[everything]

I'm really confused as to how the grading works, since obviously grades aren't equivilent from University to University (a first at UCL is much stronger than a first at Manchester Met, for example).

So my dillema is such: I am struggling at a top 5 University on one of the University's highest ranked courses (Maths based course). My friend, who is at Birmingham, is seemingly breezing through his Maths degree with maximum marks. However, I performed better than he did at Maths at A-Level.

So what do I do? Do I swap to an 'easier' University and achieve a first or a 2:1, or struggle here and potentially get a third? I read all these things about employers not even considering candidates with lower than a 2.1, so considering that even a 2.2 would be a success for me here, what would be the best thing to do?

[chlobofro]

(Original post by everything)
I'm really confused as to how the grading works, since obviously grades aren't equivilent from University to University (a first at UCL is much stronger than a first at Manchester Met, for example).

So my dillema is such: I am struggling at a top 5 University on one of the University's highest ranked courses (Maths based course). My friend, who is at Birmingham, is seemingly breezing through his Maths degree with maximum marks. However, I performed better than he did at Maths at A-Level.

So what do I do? Do I swap to an 'easier' University and achieve a first or a 2:1, or struggle here and potentially get a third? I read all these things about employers not even considering candidates with lower than a 2.1, so considering that even a 2.2 would be a success for me here, what would be the best thing to do?

I don't think it's a matter of going to an easier university. Perhaps your friend worked harder than you? Degrees are a world away from A Levels. Re-sit the year and work harder?

[everything]

(Original post by chlobofro)
I don't think it's a matter of going to an easier university. Perhaps your friend worked harder than you? Degrees are a world away from A Levels. Re-sit the year and work harder?

His course is easier than mine, though. That's fact too, he's going a lot slower whilst we're already deep into stuff he starts next year.

[everything]

I don't even understand how it all works tbh. When I can achieve a 2.1 somewhere else without too much trouble, what is the better university even doing for me? I sure as hell am not finding the lectures particularly useful and the resources compared to what we had at school are shocking. When I visited my friend at Birmingham his lectures notes for a module were amazing, with a much slower pace and EXAMPLES for everything. I really don't understand how the system works.

[chlobofro]

(Original post by everything)
His course is easier than mine, though. That's fact too, he's going a lot slower whilst we're already deep into stuff he starts next year.

(Original post by everything)
I don't even understand how it all works tbh. When I can achieve a 2.1 somewhere else without too much trouble, what is the better university even doing for me? I sure as hell am not finding the lectures particularly useful and the resources compared to what we had at school are shocking. When I visited my friend at Birmingham his lectures notes for a module were amazing, with a much slower pace and EXAMPLES for everything. I really don't understand how the system works.

Perhaps you're not at the right course for you? Stop worrying about prestige and do a course you feel comfortable with.

[bestofyou]

(Original post by everything)
I'm really confused as to how the grading works, since obviously grades aren't equivilent from University to University (a first at UCL is much stronger than a first at Manchester Met, for example).

So my dillema is such: I am struggling at a top 5 University on one of the University's highest ranked courses (Maths based course). My friend, who is at Birmingham, is seemingly breezing through his Maths degree with maximum marks. However, I performed better than he did at Maths at A-Level.

So what do I do? Do I swap to an 'easier' University and achieve a first or a 2:1, or struggle here and potentially get a third? I read all these things about employers not even considering candidates with lower than a 2.1, so considering that even a 2.2 would be a success for me here, what would be the best thing to do?

you get spoon fed at school

uni is different learning altogether

your arguement has serious flaws all round

put the work in (which you clearly are not) and stop blaming your instituion.

[jaime1986]

(Original post by everything)
I don't even understand how it all works tbh. When I can achieve a 2.1 somewhere else without too much trouble, what is the better university even doing for me? I sure as hell am not finding the lectures particularly useful and the resources compared to what we had at school are shocking. When I visited my friend at Birmingham his lectures notes for a module were amazing, with a much slower pace and EXAMPLES for everything. I really don't understand how the system works.

Perhaps that's why he is doing better then?

[aeterno]

Lol how do you know you can achieve a 2.1 at another university? Getting a better grade at A-level doesn't mean you'll do better than your friend at degree level because, as you should know by now, it's a whole different game. How about being more productive about your situation and asking your tutors where you're going wrong instead of assuming you're better than everyone else and therefore entitled to top marks?

