Do first year marks matter?

[greentea01]

I am in Arts and I just recently got a poor result back from a few essays (H3) so it got me wondering how much first year grades matter when it comes to your GPA and getting into postgrad courses.

Please help me out!

[sjayne]

I got a poor result for an essay too, but from what I've heard first semester especially is usually where people's marks drop. I'm pretty sure first year results do count for less, in regards to GPA??

[Aaron]

Yes first year ones count less (usually) than second/third year ones. Specifically for UoM, they now use the WAM (weighted average mark) for admissions as opposed to the GPA (previously used).

http://ask.unimelb.edu.au/app/answers/detail/a_id/6034/~/calculating-a-gpa-or-wam

[nino quincampoix]

First, I think that it has been previously "noted" that arts subjects tend to be marked on a bell curve, but after reading MPF1200, specifically §§ 11-12, you'll see that this isn't necessarily the case. Point being, there may or may not be a grade distribution scheme in play.

Second, you can compensate for low grades by working hard in the following semester and in later years - nothing new there. But it really depends on how your GPA will be calculated as to how much first year "counts." Your GPA is usually determined by the school(s) to which you apply in postgraduate, if you go down that path of course.

Third, I think that it might be a little harder (not impossible though) to compensate for low grades in the event of using a WAM for entry to graduate school or employment, since it is an average mark that takes into consideration all of your individual grades with equal weighting (as opposed to having discrete marks that correspond to scores; e.g., with respect to GPA, H1 (80-100%) = 7.0 for the courses I am looking at).

Either way, if you are not happy with your grades, get some feedback from whoever marked your papers. Try to find out where you went wrong and actively attempt to make ameliorations to your method of study.

I read a wonderful piece on Oliver Sacks (if don't know him, Google him) this morning, and an epigram that was referenced is as follows: "Life must be lived forwards but can only be understood backwards." That is to say that you'll always have to look back at what you've done if you are of any chance of changing where you're heading.

[Gentoo]

I think for applying for honours in particular areas (e.g. Commerce Honours in Accounting), they take into account more those specific subjects that are pertinent to the honours section you're trying to get into (so your performance in Accounting subjects in this instance would be more relevant than your performance in, say, Finance subjects). This also intrinsically means that 2nd/3rd year marks are more important because you naturally do more of those subjects in 2nd/3rd year as you meet the requirements for a major etc.

E.g. the handbook for Accounting Honours says the requirement is "a grade of at least H2B (70%) in each of the third-year subjects within the major. " While 70% won't be enough to get you into it (well, probably), the fact that they only stipulate the requirement for specific subjects is an indicator that they weight certain subjects more heavily based on how relevant those subjects are (whereas WAM wouldn't discriminate).

I *think* this is different to stuff like trying to get into the JD (that would be something you're considering from Arts, right?) where it's just your general marks across the board (so your WAM) which has no qualitative component to it (for the academics at least).

If I'm talking crap, someone please correct me.

[notveryasian]

I think for applying for honours in particular areas (e.g. Commerce Honours in Accounting), they take into account more those specific subjects that are pertinent to the honours section you're trying to get into (so your performance in Accounting subjects in this instance would be more relevant than your performance in, say, Finance subjects). This also intrinsically means that 2nd/3rd year marks are more important because you naturally do more of those subjects in 2nd/3rd year as you meet the requirements for a major etc.

E.g. the handbook for Accounting Honours says the requirement is "a grade of at least H2B (70%) in each of the third-year subjects within the major. " While 70% won't be enough to get you into it (well, probably), the fact that they only stipulate the requirement for specific subjects is an indicator that they weight certain subjects more heavily based on how relevant those subjects are (whereas WAM wouldn't discriminate).

I *think* this is different to stuff like trying to get into the JD (that would be something you're considering from Arts, right?) where it's just your general marks across the board (so your WAM) which has no qualitative component to it (for the academics at least).

If I'm talking crap, someone please correct me.

Yeah, kinda. Basically it differs from different faculties and postgrad courses.

@OP, don't get too worried about a few essay marks during the semester. Exams haven't started yet, and there is no better time to boost up your score than by excelling in the exam.

[Hehetymen]

OP I got 3 P's in first year and still have a pretty decent GPA. If you're looking at med, most unis look at weighted GPA so your 2nd and 3rd year results can offset bad 1st year marks quite a bit. I'm not sure about other honors institutes but the place that I'm at only looks at third year marks.