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close to a 2.1, degree classification, anyone else been in this situation?

Hi, I wanted to ask if anyone got just below a 60%, for example like a 59.3 etc, and was still given a 2.1?
my uni does give 2.1 above 59.5, but what happens if i get a 59.2 or 59.3. surely they can bump it up? has anyone been in this situation? Please let me know. thanks

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The rules are strict on this. It's all done mathematically . There is no discretion at exam boards and no adjustments can be made to individual students' grades once they have been ratified at module boards. As long as they calculations are correct, I'm afraid the 59.5 threshold will be strictly adhered to.
I got 59% and they didn't bump it up for me.
Original post by Bongo Bongo
I got 59% and they didn't bump it up for me.


ok thanks for the reply
Original post by enemysoilder
Hi, I wanted to ask if anyone got just below a 60%, for example like a 59.3 etc, and was still given a 2.1?
my uni does give 2.1 above 59.5, but what happens if i get a 59.2 or 59.3. surely they can bump it up? has anyone been in this situation? Please let me know. thanks


What do your uni's degree regulations state?
At some point they have to draw a line, and this line is usually quite clearly stated in the regulations. If the line for them is 59.5 and you got 59.4 then you will have a 2:2 and that's the long and short of it.
Reply 6
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VNS_3
13
Original post by enemysoilder
Hi, I wanted to ask if anyone got just below a 60%, for example like a 59.3 etc, and was still given a 2.1?
my uni does give 2.1 above 59.5, but what happens if i get a 59.2 or 59.3. surely they can bump it up? has anyone been in this situation? Please let me know. thanks


They must be really mean not to give you a 2.1
Yes, I got my results last week actually. My average degree mark was 58.5% which is below 60%, however I still got a 2.1. I don't know how, don't ask. It's probably because I got a 2.1 in half of my modules, because I've heard that some universities have this safety net where if you get 60% or above in at least half of your modules then you'll still get that degree classification. I even got lower marks then you and still got a 2.1. I got so lucky.
(edited 1 year ago)
Reply 8
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VNS_3
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Original post by artful_lounger
At some point they have to draw a line, and this line is usually quite clearly stated in the regulations. If the line for them is 59.5 and you got 59.4 then you will have a 2:2 and that's the long and short of it.


59% is much closer to 60% rather than 50%...
These regulations seem outdated and need to be revised.
(edited 1 year ago)
Reply 9
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VNS_3
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Original post by Amberlight
Yes, I got my results last week actually. My average degree mark was 58.5% which is below 60%, however I still got a 2.1. I don't know how, don't ask. It's probably because I got a 2.1 in half of my modules, because I've heard that some universities have this safety net where if you get 60% or above in at least half of your modules then you'll still get that degree classification. I even got lower marks then you and still got a 2.1. I got so lucky.


They have a bit of understanding as it seems. I mean the lecturers and they scale up a bit for the benefit of the student.
Original post by VNS_3
59% is much closer to 60% rather than 50%...
These regulations seem outdated and need to be revised.

As I said, they have to draw the line somewhere. Why not 58%? Why not 57%? 55%? We can keep going down and down.

They picked a line and if that's where it is, it's where it is.
Reply 11
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Original post by artful_lounger
As I said, they have to draw the line somewhere. Why not 58%? Why not 57%? 55%? We can keep going down and down.

They picked a line and if that's where it is, it's where it is.

They picked the wrong line then.
The person above got 2.1 with 58.5%
Original post by VNS_3
They picked the wrong line then.
The person above got 2.1 with 58.5%


So, they went to a different uni presumably?

One could also use the exact same argument to argue you "picked the wrong university then".

Complaining about it isn't going to change things.

Note that a 2:1 is a wide grade range and a 68% is just as much a 2:1 as a 60% - do you think you are on the same level as someone who missed out on a 1st?
Original post by VNS_3
They have a bit of understanding as it seems. I mean the lecturers and they scale up a bit for the benefit of the student.


To be fair, the exams were a total nightmare and a lot of students did badly in semester 1 in my year, so I wouldn't be surprised if they have decided to decrease the grade boundaries slightly so more students get a 2.1. Also because of COVID, some exams were unreasonably more difficult, so that could be another reason. They are very lenient on it. Universities do understand that 2.1 is an important grade because it is the minimum requirement if you want to do a postgraduate or get onto a grad scheme. Half of the doors will be closed if you get a 2.2, so that's why they have been lenient. I am glad that they were at least understanding.
(edited 1 year ago)
Ultimately it's different between universities so some will say 58.5 is 2.1 (probably with certain conditions such as a certain number of credits were obtained above a 2.1) but some don't.
But these rules are clear and predefined, it was up to you to be aware of this before your final results came out and work appropriately.
It looks like you have 2.2 according to your university and that is entirely fair.
Reply 15
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VNS_3
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Original post by artful_lounger
So, they went to a different uni presumably?

One could also use the exact same argument to argue you "picked the wrong university then".

Complaining about it isn't going to change things.

Note that a 2:1 is a wide grade range and a 68% is just as much a 2:1 as a 60% - do you think you are on the same level as someone who missed out on a 1st?


Someone on a 58% missed out on a 2.1 and someone on a 68% missed out on a 1st.
But both can be rounded up for the benefit of the student. It's rather random as it depends on the Uni. If one Uni does it I don't see why the other ones shouldn't do it.
Read your regulations. That is what the board of examiners will follow when ratifying awards.

As artful_lounger said, the line has to be drawn somewhere.

No big deal if you get a 2:2. Accept it and move on. No one cares once you've got your first graduate job.
Reply 17
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VNS_3
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Original post by Amberlight
To be fair, the exams were a total nightmare and a lot of students did badly in semester 1 in my year, so I wouldn't be surprised if they have decided to decrease the grade boundaries slightly so more students get a 2.1. Also because of COVID, some exams were unreasonably more difficult, so that could be another reason. They are very lenient on it. Universities do understand that 2.1 is an important grade because it is the minimum requirement if you want to do a postgraduate or get onto a grad scheme. Half of the doors will be closed if you get a 2.2, so that's why they have been lenient. I am glad that they were at least understanding.


But the exam marks and classification always depend on how well the population of students does at a given year or years of study.
Original post by VNS_3
Someone on a 58% missed out on a 2.1 and someone on a 68% missed out on a 1st.
But both can be rounded up for the benefit of the student. It's rather random as it depends on the Uni. If one Uni does it I don't see why the other ones shouldn't do it.


But it's not about what benefits the student, it's about the reflection of their assessed work. Employers and further education institutes need a measure of the performance of the student, not how generous the university is. The university benefits the student by giving them the resources to study and be assessed.
Original post by VNS_3
But the exam marks and classification always depend on how well the population of students does at a given year or years of study.


GCSE and a levels work like this, but not at university level? 70+ is always a first, 60 - 70 is always 2.1 etc. The marking rubric for every assessment is set before marking takes place and as far as I'm aware it's not adjusted based on student performance. University is the first level where you get what you get regardless of what your peers achieve.

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