What processes are usually in place to ...

[rushdit]

... make sure uni exams are set at a consistent level? My DC is doing finals this year at a RG uni. He says that some modules have a reputation for a higher grade average than others and a lot of students choose options based on that - people put in FoI requests to get the info from previous years then pick the modules that they think give them more chance of a higher grade. Unlike A levels, there is no standardisation of the results - 70% is a first class result whether it was an easy exam or a hard one. Is this usual?

The external examining process is meant to ensure consistency across universities and an internal moderation system is meant to ensure consistency across modules in individual programmes of study. In reality both can be very much a light touch tick box exercise.

As above, internal moderation and external examiners. My experience has been that an unduly difficult exam will likely be moderated up, but with overly high marks, the teaching team will be asked to adjust things for next year. Whether or not that's done effectively varies.

Has been the experience of my two who went to RG unis. My DD who was borderline between degree class in her penultimate year has been ruthless in choosing modules for her final year. She didn't just take the easy ones though as some were more relevant for job opportunities (her job offer requires 30% of certain courses) so if she took a module where average scores were low she paired it with higher scoring one.

My DD has also gamed it by making sure she kept away from essay topics in marker's speciality or popular topics so less people to compare hers with or modules taken by master students etc.

Both my dc (4 unis in total) have experienced module marks being upgraded or downgraded following exam boards in order to equalise to the other course module marks.

smart strategies

How does she know who the marker is ahead of time?

@Muu9 typically <30 students on each module and person delivering course also marks and does the seminars.

The 1st part of her strategy has worked as her provisional marks are up. Another 3 weeks before the board of examiners meet; so let's see how much moderation. She'll be pissed off if her gaming has failed.

My DC chose a module that had high grade averages in previous years (I didn't ask if it was the only reason he chose it) but this year there was a new lecturer who sets assessments which leave even the brightest students scratching their heads (this is a maths-related module). Grade averages will be rock bottom, so it will be interesting to see what happens.

Another tip from DD is to take module shared with intercalating medics as most haven't written an essay since A levels so your mediocre essay shines (only do this in semester 1 as medics are smart and up their game quickly).

Will the students who gamed the system complain? I'm always shocked by the casual way people talk about gaming the system. What does it profit them?

If you mean "how does gaming the system profit them" then the anwer is probably obvious. However, if you mean "how does talking about it profit them", I don't know. Either way, moderation processes should prevent both.

If this module was demonstrably "harder" to get high marks than others, and there is no moderation, then it possibly would reasonable grounds for complaint. However, I don't yet know whether that will happen.

I dealt with a very entitled student who wanted to submit a complaint about not being awarded a First in a paper he’d found very easy. The response she was that yes, indeed, it was an easy paper and the results had been moderated appropriately.