What percentage is a &quot;good first&quot; at degree level?

Original post by loveire&song

Hi

So I've just started first year, and I'm struggling quite a lot to work out what perecentage is good! I spent year 13 being disappointed with if I got less than ~ 95% - so I'm struggling to change my mindset.

What's a good percentage to be aiming for? I am aiming for a first, but I also want to know what, realistically, a really good percentage is. For context, I got A*A*A* in my A levels, and want to do comparatively as well :smile:

(It's hard to find an answer to this on tsr because most threads are about essay based degrees where apparently it's impossible to get a mark higher than about 80 due to it being subjective? I know this isn't true for Physics because in the three bits of coursework so far I've got 90, 100 and 84).

Thank you!

Look in your course handbook to find out the degree classification thresholds for your work (or ask your academic tutor! that's what they're there for)
*generally* anything above 70% will be considered a first but for some courses/subjects/universities it will be different.

Reply 2

http://www.lancaster.ac.uk/media/lancaster-university/content-assets/documents/physics/undergraduate_handbook_1516.pdf

Page 17

Original post by loveire&song

Hi

So I've just started first year, and I'm struggling quite a lot to work out what perecentage is good! I spent year 13 being disappointed with if I got less than ~ 95% - so I'm struggling to change my mindset.

What's a good percentage to be aiming for? I am aiming for a first, but I also want to know what, realistically, a really good percentage is. For context, I got A*A*A* in my A levels, and want to do comparatively as well :smile:

(It's hard to find an answer to this on tsr because most threads are about essay based degrees where apparently it's impossible to get a mark higher than about 80 due to it being subjective? I know this isn't true for Physics because in the three bits of coursework so far I've got 90, 100 and 84).

Thank you!

Reply 3

fefssdf

20

Well I think a 2:1 equates to like 60% ? Which is considered ' good ' but I'm not entirely sure

Reply 4

InArduisFouette

•

pass 40

•

3rd 41-50

•

2ii 50- 60

•

2i 60- 70

•

1st 70+

Remember that 100 % at University in anything other than MCQ or similar test would be work that is publishable in it's own right.

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 5

spotify95

18

Original post by loveire&song

Hi

So I've just started first year, and I'm struggling quite a lot to work out what perecentage is good! I spent year 13 being disappointed with if I got less than ~ 95% - so I'm struggling to change my mindset.

What's a good percentage to be aiming for? I am aiming for a first, but I also want to know what, realistically, a really good percentage is. For context, I got A*A*A* in my A levels, and want to do comparatively as well :smile:

(It's hard to find an answer to this on tsr because most threads are about essay based degrees where apparently it's impossible to get a mark higher than about 80 due to it being subjective? I know this isn't true for Physics because in the three bits of coursework so far I've got 90, 100 and 84).

Thank you!

At university, it's much harder to get the really high grades (90%+) compared to A-Level.

For most universities, including the one I studied at, anything above 70% is considered a 1st, between 60 and 70% is a 2.1, between 50% and 60% is a 2.2, and so on, with less than 40% being a fail.

If you can get 70-80%+ then that would be excellent, but anything above 70% is considered very good as that will get you your 1st :smile:

Reply 6

doodle_333

19

you can probably find out what the top students on your course generally achieve. I assume what you want is not a basic 'a 2.1 is good and that's 60%' but 'what is considered remarkably good' given your previous very high marks. For reference, I know a couple of people who won departmental awards for highest mark in their cohort and they generally got mid-80s (this is in STEM, in essay subjects I think mid 70s is more normal). While you can get very high marks in a subject like physics you sit so many exams and complete so many bits of coursework for your degree that getting top marks isn't about studying very hard for one test and getting 100%, it's about being very consistent... one bad grade will pull your average down quickly and very few people avoid getting any bad grades at all

Reply 7

OP

http://www.lancaster.ac.uk/media/lancaster-university/content-assets/documents/physics/undergraduate_handbook_1516.pdf

Page 17

Original post by PQ

Original post by zippyRN

•

pass 40

•

3rd 41-50

•

2ii 50- 60

•

2i 60- 70

•

1st 70+

Remember that 100 % at University in anything other than MCQ or similar test would be work that is publishable in it's own right.

Original post by fefssdf

Well I think a 2:1 equates to like 60% ? Which is considered ' good ' but I'm not entirely sure

Original post by PQ

Look in your course handbook to find out the degree classification thresholds for your work (or ask your academic tutor! that's what they're there for)
*generally* anything above 70% will be considered a first but for some courses/subjects/universities it will be different.

Hi - sorry that I didn't make it very clear. I'm aware that 70% is a first, but I don't want to be aiming for 70% - I want to be aiming for as high a first as possible. However, I don't want to set an unrealistic target (like 95% or whatever), so I wanted to ask what's a realistic grade to be aiming for - 80%? 85%?

Also, I've got 100% in two pieces of coursework so far that definitely weren't publishable quality! :tongue:

Don't think that definition is applicable to science degrees?

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 8

Original post by loveire&song

Hi - sorry that I didn't make it very clear. I'm aware that 70% is a first, but I don't want to be aiming for 70% - I want to be aiming for as high a first as possible. However, I don't want to set an unrealistic target (like 95% or whatever), so I wanted to ask what's a realistic grade to be aiming for - 80%? 85%?

