Awful first year grades - feeling very dejected

[Lore]

Hi guys,

I am a first year LLB student at a semi-top RG uni and have just receieved my grades back. I felt like I did try, definitely could've done more, and I know where I have fallen. My exams were very close together and I just crumbled under the pressure. I just feel despondent with everything - I have aspirations of working for a decent commerical firm (Burges/CMS) but I'm not sure how much these grades will hold me back; especially those in contract and tort. Any advice would be appreciated! See below for full grades.

Criminal - 58%
Tort (part 1) - 68%
Tort (part 2) - 40%
Contract - 49%
Law and State - 55%
Constitutional Law - 62%

Thank you in advance

 

[Ram Sabaratnam]

Hiya @Lore

So sorry for the delayed response, and thank you for being honest about how you’re feeling. Completely understandable to feel a bit deflated after getting your results. That said, I can't emphasise this enough: this is definitely not the end of the road when it comes to securing a training contract. In fact, some of your grades are very solid already (68% in Tort Part 1 and 62% in Constitutional Law stand out), and I think the important thing here is about showing that you can improve and build from where you are now.

Most firms know that first-year university assessments are a big transition for some students. If you can show that you’ve reflected on this year and taken steps to improve your grades from here, I think that will make a big difference when it comes to your applications in future cycles. For this reason, I’d really encourage you to meet with an academic advisor or tutor to come up with a strategy for your revision and exam technique in the coming academic years. Getting clarity on why things didn’t go to plan this year can allow you to secure the grades that place you in a strong academic position overall. Good luck!