Detroitrockcity

Hi Everyone,

I just had my UK 2:2 engineering degree transcribed by ECE to a 2.0 GPA. I'm certainly no expert but a 2.0 seems pretty low. And more's the point won't get me into further education as planned.

Do you guys know what a 2:2 should be worth or what I can do try to improve it? I complained to ECE but they weren't receptive.

Any comments would be most gratefully received.

Thanks in advance!!

sir_eccles

That seems rather on the low side. I have seen varying opinions on conversions but it seems to average out around 3.5 for a 2:1 (some people say 3.2-3.8) and 3.8 and over for a first. So I would think a 2:2 would at least be in the 3s.

It may depend on the university in question. Without wanting to sound snobbish, is it one of those former polys?

Detroitrockcity

thanks, I would agree with your assessment too. No it's BEng (hons) Mat. Eng with Japanese from University of Birmingham.

sir_eccles

In which case I would suggest trying to get the credentials assessed by someone else. I did the LSAT last year (decided not to go to law school in the end) but as part of that they do a credential check which basically says 1st=A, 2:1=B+, 2:2=B. Based on this table at Duke University you can see an A=3.8, B+=3.5 and B=3.0.

I've never used WES but they have a conversion guide that seems to match what I've just said above.

Or alternatively, just avoid mentioning the grade and leave it as BEng (Hons). I know there are a lot of automated website that insist you enter something. If it is for entry to a specific educational institute you may be better served by calling or meeting the admissions officer and discussing your particular situation one on one. You won't be the first student from overseas they may have special procedures.

dunroving

My purely subjective opinion would be that a First is something like 3.5 and above, a 2:1 is something like 3.0 and above, a 2:2 is something like 2.5 and above, and a Third is 2.0 and above.

As a GPA of 2.0 is a bare pass (C average - anything less is seen as pretty rubbish), then it seems more equivalent to a Third (which also is a bare pass).

TBH, with grade inflation the way it is at UK universities these days, though, a 3rd is almost looked at as a Fail/pity grade. I have been quite shocked at the standard of work that gets a First and 2:1 at exam boards, i.e., "in my day" a 1st was really very exceptional and a 2:1 was bloody hard to get, whereas now it seems like a 1st is "hard to bloody hard" and a 2:1 is what you get if you start your work early and follow the instructions to the letter.

Michael

A+ and A is 4.0. A- is 3.8.

Detroitrockcity

Thanks everybody.

Feeling better that this seems low to you too...

chrisbeale

Depends on the subject. At York, where I was in some arts subjects, 90+% people got a 1st/2i, in Chemistry/Physics it's less than 50%. I assume this is the same nationally.

OP: Do you know your class rank?

There's a disparity between arts/science GPAs in the USA, but it's not to the same extent. And a 2ii is a broad range, you have to be more precise on what kind of 2ii you got. Scraping it is a lot different to falling just short of a 2i.

dunroving

Well, if you believe the BS, standards are the same regardless of what you studied, where you studied, etc., unlike the US where even taking the same class at the same institution may yield very different standards, depending on who's teaching it.

But that is one of many myths about UK higher education.

Duncan Roberts

Not true. A third is the lowest class of honors degree but you can still pass a degree without honors and there is a pretty large margin to do that.

Detroitrockcity

I guess what I see is the following:
1st=A grade=4.0GPA
2:1=A-/ B+=3.5
2:2= B=3.0
third=B-=2.5
pass=C= 2.0

Which is why I cannot understand how they got my UK 2:2 to a 2.0GPA, instead of something in the region of 3.0GPA.

dunroving

No, I'm afraid you are incorrect on that part.

And in Scotland, a 3rd class Honours after 4 years is seen as almost worse than a 3-year unclassified/Pass degree. Of course, Scotland has a different undergraduate degree system to the rest of the UK.

Essentially, we are dealing with the old adage of comparing apples to oranges. In the UK, an "A" (or 1st class Honours standard) is above 70%, and anything over 40% is a "pass", whereas in the States the % criteria are usually higher (e.g., 90% for an A, and 40% would be well below a Fail). But of course, no institution has exactly the same standards as another, even within the UK.

My comments above were based on personal experience at 4 UK institutions and 4 US institutions. I'm not sure that even the companies who purport to be able to convert UK qualifications into US qualifications are doing much more than making an educated guess.

Either way, I'd still say that a 2:2 (high end or low end) is probably better than a 2.0 GPA.

dunroving

A 2:2 is definitely not the same as a 3.0 GPA, by any stretch of the imagination, in my experience.

Detroitrockcity

what is it then?

dunroving

See my Post #5 - and go sit at the back of the class for not paying attention.