<p>Ive been moving from city to city, school level to school level, and even countries in the past 8 years due to my father (surgeon). I really think my ability to perform at an excelled rate was hampered by the fact that I could not get comfortable in my surroundings. Or even know my teachers well. They, however, were really impressed by my ability to adapt and achieve amazing feats and even wrote me amazing letters of reccomendations (applied to IB in grade 9). I however, dont agree. Since my grade 9 marks were HORRIBLE, moving to a completely new province.</p>
<p>Heres my timeplot:
-after 4 years at a private elementary school, I "graduate" in Ontario.
-Moving to Alberta, I realise that I havent quite "graduated" yet. the system there is elementary (1-6), Junior High (7-9), then Highschool (10-12). So I complete grade 9 (remember: its already highschool in the US and Ontario system. In the Alberta system, its junior high. Can I exclude it from my GPA?) with the conditions and environment around me that of a JUNIOR HIGHSCHOOL
-complete grade 10 in a calgary public school, obviously grades will take a slight dip the first year of highschool (again, another problem arises: us Adcoms expect students to do better this year since its year 2 in the US system)
-Completing grade 11 at an elite private school in the middle east (top 10, science magnet school). possibly continuing here for grade 12.</p>
<p>Isnt this a special circumstance? Wont they see that although my grades may suffer a bit, Im a much more rounded student in terms of my global experiences and travels? I mean, they dont have to see it as a "special circumstance" do they? I really think its an advantage (experiencewise, but gradewise thats something else!), but I dont know how to communicate that!</p>
<p>just emphasize how you broadened your horizons and what you learned from your experience. thats should help set you apart form the other applicants</p>
<p>yeah, but looking at all these sat I and sat II prep books, I see so many things that I never got to learn because of moving schools (moving from a slower paced school to a faster one, so not covering plane gemoetry because they already did that, etc).</p>
<p>What can I do (infact, I took a SAT II Math practice test and scored 420!!!) to fix the gaps? I pulledd a 96 last semester at my school for precalc (elite mideast school), how does that work out?!?!</p>
<p>hm… i can totally see how transferring schools can make you miss out on a lot of stuff… However I’m also surprised at your Precal grade and SATII score… Maybe since it’s a school ihen the mideast, your school has different ways of asking and solving for problems, so that the US-type questions caused you to score lower? do you see much difference in the type of studying in your mideast school and the one done in N America?</p>
<p>Not at all. I studied in N.America longer than Ive studied in the middle east (2nd semester here, all english instruction{excpet for arabic language, religious studies, and socials}, fully accredited, even a nice number of MIT,HYPMS alums). </p>
<p>I find the North American system to be easier. Instructors here twist problems around so that inclass instruction is a background to answering future questions, not a guideline or step-by-step instructions (makes it so much harder, i really dont know how I pulled it off).</p>
<p>So should I include this in a special circumstances section if available or should I emphasize it in my essay (i just feel that they wont even read it at all, because of the thousands of essays they get!)?</p>
<p>9th grade is considered high school for college purposes. They do not care which building it is in. We have a local (great) school district that does not have HS until 10th grade due to room and crowding in the HS already.</p>
<p>When I grew up, 7-9 was always Junior High (now called middle school. At some point then moved the 9th graders to the high schools. I think this was after the baby boomers and schools were closing due to less need.</p>
<p>Well, even if the curriculum is different than highschool grade 9 (inevitably), the environment, the maturation (due to environment) of the student, and even the seriousness of the environment really dont add up to a highschool grade. If they were in the same level (not buildings, as long as the same curriculum level designation, “Highschool”), I wouldnt say anything. But its clearly stated “Junior High School”…!!! Im jsut concerned cause I didnt try really hard back then, now Im pulling a 4.0 (by god’s mercy!) 1st semester (Junior)!</p>