Percentages, Grades, and GPA?

**Timbuk2**

I am a first year student, and I'm slightly confused about how the grading scale works.

In my course, which entitles me to exemptions from faculty exams afterwards, I must get a GPA of 3.5 or greater to gain all of the exemptions. I know this is a high requirement, but what exactly does it mean? Can 3.5 be equated to a percent, or a grade?

Also, which percentages entitle us to which grade? I heard that 76.67% is the requirement for an A+, but in one of my maths lectures we got handed out a sheet of percentages and grades where 90%+ is the requirement for an A+ (although I think some courses differ from the UCD norm).

Does anyone have a link, or a guide, that explains this - in particular the GPA bit?

Thanks.

WeeBushy

It's all explained here:

http://www.ucd.ie/registry/assessment/student_info/modulargradesexplained.pdf

Haven't heard of requirements for grades differing between courses (like what your maths lecturer seems to have said), so your best bet would be to clarify with him/her what they meant.

Fad

Maths always make a point that their grading is different.

I though 70% was an A- and it goes from there. Really not sure, it's always a bit vague.

WeeBushy

Fad wrote: »

Maths always make a point that their grading is different.

I though 70% was an A- and it goes from there. Really not sure, it's always a bit vague.

That's interesting, UCD have made such a big point of having everything standardised. I'm surprised they let the maths department differ.

Maybe its because maths is less subjective, so if you're right you get 100%. Maybe an A+ being 67% inflates results? I dunno, having only done one maths course (level 1) in my time at UCD, I'm just guessing.

Davidius

Now I know why I got on so well in my non-maths modules.

Does the Maths grading scheme carry on over to STAT and ACM/MAPH modules?

Ruski

**Timbuk2** wrote: »

I am a first year student, and I'm slightly confused about how the grading scale works.

In my course, which entitles me to exemptions from faculty exams afterwards, I must get a GPA of 3.5 or greater to gain all of the exemptions. I know this is a high requirement, but what exactly does it mean? Can 3.5 be equated to a percent, or a grade?

Also, which percentages entitle us to which grade? I heard that 76.67% is the requirement for an A+, but in one of my maths lectures we got handed out a sheet of percentages and grades where 90%+ is the requirement for an A+ (although I think some courses differ from the UCD norm).

Does anyone have a link, or a guide, that explains this - in particular the GPA bit?

Thanks.

Yeah, both maths lecturers augmented their grading system to separate the mathematical geniuses from the common folk. I'm in both those lectures as well, and I could barely follow anything in Linear Algebra today.

Jev/N

I assume Maths do it because it makes sense and as was said already, is less subjective. However, I did some accounting subjects which are essentially in the same bracket and they were marked on the normal standard

Pandoras Twist

I've done a few maths modules and they were all marked on the standard 70% is an A and upwards.

It would have implications for transfers into degree calculation too if the 3.68 wasnt a 1.1 surely?

Davidius

Pandoras Twist wrote: »

I've done a few maths modules and they were all marked on the standard 70% is an A and upwards.

It would have implications for transfers into degree calculation too if the 3.68 wasnt a 1.1 surely?

What kind of maths modules did you do?

misslt

Numbers & Functions and Linear algebra?

Hated those classes!

Yeah, for N&F Dr Osburn uses his own grading system so 90+ is an A+.

But, in his class, 26% is a pass

I think that may only apply to inclass tests/continuous assessment - for my final grade my percentage matched up with my grade in line with all my other subjects!

Davidius

misslt wrote: »

Numbers & Functions and Linear algebra?

Hated those classes!

Don't be hating on Numbers & Functions.

misslt

Davidius wrote: »

Don't be hating on Numbers & Functions.

May as well have been in Japanese for all the sense it made to me.

The lecturer was pretty cool though.

TimeToShine

Well I think I remember saying you're doing Actuary...best of luck with the 3.5GPA it's a really high order for yourself, you have to be shít hot to get even a B in those exams, and I mean really top class, like getting A1 or thereabouts in LC maths without ever looking at papers, Loads of people fool themselves thinking they're absolutely brilliant with numbers after they come out with an A1 in the LC ( Not directed at you of course) but Mathematics and Actuarial Science in particular is one hell of a cúnt to get 3.2+GPA in, you'll have to work like all fúck and hope you've been gifted with prodigious skill, and bear in mind you're also taking those exams with a lot of people who've nailed 600 points + in the LC and are used to studying like dogs, so hope for the best but please don't get your hopes up. The college system is very different and you'd be surprised how well some people can do and how badly others do.

