I’m not sure what course you’re doing, but as an Exeter English lit graduate I can honestly say that I know very few people (if any) who “easily got 70 on a last minute essay.” With a degree like English, I also wouldn’t say that knowing a mark scheme can help you get a first. At A Level maybe, but a first at degree level require a level of research and structure that you can’t just game - at least not in my opinion.
Throughout a 3 year degree, I had ONE quiz, and can also count on one hand the number of modules that had a (10%) seminar participation mark. The rest were essays and exams! I graduated 2 years ago, so can’t see this has changed that much.
I am just saying this as a personal opinion and people are completely free to disagree with me! But I worked SO hard on my degree, which included a 2 year break from study due to mental health difficulties (in part catalysed by academic pressure and feeling like a “failure” for any mark below 70).
I graduated with a 2:1 and, looking back, know I worked so hard to get that. The 70 for my dissertation felt like summiting Everest, in light of everything I went though. I just feel uncomfortable with some of the talk in recent threads, which seems to project the narrative that a good Exeter degree is somehow soft/lacking credibility.