Hello I’m new here and I just had a question about applying to college.
I moved to the US in late 2014 from Saudi Arabia. I did 9th grade in British International school and now I’m completing my junior year in the US.
I wanted to know if colleges would accept my 9th grade transcript (or do they even look at it? sorry I’m new to this American system) or would they just look at my high school diploma which I would get after i graduate high school.
A high school diploma is expected of all new students. Colleges will want your full high school transcript from all schools, translated into English. Most schools look at grades 9-12, some only look at grades 10-12.
I don’t know of any college or university in the US that would want to look at your high school diploma. They will want to look at your transcripts (grade records). When you apply to college/university, you will need to find out which of the places on your list want both your 9th grade transcript and your transcript from your current high school. Some will want that transcript. Some won’t. I’m sure that your old international school has experience with colleges and universities in the US, and will be able to send the correct paperwork when the time comes.
The high school diploma means nothing, except that you managed the “considerable” (irony) feat of not getting kicked out of school. American high schools, as you may have noticed, offer widely different levels of classes and academic rigor, so what will matter is your transcript. The transcript will list the classes you chose, their level (general, regular, elective, honors, AP, etc), and the grade you got.
Your 4 years should include:
4 years each of English, History/Social Science, and Science (including bio, chem, and physics, plus one more, preferably at AP level, AP Physics 1, APES, AP Bio…)
Foreign language up to Level 4 (or similar achievement - perhaps an external Arabic test taken at a cultural center, or an AICE exam, would be okay)
Math up to Precalculus or Calculus
You apply to universities between July before senior year and January of senior year.
You should borrow this from your school library:
-AdMission possible! or The College Solution
Plus one of these :
Princeton review’s best colleges, Fiske guide, insider’s guide to colleges…
and start reading, placing post-its next to colleges you especially like.