University Grades (1 Viewer)

[jayceeh]

Hi,

Does anyone have any information regarding the approximate percentage of students that receive a HD, D, C etc. at uni and how hard it is to achieve a distinction average at UNSW?

I am enrolled into a BCom at UNSW and would like to transfer into Law next year - in order to do so I need a 'distinction average'. The mark range of 75-84 for a distinction seems achievable (after just completing HSC and receiving 90's) so I'm a bit disoriented/confused - how hard is it to get a distinction average and approximately what percentage/percentile of students attain these marks?

Thanks

 

[p0llex]

Take a look at this page on the UNSW website.

The graph on there shows that on average about 35% of people get 75 or above, but it varies a huge amount from course to course.

 

[D94]

The diagram represents a composite plot of the cumulative distributions of courses assessed in 2015 - there are slight variations each year. The shaded, gumleaf-shaped area represents the middle 75% of all distributions.

https://student.unsw.edu.au/grades-comparison-of-grading-systems

Distribution of grades
The proportion of marks lying in each grading range is determined not by any formula or quota system, but by the way that students respond to assessment tasks and how well they meet the objectives of the course. Nevertheless, since higher grades imply performance that is well above average, the number of distinctions and high distinctions awarded in a typical course is relatively small. At the other extreme, on average 6.1% of students do not meet minimum standards, a little more (8.6%) in first year courses.

https://student.unsw.edu.au/grade

So from these two pages, you could roughly estimate on average for all UNSW courses combined:
HD - 9%
DN - 25%
CR - 32%
PS - 25%
FL - 9% (which now includes the PC grade and other grades)

What this also shows is that the average WAM is around 70.

 

[davidgoes4wce]

So would it be fair to say , when you get to university , you want to beat your competing students? High school was very much about beating other individuals. i.e classmates, beating other schools etc

University has that individual competitiveness but at the same time you need a good group/network of friends around you to do well. i.e to be candidates for graduate jobs, get HD's (which is the pinnacle of academic study), to get a foot ahead of your fellow students in terms of possible teaching roles etc. WHat I found also is groups tend to form pretty early, so for any students I guess studying this year, form some bonds , you don't want to be an outsider, join some social groups, be part of the uni experience otherwise it can be a pretty lonely place. I think I reflect back on my uni years and say I was a bit of a loner, yes , my social skills have improved but it hasn't been something that has changed in 1 year, its probably taken me a decade or so.

I wished I had access to this kind of information before I commenced my undergraduate degree. Based on looking at that , my thinking is the good students will tend to stick around the good students and push themselves and improve their standards. What I find is tutors (the ones teaching at the universities) don't tend to put in as much time outside contact hours , same too for lecturers (which is understandable as well).

 

[Cleverusername5321]

depends on course and uni

my law units - only a few people get HDs each semester, I have no HDs
my non-law units - super fucking easy to get HDs, I have all HDs

also depends on whether you're full time or part time and whether you work.

So would it be fair to say , when you get to university , you want to beat your competing students? High school was very much about beating other individuals. i.e classmates, beating other schools etc

No.