2nd Year of UG affecting applications?

[Anusha0705]

Hello! I did an LLB and LLM from diff RG unis and got a 2.1 in both overall (first in PG dissertation). I’ve had no luck securing VS and TCs since. Might it be because my grades dipped in Y2 of UG? Pretty badly - a 2.2 and Third in two modules which brought me down to a 2.2 overall that year. Bounced back with a high 2.1 next year which eventually saved me in UG. But is that one year an issue?

 

[Abbie Whitlock]

Hey!

Although I can't say for certain, based on what you have said, I personally wouldn't jump to the conclusion that one weaker year is the reason - especially as you recovered and still achieved an overall 2:1 in your LLB and LLM (which is a great achievement!).

My understanding is that most firms are primarily looking at your overall degree classification rather than expecting consistently high marks in every individual year or module. There are definitely some firms that look more closely at academics and may notice year-by-year performance or individual module grades (i.e. expecting a 2:1 in every module), but this is not the case for the majority of firms who simply look for a 2:1 overall.

If you have had repeated rejections across VS/TC applications, I would probably be more inclined to look at your application strategy as a whole (e.g. firms that you are targeting, application answers, work experience, interview performance, etc.), rather than assuming it is based on your academic profile.

I definitely wouldn't see those Year 2 grades as automatically disqualifying though, especially as your final outcomes suggest that the year wasn't representative of your overall ability.

Wishing you the best of luck with applications!