Specifically, I failed to repair a rip near the valve stem of my inner tube. I thought I’d managed to patch it, but next time I tried to use my bike the tire had deflated again. So I got a replacement inner tube, and after putting it on the rear wheel yesterday I made a complete mess of attempting to put the wheel back on the bike. I attached the derailleur in the wrong place, and needed my friend to point out what I’d done. Then I twisted the chain, and when I couldn’t work out how that had happened I gave up and untwisted it using a method that I was pretty sure was not the reverse of how it became twisted. That was stupid; eventually I had to re-twist and re-untwist it. Then I discovered I’d stripped a bolt, so I’ve got a replacement and I’ll be trying again later today.
Grade estimation.
I had expected my final year project to receive < 60%. I got 70% for it. I don’t feel like I deserve it. I had also expected to get more than 70% for General relativity, although I didn’t feel like I deserved it (I thought the exam had gone pretty well, but I don’t grok GR); I actually got 61%. My other six modules were within expected bounds. My overall mark was high enough to be moderately surprising according to my priors, but not conditioning on my project and GR.
(At my university, >=70% is a first-class mark, which is an unusually good result; [60%, 70%) is a 2:1, which is a good result; [40%, 50%) and [50%, 60%) are a third and a 2:2 respectively, which are honours results but are not good. I don’t know how universal this system is.)
Job applications.
I’ve only sent off one recently; I then discovered that there are no H1B visas left for the year, so I can’t get a job in Silicon Valley until next october at the earliest. I haven’t sent any others off since, although I do have three places in Europe I’m planning to apply for.
Just curious, what country do you go to school in? I was confused when I read your grade estimation paragraphs, as that method of grading is completely unknown to me. (I’m an American.) For me, anything less than a 60% is a failing grade, and an average of at least an 85% is required to stay in the honors program. Maximum grade for any given course is 100%.
I’ve scored more than 92% on I think ~10% of my exams, and I gather that roughly one person a year gets more than 100% overall. (This is possible because if you take more modules than necessary, your average is multiplied by a factor based on the amount of extra work you did.)
(I’m talking about the maths department here; few if any other departments have the multiplier, and I’m told that 90% is really rare in the humanities departments.)
Bike maintenance.
Specifically, I failed to repair a rip near the valve stem of my inner tube. I thought I’d managed to patch it, but next time I tried to use my bike the tire had deflated again. So I got a replacement inner tube, and after putting it on the rear wheel yesterday I made a complete mess of attempting to put the wheel back on the bike. I attached the derailleur in the wrong place, and needed my friend to point out what I’d done. Then I twisted the chain, and when I couldn’t work out how that had happened I gave up and untwisted it using a method that I was pretty sure was not the reverse of how it became twisted. That was stupid; eventually I had to re-twist and re-untwist it. Then I discovered I’d stripped a bolt, so I’ve got a replacement and I’ll be trying again later today.
Grade estimation.
I had expected my final year project to receive < 60%. I got 70% for it. I don’t feel like I deserve it. I had also expected to get more than 70% for General relativity, although I didn’t feel like I deserved it (I thought the exam had gone pretty well, but I don’t grok GR); I actually got 61%. My other six modules were within expected bounds. My overall mark was high enough to be moderately surprising according to my priors, but not conditioning on my project and GR.
(At my university, >=70% is a first-class mark, which is an unusually good result; [60%, 70%) is a 2:1, which is a good result; [40%, 50%) and [50%, 60%) are a third and a 2:2 respectively, which are honours results but are not good. I don’t know how universal this system is.)
Job applications.
I’ve only sent off one recently; I then discovered that there are no H1B visas left for the year, so I can’t get a job in Silicon Valley until next october at the earliest. I haven’t sent any others off since, although I do have three places in Europe I’m planning to apply for.
Just curious, what country do you go to school in? I was confused when I read your grade estimation paragraphs, as that method of grading is completely unknown to me. (I’m an American.) For me, anything less than a 60% is a failing grade, and an average of at least an 85% is required to stay in the honors program. Maximum grade for any given course is 100%.
Sounds like the UK. I don’t know anyone who’s gotten more than 92% on an exam.
Yeah, specifically Warwick.
I’ve scored more than 92% on I think ~10% of my exams, and I gather that roughly one person a year gets more than 100% overall. (This is possible because if you take more modules than necessary, your average is multiplied by a factor based on the amount of extra work you did.)
(I’m talking about the maths department here; few if any other departments have the multiplier, and I’m told that 90% is really rare in the humanities departments.)
Ah, okay. Thanks for clarifying.