Davidius

TimeToShine wrote: »

Well I think I remember saying you're doing Actuary...best of luck with the 3.5GPA it's a really high order for yourself, you have to be shít hot to get even a B in those exams, and I mean really top class, like getting A1 or thereabouts in LC maths without ever looking at papers, Loads of people fool themselves thinking they're absolutely brilliant with numbers after they come out with an A1 in the LC ( Not directed at you of course) but Mathematics and Actuarial Science in particular is one hell of a cúnt to get 3.2+GPA in, you'll have to work like all fúck and hope you've been gifted with prodigious skill, and bear in mind you're also taking those exams with a lot of people who've nailed 600 points + in the LC and are used to studying like dogs, so hope for the best but please don't get your hopes up. The college system is very different and you'd be surprised how well some people can do and how badly others do.

Speaking from experience?

**Timbuk2**

TimeToShine, I appreciate what you are saying. I have heard the exams are tough and 3.5 is quite a tough order. I can't say yet, with any certainty, how well I think I will do because the whole college experience is very different from what I was previously used to.

I got the minimum entry points for the course in my Leaving, which in theory means that I am not as good as nearly everyone else doing the same course as me.

I've even noticed that it's even harder to get working when it's completely up to yourself. In LC Maths, we were taught a new concept, (like in college lectures too), but then we had to do exercises in class, and then questions for homework. In college, where I don't even have a textbook for my Maths modules, it's a bit harder, but I suppose lecturers do give problem sheets.

Are you talking from experience though, as mentioned above? I could be getting you confused with another boardsie, but I think I remember you were going for Actuarial/Financial in UCD also and unfortuneatly didn't get it - have you heard off somebody that actually did the course how tough it is?

The Maths grading scheme, which applies to STAT modules as well (I would imagine ACM too) is the same as every other grading scheme, except for the top grades, which are (in the maths grading system):

70%: A-
80%: A
90%: A+

In the maths and stats ones I did last year that Actuarial Studies also do, I didn't do a bit of study and I got B's and C's. This isn't enough to get a 3.5, but it shows that with a bit of work it isn't that tough an ask to get that kind of GPA. I wouldn't listen to what other people have told you - the only person who can judge what you're up to doing is yourself.

That said, I do like to think that I'm quite good at maths, but from what I hear from my friend who is doing 3rd year Actuarial Science, most people in his course do quite well.

TimeToShine

Yes I missed it by 10 points, but my cousin is in his final year and that's what he told me...and he got 99.5% in the LC

I wouldn't worry about getting the minimum entry requirement, a fair few people drop out after first year and use their points for something else because they don't like it, or they had it as their second after medicine and are planning to redo the HPAT this year, but you really have to be seriously good. Almost everyone doing Actuary tends to do well, unliike most other courses, and very rarely does someone fail it. But the profession itself is very competitive and only the best get the top jobs (chartered actuary etc). Best of luck anyway.

**Timbuk2**

I didn't know you could get percentages in the LC I assume you're talking about Maths, which is a really good result!

Anyway, I can't imagine there being a high dropout from a course like actuary. There's 43 of us this year so possibly 3 dropouts at most, if even that.

I won't know what the workload is like until I fully do the course though. I appreciate your cousin's opinion though, it's good to know the thoughts of students that have gone through it.

Did you get Actuarial Maths in DCU, yourself?

TimeToShine

No I didn't put it down, I wanted UCD. I'm doing Economics and Finance and luckily I got it even with that ridiculous point surge.

TimeToShine

Oh also he didn't get a percentage, the cocky fúcker thought he'd done a perfect paper so he brought his maths teacher in to have it looked at :rolleyes:

**Timbuk2**

That's pretty weird of him, but whatever floats his boat I guess

With Economics and Finance, are you still thinking of doing Actuary afterwards?