Also, I've got 100% in two pieces of coursework so far that definitely weren't publishable quality! :tongue:

Dont think that definition is applicable to science degrees?

Looking at your course handbook I'd say aiming for an average of 85% or higher for your first year would give you plenty of leeway to deal with a few slips (or lower grades in later years) and still come out with a very good first.

Remember though that first year results don't count towards your final classification - so don't beat yourself up if you have a bad result or too. The incentive for doing well in your first year is to get a really good basic knowledge for when you start getting results that *do* count in your second year.

I would suggest you speak to your academic tutor though - in some universities marking in first year is different to in later years (again because it doesn't count markers can sometimes be more generous....which comes as a big shock in second year when suddenly your work is marked against the standard of work expected at the end of the degree).

Reply 9

super_kawaii

20

60% and above is considered a good grade at uni. Don't underestimate the sheer amount of extra work and reading you'll be required to do to get that 60%

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 10

Duncan2012

19

Original post by loveire&song

Hi - sorry that I didn't make it very clear. I'm aware that 70% is a first, but I don't want to be aiming for 70% - I want to be aiming for as high a first as possible. However, I don't want to set an unrealistic target (like 95% or whatever), so I wanted to ask what's a realistic grade to be aiming for - 80%? 85%?

Also, I've got 100% in two pieces of coursework so far that definitely weren't publishable quality! :tongue:

Dont think that definition is applicable to science degrees?

There's no point aiming for a set number like 80% or 85% at uni. Do as well as you can and aim for a First.

You're doing a science-based subject and you've only just started, so it's not surprising you've got 100% in a couple of assignments. The workload will get harder, and you'll come to realise that getting a First is a tough enough goal.

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 11

OP

Original post by Duncan2012

There's no point aiming for a set number like 80% or 85% at uni. Do as well as you can and aim for a First.

You're doing a science-based and you've only just started, so it's not surprising you've got 100% in a couple of assignments. The workload will get harder, and you'll come to realise that getting a First is a tough enough goal.

There was also no "point" in aiming to get three A*s at A level when my highest offer asked for two, but I worked towards it for personal satisfaction, because I enjoyed my subjects, and to set me up well for starting my degree. Similarly, I want to do as well as possible this year for personal satisfaction, because I enjoy my subject and to set me up well for second year. I also want to go into research, where my academic transcript, including my first year marks, will matter.

That is extremely patronising of you to assume the pieces of coursework I did very well in must be because they were easy. I was the only person to get 100% in one of them, and the second best mark was a long way behind. I put a lot of work into them. I'm not naïve - obviously the work will get harder as time goes on, and I have already acknowledged the fact that marking for science and essay based subjects is completely different - that is reason I asked this question. What do you gain by belittling someone else's achievements?

Reply 12

OP

Original post by PQ

Looking at your course handbook I'd say aiming for an average of 85% or higher for your first year would give you plenty of leeway to deal with a few slips (or lower grades in later years) and still come out with a very good first.

Remember though that first year results don't count towards your final classification - so don't beat yourself up if you have a bad result or too. The incentive for doing well in your first year is to get a really good basic knowledge for when you start getting results that *do* count in your second year.

I would suggest you speak to your academic tutor though - in some universities marking in first year is different to in later years (again because it doesn't count markers can sometimes be more generous....which comes as a big shock in second year when suddenly your work is marked against the standard of work expected at the end of the degree).

Thank you very very much! :smile:

This is exactly the kind of answer I was looking for, and very helpful! x

Reply 13

OP

Original post by doodle_333

you can probably find out what the top students on your course generally achieve. I assume what you want is not a basic 'a 2.1 is good and that's 60%' but 'what is considered remarkably good' given your previous very high marks. For reference, I know a couple of people who won departmental awards for highest mark in their cohort and they generally got mid-80s (this is in STEM, in essay subjects I think mid 70s is more normal). While you can get very high marks in a subject like physics you sit so many exams and complete so many bits of coursework for your degree that getting top marks isn't about studying very hard for one test and getting 100%, it's about being very consistent... one bad grade will pull your average down quickly and very few people avoid getting any bad grades at all

Thank you very much for this answer! :smile:

That's exactly what I was trying to ask - sorry for the bad wording! - and that's very helpful :smile:

x

Reply 14

OP

Original post by Duncan2012

Woah, calm down. You've completely misread my post.

Did I ever say you shouldn't be aiming for a First?

You've been at uni for, what, a month? I've got three degrees. I'm not saying that to boast - just to show that I understand the progression in terms of workload and difficulty. And yes, that the first few pieces of work will be relatively easy.

I was, fairly obviously, objecting to the statement "it's not surprising you've got 100% in a couple of assignments".

Seeing as I am the only one who has, out of my year of ~ 130, I wouldn't have said getting 100% in a couple of assignments was "not suprising". But maybe you think 1 out of 130 is a fairly common occurrence.

You didn't say there was no point aiming for a first, but you did said there was no point aiming for 80% or 85% etc.

Obviously the level of work will get harder - otherwise what's the point of a degree...? That still doesn't mean that I haven't done very well in getting 100% in some of the first pieces of coursework.

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 15

gr8wizard10

got A*A*A at A levels, and anything above 60% to me is pretty good. it's whats needed to get most jobs. i don't plan to go into any further education, otherwise generally a first

Reply 16