UoM General Chat

[Stick]

Not sure if anyone noticed but the university now calculates our WAM for us.

[daphaneng]

Not sure if anyone noticed but the university now calculates our WAM for us.

teehehe, WAM.

[M-D]

What's the difference between WAM and GPA?

[brightsky]

What's the difference between WAM and GPA?

WAM is a type of GPA, calculated by multiplying the mark received for each subject by the subject's credit point value, adding together each product, and then dividing the sum by the total number of credit points earned. There are other types of GPA, such as the SGPA and the GEMSAS GPA, all of which are calculated differently. The fact that there are so many different types of GPA is the main reason Melbourne Uni refuses to publish a student's GPA.

[vox nihili]

What's the difference between WAM and GPA?

You've heard what WAM is. It gives you a number, which is pretty much just your average mark. It's weighted according to the amount of credit points you received for that subject. So for most people, it's just the sum of your marks divided by the number of marks.

GPA is based on grades (H1, H2A etc) with each grade being worth a numerical amount and then essentially finding the average of those grades.

[chysim]

You've heard what WAM is. It gives you a number, which is pretty much just your average mark. It's weighted according to the amount of credit points you received for that subject. So for most people, it's just the sum of your marks divided by the number of marks.

GPA is based on grades (H1, H2A etc) with each grade being worth a numerical amount and then essentially finding the average of those grades.

Indeed. Basically GPA is a distortion of WAM through application of arbitrary boundaries. I'm glad UoM uses it sparingly.

[Inside Out]

what is a good WAM for engineering

[vox nihili]

Indeed. Basically GPA is a distortion of WAM through application of arbitrary boundaries. I'm glad UoM uses it sparingly.

Yep, only for the super competitive degrees like, oh, medicine -.-

[Russ]

Some would say that the WAM distorts your performance as well. I very much approve of not letting 99s skew an average, because it prompts students to focus on other areas as well.

[simpak]

Omg this WAM shit on your transcript should be removed, nobody even uses WAM. WAM =/= SGPA and its inevitably lower for everyone because it includes everything without dropping your two lowest scores. How gross. Only my Honours one is actually the 'right' figure by future study standards, my undergrad one is a couple of % lower for wam v sgpa. Some people will start thinking it's the same thing as sgpa if it's just sitting on their transcript because people are lazy and ill informed.

[Mieow]

Do the compulsory subjects in the B.Biomed cover the prerequisites for the M.D?

[keltingmeith]

Omg this WAM shit on your transcript should be removed, nobody even uses WAM. WAM =/= SGPA and its inevitably lower for everyone because it includes everything without dropping your two lowest scores. How gross. Only my Honours one is actually the 'right' figure by future study standards, my undergrad one is a couple of % lower for wam v sgpa. Some people will start thinking it's the same thing as sgpa if it's just sitting on their transcript because people are lazy and ill informed.

Wait - at UoM they drop your two lowest scores when calculating GPA?! O.o

[mahler004]

Do the compulsory subjects in the B.Biomed cover the prerequisites for the M.D?

Yep

Wait - at UoM they drop your two lowest scores when calculating GPA?! O.o

It's the two worst subjects within the first 200 points (i.e. the first two years,) of the degree. But, as others have said, there's not one way to calculate your GPA at unimelb. It depends on whatever you're applying to. Most people use SGPA as it's semi-sanctioned by the university (plus, as simpak says, it makes you look better.)

Enrolling in Honour (technically a 'new degree') has made me realise again how awful the unimelb enrolment system is. Why do I need to 'reconfirm' my cultural details? It's not like I change the language I speak every year.

[keltingmeith]

Yep

It's the two worst subjects within the first 200 points (i.e. the first two years,) of the degree. But, as others have said, there's not one way to calculate your GPA at unimelb. It depends on whatever you're applying to. Most people use SGPA as it's semi-sanctioned by the university (plus, as simpak says, it makes you look better.)

Enrolling in Honour (technically a 'new degree') has made me realise again how awful the unimelb enrolment system is. Why do I need to 'reconfirm' my cultural details? It's not like I change the language I speak every year.

Damn - I'd love to ditch my credits. Nah, but I don't see what all the fuss is... Just seems like two different ways of showing how "good" you are. GPA is a quick statement of your average grade, whereas WAM is a more accurate statement of your average score - both has advantages and disadvantages.

[charmanderp]

Can't wait until my first semester grades are replaced in my average (because I'm doing 8 diploma subjects as well). They're so bad that they drag my average down by about 5.