What is A-level 3 distinction equivalent to?
Distinction grade equivalent to A Level grade between B and C (225 points). Formerly equivalent to A grade – 270 points.
At level 2, a Distinction grade for BTECs or CTECs is roughly equivalent to a grade 7 in the numbered system or an A in the lettered system. At this level, there is also the Distinction* grade, which is roughly equivalent to a grade a bit higher than a grade 8 in the numbered system or an A* in the lettered system.
Grade | UCAS points |
---|---|
Distinction* | 168 points |
Distinction | 144 points |
Merit | 120 points |
Pass (C or above on the core) | 96 points |
students scoring 360 - 420 points and above are awarded a Distinction.
This type of qualifications is given a ranked grade, this is because the awarding body recognises that the student has achieved the qualification and recognises highest to lowest levels in performance. The highest grade being triple Distinction star and the lowest grade triple Pass.
The overall grade
The example below shows that you must score between 250-259 points to achieve an overall Distinction grade for a BTEC level 3 Certificate in Applied Science.
Distinction: When students receive a distinction, they are considered to have achieved a master's degree score of at least 70%. Merit: Students who receive grades from 60% to 69% are granted a merit grade. Pass: Passing is defined as having an overall grade between 50% and 59%.
Academic distinction: Schools base this award on how many courses you complete for credit and letter grade. Students who earn a 3.5 to 3.9 GPA in their courses may earn the academic distinction while students who earn a 4.0 GPA may earn the highest academic distinction.
Once you have finished your Master's degree, your credits will then translate into either a Distinction, Merit, Pass or Fail. Different universities may have different boundaries but as a general rule: Distinction – 70%+ Merit – 60-69%
85%–100% Distinction (DN) 75%–84% Credit (CR) 65%–74%
Is distinction an honor?
The Honours Award recognizes those students who have obtained an average mark of 80.0% to 84.9% in their course of studies in each of grades 9-12. The Honours with Distinction award recognizes those students who have obtained an average mark of 85% to 100% in their course of studies in each of grades 9-12.
Last Updated : April 24, 2023
Passing Matric with good marks is great, but passing with a distinction is even better. You can pass with a distinction if you commit yourself to your studies. A distinction pass is when you obtain 80% or above in your subjects.

Vocational qualifications are graded pass, merit, distinction at level one, then level 2 pass (roughly equivalent to GCSE grade 4) then climbing to Level 2 distinction (roughly GCSE level 7) before the top grade of Level 2 Distinction star (L2D*).
This means that you can get a pass, merit or distinction at either level. Naturally, level 2 is greater than level 1 and so the grades are also greater as a Distinction in level 2 is equivalent to a 7 or an A at GCSE level, while a Distinction at level 1 is equivalent to about a 2 or a F at GCSE level.
People get highly impressed if you tell them you are a distinction holder in your degree/Diploma. Apart from that many recruiters may give you preference over other candidates who are not distinction holders. Distinction is awarded to students who do well in their academics, and score high marks in exams.
To graduate "with distinction," a student must have a cumulative grade point average of 3.750 or higher at the time the student graduates.
c the Access to HE Diploma (Law), with 45 credits from graded units awarded at Level 3, of which 30 must be awarded at Distinction, and 15 at Merit or higher (128 tariff points and above).
A distinction pass in your Matric results means that you did well. This can either be for one or more subjects. Distinctions are a mark of 80% and above. These marks are good and help you gain access to university for any course you want.
Level 3 represents the provincial standard for achievement. The student demonstrates the specified knowledge and skills with considerable effectiveness. Parents of students achieving at level 3 can be confident that their children will be prepared for work in subsequent grades or courses.
Graduating with a distinction
If you complete a bachelor's degree without an honours component, you may be eligible to graduate with a distinction, provided your WAM is over 70. For double degrees, you may be eligible for a distinction for one or both of your degrees.
What is higher than distinction?
The highest academic distinction is summa cum laude, followed by magna cum laude and cum laude.
In short, the number of students and even the percentage will vary from class to class or university to university. However, about 5%- 25% of each class are roughly expected to get the top grade – a distinction.
