A- US Grade Equval? then what's GPA range for A-

[zulkfal]

I just saw on WES grade Conversion Guide that UK 2:1 (Upper Second Class) degree is equal of US A- Grade? then whats the range of US A- grade in terms of GPA>

[tangsiuje]

An A- translates to 3.7.

 

However, I would not say that a 2.1 automatically translates into a GPA of 3.7. There are a range of factors to take into consideration.

 

Here at Warwick, a bouncing 76.2% of students graduated with a 2.1 or above (20.5% obtained firsts, and 55.7% obtained 2.1s). At Oxbridge, the corresponding number is 80-85%, around top 20 about 60%, and across all UK institutions, the number is above 50%. Only at US schools with extremely severe grade inflation would 50-80% of students obtain GPAs above 3.7.

 

Although most North American institutions are more generous in giving out As than British institutions are in giving out 1sts, American students often have to fullfil breadth requirements. This means that whilst the British student only takes subjects in "his/her own field", an American student's GPA would also be based on grades in other fields. For that reason, it might be just as difficult to average an A overall as averaging a first overall, even if the first is statistically more difficult to obtain.

 

Now, what I meant with "averaging a first overall" is not the same as obtaining a "first" as a degree classification (which you can actually do by scoring about half firsts and half 2.1s in your modules). In my opinion, the British system is very good at distinguishing remarkable attainment if you look at the marks obtained in each particular module (i.e., it is probably more difficult to average above 70 than it is to average above the cut-off for an A). However, it's really quite horrible how the middle 40-60% are then clumped together into a large, amorphous "2.1 mass". Because of this, I would think that a student obtaining a 2.1 in the British system might range from, say, B-/B standard to perhaps A- standard. Thus, a 2.1 might be translated to A-, but need not necessarily be translated to an A-. In fact, I've seen charts translating 1sts to 3.7, which might well be justified if this was a first obtained by scoring, say, four 1sts and three 2.1s.

 

Since you are posting on these forums, I suppose that your objective is to apply for grad school in the US. For that purpose, just provide your transcript with as much details as possible, state that you obtained a 2.1, but do not attempt to translate this into a GPA. Americans should be reasonably comfortable dealing with British qualifications, and can form a much better judgement on your performance by viewing the details than they can infer from a roughly translated GPA.

[whats up]

B = 3.0, B+ = 3.3, and B− = 2.7.

 

and

 

he A range is often treated as a special case. In most American schools, a 4.00 is regarded as perfect and the highest GPA one can achieve. Thus, an A, being the prime grade, achieves the mark of a 4.00; for the A+ mark, most schools still assign a value of 4.00, equivalent to the A mark, to prevent deviation from the standard 4.00 GPA system. However, the A+ mark, then, becomes a mark of distinction that has no impact on the student's GPA. A few schools do assign grade values of 4.33.

 

and

For example:

Class Credits Grade Grade Points Speech 101 3 A 3 × 4.0 = 12.0 Biology 102 4 B+ 4 × 3.3 = 13.2 History 157 3 B− 3 × 2.7 = 8.1 Physical Education 104 1 C 1 × 2.0 = 2.0

• Total Credits: 11
  
• Total Grade Points: 35.3
  
• Grade Point Average: 35.3 / 11 = 3.209 or slightly below B+
  

Where B=3.0

 

Was that help full.......reply do you agree with these measures found in USA institutions ???? reply soon.

[The MAN]

Every U.S. school I've been to (a total of four now - for various reasons), has not deciphered between A+, A, and A- (or similar for Bs, Cs, etc.). If you get a 99% in class, you get an A on your GPA. I'm always surprised to see how many people talk about pluses and minuses on this board. Is that something the Ivies do?

 

Anyway, at the schools I've attended, an A- in any given course is a 4.0 in that course. From there, the metric Whats Up posted is pretty accurate. Adjusted as follows:

 

Speech 101 3 A 3 × 4.0 = 12 Biology 102 4 B+ 4 × 3 = 12 History 157 3 B− 3 × 3 = 9 Physical Education 104 1 C 1 × 2.0 = 2

 

For a weighted average of: 3.1818...

[Guest _nanashi]

Being an American who did his undergrad abroad. ( I know what a 2.1 means) Its hard to directly compare how admissions committees are going to look at your G.P.A. they generally are not going to look at WES conversion but rather look to see that your at close to the top of your class. So in your case 2.1 is going to be looked as exactly as that an upper second class average, I do think it will hurt you slightly. Its not fair because I do think most solid foreign schools are more rigorous in undergraduate training but all but the top American Universities.