Poll: What would you rather have? 2:2 from a top-ranked uni or a 2:1 from a low-ranked uni

Zephyz · 22 Apr 2013 at 14:35

What would you rather have? 2:2 from a top-ranked uni or a 2:1 from a low-ranked uni?

(Didn't know if it was right to put it into Speakers' Corner so I put it here)

So I was reading a thread on another forum about some guy who says he is likely to get a 2:2 from Notts in Computer Science and he's upset that all the graduate schemes he has seen are looking for 2:1. He also states that he has friends who go to lower ranked universities have achieved 2:1 in Computer Science and that he has helped them many times with their work.

He states that it's unfair that graduate schemes don't factor in which university you go in and care more about having 2:1, meaning that his friends are more likely to get onto graduate schemes than he is.

His reason being that the difficulty of his course compared to his friends at much lower ranked university meaning it will be a lot of easier for his friends to get 2:1 than him and that he had to work more hard for his 2:2 than the person who got 2:1 at a lower ranked university.

What do you think? Do you think the university education needs to be reformed and what would you pick? 2:2 from a top-ranked uni or a 2:1 from a low-ranked uni and why?

EDIT: Changed it from first at a lower ranked to 2:1

Zephyz · 22 Apr 2013 at 14:55

Too bad, I can't insert a poll now

. I was thinking of doing two options, hopefully a mod can add it?

What would you rather have?

1. 2:2 from Oxford
2. 2:1 from London Met

EDIT: Changed it from first at a lower ranked to 2:1

Zephyz · 22 Apr 2013 at 15:12

So seeing your opinions so far, how do you think the university education system could be changed and do you think it needs to be changed?

Zephyz · 22 Apr 2013 at 15:46

HAz said:
What a stupid question...

Hmm.. Looking back, I've probably worded it a lot wrong. I should have asked is it fair that graduate schemes would be more likely to take someone with a 2:1 from a low-ranked university than someone who got a 2:2 from a top ranked uni.

Or in simpler terms does 2:2 from top uni> 2:1 from low ranked uni?

Zephyz · 22 Apr 2013 at 15:55

MickeyFinns said:
I think First vs 2:2 is a bit too wider of a gap. Firsts are usually harder to get even at the bottom of the spectrum.

I rate 2:2's from the top 5 above 2:1's from lower than the top 20 when looking at CV's.

Yeah it is, I suppose. I've changed it now.

Zephyz · 22 Apr 2013 at 16:07

Duff-Man said:
In this scenatio - a 2:2 from Oxford absolutely. In the case that the Universities were more closely ranked, it would swing the other way.

Department depending, Nottingham is actually not such a great University for undergraduate study - at least not any more. Rapid expansion in the past decade or so has increased student numbers - primarily via overseas students for whom the entry requirements are not too strict (aside from the high fees of course). You'd have to look VERY low down the list before I'd take a Nottingham 2:2 over a first from elsewhere. I know all too well how little is required to attain a Nottingham 2:2.

Of course, having a 2:2 would be more restrictive if your intention was to get a traditional graduate placement. In the majority of cases you would not get through the paper sift - which puts you out of the game before you even have a chance to showcase your abilities at interview. When it comes to academia though (i.e. postgraduate study) I can tell you for a fact that we look a lot more closely at what the actual course taken involves. Courses from top Universities look at a much wider range of topics in such a lot more depth than "mid-ranking" Universities. I know this will not be a popular thing to say, but there truly is a huge gulf (at least in maths / physics / engineering disciplines).

We would almost certainly value a 2:2 from Oxford above a 1st from London Met when looking at PhD candidacy (for example), although in the end it would obviously boil down to the way the student handled himself in the interview. If that exceptional student from London Met could answer the relevant questions better than the 2:2 student from Oxford, then he would get the position. It doesn't really happen very often though...

Yeah I think it would have been fairer to do 2:2 at high ranked uni vs 2:1 at low ranked.

What about that? That guy who got notts with 2:2 against his friend who got a 2:1 at a much lower ranked university.

Zephyz · 22 Apr 2013 at 20:00

It's kinda flawed how this works then, I mean what's the point of going to somewhere like Warwick when you get the same chance at a graduate scheme if you go somewhere like London Southbank/Met

Zephyz · 23 Apr 2013 at 12:56

Polls are quite interesting with the majority would rather have 2:2 from Oxford. It doesn't really London Met has been in the news in a negative light regarding international students but I'd pick the 2:1 from London Met just so I would have a better chance at the grad scheme.