To think that degrees mean less now than they did 20/30 years ago?

[SL11]

I got my degree 15 years ago from a former poly and got a high 1st. It was modular based and at the time I dont believe any credits were doubled or the lowest mark credits dropped or something like seems to happen a bit now. I know a bit as DD is soon to start Uni.
AiBU to think my degree is unofficially better than those gained in similar ranked Uni's in recent years? And on the flipside those gained by people in the 70s when 3 years worth of work was assessed in 12 exams and your final result was a average of those marks are unofficially better than mine?

Think employers think of this?

Stan is you are so right there....

Work in the public sector and it is now PC to view applications university blind.

I have interviewed candidates for a position which required a 2:1 in physics and the candidate mentioned being a rower for a Cambridge college.

So she must have had a 1st or 2:1 in Nat Sci. Couldn't give any weight to this whatsoever when she had a top degree at one of the best universities in the world. We should have snapped her up but the marking for the interview was based on a prescriptive marking system with set interview questions with no reference to prior education.

@User3627290

LOL I hope you have one of those ‘new’ degrees OP Talks of @User3627290**

Sorry to disappoint, but my first two degrees were a first class degree and masters with distinction obtained nearly 20 years ago from a prestigious RG university, and my second two are postgrad qualifications with distinction from a different RG

And I’m not a troll. In fact I’m rarely one to pick on posters for their grammar, but I think that if OP is going to disparage the degrees of today, they ought to at least make sure the evidence of their allegedly superior education is beyond reproach.

I wasn't boasting of superior knowledge or of my education, I was simply making an observation and I don't think I'm beyond reproach. However getting off your high horse might mean you can hear me a bit more clearly.

Actually i want a redo

I think that the students work Hard for the grades and it does depend on the subject

BUT

I do agree that, with 50% going to uni and employers who used to want A levels demanding a degree, it is devalued

@VinylDetective

It’s not a question of better *@Bluntness100*. It’s a question of value. Obviously something has greater value when very few people have it than when half the population’s got it.

I’d agree with this. But that time no longer exists, it is fifteen years later, so it’s a moot point. The value it had yesterday is not the value it has today.

The op asked if her degree was better because it was rarer at the time, and the answer is no. It is not.

Where I recruit we ask for qualifications or “equivalent experience”. And if I had to choose between someone with a degree or someone with 4 yrs relevant experience in the work place I’d go for the experience (assuming that was a deciding factor)

Degrees were worth more 20, 30 years ago. Now well more than half the population goes and to make that happen meant exams got easier over time.

It's also cheapened degrees. When everyone has one just to work on a shop floor, they're meaningless.

When everyone has one just to work on a shop floor, they're meaningless

I think you went over the top with hyperbole there..

Genuine conversation last week at open afternoon when a parent came in (primary, child in question is seven so degrees mean nothing to him):

P: Hello, I’m Mr ——-, ——‘s dad. I’m sure he’s told you about me. I have a degree in computer science.
Me (nonplussed): Hello, nice to meet you.
P: (surprised that I wasn’t impressed) So....what’s your degree in?
Me: Law.

This went on for a while, him trying to one up me in both degree class and university status. He was seriously unamused that I’d attended a Russell Group university, and then swiftly left without even asking one question about the class/curriculum/CV arrangements.

Tiny man syndrome.

@uglyface

Genuine conversation last week at open afternoon when a parent came in (primary, child in question is seven so degrees mean nothing to him):

P: Hello, I’m Mr ——-, ——‘s dad. I’m sure he’s told you about me. I have a degree in computer science.
Me (nonplussed): Hello, nice to meet you.
P: (surprised that I wasn’t impressed) So....what’s your degree in?
Me: Law.

This went on for a while, him trying to one up me in both degree class and university status. He was seriously unamused that I’d attended a Russell Group university, and then swiftly left without even asking one question about the class/curriculum/CV arrangements.

Tiny man syndrome.

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

Amazing!

Reminds me of my old boss, when I used to work in a gym. She had printed out a sign, saying Her Name - BSc (Hons) and taped it to the reception desk . Because everyone who came into the gym needed to know she had a BSc...HONS as well 😂😂🙄🙄🙄.

There's no doubt there's been grade inflation.... But there was often massive difference between unis...

So drilling down into the actual assessments... I was at a (good) former poly 20 plus years ago .

We had trickier exams, in terms of breadth, as we did essay questions. We had to answer 3 out of 5 essay questions in 3 hours..... We often did 20-25 topics per module... You couldn't really question spot... For example to be sure you could actually write something on the 3 questions, you had to revise 22 topics.... Each topic had loads of reading.... And of course writing 3 questions in 3 hours you needed to have significant depth in your answers too!

