Percentiles Pass/Credit/Distinction/HD and also scaling. (1 Viewer)

[dolbinau]

Probably a n00bish question, but marks are allocated in Uni based off percentiles right? (at least that's what I heard). i.e top 5% get HD top 10% D 40% Credit etc.. (Pulling these out of no where, I have no idea)

Is it different for each uni? Does anyone have a rough idea of the percentiles for each say at MQ, USYD?

Also a question, are marks scaled? What is to stop me taking the easier statistics unit for example in the interesest of a higher GPA?

thanks

 

[AsyLum]

Depends on a few factors, there are provisions for 'smaller' classes/units so that a curve bell isn't applied, most of the time though, it'll fall into a bell curve.

 

[Survivor39]

It's a difficult question to answer. What percentage of each grade students get in a given subject is highly dependent on the course coordinator that manages the course content and assessments. Whether they scale the final mark is also entirely up to individual course coordinator. In some courses, no one gets HD, in some courses, over 40% gets HD. In some courses, 20-30% fail.

In most cases you are right; it is probably around top 5% HD, top 10% D, 40% Credit, etc.

 

[piitb]

usually they have similar exams for the past 10 years, so they know how to set the level of difficulty of the exam in such a way that even without scaling most people would fit on the bell curve.
most subjects dont end up scaling,

the bell curve is a natural phenomenon rather than a statistical manipulation