Destigmatising the 2:2

As one of the top universities in the UK, it’s fair to say that Warwick holds a certain prestige. Whether it be the research faculties, the variety of opportunities or just the name Warwick to employers, this university is attractive. But, the price of attractiveness comes at a cost.
This time every year, all students are facing pre-exam season, a time in which students are revising, consolidating their notes and practising question after question to tighten up their exam technique. During this time, a metaphorical fog seems to spread across campus. Every student feels as though they should be working constantly, in order to prove to themselves and to others that they are studying hard and they do deserve their place at Warwick.

2017 statistics, 95.3% of humanities students left Warwick with at least a 2:1

“You did five hours… well I did six?” I don’t understand why it’s a competition to see who can do the most hours of revision. Everyone has their own revision techniques that they have fine-tuned themselves to work for them. For some of my friends, it’s cramming a few days before the exam. For me, it’s doing a few hours each day and completing my to-do list.
There is constant pressure at Warwick to get a 2:1 degree. I understand why, a 2:1 looks attractive to employers and is the grade that is typically considered “good” by peers. As a Humanities student, it’s almost taken for granted that you’ll achieve a 2:1. All of my peers have graduated with at least a 2:1, and in 2017 statistics, 95.3% of humanities students left Warwick with at least a 2:1. So, imagine my surprise when I opened my second year results to see that I had achieved a 2:2. I was part of the 4.7% club, all because of one module which left my second year average at 59.5%.
In hindsight, I’m not as stressed about this mark as I was when I first opened it. I know that I need a 60.5% this year to get a 2:1 overall. However, initially dealing with this was excruciating as I felt that I’d let everybody down. I did cry myself to sleep that night and I did re-read the email, but still a 2:2 was just glaring at me.

There’s a great expectation that every Warwick student should be able to get a 2:1, easy

The fact that my personal tutor put “Congratulations” in the email felt a bit like a slap in the face. It felt as though my tutor was mocking me for not achieving the grade which should be expected of every Warwick student.
Speaking to one of my friends, we were discussing exams and how you have to “jump through hoops” to please your tutors. I self-reflected on my exams in 2016 and thought about whether I wrote what was right, or whether it was the tutor thought was right. Sometimes, the ability to get a high grade is based on how you can apply the information to be coaxed into an argument the tutor may enjoy, rather than using the information to present something you may want to discuss. To even consider that a grade may not be an accurate reflection of my ability, but of my ability to regurgitate information that tutors may want to hear makes a mockery of university as an institution of teaching, learning and researching.
There’s a great expectation that every Warwick student should be able to get a 2:1, easy. Getting a 2:2 felt like I was being confined to a naughty step like a misbehaving child, to think about where I went wrong.

The stigmatisation of a 2:2 at Warwick is ingrained in university culture

I know that I’m not the only person who has been in this situation. When talking about it to friends, many of them knew of someone on a very high 2:2 who was able to bounce back in final year. However, the stigmatisation of a 2:2 at Warwick is ingrained in university culture, where we only see the success stories and don’t hear about those who don’t do so well, or hear about people who were able to improve their stories.
With every success story I see, I don’t see a matching feeling of self-failure. It doesn’t help the 2:1 culture that permeates across university. However, when I hear about how “easy” it is to get a 2:1, it doesn’t help how I feel about my second year result, making it feel as though I was the only one who didn’t achieve what they wanted.