Do past failures affect your cumulative grade? (EU/ECTS/Bologne plan concern)

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In summary, Spain is adapting to the Bologne process, and past failing grades will still show up on the transcript. If you are looking to study or work in the UK, your cumulative grade calculated upon graduating will use only your final grades.
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I have recently been informed that in my country(Spain, which is adapting to the Bologne process), past failing grades will still show up on the transcript, along with the number of times you have taken the final exam. Is this detrimental for graduate school or work in the UK? Does your cumulative grade calculated upon graduating use only your final grades from when you passed the course or all of your past grades?

The damage has already been done in my case, I have had to resit 4 final exams on 3 occasions, and 2 exams on two occasions, however my final grades so far are all good-average and have been improving steadily since my first year (7.03/10 as it stands, 2 more years left). So far I have never needed to retake any course as my university allows up to 3 examination attempts per year. How does my situation look as a prospective EU physics grad student/job market "newbie"?
 
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i would really like to know the about this, as i am in a similar situation!
 
  • #3
I too would like to know this. I am Portuguese and in my list of grades on the college website there is no distinction of whether you took a resit or not.

In my faculty it is pretty normal for people to take resits. Many times we even go to the first exam even without studying simply to try our luck as we are always allowed 2 shots at it.
Even for many subjects the assessment is not by 2 exams but instead 1 exam is replaced by 2 tests and you can choose to exam, tests or both. I seriously doubt they even store that information (I mean they do save our exam sheets) since professors only submit the final grade for each course, not an individual grade for each exam.

As to retaking courses, we can only retake a course in the year after we tried it first and if you improve your grade it does show up that it was on a second try.

I did however do a year abroad in the netherlands and in their system there was an individual mark for each grade (not very worried though since i only retook it to improve my 9/10 to a 10/10)
 
  • #4
Here's an update for anyone still interested: I spoke with my university registrar and they claimed past failing grades do affect your average on the transcript but its mainly a problem for people requesting some of the highly prestigious private grants that are available in my country (Spain).

For grad school entry what counts is your average computed using your final grades. I specifically asked about having my transcript sent to a US or EU university for a msc/phd and this is the answer that I got.

In any case you should all ask your registrar's about this and post about it (don't forget to mention your country) so other people can find this thread useful.
 
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  • #5
In morocco, it is not necessary to retake a module if your overall grades can make an average of 10/20 but internationally, i don't know.
 

FAQ: Do past failures affect your cumulative grade? (EU/ECTS/Bologne plan concern)

How do past failures affect my cumulative grade?

Past failures can have a significant impact on your cumulative grade. If you have failed a course in the past, it will be included in your overall grade calculation, which can lower your cumulative grade.

Will my cumulative grade be affected by multiple past failures?

Yes, if you have multiple past failures, they will all be factored into your cumulative grade calculation. This can have a larger impact on your grade than a single failure.

Is there a limit to how many past failures can be included in my cumulative grade?

It depends on the specific grading system used by your university or institution. In the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS), there is typically a limit of three attempts for a single course. However, this may vary in different countries or institutions.

Can I retake a course in order to improve my cumulative grade?

Yes, in most cases, you can retake a course in order to improve your grade. However, the previous failure will still be factored into your cumulative grade calculation. The specific policies for retaking courses may vary, so it is best to consult with your academic advisor or university for more information.

Will past failures affect my overall academic standing or future opportunities?

While past failures may lower your cumulative grade, they do not necessarily reflect your overall academic abilities or potential. Many universities and employers look at a variety of factors beyond just grades when evaluating a student's performance. It is important to learn from past failures and continue to strive for improvement in order to achieve your academic and career goals.

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