How difficult is it to get a first class honours grade?

DylanII

Hi,

Im going into second year and I need to get an average of 72% at the very least for this year. Would this generally be difficult to get?

Im this years exams I got an average of 52% with no fails. I know thats not good at all but I done no work at all, no study and missed a lot of lectures.

Do you think that if I actually work for the next two semesters that I will be able to get the 72%?

Thanks

Bobsammy

What are you studying? I suspect it varies considerably.
I studied Maths and found it very manageable to keep a high average. Slow and steady was key for me. I wasn't one for spending hours studying but I went to lectures, kept on top of my assignments and did a little bit of study in January and May! I always found if I had been able to do the assignments without much difficulty then the exams looked after themselves.
I would imagine you'd need a very different approach for some other subjects though.

DylanII

I'm studying Finance and Economics with a minor in Geography.

Bobsammy

Would I be right in saying you want to get on to the Dip?

DylanII

Bobsammy wrote: »

Would I be right in saying you want to get on to the Dip?

You would be perfectly correct I just can't afford to do a master's after College, so it would be a few years before I could afford to do a master's and PDE

Woodward

I got a first in my degree doing a little work every day and reading stuff that want on the notes more than the actual lecture material itself

Seren_

You do know that the degree mark is usually only based on your third year marks? Or a combination of second and third year (ratio of 70:30 iirc) if it is higher than just the third year marks. So if you want a first class honours overall, you will have a clean slate to work from this year.

If you work hard there's nothing stopping you from getting high marks Make sure to keep on top of notes and readings and it will make it easier.

Bobsammy

Not to suggest you shouldn't aim high in your degree but just remember there's loads of different ways in to teaching.
Trinity place less emphasis on your results and take an interview into account.
It's also relatively easy to get onto a course in the UK, it doesn't really cost a whole lot more than doing it here because it's possible to get all kinds of bursaries and it will only be one year of study.

DylanII

Yes I'm aware that puts mostly my third year grade that counts towards the degree, but when I'm applying for the Professional Diploma in Education they will just consider my second year grades.

I know that there are other ways into teaching. From what iv heard trinity do take the interview into account but generally those accepted have high marks and some experience.
I'm still living at home so the UK will be a lot more expensive along with their higher fees and I don't believe my subjects qualify for the busary and places seem quite limited for them too.

Bobsammy

I know Business doesn't qualify for bursaries in the UK but I think Geography might - could be worth looking in to. If you go to the UK you would do your PGCE in a single subject but once you gain QTS there the Teaching Council here would register you according to your primary degree and it wouldn't matter what you did your PGCE in. Of course cost of living could quickly rack up!

Kinski

Not that difficult. Do the work and you should be fine. Start essays with several weeks to go, not days. Turn up for all lectures. Follow all the advice you've ever heard about studying for exams: don't just read, take notes...etc.

ghostdancer

as others have said, keeping on top of it and doing a bit all the time as you go along.
if i was doing it all again, i'd set aside a couple of hours at the weekend to go over things learned during the week, if possible.

mickstupp

What really helped me was sitting down on a Saturday morning and going through my notes for the week. I would type them all out and add in bits I missed or thought were important. Not only did it refresh what I'd heard in class, which I think is important, it ended up that I was creating little coherent paragraphs on topics that could be more or less slotted straight into essays. I was translating bullet points into normal people English. When exams came along all I had to do was press print on my study notes, instead of wading through folders of crappy handwriting and scribbles. Only took about 3 hours each week.

For the more difficult modules I would email the notes to myself and read the previous week's stuff before the next class. Made it feel more like a continuing narrative than something I hadn't touched in three or four days. But of course different things work for different people, I'd suggest anyone try a bunch of different approaches and see what works for them.

I think what people above said is the key, though. Be consistent. Don't leave all the work till the end.