Applying for Honors after failing Undergrad units?

[3Xamz]

Hi all,

I'm just wondering if I'm still eligible to apply for Honors at the end of my undergrad (end of this year), despite failing 2 units last semester? I'm still maintaining a Distinction average, it's just that I got really sick in S2, 2013 and missed out on like 5 weeks of uni and it really hit me bad.

I've emailed the Faculty of BusEco (my managing faculty) asking about this and they haven't replied (it's been 5 days!) and the Course Advisers are unavailable till mid-Feb so reaching out to the expertise here for some peace of mind..

[ShortBlackChick]

This may seem like a cop-out, but you are able to apply for a remission of debt! Except I'm not sure how it works in your faculty, however in mine, the faculty is willing to accept documentation that explains special circumstances that can remove your N grade from your transcript and/or have the fees removed from your HECS debt. If you have any documentation, which may be hard to get in terms of illness as I believe it is illegal to get medical certificates in retrospect/backdated? My faculty does allow for statutory declarations as well, so check if yours does too, and maybe if you do have a previous medical certificate you can attach that. You seem to have extenuating circumstances that explains your performance, so this should be a viable option for you, regardless of whether you can still get into honours with a few fails! However, there have been changes, at least in my faculty, as to when you can apply for remission of debt, so I'd get on this ASAP!

[meganrobyn]

From my experience, it's just the average they look at for Honours entry - so you should be fine!

I worked full-time and did two undergraduate degrees simultaneously, so needless to say a couple of things slipped through the cracks <understatement> (oh, yeah, and I was a little slack...).

But I still applied for postgrad with a decent average, got HDs in that, and now I'm doing my PhD. It's been the *average* they've looked at the whole time.

[TrueTears]

Are you applying for finance honours? If so, they typically look at your overall WAM/GPA, then they look at your second/third year units individual marks/WAM. The cutoff varies each year, depending on the strength of the applying cohort.

[3Xamz]

Thanks for the reply guys.

@meganrobyn - I've looked into the Remission of Debt application and have enquired about it as well with my Faculty. I'm more interested in wiping it off my transcript (if possible) than the fees being dropped to be honest.

@TT - Yeah, that's right a Finance major. Thanks for the heads up! Do you know if they look at your 'real' overall WAM/GPA and my all of my individual 2nd/3rd year units or just my Commerce units? Or even more specifically, just my Finance units? I'm doing a double degree and my Finance marks are better! I wouldn't want my IT units bringing down the marks.

[meganrobyn]

Ahhh, it was ShortBlackChick with the inside advice on the fees - but I know what you mean

I wouldn't stress too much about the transcript. The only time I've ever needed to show mine was in relation to postgraduate, and they cared more about the average than the individual results. Mind you, it could have affected scholarship decisions...

In relation to *which* subjects they take into account, I was told that they were only looking at the subjects relevant to the postgrad I was applying for. If that's the case, your IT shouldn't be an issue.

[ShortBlackChick]

With regards to the Remission of Debt, it'll appear on your transcript as a Withdrawn Incomplete, so on your application form for the Remission of Debt you'd have to specify that you want a Withdrawn Incomplete in your statement for the mark to be taken off your transcript.

You can also apply for Remission of Debt/Withdrawn Incomplete after the census date but before the final cutoff for exams, if that makes sense, so that is during the semester, after the census date. (I cant remember the technical terms for them off the top of my head) In the future I recommend you do that if you feel like your circumstances could possible lead to you failing a unit. Obviously its hard to tell if you will fail, which is why I ended up doing both for one horrible semester of uni/life

Aaaaaaaaand I just checked my fees statement to find the unit I Withdrew from after getting results is still on my fees statement even though I have a letter I recieved from my faculty saying it will be removed, when my application was processed. So just be aware it does screw up your fee statement a bit and to keep all documentation that you recieve after being successful (which would end up being about 3-4 letters, in my experience) I know how you feel about the marks meaning more than the fees, but you're still entitled to the fees being taken off so make sure you know its all gone through properly! But now I'm going to have to contact my faculty lol

[TrueTears]

@TT - Yeah, that's right a Finance major. Thanks for the heads up! Do you know if they look at your 'real' overall WAM/GPA and my all of my individual 2nd/3rd year units or just my Commerce units? Or even more specifically, just my Finance units? I'm doing a double degree and my Finance marks are better! I wouldn't want my IT units bringing down the marks.

They look at both. Generally they first look at your overall WAM/GPA from your entire double degree. Then they look at your 2nd/3rd finance units, typically they disregard any units that aren't related to finance.

[3Xamz]

I just provided my application for the Remission of Debt. There is no formal application form - so I had to provide in writing as to why I should be considered. They said they'll get back to me within a week or two so hopefully it goes through!! If it's successful, the two units will have their final grades amended to Withdrawn Incomplete. Thanks for letting me know about this ShortBlackChick! For anyone reading this in the future - you actually have 4 weeks from when the grades are released to submit your application. Thankfully for me today is my final day!! I submitted it last night so should be alright in that aspect.

@TT - Thanks again. I'll have to make sure I stay on track to give it my best shot. I've got about 5 units in my final year that count towards my Finance major so this year will be the decider!

[ShortBlackChick]

I just provided my application for the Remission of Debt. There is no formal application form - so I had to provide in writing as to why I should be considered. They said they'll get back to me within a week or two so hopefully it goes through!! If it's successful, the two units will have their final grades amended to Withdrawn Incomplete. Thanks for letting me know about this ShortBlackChick! For anyone reading this in the future - you actually have 4 weeks from when the grades are released to submit your application. Thankfully for me today is my final day!! I submitted it last night so should be alright in that aspect.

Ahahahaha omg! Thats awesome! Yea the 4 weeks deadline was what I meant when I said in my first post that there were changes, but as far as I knew it was a change in my faculty (Arts) only, but apparently not! But thats so lucky that you got it in before then! Before that I think the date was within 3 months to apply for WI, and a year after the final census date to apply for Remission of Debt or something.

Congrats though! I'm happy it turned out well Did you have to submit any documentation?? Or do you have 3 months to submit the documentation or something?

[3Xamz]

Section 11 of the Unit Assessment Procedures (http://policy.monash.edu.au/policy-bank/academic/education/assessment/unit-assessment-procedures.html) highlights it all. I provided a scanned copy of my medical certificates and the recipient of my application (a member of the Student Services team) said this is alright for now and that if need be, they'll chase me up for original and verified copies down the track. Fingers crossed!