Exam Results - Implications (1 Viewer)

[M_M]

I just got my exam results back...
My first year WAM is only 68.
Does it mean I am totally screwed up and can't find a job in good law firms?

 

[Frigid]

Re: Exam Results

don't worry. i've gone from high-60s/low-70s in first year to high-70s/low-80s in third year (law only. let's not talk about my commerce marks).

keep trying.

 

[neo o]

Don't spread those marks around, they won't win you browning points with any ladies in the law faculty.

 

[Rorix]

I just got my exam results back...
My first year WAM is only 68.
Does it mean I am totally screwed up and can't find a job in good law firms?

Yes.

You might be able to get a job at a legal aid place though...better than nothing, amirite?

 

[MaryJane]

M_M, you are first year. You have FOUR long years left.

I would say your WAM would only start to matter once you hit third year, because until then you will most likely be rejected from legal work, because of your age/inexperience.

Dont fret

 

[Frigid]

Don't spread those marks around, they won't win you browning points with any ladies in the law faculty.

they will if you let them have your notes...

but, for my part, i'm a strong believer in quid pro quo

 

[sarevok]

nah, just study harder next year

relax; one mediocre academic year isn't going to screw over your future. just make sure it doesnt continue...

 

[hfis]

Eh, 68's a credit. You guys are treating it as if it's the plague. Am I missing something?

 

[charlie_charlie]

exactly! nothing wrong with a credit; and there are four long years and multiple law subjects to pull up your GPA v one year with what, two law subjects? you should be happy with your marks and go out and enjoy the summer and ace 2nd year. =)

 

[MichaelJackson2]

i gotta agree with hfis. the average mark for contract law b (a sem2 first year subject) was a pass (that is, between 50% and 65%). keep in mind that we all had to get uai-equivalents of at least 97 to get a place and that 98%-ish of us are not on a full-fee paying basis (implying we're all pretty hard working).

 

[Frigid]

exactly! nothing wrong with a credit

honestly though, to me, HD = great, distinction = good, credit = average, pass = fail. therefore i 'failed' two subjects this term.

 

[MoonlightSonata]

I just got my exam results back...
My first year WAM is only 68.
Does it mean I am totally screwed up and can't find a job in good law firms?

Yes. You are utterly and royally screwed. You should give up now. You'll never get anywhere in life with those kind of paltry, pathetic marks. Only a complete failure could achieve such a lowly, dismal standard. Throw away your entire career and any prospect of becoming successful. No right-minded employer will ever touch you with a telegraph pole. You life as you know it is over.

Just kidding. Relax, the answer is no.

It is only one or two first year law subjects and you have plenty of time to go in your law degree. Moreover, Torts and Foundations of Law are not the most valuable to an employer. Contracts, property, corporations law, etc are far more important.

That said, don't slack off. You should be aiming for Distinctions for your other subjects. Best of luck and don't fret!

 

[melsc]

This might be a weird question to ask, what is a WAM?
I've only ever been given a GPA.

That said my last semester GPA was 5.0 (Credit average) so I am hoping the marks from this semester are better, especially because it will give me a better chance of a transfer but I doubt it with many 74% credits during semester.

Is it true what they say, that you usually get your worst marks in first year?

 

[Frigid]

This might be a weird question to ask, what is a WAM?

weighted average mark.. the weighted average of your marks, as opposed to your grades (which is GPA).

 

[MoonlightSonata]

Is it true what they say, that you usually get your worst marks in first year?

You'd need statistics to form such a conclusion

If you're asking about personal experiences, my first semester was the absolute worst of my university marks (3 very low credits and 1 D). In contrast, my second semester of first year was quite good (3 Ds in the 80s, and 1 HD).

However I think in first year people often realise how much harder it is to do very well at university than it is at High School. Most people coming out of Year 12 don't realise how difficult it is to obtain an HD, or even a D, relative to the HSC.

 

[Summer Rain]

I remember in a welcome seminar, the course coordinator told us that it is quite difficult to achieve distinctions, a pass was the norm and that you should be happy to receive a credit. Only 5-10% get distinctions/high distinctions.

However, from my experience more people are getting distinctions than credits/passes. For example in my contracts II class, quite a few people got D's and HD's and contracts II was supposed to be a very difficult subject. However, this was a grad law class, the allocation of marks might be different in an undergrad class.

My torts lecturer though told us that students place to much emphasis on marks. She did not go well in her first year of law school and went on to do her PHD later on. And she is the best torts lecturer any 1 could eva have.

 

[MoonlightSonata]

I remember in a welcome seminar, the course coordinator told us that it is quite difficult to achieve distinctions, a pass was the norm and that you should be happy to receive a credit. Only 5-10% get distinctions/high distinctions.

For the average person it is not easy to get distinctions, but if you study regularly, pay attention, keep up to date with notes and prepare properly, distinctions will generally be the result.

Passes are certainly not the norm, and to most law students a pass is akin to a fail.

About 20-25% get distinctions, and 5% High Distinctions, but it varies and depends on the subject.

My torts lecturer though told us that students place to much emphasis on marks. She did not go well in her first year of law school and went on to do her PHD later on. And she is the best torts lecturer any 1 could eva have.

Well, marks are extremely important for commercial career prospects in a big law firm. That isn't to say marks are the only thing worth worrying about, but they are extremely important.

I wish I could go back in time and emphasise to myself just how important!

 

[Rorix]

At the end of it you're doing your degree to acquire the law skills..and the marks are tests of those skills..so yeah, marks are important. Sure, people get into XXX with a YYY average but you'd always prefer to have better marks to worse...so do your best.


And to the OP, ignore what everyone is saying and drop law now. Your life is over..they are just bsing you!

 

[M@C D@DDY]

Is it true that if you hold a D average throughout your studies, it will only be enough to get you an interview at a big law firm during your penultimate year? I have heard that results only go so far... and does good marks give you an automatic advantage in the selection process or are extra-curricular and other factors be more important?

 

[je2obrien]

The way I look at it, If I was choosing from a heap of graduates with Distinction or High Distinction averages, and a credit average student with three or four seasonal/vacation clerkships (with good references/referees) up his sleeve and a strong extra curricular activities list, I would by far prefer the latter. That tends to indicate the good mix of social skills and experience that I would be looking for. That's just me though.