Repeat Final Year?

LegacyUser

I am debating with myself what I should do I am just after finishing final year of a Science degree and I only got a 2.2 and I am not sure should I repeat the year to get a 2.1. I always wanted a 2.1 but if I repeat it would cost me €7,500 in fees, I would then have to add accommodation on top of that and the fact of not working for a year so it would cost me a lot of money which I cant really afford.

I am currently applying for jobs and I am not getting any call backs and I fear its because of my 2.2 as ive heard that they will not bother looking at my CV unless I have a 2.1. One place actually rang me back to say that unless I have a 2.1 they wont consider me.

At the moment I am wont be repeating as I really cant afford it but I'm worried that I am going to find it tough getting a job with a 2.2.

I actually havent got my degree yet as im waiting for results from repeats as my college allows me to repeat 2 modules in final year if I want to improve my grade/fail anything but I know myself that I didnt do too well in them.

niceoneted

I think you would be wasting your time and money repeating the year just to bring your grade up to a 2.1. Plus I think it would look as bad if not worse on your cv.

I think what you should do is a post graduate degree, either a higher diploma or a masters. You will be progressing in education so won't have to pay fees and you may be entitled to a grand - these will ease the burden financially.

Work hard at the post grad and get a first or 2.1 in it. You will also be showing any potential employer that you are well qualified and it will be the post grad mark rather than the under grad grade that they will concentrate.

Maybe it's not having experience, is the reason for not getting any call backs on the cv. After all there are a hell of a lot of people unemployed and I'm sure lots have more experience than you.
Best of luck.

CDfm

I dont think it would really matter. When I had just graduated it wouldnt have.

I would be inclined to go job hunting and pick up any work in any field I can to prove I can work and get on with people.

If I was looking to do another year I would look for a course that gave me specialised skills or new skills that are sellable -even a H Dip.

The prospect of emigrating to the UK horrified me when I graduated and while I put it off for months I ended up doing it.

So list your options including emigration vs staying and doing an ordinary job and evaluate them. Some decisions in life are made for you i.e. i cant go as I have an elderly mother etc or my football team is more important than my career -that sort of thing.

You also may want to try out for lower skilled jobs that you like but otherwise would not have done as pride got in the way.

Have a blast -you are young.

LegacyUser

I'm afraid a 2:1 matters a great deal in this climate. In the UK at least, there are around 70 graduates per new graduate job - one way in which the company will automatically narrow the field is by excluding anyone without a 2:1. I'd imagine the ratio of graduates to graduate positions is much much higher in Ireland.

A couple of years ago it wouldn't have mattered much, especially with a science degree, but unfortunately we are living through very tough times.

kjl

I have a first class honours, Graduated top of my class and still find it had to hear back from companies. Its just a sign of the times.

Truth is, a 2:2 is a world away from a 2:1. People will tell you otherwise, but it counts you out of a lot of grad schemes, postgrad courses and jobs. Not to say it will be impossible, but probably a lot more difficult. Whether it's worth repeating a year and spending all that money, I don't know. I'd probably suck it up and do my best to find a job or internship.

tatabubbly

I've got a 2.1 in a science degree, finished up last year, and this year i was trying to find work. It's impossible to get a job with a 2.1, ya really need a 1.1 and experience in the field. If you can get work experience, it shouldn't matter what grade you got in college!
Hope that makes you feel better xxxxxx

rainbowtrout

2repeatrnot wrote: »

I am debating with myself what I should do I am just after finishing final year of a Science degree and I only got a 2.2 and I am not sure should I repeat the year to get a 2.1. I always wanted a 2.1 but if I repeat it would cost me €7,500 in fees, I would then have to add accommodation on top of that and the fact of not working for a year so it would cost me a lot of money which I cant really afford.

I am currently applying for jobs and I am not getting any call backs and I fear its because of my 2.2 as ive heard that they will not bother looking at my CV unless I have a 2.1. One place actually rang me back to say that unless I have a 2.1 they wont consider me.

At the moment I am wont be repeating as I really cant afford it but I'm worried that I am going to find it tough getting a job with a 2.2.

I actually havent got my degree yet as im waiting for results from repeats as my college allows me to repeat 2 modules in final year if I want to improve my grade/fail anything but I know myself that I didnt do too well in them.

Will they allow you repeat without question? I know in UL we could repeat a max of two modules per term but only if we had D or F grades. It wasn't like you could repeat a C3 to improve the grade otherwise everyone would be at it to get a better class of degree.

anniehoo

I actually agree with niceoneted. I work in an academic environment and its much better getting a postgrad cert or Masters under your belt. A degree is bottom of the rung, sorry to say in academic qualifications. I know what im talking about believe me. If you can get on a Masters course ..the 2:2 wont matter if you have that under your belt.

