American grading?

studyboy1992

how do american universities grade their degree's is it like out
1
2:1
and 3rd
or is it different if so what are the equal 'scores' to above?

Reply 1

amandacalifornia

We don't really grade our degrees, but if the GPA is high enough you can graduate with honors. In order:
cum laude, "with honor" (direct translation: "with praise) usually a 3.5
magna cum laude, "with great honor" (direct translation: "with great praise)
summa cum laude, "with highest honor" (direct translation: "with highest praise)

But even if you get them it's not as big of a deal as in the UK. It's just something to put on your resume.

Edit: Sorry, just realized you might not know what GPA is. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GPA#United_States
Generally A= 4.0, B = 3.0, C=2.0, D=1.0. + or - adds or substracts .33. Grades are usually based on one or 2 midterms, a final, papers, and participation.

Reply 2

studyboy1992

amandacalifornia

oh because im going to university in england next year to do a degree in psychology and then im going to (well hoping to go to) UCLA for law school, i was just wondering so yeah btw; Do you know what the equalivants are? like would a 1st over here be a 'summa cum laude'?

Reply 3

amandacalifornia

studyboy1992

http://www.wes.org/gradeconversionguide/index.asp

Good luck! Two of my mom's best friends went to UCLA law school and loved it.

Reply 4

studyboy1992

amandacalifornia

http://www.wes.org/gradeconversionguide/index.asp

Good luck! Two of my mom's best friends went to UCLA law school and loved it.

it looks really good and fun lol and im studying abroad in california for a semester of my british degree.
Thanks for answering by the way!!!1 :biggrin:

Reply 5

JCM89

My brother got a 2:1 here and now studies in the US at an Ivy League university. His degree was translated as A- or magna cum laude in the US system.

The degrees aren't really equivalent though as my brother is getting As in everything in his graduate degree and says it is very easy compared to a UK university. The exams they get even at graduate level include multiple choice tests (!) and short answer essay questions. He's basically treating the course as a vacation as he's not needing to study to do very well.

Reply 6

studyboy1992

JCM89

Yeah i have heard that from my friends that like when we are in six form/ college doing A level hard work etc, whereas in america its more like GCSE's like apparently the sat is equlivant as foundation GCSE's
and plus our A levels are equlivant to their undergrad degree.
is that true?

btw thanks for answering!
and sorry for my spelling lol.

Reply 7

JCM89

studyboy1992

I don't think A-levels are equivalent to a US undergraduate degree. But you can get into some US universities on the basis on GCSEs alone and most universities with just low grade A-levels. I know someone who got an offer of DD at A-level to study business at Boston University which is a fairly okay school.

The mismatch between the degree courses cab work in our favour though. I know a friend of a friend who totally screwed up his degree here and graduated with an ordinary degree. He got into a US university to study for an MBA and has done really well. It's unlikely without a 2:1 honours he would have got into an MBA course here.