<p>I think I can sum up this question by copying the email I've been sending to admissions counsellors in different universities (minus the pleasantries): </p>
<p>" I've recently applied to [ your university] through the Common Application. I just had some questions regarding international transcripts. As it says on my application, I'm an American living abroad and so my grades/results etc are all foreign. The Irish education system is based on one terminal exam sat in June 2013 and this is where all of our study emphasis is put into. If the acceptance letters for [your college] are sent out in April 2013 and I don't receive my final exam results until August 2013, then on what basis would I be accepted? </p>
<p>My transcripts consist of past exams that I've taken, but these exams aren't reflective of me as a student as it's the final exam that we put our study emphasis on. Exams prior to this are a working progress towards this final exam (Leaving Cert)</p>
<p>If my teachers included a set of predicted grades for my final exam, would this be a suitable method of discerning my standard as a student, as well as SAT scores, the essay, recommendations etc? "</p>
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<p>So I'm asking what you guys think? In Ireland, our exams/tests/homework are all done in light of this final exam in June, so it's not like we have accumulated a GPA or anything like that. Nobody gets straight A's in the run-up exams because we're still practicing for the real thing. My problem is that admissions people will be judging me based on exams that don't really reflect my abilities. I've asked my guidance counsellor to explain this in my application, which she's agreed to do, but is there any other way I can make this clear to the schools of which I'm applying to? </p>
<p>Thanks in advance.</p>