To think there is grade inflation in universities

[Thetelly8]

I’ve noticed a lot of students gain very high grades it seems people getting a 2.2 or a third is extremely unusual.

I can only speak for myself, no I haven’t noticed more students getting a first. Having said this, I’m relatively new to academia so it could be that. Most students get a 2:1. Getting a third means your average fell between 40-49.9% so yes, it means you performed poorly. Most students have things going on. The ones who get a third or fail are generally the ones who don’t read, don’t engage and have gone to uni to piss about for three years basically. They exist. Their essays are now just so obviously churned out by AI so get a fail. A lot of the references are fake.

I think this is starting to change somewhat, but it's not very predictable. But more jobs seem to be flexible in what they are looking for.

This is def true of Y1 students in my high tariff school. We lay on help sessions, etc and announce our expectations during Induction Week, but it matters not.

By Y3 most are sticking around to work.

@Rockchick01 & @TempestTost thank you for answering my question.

Aww, did your son have to study and concentrate hard whilst your niece can coast it?

He sounds similar to DD who has spent every day apart from Christmas Eve, Christmas day and Boxing day hard at work. Judging from the comments on here our DC are in the minority.

Good luck to him🍀

Some students need to work hard and put in all the hours God sends to achieve a 2:2 whereas others can coast to a first. As mentioned before, universities assess standards not hours of work, and some students are a lot more capable than others. So saying ‘my DS works hard’ tells us nothing about the course or standards required. It might be a hard course, or an easy course and a struggling student.

In terms of work required this can vary hugely between courses at the same institution. My DC on a STEM course has hugely more contact hours and work than flatmates at the same institution on a different course.

DD works hard and achieves well. She achived a good first in a STEM degree from an RG university. She scored a very high average of well over 80% in her May exams this year in her post grad degree. She could easily pass without working this hard but she is motivated to do well, not just scrape through. Her dissertation tutor told her the other day that she could pass with the notes she already has for her proposal, but she doesn't just want a pass, she wants a distinction.

Please stop being dismissive of motivated students who want to do well and work hard to achieve these results.

As a STEM student in the 80s, we didn’t get a reading week - that was for the humanities students.

My STEM DS currently gets a consolidation week - revision lectures mostly.

Yet others will do equally well without as much work. It still tells us nothing about the standards achieved.

Dd also a STEM student has three assessment weeks (but only four exams) and then an inter-semester break before the second semester starts in February.

What is the answer then?
And what about undergrad and post grad degrees that are accredited by professional bodies?

The point is the fact that some kids work hard isn't really the question, it's whether the standard is what it used to be.

Your child working hard is pretty irrelevant to the question.

@Teacakesfortwo We’ve discussed this earlier. Lower grades were acceptable at Oxbridge in the 70s snd before if you aced their entrance exam. There were also S levels - although no A star. Admittedly few got EE but BBB or lower was acceptable with the entrance exam.

Oh, for goodness sake!!!
She achieved a first class undergrad degree that was accredited by the Royal Biological Society and is doing a masters that has HPCP accreditation.

This means that both degrees have to meet minimum standards.

What else do you want? Blood?

Lots of engineering degrees are accredited but that’s a low floor. It’s not saying a degree is top drawer or that students completing it are. Employers might find dc on them aren’t that great. Masters don’t mean that much too as so many people do them because so many students qualify to do them. It’s another inflationary area! More loans and employers upping what they want because they need to.

Exactly. Both my sons did an Integrated Masters in a STEM subject and had at least 30 hours contact time, plus labs etc.

The implication that most degrees aren't worth the paper they are written on is depressing and frustrating.

And the fact that some posters are dismissing the achievements of those students who have put the effort in to achieve well is even more dismal. Let's just not bother having qualified doctors, nurses, engineers etc because their degrees are worthless.

Yes. I am angry.

We were on the old three term system - mid year exams in December and end of year exams in June. Easter and Summer breaks taken up with fieldwork.

I didn’t realise the three term system was old. It’s very much current for me.

I think many have gone to two semesters? DS1 had two semesters, the Easter break was just quite short within semester 2.

DS2 (at my old uni) essentially has two taught terms and the third one is exams in May and then nothing in June (I’m guessing they should be prepping for the next year during June).

@RampantIvy Who is using the word “most”. It’s not “most” but it’s too many. You only have to look at grads not doing grad work with no improvement in salary and there has to be questions asked. They might well have been better off being employed and doing day release. Engineering, nursing and doctors are all leading to professional qualifications if dc are good enough. Im engineering, many don’t make professional Chsrtered status though. With far more getting degrees, the Chartered Engineer register is shrinking. Dc aren’t getting better or brighter.

Many undergrads don’t work that hard either. Real work is a total shock. With so many grads to choose from, employers are often choosy and those not doing stem (engineers, nurses and doctors) might well struggle to get employed. Is that what we really want to see? Or would it be better to ease them into work and study at 18 with career options within a company/organisation? I think many grads are sold a great career and it’s clear they don’t get one.

They have smartphones and games consoles

As for reading week a friend was at a university with a large proportion of students were training to be teachers and at that time a lot were from Ireland.
It was treated as half term (placement schools were closed) and reduced drop out rate due to homesickness as the Irish students could go home for the week.