<p>I'm a Canadian student looking to apply to some schools in the states next year (LACs -- Reed, Occidental, etc.) and I'm wondering how 'A' grades that are below the normal American 'A' threshold will be perceived.</p>
<p>Will a low 'A' in Canada (85% to 89%) be seen on the same level as a low American 'A' (90% - 93%) in similar or identical (AP) courses?</p>
<p>^90-93 is an A- (for my school at least)</p>
<p>We make no formal distinction between A-'s and A’s.</p>
<p>Thanks to my school’s grading system I have no idea what my real GPA is…</p>
<p>If it just says A, A, A, A without distinction on your transcript then the college counselor won’t be able to determine to what extent you achieved, just that you got >85% and that an A counts as 4/4 points for your Unweighted GPA.</p>
<p>If this is the case, I wish I was Canadian…</p>
<p>I would imagine that although percent ranges are different, the value of an ‘A’ letter grade is about the same in Canada as it is in the U.S., at least at the high school level.</p>
<p>To use a silly example, If my school made it so that 60% was the new lowest percent mark for an ‘A’, teachers would probably make their courses much more difficult so that only strong students could get that mark.</p>
<p>My transcript shows both letter grades and percentage scores. If my percentages were not shown, why would I even bring this up? lol.</p>
<p>Your school should be including a “prospectus”, along with your transcript. That explains your school’s grading system. Otherwise, no WAY could colleges understand every nuance of the grading at each school. Your class rank (if provided) will also tell the tale. Combined with your standardized scores, they’ll form a well rounded assessment of your abilities.</p>
<p>Example: I just saw someone post here that their (US) school gives no plus or minus, and their “A” goes all the way down to 89.5. So, a child with an 89.5 average has an A (4.0), and a child with a 100 has an A (4.0). What the heck? I’m sure high schools are doing this to “fool” colleges into looking more holistically at their students, getting MOST of them past the first “cut”. If that school also doesn’t rank, then …? But, MY high school cut off an A at 95%! Those, along with many other reasons, are why your ENTIRE application is considered.</p>
<p>Luck to ya!</p>
<p>My (US) high school had no pluses or minuses, considered an A to be 93-100 and a B to be 86-92. Different schools and districts do this differently. Colleges know this. They’re not going to assume that a lower cutoff for an A makes it less valuable.</p>
<p>Heck, I had some classes at college where the cutoff for an A ended up being in the 70s. And most people didn’t get one, believe me.</p>
<p>You have an 85% of getting some.</p>
<p><<heck, i=“” had=“” some=“” classes=“” at=“” college=“” where=“” the=“” cutoff=“” for=“” an=“” a=“” ended=“” up=“” being=“” in=“” 70s.=“” and=“” most=“” people=“” didn’t=“” get=“” one,=“” believe=“” me.=“”>></heck,></p>
<p>Either those people relaxed when they heard that 70s is A range and screwed up or the professor decided that messing with students’ heads was very fun.</p>
<p>Exhibit… I’m a Canadian … and in Ont, 80+ is an A… your high school counselor has to fill out a form where he or she has to say the grading scale of your high school so don’t worry.</p>