Should I transfer to an easier University to get a first/ 2.1 or stay and get a third

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?

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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..

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.

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 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.