In my country, we have a school system with 12 grades. Elementary 9 years. High school is only 3 years. Can I still apply to colleges in the US with a three-year transcript? Or Is there any way to weight the GPA and to make up for the 4th year that is required by the colleges in the US? Thank you in advance.
First off, you do not go anything to your GPA. If you are applying to US colleges and are in the final year year of secondary education, and will receive your diploma at the end of the year, then it’s fine.
You should assume that you are not the first person from your country to apply to a US college, so contact your target colleges to ask them about any specific requirements that they have for an applicant from your country (e.g. which grades they want transcripts from). Good luck.
In my day, 9th was middle school. They may want to see those courses and grades. Make sure you have the hs courses they recommend. And that you show appropriate strengths in ECs.
Yes, ask the colleges and see how others handled this.
You submit the last 4 years (sometimes last 5 years if year 8 and 9 are “packaged” together). So you’d have your last year of elementary school and your three years of high school, plus any Lower Division National Exams you took between Elementary school and Secondary School.