[THECHOOSENONE]

Out of interest, I was just wondering whether a 2:1, 2:2 and a 3rd class degree from oxbridge is looked favorably upon by employers, then a 1st class degree from a top 50 UK university, in most subjects but particularly law, medicine, economics and history.

[Powersymphonia]

A 1st is better than a 2:1 it's as simple as that. I never hear people saying "I got an A from Eton, that's better than your A from XYZ Comprehensive."

[Chief Wiggum]

(Original post by Powersymphonia)
A 1st is better than a 2:1 it's as simple as that. I never hear people saying "I got an A from Eton, that's better than your A from XYZ Comprehensive."

That's because people from Eton and XYZ sit the same examinations which are centrally assessed and graded.

People at different universities sit different exams, and universities have complete autonomy in awarding classifications.

EDIT: taken from my post below,since apparantly some people don't believe me:

"An institution with degree awarding powers
is solely responsible for the exercise of those
powers and is therefore entitled to appeal to its
autonomy. In particular, it is solely responsible
for the rules it uses for classifying the honours
degrees it awards. External examiners may
comment on the reasonableness of these rules
if they wish, and there may be an obligation
on institutions to consider the comments and
advice it receives, but there is no obligation to
take action in accordance with the comments
or advice received."

[beepbeeprichie]

(Original post by Chief Wiggum)
That's because people from Eton and XYZ sit the same examinations which are centrally assessed and graded.

People at different universities sit different exams, and universities have complete autonomy in awarding classifications.

Not true. http://www.qaa.ac.uk/Pages/default.aspx

[doggyfizzel]

Hard to say, 2:1 from Ox may be looked on the same light as a 1st from somewhere significantly lower down the tables, but a 2:2 or a 3rd.

EDIT: For all the people negging this, its based upon what I have been told by a IB HR employee about the auto filter system they use to scan CV's. Its a system many other firms use too. 2:2's and 3rd won't see a human being, and depending on the uni you input it might not either.

[Talexe]

TSR is not the place to ask; we're not the people who will be sitting with your CV deciding whether to employ you or not! Everybody will have their own perspectives and priorities.

[mituozo]

Entirely depends on the employer, their attitudes and knowledge of the education system.

In the end your degree classification is one of many things an employer is going to look at when judging you. If you want to be a top lawyer, investment banker or something along those lines then it'll make a difference - but in most cases a 2:1 is a 2:1 is a 2:1, providing it's from a university name the employer recognises.

[Chief Wiggum]

In answer to the OP, presumably "it depends". Different employers will care about different things, but they'll of course look at your classification. If somewhere requests you have a First, then they're presumably unlikely to take a 2.1 from Oxbridge. But for stuff like Law and Banking in the city, having gone to Oxbridge (or UCL/LSE etc) is an advantage.

(Original post by beepbeeprichie)
Not true. http://www.qaa.ac.uk/Pages/default.aspx

I'm not sure why you have just linked me to the QAA homepage. That, in itself, proves nothing.

Anyway, here is an excerpt from a document produced by the QAA (the organisation you just linked to) which should hopefully clear up any confusion:

"An institution with degree awarding powers
is solely responsible for the exercise of those
powers and is therefore entitled to appeal to its
autonomy. In particular, it is solely responsible
for the rules it uses for classifying the honours
degrees it awards. External examiners may
comment on the reasonableness of these rules
if they wish, and there may be an obligation
on institutions to consider the comments and
advice it receives, but there is no obligation to
take action in accordance with the comments
or advice received."

source: http://www.qaa.ac.uk/Publications/In.../QMApril07.pdf

[Cabine Sono Qui]

You'll never know unless you're that employer, and even then you'll only know what you think.

Yeah you got mind-merked.

[Powersymphonia]

(Original post by Chief Wiggum)
That's because people from Eton and XYZ sit the same examinations which are centrally assessed and graded.

People at different universities sit different exams, and universities have complete autonomy in awarding classifications.

Different schools may also sit different examinations as there is more than one exam board per subject. One student may have AQA maths, one Edexcel maths and another OCR maths.

[Einheri]

No. I wouldn't trade my 2:i from Nottingham for a 2:ii from Oxford or Cambridge.

Edit: Negged for this? A couple of you guys really need to take your lips off of Oxbridge's cock.

[lukas1051]

A 2:2 or a 3rd? You've got to be kidding me.

A degree from Oxbridge doesn't automatically make you better than anyone else with any degree from anywhere, and you're naive to think it does.

[hothedgehog]

You don't see job applications with 'Minimum of 2:1 unless you went to Oxbridge which requires 2:2' do you?

[Chief Wiggum]

(Original post by Powersymphonia)
Different schools may also sit different examinations as there is more than one exam board per subject. One student may have AQA maths, one Edexcel maths and another OCR maths.

That's true, and I guess it's possible that there may be slight differences in difficulty between exam boards.

However, the university situation is more like saying, "Everyone with at least 5A*s at GCSE, do AQA maths; everyone with below 5Cs at GCSE, do OCR maths" ie if A Level exam boards were streamed by GCSE results (in the rough way that university attendance is streamed by A Level results).

[Powersymphonia]

(Original post by hothedgehog)
You don't see job applications with 'Minimum of 2:1 unless you went to Oxbridge which requires 2:2' do you?

Same when applying to universities for a Postgraduate qualification.

[Powersymphonia]

(Original post by Chief Wiggum)
That's true, and I guess it's possible that there may be slight differences in difficulty between exam boards.

However, the university situation is more like saying, "Everyone with at least 5A*s at GCSE, do AQA maths; everyone with below 5Cs at GCSE, do OCR maths" ie if A Level exam boards were streamed by GCSE results (in the rough way that university attendance is streamed by A Level results).

The university demanding the highest grades for entry isn't necessarily going to be the best one though.

[anon1212]

Its impossible to equivalate degrees. I think anyone who's done a degree knows that some modules within that university/course are far easier than others- showing that regulators are not effective in making sure modules (and therefore degrees) are weighted effectively. Top universities attract top academics who demand/expect more from their students - who on average set harder courses (and expect more independent learning) making it harder to achieve certain marks.

[alex_hk90]

(Original post by lukas1051)
A 2:2 or a 3rd? You've got to be kidding me.

A degree from Oxbridge doesn't automatically make you better than anyone else with any degree from anywhere, and you're naive to think it does.

Although I generally agree with you, I know people who got 2:2s/3rds from Oxbridge who have managed to get very good jobs regardless, which I severely doubt they would've even been considered for had they gone elsewhere and got 2:2s/3rds.

[AK0001]

(Original post by THECHOOSENONE)
Out of interest, I was just wondering whether a 2:1, 2:2 and a 3rd class degree from oxbridge is looked favorably upon by employers, then a 1st class degree from a top 50 UK university, in most subjects but particularly law, medicine, economics and history.

I spoke to the head of HR at one of the big IB's. He was telling me that someone applied for a grad job stating that they received a second-class degree, but did not state if it was a 2:1, or a 2:2.

The head called the applicant and asked him what he achieved, and he told him he received a 2:2. HR guy then told the applicant that "A 2:2 in ppe from Wadham, Oxford, is nothing to be ashamed of". I didn't ask if the guy got the job in the end though lol.

[No Future]

(Original post by THECHOOSENONE)
Out of interest, I was just wondering whether a 2:1, 2:2 and a 3rd class degree from oxbridge is looked favorably upon by employers, then a 1st class degree from a top 50 UK university, in most subjects but particularly law, medicine, economics and history.

Medicine is pass/fail

And hospitals can't see which med school you went to on your app form