I’m in 12th grade in an ISC school in India. I’ve got 86% in my first term exams (which I’ve already submitted the transcript of in the school report), but 82% in my second term exams. I’m currently writing my pre-board exams but I don’t expect to score more than 86% in it.
If I choose the second term or pre-board marks for the mid-year counselor report, then I would be showing a downward trend. So, can I send the predicted/projected board marks instead? They should be around 90% or more (though I really expect 95%) because of the deflation system in Indian schools.
Also, when I approached my “counselor”, he said he was not familiar with predicted scores as he has never done this before. He asked me to get a sample. So if anyone has sent their predicted marks before, I would really appreciate it if you show me what it looks like (by PM or comment). You can hide your details, of course.
UK works on predicted marks, US does not. Your best bet is to have your school/GC note that at your school final exam marks are typically 10% (or whatever) higher than mid-year marks. Most unis will know the Indian system well enough to know about deflation.
@collegemom3717
So if I submit my second term marks (as opposed to the predicted marks), will it not affect my admission, as I’m showing a downward trend?
While the school report did not mention anything about the deflation, the grading scale mentioned that 70-100 was an A. Is my counselor allowed to mention extra stuff in the mid year report? Or will he only get to upload the transcript there?
Of course US colleges work with predicted marks - all the IB schools around the world submit predicted grades to US colleges. For example, my daughter’s predicted marks from her IB school will be based on her third term of junior year and her first term of senior year. This is totally normal and acceptable from the IB system.
The question is do US colleges work with predicted marks from the ISC school boards and I do not know the answer to that. I was referred to the EducationUSA people here in Bangalore when I had a question for another kid. What city are you in? You may have an EducationUSA office near you and they would be the most experienced people to ask.
Just remember - even if you use predictive marking for admissions purposes - the schools eventually see your real grades and offers can be rescinded if the grades have fallen too much.
@CValle There is no EducationUSA office here in Surat. I guess I should email ISIEF?
The grades have not fallen “too much” (86 to 82 as I said) but the predicted would be ~90 and it’s easy to get ~95 in the actual ISC board exams, so that would not be an issue.
My main question here is whether it’s a good idea to send predicted marks? I don’t want to show a downward trend, is all. But again, 82 is still an A according to the scale (70-100).
Also:
If this is allowed, then I guess my problem is solved and I will just report the pre-board marks.
Yes email them and see if they can help. I guess your school does not have a counselor that routinely helps with applications to the US?
The counselor letter for the application is very important to help the US school understand the grade boundaries and the rigour at your school.
I think it all depends on what is typically done with kids applying from your board. Since I don’t know that information I would be hesitent to guess. Try reaching out to the EducationUSA office in another city in India and see if you can at least have a phone call with them.
Correct. I’m probably the first one applying to US in the school’s history.
The counselor letter? There was no such thing. Only school report, which asked about the grading system and stuff. I also got my counselor to upload a “school profile” which mentions that the average score in my school was 58%. Also, class rank 1 is mentioned on all my transcripts.
In any case, only three colleges (Brown, Macalester and Stevens) I’m applying to require the mid year report Even Vanderbilt does not require it. The downward trend should be a problem only for Brown.
I’ll email USIEF and update this thread if they provide any useful information.
Climate is very temperamental (just like Trump). Mornings are like 15°C but afternoons are almost 30°C.
I guess I was referring to counsellor letter/recommendation from the common app this year…and also the counsellor recommendation that some schools request.
Good luck with all your apps - how did you pick those schools, if I may ask?
@CValle
The counselor recommendation mentions nothing about the system. It’s supposed to be about me and my personality traits.
I made a diverse list of schools, all of which award aid. These schools include high reaches, matches and safeties. They include engineering colleges, LACs and everything in between. And I also made it a point to only choose urban locations for the most part. And of course, I looked at the strength of my major (CS).
Have your counselor 's midyear report present predicted results as well as explain the grade deflation. If that report was already submitted, there’s an extra form cakled optional report which all schools will download.
@MYOS1634
You say “explain the grade deflation”.Can you elaborate how that works? Will my counselor be given a text field to enter additional info? Or is he just allowed to upload the transcript? Because if he can explain it, then there is no need for predicted results (which only look like a hassle for now, for my school as well as for the universities, since that is not the modus operandi).
I thought the optional report was only for ED applicants?
The optional report is for anything the Counselor needs to add. It could be mention of a disciplinary infraction for example, or new test scores that come in that colleges should know about.
There’s a text field for the counselor to explain whatever they want to explain. They can also (or instead) upload a transcript with predicted grades and mid year marks with explanation of the grade deflation (ie., “students typically get +5 on board exams so a student with an 80 at School Z can expect 85 on ISC board exams.”)
Predicted grades are commonly used by American universities when dealing with applicants whose education systems use them.
@MYOS1634
That sounds like good news. So, this text field that you speak of is only in the optional report and not in the mid year report? (The offline mid year report PDF does not have an additional text field).
Since you said the optional report can be used to “also” upload a transcript, does that mean the transcript is not mandatory here?
The offline PDF of the optional report does have an additional text field, but then it says it is to be used only to “update grades at another point in the year”. Predicted scores don’t really seem like an “update”, especially considering that it will be sent at the same time as the mid year report.