UNIVERSITY AND GET A FIRST-CLASS DEGREE You’ll probably have two main aims at university: to enjoy yourself, and to do well in your degree. I got a little addicted to … Develop your research skills. If you have enough passion, drive and determination, you are bound to flourish after university, no matter what it says on your degree certificate. THE MAIN BRITISH DEGREE CLASSIFICATIONS ARE First-class … The % of the cohort that get first class obviously varies by the University and the discipline. "A 2.1 is more than sufficient," he says. But does the same focus on grades apply to the 530,000 students who took a master's this year? "Leadership, teamwork and communication skills – it's probably the best thing I've got out of university.". With strong applications I feel you could probably sneak your way into the [[big 4]] accounting firms. Only eight of us got first class honours degrees. Ludo Hashemi is currently studying politics, philosophy and economics at the University of Warwick and has a graduate job lined up already with the Royal Bank of Scotland. Do you think degree classifications matter? Achieving any degree at University is great, but some aspire for something greater. July 25, 2018, 3:33pm #7. The key to putting yourself back alongside the front runners will be experience and attitude. My degree teaches me tiny details that hardly echo anything in today's world.". However, to attain a first class award you need to dig deeper. Laura Abernethy wants to go into journalism after she finishes her degree in history at St Andrews. Advertisement. Experience can often trump academic achievement if you can polish it up to your best advantage. Keep track of your marks and calculate the weighting of every piece of work. There was a time when university students feared that getting a first was their only chance of getting a good graduate job, and scrambled to get a seat in the library in the hope of securing the top grades. Your degree classification is massively important if you are looking to pursue further education following your undergraduate degree, or when fighting tooth and nail for that first job, but it is not the be all and end all of your future. Even some postgraduates have a "just pass" mentality towards their courses. And it's not just the students who are thinking this way; the graduates who have jobs believe in the "anti-first"philosophy too. "I'm fairly sure my interviewers barely looked at my degree class - my skills were much more important. This is partially due to the fact that having a first-class degree often means that red carpets are laid out to encourage students to go onto further study. Calum Murray is studying war studies at Kings College London to try and secure employment in the defence and security sector. Last year, Ogilvy vice-chairman Rory Sutherland said that he was only going to hire graduates with thirds as he says that, "nobody has any evidence that those with first class degrees are any better employees than those with thirds". The backlog of high-standard graduates seeking work which was created by the recession is finally receding, but the more competitive the job you are pursuing is, the more weight that grade on your degree certificate will hold. It's a fairly minor factor, though. Let us know in the comments. At University in the UK the best grade you can get is a first, a first-class degree - but does it matter if you get a 2:! "I'm not seriously concerned about my degree," he says. Getting a first-class honours at university is a way of proving your academic prowess, commitment to study, and determination to achieve the very best that you can. With more graduates comes more competition for jobs, but is a first-class degree really the best way to stand out from the rest of the applicants? Vicky Wong didn't aim for a first either, and she says it doesn't matter as her student media work gave her the experience needed for her career. Around 59 percent of students who go onto postgraduate or PhD study gained a first in their undergraduate degree (according to the Higher Education Statistics Agency). How important are degree classifications? Now. `` uncommon, but far from impossible the topic is irrelevant you an interview ( and 2:1... A second home to them grade with all the skills you have university... A definitive judgment of your marks and calculate the weighting of every piece work! 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