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

Scroll to see replies

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.

I understand, but the proportion of 4th years getting 1st in MMath is ridiculously large.

Reply 21

IceKidd

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.

Lookat tehforums link....only 10% get 1st at cambridge ba

Reply 22

tehforum

Original post by IceKidd

Im curious to see evidence for the oxford statistic. Youre link clearly shows that 27% of cambridge mathmos get 2.1s

It shows 10% get a first.

http://unistats.direct.gov.uk/subjects/study/10007774FT-G100/ReturnTo/Search

And sorry, yes, 10% get a first at Cambridge. I read it wrong!

Reply 23

Noble.

Original post by tehforum

I understand, but the proportion of 4th years getting 1st in MMath is ridiculously large.

Yeah, but this is hardly surprising given that at both Oxford and Cambridge 4th year is pretty much entirely populated by those people who got a first (or a high 2:1) in the first 3 years of the degree. So in the grand-scheme of things (looking across all universities in the UK) all of those getting a 1st in 4th year are very much of that standard.

Reply 24

tehforum

Original post by Noble.

Agreed.

Reply 25

xDave-

I'm doing linguistics, and I averaged 75 in my first year. Don't see why I'll do any worse this year, so I should get the first. But it's at Hertfordshire university, so it's probably completely worthless :dontknow:

Reply 26

Noble.

Original post by tehforum

Agreed.

I also don't think that statistic about only 10% of Cambridge maths graduates getting a first is correct. It's quite likely Unistats will be wrong on this because of the weird systems at Oxford and Cambridge about degree classification (i.e. how you get the classification based on exam results, not an overall classification).

If you look here on page 33: http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/reporter/2009-10/special/04/studentnumbers0809.pdf

You'll see it shows ~30% get a first for the first three years and then 60% get a first in fourth year.

Reply 27

Noble.

Original post by IceKidd

Lookat tehforums link....only 10% get 1st at cambridge ba

Look at my post above. That statistic is wrong.

Reply 28

BrainDrain

Original post by xDave-

Getting a 1st from where ever you study is something to be proud of, you can only pass what's in front of you... who knows how you would have got on at Oxbridge, I only know as a fresher a first looks a far off dream.

Reply 29

Omar_Little

Depend on the course the university and how smart you are

Reply 30

scrotgrot

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
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.

Maths is quantitative, you either get the questions right or you don't. Law and the humanities they basically just make up a mark (and this is the reason why the classifications are so wide).

At the same time, it's almost impossible to completely bomb out of a humanity. Most things are marked within the 40-80% range.

The humanities are easier to pass, but much harder to excel in.

Reply 31

Ccf 1k

So how many people actually get a first? And is it worth working hard to get a first? That's what i want to know. Don't really care about all this Warwick, Oxford, Cambridge talk. I'm doing Computer Games Programming (first year) at Staffordshire uni. Got in with CCE so it's fairly easy to get in. Would that mean I'm likely to get a first?