Are too many people at university?

Scroll to see replies

Quady

So you're saying Oxbridges marking is loose and devaluing a 1st from Birmingham?

I never said Oxbridge's marking was loose, or that all firsts were gained as a result of loose marking. I am simply saying that there are "universities" which hand out firsts based on low course content difficulty and loose marking, and thus devalue degrees.

Reply 201

Quady

ish90an

But Oxbridge hands out the greatest proportion.
Ex-polys must be really tough in marking since they give the fewest 1sts.

Reply 202

T. Hereford

Yes, there are too many people at uni. This makes a degree become more and more worthless. I think the Government should close down every uni that is lower in the league table than Goldsmiths (not including Goldsmiths) or turn them into Further Education colleges WITHOUT the power to award degress!!!

I know my comments will upset some people on here but I really don't see the point in going to a rubbish uni like Portsmouth, UWE or Bolton when their degrees aren't even worth the paper they're written on!!!

Reply 203

Quady

T. Hereford

lower in the league table

Which?

Reply 204

ish90an

Quady

But Oxbridge hands out the greatest proportion.
Ex-polys must be really tough in marking since they give the fewest 1sts.

Because it is obviously simple as that. Nothing to do with quality of teaching or average student calibre.
Btw, you will note that I never brought in Oxbridge or ex-polys into the debate. You have somehow magically inferred that me saying that too many people are at university and people getting easy firsts has to do with whether they go to Oxbridge or not.

Reply 205

Quady

ish90an

Yes I inferred courses which give away a higher proportion of 1sts 'devalues the entire idea of a first class honours' as you put it.

Or to turn it around, how does a course where10* of people get a first devalue a first for people where 30% of people get one?

Reply 206

ish90an

Quady

No of people getting firsts is not always dependent on marking. Take a graduate who has without much effort got a 1st. He goes into the workplace and soon gets found out, because he didn't get the first because of his ability, but because of loose marking from the university. This is what devalues the degree and the idea of a first.

Reply 207

T. Hereford

Quady

Which?

The Sunday Times. That seems to be the most reliable and most accurate.

Reply 208

Quady

T. Hereford

The Sunday Times. That seems to be the most reliable and most accurate.

So the more 2.1s+ a uni awards the better the university?
Nice.
:biggrin:

Reply 209

T. Hereford

Quady

So the more 2.1s+ a uni awards the better the university?
Nice.
:biggrin:

right, let my get straight to the point!! Do you honestly think a degree from a rubbish uni like UWE or Bournemouth is worth the paper it's written on? :confused:

Reply 210

Quady

T. Hereford

right, let my get straight to the point!! Do you honestly think a degree from a rubbish uni like UWE or Bournemouth is worth the paper it's written on? :confused:

I think it depends on the course. I think many courses at Oxbridge don't add any value to their intake other than giving them a piece of paper. Conversely there are many course such as the PGCE where unis lower in the league table have are very strong compared to higher league table unis. Just because a dept/uni doesn't do much research doesn't automatically make it bad but does pull it down the league table.

The only UWE grad I personally know had a starting salary above the graduate average, I don't know any from Bournmouth. However both have had grads getting onto my grad scheme in similar numbers to goldsmiths in recent years. A scheme which 90% of Oxbridge applicants fail to get onto.

Personally if a league table cut were to be proposed I'd suggest top 20 would be the level to cut at, I find the unis below that dodgy. Everyone will have their own opinion on that.

But who does PGCEs?

Reply 211

Quady