yes

mel, kent,

The people i know who have firsts or 2:1s but have no people skills as spent all time with their nose in a book or lived of daddys credit card so could volunteer for free experience in labs all summer whilst i waited tables and went through personal problems makes me angry. dont judge by grades.

Rachel, Edinburgh, Scotland

Every university is different, i have friends who failed their exams in 3rd year and were alowed to resit them and got As and so are set to get firsts, whilst my university does not allow resits at all.I didnt fail but cant resit for As like they did so will have a lower degree.

Rachel, Edinburgh, Scotland

I just received a 2:2 in Maths at Bristol and I worked SO hard. I definitely think different subjects at different universities are on different scales. I am proud I got a 2:2 and I have a job offer with Accenture which I need a 2:1 for, just waiting to hear back as to whether they saw the real me!!

Rich, Bristol,

Some of these comments offend me! I have just graduated with a History degree from an incredibly prestigious university, and have achieved a 2.2. Believe me, I was the most conscientious out of my group of friends, just depends on the the department and luck...my effort cannot be faulted!

Hannah, London,

Gaining a 2:1 or first does not automatically mean that you have worked harder than those with a 2:2. People must consider the differences in student experiences (mental health, teaching standards, social group) and abilities (dyslexia, attention deficit) whilst they study. generalisations=ignorance

Joseph, Cambridge, United Kingdom

It depends what university you attend. Lots of polytechnics are re-branding themselves universities and in the words of one the the markers who was referenced in a similar article to this one; "I have felt pressured in the past to grade students with a 2:1 or 2:2 who did not deserve anything"

Louise Connor (Warwick university), Coventry, United Kingdom

Being able to write essays and take exams is only useful if you can find a job writing essays and taking exams. Employers are more interested in work experience and soft skills etc. rather then whether you got 59 or 60% in your final exam.

David, Dublin,

I also got a 2.2 on completion of my degree. I do think that employers need to be more open minded and not just focus their selection criterias primarily on academic achivements. I know that my overall degree grade does not at all reflect on my ability to be an asset to a company.

Oluwa, London,

I have a 2.1 which is better than a 2.2. Why should employers accept mediocrity? I get it an employer feels a threat seing a 2.1 or 1.1 so by employing 2.2's they won't be after their job.

Andy, Bristol,

Academic performance may be inaccurately represented by degree classifications,for example a student gaining 59% will have a 2:2 and one with 60% a 2:1 but the perceived difference may be considered large by a potential employer. Clearly a good move to give those with a 2:2 a chance.

Sumita, London,

I got a 2:2 at undergrad, and was disappointed. However, the first job I went into afterwards was an entry level telephony for a bank. It was there that I realised interpersonal skills, self-confidence, and the ability to remain positive reflected more on me within a work environment than my grades

Trilly, Nottingham,

The margin from a 2.2 is a fantastic idea, why you may ask as you may feel it unjustified that your 2.1 is looked upon as equal to a 2.2, the marking schemes are unjustified and highly in-accurate. The difference between a 2.1 and 2.2 is marginal, a 2.1 at Bristol may be a 2.2 at Essex,see my point?

Dave Smith, Brighton, UK

I graduated with a 2:2 in computer science and AI from a respected university and had had no problem getting a job as it was well known that it was nearly impossible to get a 1st on that course and 2:2 was considered exceptional.. so it all depends on the course you take, degrees aren't equal.

Stephen Strudwick, london,

I have a 2:2 in Classical Civilisations and Computing and am finding it extremely difficult to find a decent job even with corporate work experiance behind me. I know the degree sounds 'soft' but to be fair Computing gave me a very braod range of IT skills and the Classics other non technical skills

Aaron, Kingswood, Surrey

I have a problem getting a job with first class honours degree. Like some others have mentioned, employers assume that I have no "people skills" as I must have been cooped up in the library, yet I had a great social life; worked hard in the day but still was at the bar/in societies in the evening!

Kat, London,

This article states that employers can't find enough talent, thats a good thing, it opens more doors for more people. People with 1st's arn't barred from getting a graduate job; quite the opposite in my opinion. If I could choose my grade, I would choose a first without dought.

Jason, Largs, UK

Im in my third year of Chemical engineering and working extremely hard just to scrap a 2:1. Whereas my mates in arts & social sciences spend all their time in the SU bar enjoing themselves but seem to breeze past their previous years with 1st class.Employers should accept 2:2 but for certain courses

Jonathan, London,

I believe it was a right move from the employees. Unfortunately it is true loads of people lacking the leadership and communication skills which are being required by all the employees. Subjects based on theory learning 'lack' somehow the extra practical skill. This should change.

Mario, Croydon,

Can somebody tell me what is the point of tying to send 40% of people to university to get a degree? 31 grads chasing every graduate opportunity, everybody below a 2.1 on the scrap heap! What an absolute waste of money and effort and it does not take a 2.1 or first to work that one out.

andy, Claverham, Uk

Accepting 2:2 means enlarging pool of applicants, not pool of talents. British education is well-known for its declining standard hidden by inflated A-level grades and graduate honours. I wonder how talent opeople could be if they could not even achieve an average 2:1, which is pretty average.

