Advising Information for International Students

Find resources here for getting your international transcripts evaluated, learning about grading systems in the USA, and where you can find information about credits, degrees, and programs in general.

Credential Evaluations

These credential evaluation companies are approved by NACES. NACES is an association that is known for providing the highest standard of ethical and professional standards with evaluating credentials.

USA Higher Education Explained:

Here are a few resources by the Department of Education that provide students with information about Frequently Asked Questions including information about grading systems, types of degrees, and more. The second link highlights common terms for understanding USA education systems.

GPA (Grade Point Average)

GPA is a standard of measuring performance in institutions in the USA. Colleges in the USA measure grades as weighted units based off of the amount of credit hours per course. Courses in the USA typically range from one to four credits.

While many universities abroad will base performance on tests alone, many universities in the USA calculate students grades using a combination of factors, such as attendance, performance on tests, quizzes, and worksheets, and also things like discussions and class participation.

GPAs are on a 4.0 scale

Universities in the USA will have different policies on courses, including:

Repeating courses
Failing courses
Transferring credits from another institution
Graduation requirements

Advising:

Institutions have advising departments specifically to help students select courses each semester and register for classes. Advisers are also valuable resources and can give prospective and current students advice about which courses would be best to take for certain degrees.

Registrar:

The registrar on campus is useful for getting official transcripts sent to other institutions or with obtaining transcripts later after you've finished studying at the school.