From: goh@nyquist.usc.edu (K.C.Goh)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.asean
Subject: Re: US vs British university degree
Date: 26 Aug 1992 22:17:05 -0700
Organization: University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
NNTP-Posting-Host: nyquist.usc.edu

In article <1992Aug27.033110.29262@ntuix.ntu.ac.sg> eoahmad@ntuix.ntu.ac.sg (Othman Ahmad) writes:
>goh@nyquist.usc.edu (K.C.Goh) writes:
>: Fact:
>: The typical breakdown in EE in Cambridge is aprroximately
>: 25% 1st Class Honours.  The proportion is usually much lower for other
>: departments.
>This contradicts my experience with the results of the Cambridge tripos 
>results in 1981, publish in English newspapers in London.
>
>Also the comment that Prince Edward "only" got a 2nd class lower honours,
>maybe because he is a royal family. 
>To get 2nd class lower is like failing in Cambridge.
>
>Maybe the standards had dropped now because they allow GCE A level results
>to be considered for qualification requirement. They used to ask for a
>qualifying examination.
>
>When did you get this fact and from where?
>
>--
>Othman bin Ahmad, School of EEE,
>Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 2263.
>Internet Email: eoahmad@ntuix.ntu.ac.sg
>Bitnet Email: eoahmad@ntuvax.bitnet

Ahh!  A refreshing change to the general tone of postings we have
seen on this subject ... a demand for facts and even better ... proof!
Does this mean that we have finally seen the end of inane posts
based on the idle musing of the terminally confused?  Probably not. B-{

I attended Cambridge in 84-87.  Then all tripos results were posted
a few weeks after the end of the tripos in summer, besides being
published by the Times, the Guardian etc a few days later.
I've no reason to believe that there has been any change to the system
since then.  Perhaps the people in Cambridge can confirm this.

Let me repeat this : Approximately 25% of the EE class receives
1st Class Honours.  This is approximately true in 85,86,87.
The proportion is generally lower in many other departments.
Copies of the newspaper reports are available for the disbelievers.

So Singaporeans can heave a big sigh of relief:  Both Lee Kuan
Yew and BG Lee in fact did extremely well in getting starred 1st classes 
in Cambridge.  They were not just normal average joes who got
1st class hons along with 90% of the other students, as one would have
deduced from Encik Othman's claim that 90% of the students in
Cambridge get 1st Class Hons. B-).

For further verification of the fact, I urge Encik Othman to speak to
many of the faculty in NUS who also Cambridge graduates. B-)

>Also the comment that Prince Edward "only" got a 2nd class lower honours,
>maybe because he is a royal family. 
>To get 2nd class lower is like failing in Cambridge.

Another awful statement.  No, it is not like failing, no more than
getting a 2nd Class Lower is like failing in any other university.
The statement insults many people I know and respect. >B-[

>Maybe the standards had dropped now because they allow GCE A level results
>to be considered for qualification requirement. They used to ask for a
>qualifying examination.

Atrocity upon atrocity!  Perhaps I'll leave this remarkable statement
to the people currently in Cambridge. 

Let me tip my proverbial hat to the person who said that reading the S.C.A.
is pretty good for a few laughs.  You are right, amigo!

Regards,

K.C. Goh