Help with my school's deflated GPA

Question

Two questions.

I come from a highly ranked foreign school that uses 4 point system that’s similar to the GPA. However, I get the feeling that it is a little deflated. The average (50th percentile) of my school’s GPA is 2.5, and the Honors or Dean’s List is at 3.33. Is this deflated? I do have a sub-3.0, GPA so should I explain it by pointing out to my batch ranking? I know pointing out to a 60th percentile may sound silly, but if I just leave a sub-3.0 GPA out there in my application, wouldn’t it be worse? A sub-3.0 can be around below 25th percentile in US schools.

1.) Do you think my school’s GPA is deflated, and if so, how do I explain it?
2.) When grades were given out every semester, they had GPA rankings in it. But my transcript doesn’t show a cumulative GPA, do I compute it or do I just leave the GPA questions blank?

losttraveler · Answer

3.3 is a normal gpa for most dean's lists at schools... some will vary but that's the norm i believe. 60 percentile here would be roughly your equivalent you mention.

gablaze23 · Answer

https://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/ ... e-college/ This article actually says the average GPA of public universities in the US is 3.0, and even higher for private universities. I am not sure how this holds, and thus I am asking more people here.

method · Answer

Optional essay the curvature issue.
Ask each admissions team about your cumulative computation issue.

dalillama · Answer

One alternative (which I've seen a lot of foreign candidates use) is to request from the school an official letter containing your individual percentile or at least the percentile vs. gpa distribution.

highhopes · Answer

At my school, Dean's List was a 3.5. I have no idea what the average was. Either way, it doesn't necessarily seem like your situation is special. I don't know whether I would explain it or not. As far as the cumulative thing, I would ask the admissions office.

jko · Answer

I don't think you want to write the optional essay on this. You need to be very careful about anything that could come off as 'excuses', because that won't look good at all.

Most applications have a spot on the form to list your percentile, I'd make sure to use that, and trust that they will get the hint.

Admissionado · Answer

Hmmm I think you can and should write an optional essay about it. Otherwise how will they know? The curve is obviously quite different than the American one. No need to "make excuses" just kindly ask them to take it into consideration. If you don't, the number alone might turn people off.

Help with my school's deflated GPA

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