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Is it considered really hard to get a first class degree?

2:1 seems the most common.

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I imagine it depends on the course and university. For me (final year Physics BSc.at Warwick) it's challenging, but perfectly doable.

Reply 2

Moosferatu

Always depends on the course and the university.

Reply 3

Caedus

Intellect is also a factor to be taken into consideration.

Reply 4

PeaceTreaty

If it's not Hull, yes.

Reply 5

Bronco2012

Yeah, given that what? 20-30 percent of people make it to uni, then within that less than a quarter score a first, you're looking at the top 5-6% of society that will ever graduate with a first.

Reply 6

Caedus

Original post by PeaceTreaty

If it's not Hull, yes.

How dare you speak Ill of one of the great universities.

Reply 7

Strangey

If you're good at your course and you work pretty damn hard then it's certainly achievable.

Reply 8

tehforum

Yes, for Law.

You need to be insanely good. (10% of people get it, compared to 50% in Maths).

Reply 9

Mad Vlad

Typically, yes - it's hard. Much harder in humanities subjects though.

Reply 10

ageshallnot

Much easier than it used to be.

Reply 11

Theflyingbarney

Depends largely on the subject and uni, but on the whole yes. Most places at the very least you'll need to dedicate a lot more time and effort to your studies than the rest of your subject group, and for a few of the top courses/unis it's difficult to get a first without some extra natural affinity for the subject, no matter how hard you work. That's what it seems like from my perspective anyway.

Reply 12

Noble.

Original post by tehforum

Yes, for Law.

You need to be insanely good. (10% of people get it, compared to 50% in Maths).

Which University awards 50% of the cohort a first? :eek:

Reply 13

tehforum

Original post by Noble.

Which University awards 50% of the cohort a first? :eek:

Actually, just checked the stats from this year at Warwick for Law.
http://unistats.direct.gov.uk/subjects/study/10007163FT-U-M300/ReturnTo/Search
7% got a 1st out of 125 who replied.

For BSc in Maths at Warwick - 3 years
http://unistats.direct.gov.uk/subjects/study/10007163FT-U-G100/ReturnTo/Search
23% got a 1st.

BUT, for MMath, 4 years

http://unistats.direct.gov.uk/subjects/study/10007163FT-U-G103/ReturnTo/Search

80 percent got a 1st, which is just ridiculous!

Data may be skewed by people choosing to give their classification, but such a figure shows that 1sts are easily available.

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 14

Noble.

Original post by tehforum

Actually, just checked the stats from this year at Warwick for Law.
http://unistats.direct.gov.uk/subjects/study/10007163FT-U-M300/ReturnTo/Search
5.6% got a 1st out of 125 who replied.

For BSc in Maths at Warwick - 3 years
http://unistats.direct.gov.uk/subjects/study/10007163FT-U-G100/ReturnTo/Search
19.2% got a 1st.

BUT, for MMath, 4 years

http://unistats.direct.gov.uk/subjects/study/10007163FT-U-G103/ReturnTo/Search
80/90 people got a 1st!
88.8 percent got a 1st, which is just ridiculous!

Data may be skewed by people choosing to give their classification, but such a figure shows that 1sts are easily available.

LOL. How on earth can Warwick get away with giving 90% firsts? (assuming that's correct). Both Oxford and Cambridge give ~30% for maths.

Reply 15

tehforum

Original post by Noble.

LOL. How on earth can Warwick get away with giving 90% firsts? (assuming that's correct). Both Oxford and Cambridge give ~30% for maths.

See edit above.

I doubt it's 80%, but I wouldn't hesitate to say overall, 60% get a 1st if you had the stats of EVERYONE in MMath.

Reply 16

tehforum

Original post by Noble.

LOL. How on earth can Warwick get away with giving 90% firsts? (assuming that's correct). Both Oxford and Cambridge give ~30% for maths.

Oxford, its 45%

Cambridge - http://unistats.direct.gov.uk/subjects/study/10007788FT-UG_MATX_KIS/ReturnTo/Search - 27%.

Reply 17

Olombus

It depends on the school and largely on the course; I think Engineering courses are difficult and has fewer 1st

Reply 18

Noble.

Original post by tehforum

Oxford, its 45%

Cambridge - http://unistats.direct.gov.uk/subjects/study/10007788FT-UG_MATX_KIS/ReturnTo/Search - 27%.

You're comparing BA/BSc and MMath statistics though. For the BA (comparative to Cambridge's 27%) it's ~30% at Oxford. When it comes to fourth year, the proportion of firsts goes up at both places.