Ask Stacy Blackman

Hi,

My undergraduate university graded us on a 10 point scale and ,according to the conversion formula specified by the university on the mark-sheet itself, even a person scoring 10/10 will only be getting 90% after conversion of scores.

Which means that it was simply not possible (impossible, not even improbable) for anybody,not even the best of the students, to score more than 90% in percentage terms.

This was a result of the relative grading system adopted by the university which really undermined the performance of the students as reported by the 10 point scale.

So, effectively, the topper of my class who scored a CGPA of 8.6 actually only got around 78-79%.


I received a 7.27.

Keeping this in mind, I reckon that a suitable GPA of mine on the 4 point scale would be something around 3.2 but if looked strictly without taking into account the factors stated above, it would seem to be around 2.3, which puts me at a grave and unfair disadvantage.


I'm definitely not a 2.3 . NO. NO WAY. NEVER!


To be honest I'd give myself even a 3.2 but DEFINITELY NOT BELOW 3 AND MOST DEFINITELY NOT A 2.3. Hell NO!


What should I do while reporting my GPA on my business school application?

Can/Should I discuss this in the optional essay?

Could someone please help with this? Thanks for the patient reading.

Regards

Lisa Anderson wrote:Dear cheesenchocolate,

Most business schools are familiar with the grading scales in other countries, and in particular, that the 10 point scales are usually not an exact conversion to the 4 point scale. For the most accurate conversion, you can pay a credentialing service to evaluate your transcript and provide a translated GPA. Some schools offer their own conversion tables as well. I would not use the 2.3 as you are correct in that it is not your converted GPA. Due to the different grading scales, many applications do not require you to provide a translated GPA in the application data form and thus you should not unless you have one from a credentialing service. With regard to the optional essay, you should only write about your school's system if you attended an institution that is very rare in the global MBA pool. If you attended school in a country that is common in the global MBA applicant pool, then there is no need to write the optional essay on your school's grading system.

Good luck,
Lisa

Dear Madam,

Thanks for the reply. A few more questions,

a. Could you please mention a few of the most reputed credentialing companies?

b. I just finished mailing most top B-schools regarding this and all of them told me to not convert my GPA score. However, if I get my scores converted by a reputed credentialing service and find that the converted GPA works out to my advantage, can I then send that converted GPA in my app.even though they preclude me from doing that?

c. What about Columbia? They do require a conversion and their chart gives no idea of a 10 pt. scale. I contacted CBS but they refused to help me any better than again pointing me to that conversion chart of theirs.

Regards,