Why is the average for the deans honour list 9.5? Why not 10, so the avg is 80% flat, whats significant about a 78%?
http://registrar.mcmaster.ca /calen...ent/pg131.html

10 isn't 80% flat, 10 is 80%-84% so someone with a 10 average has a percentage average that is above 80%. An 80% flat average actually falls somewhere between a 9 and 10 average, hence the 9.5 required for the Dean's List.

For example, if you have a 12.0 cumulative GPA, your real average must be >90%, since you had to have scored between 90-100 in every course. If your GPA is 11.5 for example, then you're probably at 90% exact (within 1-2% let's say).

So a 9.5 is more representative of a true 80% average, compared to a 9 (<80) or a 10 (>80).

So does Mac consider a 9.5 an 80%?

Originally Posted by Mac12

So does Mac consider a 9.5 an 80%?

Yes
12 Characters

Yeah a 10 is higher than 80. I think a 9.5 is 80% right on.

Originally Posted by Tailsnake

Yes
12 Characters

What would a 9.5 GPA be converted on a 4 point GPA scale?

Well a 9 is a 3.3, isn't it?
And a 10 is a 3.7

So 9.5 = 3.5? I'm not 100% sure that's just what I assume.

You can't convert directly from a 12-point average to a 4-point average (you have to convert each mark individually), but your 4-point average usually works out to a bit less than w/e the direct conversion from a 12-point average would be because low marks hurt you more than high marks help you on the 4 point scale (i.e. A 9.5 would logically convert to a 3.5, but if you convert each mark individually your average is likely closer to a 3.0 than a 4.0 on the 4-point scale)

Does it require a cgpa of 9.5 from all past years, or just a 9.5 from a single academic year?

Originally Posted by R633

Does it require a cgpa of 9.5 from all past years, or just a 9.5 from a single academic year?

single academic year

An 80% could be anything above a 9.2. But statistically speaking, it's less likely to occur below a 9.5. Consider the following "worst case scenario:"

Suppose I'm taking 10 courses, and I get the grades 79%, 79%, 79%, 79%, 84%, 79%, 79%, 79%, 79%, 84% (unlikely, but possible). These average to 80%, but after conversion to letter grades we get 9,9,9,9,10,9,9,9,9,10 , which average to 9.2.

Conversely, a 9.5 can be less than 80%:

Again, suppose I'm in 10 courses, and I get the grades 77%, 77% 77% 77% 77%, 80%, 80%, 80%, 80%, 80%. These average to 78.5%, but after conversion to letter grades I get a 9.5.


It is by no means a perfect system. But the 9.5 is Mac's attempt to make the cut-off "fair" since a 10.0 average is almost definitely above 80%.



Also note that while the two calculations I posed give the same result using McMaster's 12-pt Letter Grade Scale, they would give different results using the 4.0 GPA scale. This is why most high-end programs will look at your grades using a 4.0 scale, and not Mac's scale. Namely, the 4.0 scale measures not only the quality of your grades (ie. I have an 11 average), but also the consistency of your grades (ie. I have an 11 average by consistently getting 10s and 12s, vs. I have an 11 average because I always get 11s).

The "consistent" 11s would result in a higher GPA.