[everything]

I don't understand why every time people are always having a go at me. Not one person has even answered my question (though I appreciate encouraging advice from chlobo). If we ignore everything about me, everything about my friend and just look at the core- what is better- a 2.1 from a 'lesser' university or a 2.2/ third at a top university?

[Norton1]

(Original post by everything)
I don't understand why every time people are always having a go at me. Not one person has even answered my question (though I appreciate encouraging advice from chlobo). If we ignore everything about me, everything about my friend and just look at the core- what is better- a 2.1 from a 'lesser' university or a 2.2/ third at a top university?

The 2:1.

[everything]

(Original post by Norton1)
The 2:1.

Guess it might be worth waiting for exam results and then seeing where I stand then, huh? I don't know how it works, but I think I'd want to go straight into another course/ university next year rather than take a gap year..

[Norton1]

(Original post by everything)
Guess it might be worth waiting for exam results and then seeing where I stand then, huh? I don't know how it works, but I think I'd want to go straight into another course/ university next year rather than take a gap year..

Assuming you worked smart and worked hard and found the course too difficult and this is reflected in your results then yes, a course which is taught at a slower pace is probably for the best. However, I've no idea about the possibilities for changing at this time of year. If I were you I'd also make damn sure that the course is definitely one which you'd find easier, because otherwise it's a bit of a wasted effort.

[I'mBadAtMaths]

(Original post by everything)
Guess it might be worth waiting for exam results and then seeing where I stand then, huh? I don't know how it works, but I think I'd want to go straight into another course/ university next year rather than take a gap year..

It's imperative for good advice that you tell us what and where you study.

[Joinedup]

You're getting beasted because you cast the problem as one of switching to an easier uni cos you don't think you're getting the degree that you think you 'obviously' deserve based on a levels... Probably you'd have done better going down the 'teaching is crap, unhappy with the environment, should i think about switching' track.

[la-penseur]

You'd kick yourself if you transferred and still ended up with a 2.2 though..

[everything]

(Original post by Norton1)
Assuming you worked smart and worked hard and found the course too difficult and this is reflected in your results then yes, a course which is taught at a slower pace is probably for the best. However, I've no idea about the possibilities for changing at this time of year. If I were you I'd also make damn sure that the course is definitely one which you'd find easier, because otherwise it's a bit of a wasted effort.

It's hard to work very hard considering how demoralising the course is (in its difficulty) as well as the fact that I really do not like it.

Then everyone's like 'well why are you doing it, do something you enjoy'... it's not simple like that. I got A*s in Maths and Further Maths at A-level. Getting the best result at the best university will set me up great for employment. I have pressure from family. From potential employers. I have no interest in anything I can do a employer-respected degree in. The closest things to it are football and graphic design. Yet people always criticise me for doing what I'm told is best for me by society, tell me to do something I enjoy when everything else tells me to do what's best for my future and I have very little that I enjoy besides. So if you either have no life aspirations or love a particular subject, good for you. But don't give me **** about what I'm doing with my life, because I'm just trying to do what's best.

/mini rant

[everything]

(Original post by Joinedup)
You're getting beasted because you cast the problem as one of switching to an easier uni cos you don't think you're getting the degree that you think you 'obviously' deserve based on a levels... Probably you'd have done better going down the 'teaching is crap, unhappy with the environment, should i think about switching' track.

I don't entirely understand what you mean, but I don't think I'm entitled to a first/ 2.1 where I'm at. I don't think that at all. I feel very much out of my depth and it's clear that everyone else is either smarter or much more enthusiastic about maths than I am.

And seriously, I swear people aren't agreeing that more prestigious universities have harder courses than the lower ranked ones..

[SnoochToTheBooch]

I can't imagine you're going to go from a third to a first just because you change university. Also A-levels mean very little, they're basic compared to university.

[everything]

(Original post by SnoochToTheBooch)
I can't imagine you're going to go from a third to a first just because you change university. Also A-levels mean very little, they're basic compared to university.

There's a decent chance I'm overeacting to exam pressures and stuff. idk

[alexkol]

Just a moment, as far as I know from my course, Mechanical Engineering, all the Unis are doing pretty much the same stuff, with some slight changes, ie including an Economic module, or doing some EEE modules. There are also some changes in the structure, some Unis are doing modules in different order, so your friend in Birmingham may do what you did in first year in the next two years of his degree.
Furthermore, Birmingham is a top 10 or top 20 Uni, so your modules have to be similar