QuiteInterestin

I know someone who had a similar problem. All of the companies they were applying to required a 2.1 for all entry level positions (it was in IT) and they had gotten a 2.2 and so weren't even considered. They went back and did a Postgraduate Diploma (1 year) and were able to get a job alot easier after this. I don't think it would be off much benefit to repeat the year (in fact I didn't think it was possible to repeat just to improve your degree grade).

You'd be better to spend the year doing an extra qualification, gaining knowledge and experience in a new area/area connected to your original area of study then to spend it relearning the same stuff you did for your degree. It'll look alot better on your CV and will be of greater benefit in getting a job. Also if the postgrad course is graded, it'll give you a chance to improve your grade compared to that of your undergraduate degree

Wagon

dont bother going back. the most valuable thing you can get now is work experience. start at the bottom in the field and get experience like that.

the reason you arent getting calls back is because of the job shortages. a lot of people are in the same boat im afraid.

dellas1979

Stick with the 2:2.
Save your 7,500 and go the post-grad study route.
Would cost you alot less.

tenchi-fan

Your idea is actually crazy!

Stick with your 2.2. There is no guarantee you will get a 2.1 second time round and many employers will see it as a huge waste of a year. Imagine if you got a lower mark second time round.. how would you explain that to an employer?!

Either do a post-grad (and don't say they all require 2.1's - this isn't the cao, the interview is more important) or spend the year doing relevant work experience.

Best of luck! Just.. don't repeat the year. I doubt your college would let you repeat anyway.

LegacyUser

rainbowtrout wrote: »

Will they allow you repeat without question? I know in UL we could repeat a max of two modules per term but only if we had D or F grades. It wasn't like you could repeat a C3 to improve the grade otherwise everyone would be at it to get a better class of degree.

Lucky in my college you are able to repeat any module that has a written exam (ie no 100% continuous assignment module) so if I got 40% first time I am able to get 100% in the repeat and if I get worse my grade is capped at 40%. And by the sounds of its down to the dept about what you can repeat as in mine you are not able to repeat your thesis unless you repeat the year but one of my friends doing a different degree and under a different dept allowed him to repeat his thesis during the summer. I have also done the repeats and just waiting on my results.


What I think I will do now is just try and get experience under my belt, I would also love to get out of Ireland to work but I am not sure how to even go about it as, like if I was called for an interview in the UK I would have to book a flight that if they dont throw my CV in the bin when they see my hole education is in Ireland and not actually living in the UK.

I was actually offered a Masters from DCU but I turned it down as much as I would like to have an MSc (or MEng in this case) after my name I dont think I would have the same drive and all I want to do is start earning money.

One of my friends in my class who sister works in the careers office at one of the top uni's in England said that we dont really need Masters we are better off trying to get any sort of experience under our belts and then do some certs while working.

Also my degree is in Computer Science and am not very fond of programming. A lot of my class mates have gone off to further education (Masters and Phds). One of my class mates who has the same grades as me but had experience got a job there after two months of looking and they offered him a contract in the high twenties.

LegacyUser

Got my results, and I just about got a 2.1 I mean if I had of gotten 1% lower is any module I would have only gotten a 2.2.

Now that it has settled in, I kinda feel as if its not really a good grade and a 1.1 should be what I should be looking for.

tenchi-fan

2repeatrnot wrote: »

Got my results, and I just about got a 2.1 I mean if I had of gotten 1% lower is any module I would have only gotten a 2.2.

Now that it has settled in, I kinda feel as if its not really a good grade and a 1.1 should be what I should be looking for.

:rolleyes:

congrats though!

Extremely conscientious people often beat themselves up for not living up to their own standards and in the end that's why they're not successful. You need to be happy with your hard work and achievements so you can tackle your next big challenge.

LegacyUser

Hi OP,

It's probably not your grade that's holding you back, it's just a sign of the times.

If you are worried why not go back and further your education? When jobs do eventually come back it will look good to potential employers that you weren't just sitting around.

I graduated last year from a science degree with a 2.2 and I'm quite proud of it! As for it being difficult to get a postgraduate place, where there's a will there's a way. I went back and did a masters and now I have decided to go forward and do a PhD.

Wagon

2repeatrnot wrote: »

Got my results, and I just about got a 2.1 I mean if I had of gotten 1% lower is any module I would have only gotten a 2.2.

Now that it has settled in, I kinda feel as if its not really a good grade and a 1.1 should be what I should be looking for.

If you really want to, then go for it. I only got a pass in mine but it never caused me any problems.

Why not use the €7500 to go abroad and work there? get some experience instead? more fun too.