You want a First Class degree? Don't give up then!

After nail-biting of years, Senior six national examinations were out and Judith Ashelynne Mubiru was admitted to the International University of East Africa.

Much as she did not get a Government scholarship in any public university as she had wanted, she was determined to get a First Class degree in her Bachelor's Degree Human Resource Management on private sponsorship.

But her journey in a private university, to a First Class Degree, was not without troubles. At times, her performance would slip to the edge of almost a Retake, but she would fight back.

"There is a time I got 60% in one of my examinations, much as I had done well in the other examinations.  I cried and sobbed and was sad for long. I went to the lecturer and wanted to re-sit the paper but he discouraged me and said-there will be an R (Repeat) indicated on the transcript. I carried on and made it."

She notes that at times, some of her examination papers would be hard and she would not perform well. "But I kept striving to excel. I never gave up."

"At times you may slip in performance; at times the performance may be poor. You may even get a retake. But never give up," she advised fellow university students.  

A first class honours degree is an academic award to students at undergraduate and post-graduate level, either by examination, course work, or thesis.

It is the highest (quality) level of degree awarded in most universities; and is taken to indicate high academic achievement and ability.

Many holders of first class degrees go on to further academic study, becoming researchers, academicians and professors.

This is tallied against the Grade Point Average with the pass degree ranging from 2.00 to 2.79 points, second class lower division from 2.80 to 3.59 points, second class upper division from 3.60 to 4.39 points and the top prize from 4.40 to 5 points.

While it may seem a tough road to earning this class, part of the few who do, are students who join university with the lower possible entry points from A' level. More so; some of these students who get First Class degrees, at times score badly in examinations, but never up.

Tricks to earn it

It takes commitment, zeal and effort to excel at the university, as dons will always tell you. Nothing comes easy.

Prof. Venansius Baryamureeba, the Vice chancellor and proprietor of Uganda Management and Technology University says that, "A student should never give up, just because the marks attained in any paper are low. It is an accumulation of scores. You may not excel in one, but excel in the other."

He adds that, "But, you should always aim at excelling in all examinations papers if you want a First Class degree. But it should not be a reason to give up; if case you do not excel in all."

In academia, your ability to gain the best out of your parents or guardian's investment is shown by the effort you invest in your studies.

Going by the adage, "The end justifies the means,'' it is inevitable to set the pace for your own final results whether or not you have a fetish for success from the very beginning.

The executive director for the National Council for Higher Education Prof. John Opuda says that, "You can join University with minimum two principal passes and get the best degree on your graduation."

He also notes that having low marks at the beginning of your university journey, should not in any way, "Scare you to work towards that top mark."

Prof. Opuda however, says that, getting a First Class degree depends largely on how much effort you put in while at campus and the focus you have from day one.

"You may have been affected by say illnesses or injuries during your other examinations. If you then got low marks, it does not necessarily show that you are incapable of doing better," Opuda adds.

From his close to 40 years' of experience with university students, Prof. Opuda says that, "If you can adapt to the new system, attend all your lectures, consult regularly and make the right friends, you have good chances at the top prize."

More so, Christine Ndagire, an official at the International University of East Africa says that, to make it to the First Class, you need to be focused.

"I am not a genius, but I would be willing to do whatever it takes to overcome the challenges the degree might throw at me. So embrace the difficulty, counter it with hard work and always keep in mind that you can't fly without gravity (resistance)," she says.

Ndagire affirms the fact that a First Class degree is indeed difficult to achieve.

"If it was easy to get, then every student would graduate with one," she adds.

She advises that you need to imagine that the First Class degree is on the top shelf, and that your hard work in the ladder. "You can get it, but you need to use that ladder. No shortcut."

She also advises that, to increase your odds of gaining a first class degree, you need to make sure you surround yourself with, "Good, committed and hardworking people."

"It's a difficult and lonely road if you don't make great friends on your course, you will had real trouble,'' she advises.

Meanwhile, Dr. John James Okiror from Makerere University's college of agricultural and environmental sciences says, that it is important to socialise with fellow students. "But have limits," he warns.

"You have to know the friends who can help you get good grades," he says.

Though it is common knowledge that two heads, in this case even more, are better than one, "You may not get the best out any random discussion groups."  

Opuda's definition of a good discussion group is one that helps you, "Understand classwork and crosscheck what you did not understand in class."

"If everyone is allowed to discuss, then that is a group. The more you teach others, the more you actually learn since they even ask you questions along the way,'' he says.  

Okiror also points out that while university, exams are based on what is taught in class, and that only 50% is given directly by the lecturer.

"You have to look out for more and invest all your efforts in getting the remaining 50% through research and discussions," he advises.

More so, Prof. Opuda advises that even in a time of increased ICT innovations, e-books and online libraries, the library remains relevant.

"During our time, there was only one university and it only had one library. Now you have many more universities, phones and more access to internet to get the right reading materials,'' he says.   

Maybe you did not know this. Deadlines are a must for people who excel at anything. 

Prof. Opuda says that you should be able to manage your time well if you understand the University timetables to avoid missing the deadlines.

"Handing in your assignments past the deadline leaves you with less chances of even earning marks on your score sheet," he cautions.