GPA conversion
GPA conversion
Hi,
I am studying Applied Math in Canada, and hoping to get into a top US physics school. However, we don't use GPAs, we use %. I have a 93.5% Math/Physics Average and 89% overall average. What GPA does that translate to? Anyone know? Here usually A is 85-90% and A+ is 90+
Peace
I am studying Applied Math in Canada, and hoping to get into a top US physics school. However, we don't use GPAs, we use %. I have a 93.5% Math/Physics Average and 89% overall average. What GPA does that translate to? Anyone know? Here usually A is 85-90% and A+ is 90+
Peace
- butsurigakusha
- Posts: 293
- Joined: Sun Oct 07, 2007 8:05 pm
I am not really sure how to convert. Here is our (approximate) system:
A = 4
A- = 3.7
B+ = 3.4
B = 3
B- = 2.7
or so.
At my school, in a class, an A typically requires 93%, sometimes a little more, and sometimes a little less. We don't have A+ at my school, and I would guess most schools don't have them either.
I would guess that both of your averages would probably fall somewhere between 3.7 and 4.0, which is pretty good.
A = 4
A- = 3.7
B+ = 3.4
B = 3
B- = 2.7
or so.
At my school, in a class, an A typically requires 93%, sometimes a little more, and sometimes a little less. We don't have A+ at my school, and I would guess most schools don't have them either.
I would guess that both of your averages would probably fall somewhere between 3.7 and 4.0, which is pretty good.
What is your class average
Although it is true that most U.S. schools take A- to be 90-93% and A to be 93-96% and A+ to be 97-100%, many U.S. schools have crazy mark inflation. I know that the average mark in my physics classes at U of T is around 69%, which would be a D+ if you used the American percentage conversion scale. I think most American schools have an average in the low to mid 80's (a "B" to them).
So you should probably include what your class average is. What school do you go to? If you go to UBC, McGill, or U of T, I would consider that you have a perfect 4.0, or at least a 3.9+ if you have marks below 85.
Although it is true that most U.S. schools take A- to be 90-93% and A to be 93-96% and A+ to be 97-100%, many U.S. schools have crazy mark inflation. I know that the average mark in my physics classes at U of T is around 69%, which would be a D+ if you used the American percentage conversion scale. I think most American schools have an average in the low to mid 80's (a "B" to them).
So you should probably include what your class average is. What school do you go to? If you go to UBC, McGill, or U of T, I would consider that you have a perfect 4.0, or at least a 3.9+ if you have marks below 85.
Hi again, thanks for your replies. I go to the University of Waterloo. Our averages vary, usually I think it is around 75%, some courses are higher, some lower.
And yeah, the US conversion scale of A being 93-96 is pretty high, that way very very few would ever get A's here. So when I apply, should I just put my %, and assume they know the conversion?
And yeah, the US conversion scale of A being 93-96 is pretty high, that way very very few would ever get A's here. So when I apply, should I just put my %, and assume they know the conversion?
I was filling out a grad school application and they had a pdf worksheet for calculating your gpa, and on it they had a conversion table for schools that use percentages. I looked but I don't remember which school had this. I think I remember that if you were in the top 5% of your class it was an A+.
The easiest thing would be to just call up one of the schools you want to go to. It's anonymous, and they'll tell you right away how to convert it. No guessing.
The easiest thing would be to just call up one of the schools you want to go to. It's anonymous, and they'll tell you right away how to convert it. No guessing.
I keep wondering how the admission committees will look at my undergraduate records. I am from Brazil and here during undergraduate studies we are graded on a 0 to 10 scale on 0.5 point increments and on graduate studies we are graded just like in the US, in a 0 to 4 scale with 1 point increments.
My GPA for undergraduate studies is 7.97, which looks pretty bad compared to someone from an American institution with a GPA greater than 3.0, but is outstanding for the Physics program I attended, where less than 20% of the people who start the program actually finish it and only around 5% manage to do it without failing a single class.
In my MS studies, in the same University, my GPA was 3.83, the only class I failed to get an A being the one the professor asked me if I thought I deserved it. I hope my Master's GPA, Physics GRE and research experience will help erase the bad impression that the 7.97 will surely cause.
My GPA for undergraduate studies is 7.97, which looks pretty bad compared to someone from an American institution with a GPA greater than 3.0, but is outstanding for the Physics program I attended, where less than 20% of the people who start the program actually finish it and only around 5% manage to do it without failing a single class.
In my MS studies, in the same University, my GPA was 3.83, the only class I failed to get an A being the one the professor asked me if I thought I deserved it. I hope my Master's GPA, Physics GRE and research experience will help erase the bad impression that the 7.97 will surely cause.