Comment by shubb | Hacker News Reader

Comment by shubb | Hacker News Reader

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1. My job requires software engineering skills more than compsci skills, i.e. designing a program in UML, or writing elegant code is important, but most actual algorithms are pre-implimented, e.g. container classes implement sorting.

2. Big companies pay more, and give you access to an internal job market. Getting work is easier than you'd think, so don't worry all that much. Your first pay settlement plays a big part in your subsequent pay deals.

3. In the UK, elite graduates (oxford etc) that I work with tend to get about 1/3rd more to do the same job. They find it much easier to get onto elite graduate programmes, e.g. in finance, so I guess the employer must compete with that. STEM graduates with a 2.1 or better from a top 50 university do not have a problem finding 'graduate' work. Anything less than that, and you may as well not have a degree (i.e. you can get good jobs, but have to work your way in as you would without a degree).

Is the 2.1 number you refer to a GPA? What's it out of?

UK degrees are classified into four classes: 1st, upper and lower 2nd, and 3rd. A first corresponds to about an average of 70%, 2.1 60%, etc.

So then is a 2.1 considered impressive?

For a hard STEM degree, a 2.1 is considered about what you should get at minimum if you have done enough work, and a first is good. A third most likely not worth having and you will have to explain in interviews why you didn't do any better, most likely. A 2.2 is "okay" but won't help you much in finding work in general. That's how I have come to understand it anyway.

Not really, since it's the most-commonly awarded grade and awarded to a clear majority of students at many schools in many subjects. Usually it means that the student was in at least the top 60% of students (but probably not the top 10%) on their course.

Since our quirky grading system leaves most students' accomplishments indistinguishable, it's the reputation of the university you studied in that matters.

If you went to an 'elite' university a 2:1 would be generally taken to indicate that you worked hard, but you also had a social life as well. A 1st from an elite would not uncommonly come with the assumption that all you did is sit in your room and study for three years and that you might lack some of the softer skills.

All the above is, however, a massive generalisation.

A 2:1 is the same as B+ so it corresponds to about 68%, 60% is a Desmond.

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