Franco, Doha, Qatar

This actually prompts a much larger debate about whether or not one university's 2:1 or 2:2 is the same as another. And for that matter, in the same university from department to department. The whole system is completely outdated and inefficient.

Tim, London,

My husband got a 2:2 because he was 'rubbish' at exams (his words). He's pretty high-flying now as he has been able to put his brains to every day work rather than having to prove it all on one day. We both did exams and not continuous assessment but I was good at them despite not being as clever

jelli, birmingham, UK

I wonder what the socio-economic distribution nowadays of 2:1s and 2:2s are? Surely its not down to time in the SU bar anymore, and more proportional to how much money mummy and daddy [can] give them to live on-hence how much students dont have to work part-time to get extra money (as I did a lot)

Dave, Notts,

Are you all young, what about us oldies ? 40yrs old, 2 kids, 2 marriages, little boozing, an ability to juggle, life, dyslexia and working 20hrs a week, diagnosed at university-what a shock-Now there's someone with life skills and a 2:1. Forget snobbery. Best person for the Job is what counts!

Tanya Lait-Huzzard, Stockton on Tees, UK

Clearly people here have lost sight of the possibility that students studdy not just to get a job, but because they actually enjoy the subject, or am I harking back to a golden age? I spent copious time at the bar, worked part-time, and gained a First.

Wanda, London,

Employers are increasingly looking for 'soft skills' as there are people who have good relationships with books but not people. From my experience, these tend to be the students that get 1st as they might sacrifice the opportunities for enhancing their interpersonal skills for a good grade !

Khaled, London, UK

My girlfriend just got a high 2.1 in Genetics. It is impossible to a get funded PhD with a 2.2: For real science and technology a First (or a near miss) is the only thing that counts.

So kids:
If you want to shuffle paper get a 2.2.
If you want to write what is on the paper get a First.

Zen, London,

Some companies may be opening up opportunities to those with a 2.2 degree but the top companies are certainly not. A 2.2 indicates a lack of effort and too much time spent in the SU bar.

Wes Brown, Portsmouth, UK

Surely a 1st is the gold standard for getting a job?

James, Newcastle, UK

A 2:1 merely shows that someone can apply themselves to that given subject, it does not necessarily mean they have better general 'life' skills than a candidate with a 2:2 or infact someone without a degree.

Chris, London,

Yes there are a lot of graduate jobs in the UK, but they are all awful! I am returning from a year in a graduate job in Europe, only to find all th gradaute jobs in the UK pay a maximum of half the amount I get here, and are low status i.e data entry, recruitment consultants etc I will stay here!

ann, Europe,

Any employer worth his salt will hire based on an applicant's qualities, skills and experience.

The most creative and dynamic bypass the chore altogether.

Shaun, Seoul,

It is a bit odd that those of us with 2.2s still have to have work experience whilst those with 2.1s - I was told by my careers advisor that, once I get an interview, I would easily be more employable than many people he meets with a 2.1. However, as I don't have relevant experience, I can't get one

Nathan, Canterbury, UK

Why is there nothing in this article about employers' attitudes to Firsts? I am tired of employers assuming that because I got a First I must have spent my entire life in a library and am obviously not worth interviewing because I "wouldn't fit in" with their workforce!

Joanna, Banbury, UK

I have just graduated, and got a 2.2. others got a 2.1, even though I had just as much subject understanding...a degree is simply a case of writing an essay to fit a specific form, and doing exactly what a lecturers wants. It is all subjective to untrained teachers will, and what they want.

cheryl, sheffield,

James, you seem to imply that whoever gets a 2:2 hasn't worked hard. I did a chemistry degree and worked incredibly hard for my 2:2 which I'm proud to have got. However some of my friends doing arts subjects were almost guaranteed a 2:1 whatever level of work they put in. Now that is ridiculous.

Sarah, London,

I graduated from London with a 2.2 at 35, back in 1996. It was known at my college that many of the young students who were borderline were being given 2.1s as they did not have the experience needed for the workplace. Mature students were appalled at the poor standard of some of their essays!

Linda, Fife,

The amazing statistic is that 57% of the jobs are in London and the South-east. This is a failure of Government to spread activity north of Watford and argues that unless you want to move to the South-east, there is little point in taking on student debt.

James, Corwen, UK

Why should students work so hard for 2.1's when a 2.2 is being accepted? Ridiculous.

James, Wimbledon,

This is a sensible move. While a 2:1 degree or better is a good indicator of the candidate's potential, it is not a guarantee of subsequent stellar performance in the workplace.

Elle, London, UK

Hardly seems worth limiting recruitment to graduates at all if all you're asking for is a 2:2. I was the worst kind of student putting in virtually nil effort towards my degree and probably attended <20 classes in the whole 3 years and still sailed through with a 2:1.

Dave, Durham,

Although this seems sad, it's remarkably difficult to achieve a >2:1 currently, at least at UCL. I was previously educated in the States and usually had A+ marks (I finished my equivelant to higher A-levels with perfect marks) but struggle to get As here. I don't know what profs are trying to prove.

Tristan, London,