<p>I came to the US during Sophomore year, since then I've had a 4.0 etc.</p>
<p>However, my problem is with rank. I currently am 51/354.
HERE IS THE EXPLANATION:</p>
<p>FIRSTLY, In Australia, a "B" means that you're 6 months ahead of the coursework. Hence, if it were standardized to the American GPA system, it'd be an "A". My teachers from Australia wrote a letter to my school, but my school chose not to accept this and kept my Freshmen grades as Bs (so everything is a B... Wow)</p>
<p>SECONDLY, I left during the 4th quarter of my Freshmen year, which was already the beginning of Sophomore year for me in America. For that reason, my Second Semester of Freshmen year was not transfered. In other words, I am missing 3 credits, which obviously factor into my rank.</p>
<p>I'm taking 5 APs next year to try and fix this, but I'm applying ED to Penn, so they won't ever get to see the impact unless I applied in RD.</p>
<p>For that reason, do you guys, especially who were admitted into Penn, think that the Adcoms will be understanding (and now total number queens over the fact that I am 51/345, while really I should be in the 20s?)
This is making me really nervous...</p>
<p>As long as you write a well explained letter to penn (and it would be a good idea to get a principal/guidance counselor from your old australian school to submit one as well), it is unlikely this will be be held against you. The admissions officers aren’t robots, it’s not just about these artifical numbers.</p>
<p>You should mention it. Penn admissions deals with apps from all over the world, so I am sure there are people in the office with a good understanding of the Australian system.</p>
<p>Oh, thank goodness!
I guess I’ll mention that in the place where you write excuses on the common app, lol. But to mail the actual letter that explain it - do I mail it to my regional officer or to the main admission office at Penn?</p>
<p>And thank you two! That took away one giant burden.</p>
<p>“FIRSTLY, In Australia, a “B” means that you’re 6 months ahead of the coursework. Hence, if it were standardized to the American GPA system, it’d be an “A”. My teachers from Australia wrote a letter to my school, but my school chose not to accept this and kept my Freshmen grades as Bs (so everything is a B… Wow)”</p>
<p>Do B’s really mean ahead by six months? Was that in just your state or in all of Australia. I’m wondering because when I was in Australia, I got As and Bs but I know they aren’t the same A and B in the U.S. I just moved to the U.S. and I need to consult guidance about this soon.</p>
<p>I was in Victoria, and they used to have normal GPA, until they turned to the freaking VELs system.
I’d say Australian schools at least have much more in depth reporting, but grades aren’t important there.
But yeah, my high school will not transfer them because Australia doesn’t have a standardized conversion factor for them. Hence, I’m going to try and become unranked, and try to explain this to my colleges.</p>
<p>The system is soo messed up. I’m just filling in applications now, and trying to figure out how to explain the grades. Cause I get like 80s and low 90s mostly… but I go to a super smart school, so its not really representative of like my actual grades. uch its soo annoying</p>