<p>I do believe that employers and grad schools understand the differences in grading policies when students study abroad. DS’s university had a relationship with the Royal College of Music. The two years prior to DS’s trip there, the grades were simply recorded on the kids’ transcripts when they returned and they WERE included in their GPAs. However, the grading system was on a 0-70 system with really no conversion supplied…so kids were getting a 70 grade and it was being noted as C or C-. Needless to say, this was “discouraging” some kids from applying to the programs. The school (after much “input” from the students) made the decision to apply a conversion to the grading system that began the year DS went. Personally I think the courses should have been pass/fail and not included in the GPA…but that was not their decision.</p>
<p>Anyway…I guess what I’m saying to Oldfort…her daughter needs to put what has happened in writing. The bottom line is this could jeopardize her school’s relationship with this study abroad school because students won’t want to risk this situation occuring again. Plus…you don’t know if this has happened previously…so put it in writing for the school. </p>
<p>In the meantime…I agree that putting a positive spin on this is essential. Discussing the paper she wrote and the info she gained is going to be one way to difuse the discussion of the grade.</p>
<p>I want to go on the record…my son got only one C in college. It was in a personal finance course. To this day…he says he learned MORE useful information in that course than in many others…AND he feels it should be a required course for all undergrad students…despite his less than stellar grade (which kept him from graduating with honors, btw).</p>
<p>Of course, he’s in a field where his grades really don’t matter…</p>