Page 1 of Help - Need advice on Uni Results...

Hey,

Was wondering what your views on this would be, if anybodies been is this situation before.

Just got my Uni results in, got a 2-1 BA Hons degree, but I feel that I should of gotten a First Class as I worked as much as the others that got 1s.

Was a BA in Digital Film & TV at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, in Glasgow.

Feel pretty cheated, so the next day I got my grades for each of the classes/modules. The overall percentage was 69% and to qualify for a 1st Class Hons, you have to have 70% or more. Only 1% in it.

…but I then noticed that some of the grades for this years work were much lower that my last year, this is messed up. I worked just as hard this year, edited 3 graduation films, directed one, location sound on another, animation on another, I really feel like they have made a mistake.

The problem is graduation. It's this Tuesday 5th July and if I appeal I can't graduate then, I have to wait until Oct/Nov 2005.

I only got my results last Thursday, 30th June, and my grade results the following day, the Friday 1st July. That only gives my 2 working days to decide if I want to appeal or not, which is crazy.

Also, if I appeal, my photographs and gown that I have booked will be wasted (not sure if I can cancel), not to mention my kilt that I have booked to hire for the graduation ball that same night, (I guess I can still go to that though) {I hope so tho, cos my girlfriend bought a new dress just for the ball}

Its pretty messed up, and I'm confused in what I should do. Maybe just bite the bullet and take the 2-1 and not appeal and graduate on the Tuesday, or hold out and try to get my 1st via appeal.


But the appeal thing is confusion too. The course hand book states…

"An appeal can be made to the Committee against a decision reached by a board of Examiners on only two grounds:

1. if the student considers that the examination was improperly conducted or that the Board of Examiners was improperly constituted;

2. illness, either immediately before or during the examination, or other personal circumstances which the student claims has adversely affected his/her performance in the examinations which he or she was unable, or for valid reasons unwilling, to divulge before the Board of Examiners reached its decision."

Hmm. :/

I really think I should so something tho, cos I feel that if I don't do anything, I will always have this feeling, like a bad taste.


cheers

Hi,

Do you have a course leader who you can speak to? If so it is probably best to speak to them first. It doesn`t sound like you have grounds to appeal based on the two points you said from the handbook - I`ve heard of a few Uni`s that don`t have any appeal process though.

It seems a bit strange that your results and graduation are so close together, I`ve got over two weeks between when I get mine and the graduation.

If you don`t have any luck with your course leader, it may be worth going over his/her head and speaking to the dean of the school - a guy on my course did that and managed to get a result excluded from consideration for his final degree (although that was more due to teaching standards).

Good luck anyway.

My ex appealed against his result. The particluar mark he appealed against was changed from a third to a first (which justified his decision to appeal) - but the overall degree result was unchanged. He felt pretty sure that the decision would have been different if the correct mark had gone into the original reults setting meeting, but had to live with it.
I guess that the university did not want to set precedents which could result in an increase in appeals.

Good luck if you decide to go ahead.

Think about it like this - when your applying for jobs, your firts class honours degree will stick out way above those with 2:1`s. It`ll probably get you a better job. For the sake of a few quid spent on your outfit etc I would well fight the decision and get them to review it. It`ll be well worth it in th elong term and this decision will pay for itself a millions times over for the rest of your life

HTH

Neil
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No Humping Stormtroopers here.......

I would appeal. 69%, come on, if you can show a good case (which sounds like you can) then you can get that First.

But it`s your decision.

I think the advice to talk to your Course Tutor is the best.

Good luck either way, and congratulations either way too :D

appeal this can affect the rest of your working/social life my wife sitting next to me agrees go for it but prepare your appeal reasons well .

You`ve got nothing to lose and a lot to gain by appealing so I would go for it.
I wouldn`t be too bothered about missing the graduation ceremony as I haven`t been to either of mine as I consider them to be a boring waste of time and money and pomp that I can do without! It`s just one day that you may sacrifice for a better future if it comes to a choice between the ceremony and appealing.


My Top 20 Horror Movies ---- My DVD Collection

Kick their arses and appeal. If you can`t cancel the fancy robes, use them anyway and get somone with a hi-res digital camera to take posey pictures of ya (A rolled up sheet of paper in a red ribbon should help)

From what you`ve said, I think you`re more than eligible for a higher grade. Unless you`re fibbing...

============================
Been nowhere
Done Nothing
Stole the T-shirt


My Collection

by the way.....not sure if you`ve ever been to a graduation ceremony before but they are as boring as hell....... :/

Neil
____________________________________
No Humping Stormtroopers here.......

Did you have any form of oral examination with an external examiner? Usually if results are this close to a higher grade, students have an interview with the examiner. The result of this interview can mean your grade is changed upwards, but you cannot lose any marks for it. So, if you did have an oral (Viva voce to be precise), but did not impress the examiner, your grade stays at a 2:1, even on 69%. (even if you refused to speak to him, it would still be 69%, never less).

Appeal is a risky road, and hardly ever successful in a case like yours where you just feel you had a narrow miss.

I speak from experience, having been a university lecturer (admittedly in the sciences) for 6 years, and sat through many exam boards, as well as having a viva for my first degree, which did not result in any increase in grade.

A 1st is a wonderful achievement, but after a few years, it may not make that much difference in terms of jobs etc. For example, postgraduate study (PhD etc) is open to 1st and 2:1 graduates.