<p>Okay, so let me get straight to the point. I am an international student and have applied to some top universities at US. While my SAT is good and my class rank is 1/43, my average grade (we don't have GPA here) is only average. </p>
<p>In my school, tests happen every Saturday and Sunday, taking 5 hours from each day (every subject is depicted on such tests). Here, to enter a university, all you have to do is be approved in a standardized test, so your high school <em>gpa</em> doesn't matter at all. For that, school tests can be pretty difficult in order to force students to create good studying habits.</p>
<p>Since the tests contain questions from all subjects and the ratio between number of questions (180) and number of disciplines is not so great, getting a question wrong can mean -10 points in a certain course grade.</p>
<p>As I mentioned, my rank is 1/43 (senior), but my average grade this year runs around 80/100 (which converted to a U.S. scale, would probably mean a C).</p>
<p>Finally, my question is: do universities take in account local systematics in order to evaluate transcripts from an international student like me?</p>
<p>Thank you for your attention so far!</p>
<p>Does anyone have any insight about this?</p>
<p>Yes, they do take your school into account. If your GPA appears only to be average but you are very highly ranked, universities will understand that you have a good work ethic/are intelligent, and that your school deflates GPA (grades toughly). In fact, rank is usually considered much more important than GPA.</p>
<p>Exception: If your school is of little or no prestige, they may just assume you are in a school full of sub-par students, particularly because your school is very small; however, in most cases, if they can’t make a solid judgment about your GPA and school, they won’t hold it against you, and will trust your rank. A high test score will also help validate your GPA.</p>
<p>I believe this is all particularly true for internationals, as international grading is traditionally deflated compared to most US systems.</p>
<p>^ Thank you for your great insight. You mentioned test scores to compensate <em>low GPA</em>. Well, my SAT II scores, in particular, are good: 800 on Physics and 800 on Math2. Do you think all these pieces of information together can diminish the importance of an ‘average international GPA’?</p>
<p>Yes. Rank puts your GPA into context; as your ranked number one, and you apparently have very good standardized test score (how’s your regular SAT?), the fact that your GPA is “low” will just attest to the grade deflation of your school, and won’t hurt you at all. Best of luck!</p>
<p>There is a website that lists conversion tables for the educational systems from various countries.</p>
<p>If your grades are considered excellent in the context of your school, they’d be considered excellent.</p>
<p>[WES</a> Grade Conversion Guide](<a href=“http://www.wes.org/gradeconversionguide/]WES”>Country Resources - WES.org)</p>
<p>I’m much more relieved now. Thank you all for your answers. My counselor indeed wrote about my grades being great for the school’s actual tests’ difficult.</p>
<p>physicsnut1, my SAT Reasoning score was 2130 (670 CR, 780 M, 680 WR). Had only 2 months to practice… Still, I have the TOEFL (105/120) that can compensate the English sections in some universities.</p>
<p>That is very good! I stand by the “good standardized tests” that you have. Though remember that it is unfortunately harder for internationals. At any rate, great job and good luck! :)</p>