From a final year student (who just completed her last ever Christmas deadline season!) drowning in essay feedback, dissertation writing and attempting to find a post grad job, here are my best tips I have collated over the last three years to tackle university feedback.
This sounds so obvious, but I know all too well how easy it is to open up Canvas, see a mark you are not happy with and immediately close the assignment page down, shifting it to the back of your mind. Even though it is likely you will not be writing an essay on the same topic again, the feedback is still helpful and can likely be applied to the way you structure future essays. Reading the feedback is the first and most important hurdle to tackling university feedback. Maybe you don’t want to read it as soon as you open up your mark, that is completely fine, but the next time you come to write an essay, make sure you have noted down the feedback you can apply when completing your next essay.
Your Personal Tutor is there to help - make sure you use them. They cannot help if they don’t know how you are feeling, they are not mind readers. Be honest with them; explain to them your frustrations about a mark or your confusion over a sentence of feedback. Meeting with your Personal Tutor is also a helpful way to set goals for the next semester and hold yourself to some sort of accountability (which can feel hard at university, in comparison to school).
Speak to your course friends! This doesn’t mean asking them what mark they got; I honestly think it’s super unhelpful most of the time to discuss specific grades - everyone has different goals and expectations for themselves - you are on your own academic timeframe. You are not likely to make yourself or anyone feel better if you share specific grades. However, sometimes you’ll get very similar feedback and taking to peers can help you identify common mistakes, clarify misunderstandings, and refine your work based on collective insights.
Some of the feedback can feel harsher than receiving feedback at A-level where you likely had a more personal relationship with your teacher. Don’t be embarrassed to contact Wellbeing support if you find yourself feeling overwhelmed, burnt out, or struggling to process critical feedback. University can be a big adjustment, and seeking support—whether from wellbeing services, tutors, or peers—can lighten the personal and academic adjustments that come with the business of university.
It’s easy to dwell on the flaws of last semester's grades but this is your sign to embrace the new year and new semester (think cheesy new you academic mindset, think 2025 academic weapon era). Last semester's grades cannot be changed (whether that is a good thing or a bad thing), make small, achievable goals for this semester so there are sighs of relief and not disappointment when you get that Canvas notification this summer…