Grade | Meaning | Mark |
---|---|---|
HD | High distinction | 80-100 % |
D | Distinction | 70-79% |
C | Credit | 60-69% |
P | Pass | 50-59% |
Recipients of honors on academic catalogs for 2022-2023 or later receive their degrees with one of the following levels of distinction: cum laude (GPA of 3.5–3.69); magna cum laude (GPA of 3.7–3.89); or. summa cum laude (GPA of 3.9–4.0).
Honors With Distinction: Current-year non-weighted GPA of 3.90 or higher (average course grades of 3.75 or higher for the year).
How to calculate your GPA. Grades used in the calculation if your GPA are weighted as follows: A=5, B=4, C=3, D=2, F=0, O=0. To calculate your GPA, total all the units of A-level work and multiply this number by 5.
Distinction: much like a First at undergraduate level, a Distinction is awarded when you achieve a percentage grade of 70% and above. Merit: you'll be awarded a Merit if you achieve a grade average between 60-69%. Pass: a pass is awarded when you receive a grade average between 50-59%.
70% - Distinction. 60% - Merit. 50% - Pass. There are no honours, and again there are other rules for the details.
Generally, the highest honor in college is the valedictorian, followed by the salutatorian. As a group, the highest honor is summa cum laude. The next highest is the magna cum laude, and the third is the cum laude.
If someone points out that two things are different, don't say that they `make a difference' between the things. You say that they make a distinction or draw a distinction between them. It is important to make a distinction between people who are over retirement age and those who are not.
Is a distinction an A or B?
Grade | Scale | Grade Description |
---|---|---|
HD | 7.00 | A+ (High Distinction) |
D | 6.00 - 6.99 | A (Distinction) |
C | 5.00 - 5.99 | B (Credit) |
P | 4.00 - 4.99 | C (Pass) |
Distinction = 6. Credit = 5. Pass = 4. Fail level 1 = 1.
The common grades we usually use in an exam include distinctions, merits, pass, and fail (in order from highest marks to lowest marks).
Distinction (Real, Modal, and Rational)
Here is a general breakdown of what you require for achieving a certain master's grade and how that equates to a bachelor's classification for comparison: A Distinction is equal to a first and requires you to achieve 70%+ in your degree. A Merit is equal to a 2:1 and requires you to achieve 60-69% in your degree.
When you are marked for distinction, it means you are someone who is going to do well in life. You will set yourself apart from others. Distinction means being set apart, often by excellence.
Distinction* is the highest grade you can achieve, which indicates outstanding performance and is similar to an 8+ at GCSE level and an A* at A-Level. Below that is a distinction (an A), merit (a C), and a pass (E).
GRADE | GRADE POINT |
---|---|
High Distinction | 4 |
Distinction | 3.5 |
Credit | 2.5 |
Pass | 1.5 |
The BTEC Foundation Diploma level 3 is equivalent to 1.5 A levels.
Classification calculation
70% and above: Distinction. 60 – 69%: Merit. 40 – 59%: Pass.
Is it hard to get a distinction in Masters?
To get a distinction in your Masters, you will need to have at least a 70% or higher grade by the end of your degree. Everyone has unique strategies on how to achieve a Distinction grade but here are a few things you can do to achieve your goal: Don't leave your coursework and dissertation to the last minute.
A 3.7 GPA stands for a Grade Point Average of 3.7 on a 4.0 scale. It indicates that you've earned a predominantly A- average in your courses. A 3.7 GPA is considered to be a very good GPA and is often an indicator of strong academic performance.
Usually, a GPA of 3.0 - 3.5 is considered good enough at many high schools, colleges, and universities. Top academic institutions usually require GPAs higher than 3.5.
Is a 3.3 GPA Good? Because a 3.3 GPA is on the cusp of a B+ average, it is indicative of good performance in all classes with a consistently positive record on tests and homework assignments. With this in mind, a 3.3 GPA makes your application competitive at a majority of schools.
- High Distinction: granted to students whose cumulative grade point average is between 3.5 - 4.0.
- Distinction: granted to students whose cumulative grade point average is between 3.2 - 3.49.
Level 3 is where the National Diplomas come in, and a Higher Apprenticeship is at Level 4. This Level system represents difficulty, so then Awards, Certificates and Diplomas are then used to classify each qualification by size.
- apply for a university course.
- take a gap year.
- look for a job.
- apply for an apprenticeship.
- spend some time volunteering or gaining experience.
Foundation or access courses are usually one-year, pre-university courses at Level 3/4 that aid entry into degree level study.
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