A neighbouring higher placed uni - had much more choice within the exams.... So you could get away with doing far less work...!

A fact that was commented on by our shared external markers...

It served me well at post graduate level.... I seem to remember much more of my degree than people from other universities!

@Pumpkinnose

Honestly I think a top result from a top university has and always will be regarded as excellent. I think the question is how lower ranked establishments fare.

I think this is spot on. If you look at graduate recruitment for programmes where grads start on £30-40k, they pretty much only take graduates from top universities. My own experience reflected this.

I dislike what seems to be a relatively new trend, ie. to assume that anyone who doesn't have a degree is therefore lacking in the brain department. No disrespect to people with a degree, but it is not be-all and end-all of indicators of intelligence.

Nah
You went to a poly

I think we have ended up with a two-tier uni system - I've seen adverts asking for 'Russell Group University graduates' (which I'm sure is illegal) and I think a lot of employers covertly disregard former poly degrees, which is unfair as some of them are actually very good, especially in some specialist areas.

Frankly I think fewer jobs should require degrees as they're not proving more meritocratic - in fact it seems to me that it was easier in the past for different people to make their way into different jobs if they had the aptitude rather than the degree, whatever their background. I mean, my aunt got into journalism, and did very well in it, without having finished school! That seems impossible these days.

Depends on the subject and the institution. Some are barely worth the paper they're written on, others are highly regarded. Major employers tend to know what to look for when they want the best candidates for the top jobs. On the contrary, some bog standard HR depts only want to tick the "degree" box and really don't care about institution, grade nor subject. One thing is for certain - not all degrees are equal!

Degrees are worth less and are even more necessary nowadays

a) more people go to uni

b) shocking grade inflation at all unis not just bad ones

probably harder to get into a good one as British students now compete with international ones unlike twenty years ago but once you are in it is much easier to get a 1st and everyone gets at least 2.1

@Echobelly

I think we have ended up with a two-tier uni system - I've seen adverts asking for 'Russell Group University graduates' (which I'm sure is illegal) and I think a lot of employers covertly disregard former poly degrees, which is unfair as some of them are actually very good, especially in some specialist areas.

Frankly I think fewer jobs should require degrees as they're not proving more meritocratic - in fact it seems to me that it was easier in the past for different people to make their way into different jobs if they had the aptitude rather than the degree, whatever their background. I mean, my aunt got into journalism, and did very well in it, without having finished school! That seems impossible these days.

Russell Group is losing it's shine these days. There are now often non-RG unis in the top 10/20 in league tables and some RG Unis are pretty low down, ranked below non RG unis. It's not all ex-Polys either - plenty of long established Unis (established long before the Polys converted) aren't RG yet are reputable and highly regarded.

@Echobelly: -" in fact it seems to me that it was easier in the past for different people to make their way into different jobs if they had the aptitude rather than the degree, whatever their background. I mean, my aunt got into journalism, and did very well in it, without having finished school! That seems impossible these days."

Very true. Plus I would hazard a guess it was more the norm that people could work their way up in a company with promotion from within as a first resort, degree or not?

@BigBlondeBimbo

Ah, I stand corrected. I have never heard of a plate glass university tbh!

Embarrassing, as apparently I graduated from one .

Me too and it’s a new one on me as well.

Yes, degrees have fallen in value, especially in arts/social sciences. Also employers got spoiled, now wanting office assistants with a university degree.

@Showandtell1

Nah You went to a poly

Lol so you think a 1st from a FORMER poly 15 years ago is worthless?

Polys turned into the post 92 unis didnt they?
I have 3 firsts. 2 from russell group one from a former poly
Russell group was more strict with marking imo and not at all comparable but thats for my subject.
Didnt say it was worthless but certainly not comparable with more respected universities
That said grade inflation is terrible and devalues the whole academic system

@Showandtell1

Polys turned into the post 92 unis didnt they? I have 3 firsts. 2 from russell group one from a former poly Russell group was more strict with marking imo and not at all comparable but thats for my subject. Didnt say it was worthless but certainly not comparable with more respected universities That said grade inflation is terrible and devalues the whole academic system

When did I talk about comparing Universities? Basically you made a bitchy comment and are now backtracking. I was the first person to gain a 1st in that particular subject area so I am quite proud of that but thanks for making sure you took me down a rung or 2 with your 2 RG degrees.

Honestly fucking smug much?

I agree with you, OP.

I graduated 36 years ago from a university that was top ten at the time, now Russell Group. Literally only one person in my year got a First - and it certainly wasn't me! Firsts were very rare back then.

As a tangent, I was quite shocked recently when I looked up my old course to see what the entry requirements are these days - no way would I have got in nowadays with my A level results, which were good enough at the time to get onto a competitive course.