Question about WAM at UNSW (1 Viewer)

[strangestranger]

Hello all!

I'm seriously considering going to UNSW to study Advanced Science, 3972, but one thing bothers me a lot.

Now, I'm a firm believer in hard work, and studying in general, but to get a first class honours in Advanced Science 3972 at UNSW, one needs a WAM of 85% or more over 4 years. I've compared this to the UK, where an average of 70% or more is enough to get a first class honours, and to other faculties in UNSW, such as engineering, which require only 75%. Even from where I come from - I'm an international student - A levels don't require something as high as 85% in order to get an A.

How difficult is it to get an 85% or more for your WAM?

Thanks all.

 

[chucknthem]

pretty difficult...

 

[Doomah]

to get a wam of over 85 you need both hard work and the CAPABILITY to do so. no amount of hard work will get you 85+ if you are only at best a credit/distinction average student.

 

[~dEjA vOuX~]

When I was on exchange in the UK I discovered that 70%+ is just as difficult to achieve as 85+ and a pass was considered 40, whereas a pass here is considered 50. My point being, the two different marking systems aren't really comparable and getting a 70 in the UK will not necessarily be easier to obtain than an 85 here.

 

[strangestranger]

When I was on exchange in the UK I discovered that 70%+ is just as difficult to achieve as 85+ and a pass was considered 40, whereas a pass here is considered 50. My point being, the two different marking systems aren't really comparable and getting a 70 in the UK will not necessarily be easier to obtain than an 85 here.

Ahhh... That was what I was trying to discern. How are the papers different, such that a 70 in the UK is equivalent to an 85 at UNSW? Are there more easy questions so that they test everything taught; since for the exams in the UK, there are some questions that are meant to be almost impossible to solve.

 

[~dEjA vOuX~]

I didn't actually sit any papers whilst I was there, so I can't really comment on the difficulty of papers. I did however have to write 2 essays per subject and in terms of marking essays they never gave a mark over 70 as they believed anything above 70 was worthy of beng published in a journal. The highest mark therefore was a '70+', which was incredibly difficult to achieve. I don't know if this is the same marking system throughout the UK, or whether it was a university specific marking policy.

 

[strangestranger]

I didn't actually sit any papers whilst I was there, so I can't really comment on the difficulty of papers. I did however have to write 2 essays per subject and in terms of marking essays they never gave a mark over 70 as they believed anything above 70 was worthy of beng published in a journal. The highest mark therefore was a '70+', which was incredibly difficult to achieve. I don't know if this is the same marking system throughout the UK, or whether it was a university specific marking policy.

Hmm... It seems to be the norm in most UK universities, especially for arts essays.

 

[akqjt]

If others have done it before you, it means its not impossible. Good luck

 

[strangestranger]

Any reason why the WAM for a first class honours in engineering is 75 while one for advanced science is 85?

 

[Vylen]

Any reason why the WAM for a first class honours in engineering is 75 while one for advanced science is 85?

not really... the different faculties/schools just make the rules about the way they reward things...

like im doing an engineering degree so im indeed under the 75 WAM rule, but as im doing software engineering, the school (CSE) makes it that the CSE WAM is used rather than the UNSW WAM to determine honours... (reason for that is that the CSW WAM is calculated using associated computing courses rather than every single course i did - my mark in Japanese 1A shouldnt really determine my aptitude in the computing field)...

but for more specifics, you'd be better off asking the faculty of engineering and faculty of science...

 

[wrong_turn]

Any reason why the WAM for a first class honours in engineering is 75 while one for advanced science is 85?

because the faculty gods decided it to be so...many years ago in a galaxy far far away.

 

[uhawww]

There's a reason it's called Advanced Science, as opposed to nub science.

 

[Survivor39]

Any reason why the WAM for a first class honours in engineering is 75 while one for advanced science is 85?

Enginnering's cut off for first class Honours is determined by WAM over the 4 year degree. In Science, the 4th year is optional, so your mark in the 4th (Honours) year solely determines your Class of Honours.

 

[kooltrainer]

holy fk.. 85+ wam? i only got 84.5 ... people with uai > 98.15 should be able to get 85+wam..

 

[Tim035]

There's a reason it's called Advanced Science, as opposed to nub science.

Yes.. Those advanced science seminars with Rifkin definately raise the bar compared to what a B.Sci student does.

@Survivor- That was my impression, that only the 4th / honors year determines what class you receive in science.