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How difficult to obtain a 1st for economics?

Apparently 20% of economics students receive 1st in their first year. However, do you need to be a genius to achieve this grade or does it mostly entail hard work? I feel a little shocked since Cambridge students should be the cream of the crop; and if only 20% of this batch receive this grade...

I'm not very familiar with the system of honours, so bear with me a little. I saw somewhere that a 1st is equivalent to 80% and that passing is 30%; is this true? Also, is your final degree calculated through average of the three year's performance?

cheers :smile:

Reply 1

Jxhn

13

first is 70%, pass is 40%.
I'm not sure what you mean by genius or hard work, you obviously need to grasp the concepts to a high level, which can be done by either I presume, it's just easier for the geniuses. To answer your question on difficulty, you have to be in the top 20% of students at possibly the best university in the world...

Reply 2

epitome

11

Can be a bit tricky explaining the classification system, but the piece of info people seem to find most useful is the fact that a 1st isn't really the equivalent of an "A" at A Level. They are devilishly hard to attain -- proven by the fact that the (supposedly) top 2% of A Level students (i.e. those who go to Oxbridge), almost all of whom have at the very least AAA, many of whom are extremely hard working and ambitious, still mostly don't get 1sts.

Hard work is *always* involved, though -- geniuses don't get off all that lightly! :wink:

Reply 3

Leprechaun

OP

1

epitome

Can be a bit tricky explaining the classification system, but the piece of info people seem to find most useful is the fact that a 1st isn't really the equivalent of an "A" at A Level. They are devilishly hard to attain -- proven by the fact that the (supposedly) top 2% of A Level students (i.e. those who go to Oxbridge), almost all of whom have at the very least AAA, many of whom are extremely hard working and ambitious, still mostly don't get 1sts.

Hard work is *always* involved, though -- geniuses don't get off all that lightly! :wink:

Would you say then it is any similar to a 43-45 in IB? :p:

About 0.5-1% of all IB students in the world achieve this.

Reply 4

HCD

16

Not everyone wants a first - or at least, wants it enough to work hard. A lot of students are content with a 2:1, provided they get to have fun. People go to uni for different reasons. Hell, some people just want to get into Cambridge and then as far as they're concerned, they're a success already.

EDIT:
The IB point is different. Cambridge is full of clever people. The IB can be taken by anyone. For all the casual observer knows, the other 99% are stupid. I'm not saying that that's the case, just that the statistics are incomparable.

Reply 5

trm90

12

A 7 in IB is basically a very high grade A :p:

A low grade A is a 6 and a high B is a 5 :wink:

EDIT: As HCD said above, though, a 2:1 is still a very good grade to obtain if you've managed to maintain your stress and fun levels. Personally I don't think I'll get a first in university even if I did spend so much time working though.

Reply 6

wazzup

its insanely difficult to get a first. you can get in the first year economics, if you do a lot of work.

Reply 7

Jahmez23

personally, i don't think the extra effort involved in getting a first is worth the benefits. I think on a "keeping myself sane", "having fun" and even in terms of job prospects, i'm better off with a 2.i and a diverse range of interests, hobbies, free-time etc. but that's my take.

Reply 8

HCD

16

Depends where you wanna go with it. I want to go into PhD and research and stuff, so I'll be working my arse off for a first, and have as much fun on the side as I can pack in. Not a moment wasted!

That's the plan. The reality probably won't much resemble the plan. :p:

Reply 9

Jahmez23

HCD

Depends where you wanna go with it. I want to go into PhD and research and stuff,

one of the main exceptions where a first is a big deal.

Reply 10

HCD

16

Tell me about it! :p:

Reply 11

Leprechaun

OP

1

Wouldn't it be equally significant to other postgraduate studies, like a Master's?

Reply 12

HCD

16

Yes, it would be significant there too. :p:

Not as significant, perhaps, because a PhD is a "bigger deal" than a Master's, so to speak. I'm doing integrated Masters, so it doesn't really affect me. :biggrin:

Reply 13

FadeToBlackout

15

How good are you at Economics? For me, it would be impossible.

Reply 14

HCD

16

Regulations governing the progression of undergraduate degree graduates to postgraduate programmes vary between universities, and are often flexible. A candidate for a postgraduate master's degree is usually required to have at least a 2:2 degree, although candidates with 2:1s are in a considerably stronger position to gain a place on a postgraduate course and to gain funding. Some institutions specify a 2:1. Candidates with a Third or ordinary degree are sometimes accepted, provided they have acquired satisfactory professional experience subsequent to graduation. A candidate for a doctoral programme who does not hold a master's degree is nearly always required to have a First or 2:1. For highly desirable programmes a First is usually required.

Wikipedia!

Reply 15

FadeToBlackout

15

Having said that all, the big problem for postgrads is the funding. This is extremely competitive; you might be able to get onto the course with a 2:2, but you'd be unlikely to get money. You'd need a 2:1 to do postgrad at Cam, preferably a First.

Reply 16

HCD

16

Unfortunately that's the case, yeah. People with Daddy's Money are laughing, but people like me need to work for the funding!

Reply 17

Leprechaun

OP

1

Another rather random question, how much subsidy does Cambridge receive annually? According to Wikipedia, the endowmen is 4.1 b, but is this government subsidy included?

Reply 18

coldfish

12

Umm... doesn't "endowment" refer to some constant holdings from which one can get income? In which case, no of course it doesn't. Government subsidies would be income, wouldn't they?

A first might prove tricky.

Reply 19

epitome

11

HCD

People with Daddy's Money are laughing, but people like me need to work for the funding!

The majority of people don't have Daddy's Money behind them (and of those who do, only a small proportion of them will want to go into research) -- so don't get *too* annoyed about this! :wink:

How difficult to obtain a 1st for economics?

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