Degrees

Author
Discussion

rico

Original Poster:

7,916 posts

257 months

Wednesday 15th October 2003
quotequote all
I've been told by a number of people that a 2.1 is worth more than a first on the basis that it shows the student has a life other than studying.

Is there any truth in this?

Obviously im aiming for as good a degree as i can get, i was just curious...

tvradict

3,829 posts

276 months

Wednesday 15th October 2003
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I would say it was dependant one wether the company wanted somebody with commitment, or a social life.

agent006

12,057 posts

266 months

Wednesday 15th October 2003
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Most employers just want a degree, and don't ask what grade.

JamieBeeston

9,294 posts

267 months

Thursday 16th October 2003
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a 2.1 doesnt mean you had a social life, just as a first doesnt make you a geek.

You could spend every hour god sends, workin and studying away, and only get a 2:1, whereas some prodigy is off out partying 24/7 and gets a first just as he is gifted.

First > 2:1 .. anyone who says otherwise has a 2:1 and is jealous

Don

28,377 posts

286 months

Thursday 16th October 2003
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JamieBeeston said:
First > 2:1 .. anyone who says otherwise has a 2:1 and is jealous


Quite right. Grades are exactly that and are worth "what it says on the tin."

But remember:

A degree is essential as a qualification only in certain industries - like education.

In other industries (e.g. Consultancies etc) it is essential in order to get the first job and after that its all track record.

Then there's my industry. Software Development. The kids who join my firm (complete with lovely shiny new degree) are useless for the first year whilst we train them. Their grade indicates only slightly how long it will take to not be useless!

Remember these harsh words when in your first job and make the process of your firm investing in you as pleasant as possible...and your career will flower MUCH earlier I guarantee you.

Best of luck. Work hard. Do as well as you can - and don't worry too much beforehand about what grade you get. Its time enough to worry about that once you've got it - just do as well as you can now...

206xsi

48,564 posts

250 months

Thursday 16th October 2003
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However a Desmond (2.2) shows you spent a lot of time down the pub

Alfa Dave

943 posts

286 months

Thursday 16th October 2003
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A degree is also essential to get into certain companies. Ford will only take on Engineers with a 2:1 or above (of course this doesn't guarantee that all their employees are gifted....) I'd be very suprised if they viewed a 2:1 as preferable to a first though.

Sparks

1,217 posts

281 months

Thursday 16th October 2003
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206xsi said:
However a Desmond (2.2) shows you spent a lot of time down the pub


Not necessarily. I got a 2.2, and I had to work damn hard and all hours to get it (I'm not that bright, and stupidly did an engineering degree).

Agree with Don as well. In fact, an awful lot of the people I have worked with in IT don't have a degree, and are often the better employees. In fact the most useless person where I currently work, has a PHD. He just can't/won't deal with simple everyday stuff (partly because he thinks it is beneath him).

Sparks

Plotloss

67,280 posts

272 months

Thursday 16th October 2003
quotequote all
There is truth in this.

The big 5, whoever they are now, wont hire people with Firsts. This is because they found that generally speaking people with Firsts were socially inadequate and couldnt communicate as well on the whole as holders of 2:1's

Strange but true by all accounts...

FunkyGibbon

3,786 posts

266 months

Thursday 16th October 2003
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In my experience (pharamceuticals and general chemistry related industries) it's usually more important where you did your degree rather than what result you got (as long as you passed of course).

Likewise with any PhD and post-doctoral studies, it's usually more important to a potential employer who you studied with than what you actually studied (as long as it's remotely relevant of course).

And as more and more people now study degrees, differentiation based on the "where and who" will become more and more important for employers to sift the wheat from the chaff.

Size Nine Elm

5,167 posts

286 months

Thursday 16th October 2003
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JamieBeeston said:
...whereas some prodigy is off out partying 24/7 and gets a first just as he is gifted.

M@H

11,296 posts

274 months

Thursday 16th October 2003
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well I got a 2:2.. mainly cos I did this:




Matt.

Podie

46,633 posts

277 months

Thursday 16th October 2003
quotequote all
M@H said:
well I got a 2:2.. mainly cos I did this:




Matt.


interesting... no involved!

obviously not doing it properly..!

M@H

11,296 posts

274 months

Thursday 16th October 2003
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well there was some of that too.. and some


Matt.

bga

8,134 posts

253 months

Thursday 16th October 2003
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Plotloss said:
There is truth in this.

The big 5, whoever they are now, wont hire people with Firsts. This is because they found that generally speaking people with Firsts were socially inadequate and couldnt communicate as well on the whole as holders of 2:1's

Strange but true by all accounts...


Ermm not true, I work for (and am involved in recruiting process) a Big 4 and although I got 2:1 I work with a lot of people who got 1st's and a couple with 2:2's. Very, very few PhD's (mainly due to communication skills etc.)
A big no-no is living at home while studying as that indicates a lack of impetus to get up and go, even though fiscally it makes sense. OF course all criteria go out of window if candidate comes across as bright and articulate (they must have brought that in after I joined ).

when my g/f graduated with a 2:2 and my best mate with a 3rd, they found it a bit harder to get work straight after uni but 3 yrs on they are doing what they want to do.

Plotloss

67,280 posts

272 months

Thursday 16th October 2003
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Fair enough.

I only heard that from a HR man at KPMG...

Podie

46,633 posts

277 months

Thursday 16th October 2003
quotequote all
M@H said:
well there was some of that too.. and some


Matt.


rico

Original Poster:

7,916 posts

257 months

Thursday 16th October 2003
quotequote all
206xsi said:
However a Desmond (2.2) shows you spent a lot of time down the pub


Our union club is called Tutu's for the above reason as he got a 2.2 at Kings. Bonza!

alans

3,367 posts

258 months

Thursday 16th October 2003
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I got a 2.2 in electrical engineering and it was bloody hard work, I also worked for Fords. The IEE (institute of electrical engineers)won't accept lower 2's for corporate membership so I completed a MEng which I found a lot easier than the BEng!.

steviebee

13,034 posts

257 months

Thursday 16th October 2003
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It really depends on the industry.

One of the things we find hardest to come across are graduates or early job seekers with a bit of "character".

Our biz is Design, Marketing, Media, Adervtising. It needs people with a bit of vavavoom!

Everyone's got degrees these days so for us, it's also about what they are like as a person.