<p>Hi. Just wondering,</p>
<p>I spent high school in an American school but decided to go abroad to New Zealand my last year. I didn’t need any credits because I was planning on graduating a year early. I’m applying to the Fashion Institute of Technology and they say if you are an “international applicant” you have to send your official transcripts from that country to the World Education Services to make if equivalent to the way we do things in the US. Or so I’m guessing
?</p>
<p>Well the program that I went away my last year of high school with was called AFS and they kept in contact with my host school and US school. So, my grades and classes from each year of high school (including the year I went abroad) are now on my American high school transcript. </p>
<p>Do you think this is a problem? Will my year abroad in New Zealand affect my chances of getting into the Fashion Institute of Technology?</p>
<p>AFS is a well-known program. Your experience should be helpful to you through the admissions process not detrimental.</p>
<p>You are not an international student. Ask your guidance counselor how the high school handles the NZ transcript. You can also ask to have a copy of your transcript if you want to see what colleges will get.</p>
<p>No. If you are an American citizen or permanent resident you are not an international student even if you spent your entire school career overseas.</p>
<p>Thank you very much MD Mom!
I have a copy of my high school transcripts sitting right next to me. This is the part I was semi-worried about:</p>
<p>In the 9th, 10th and 12th grade I have numerical values of grades i.e 96, 84, 93, etc. However, the year that I went abroad (11th grade) I don’t have numerical values for my grades; I have instead a ‘P’ next to every class for ‘Passing’. Will admissions be caught up in the inconsistency of this? Or will they wonder what I passed with such as a 90% or a 70% ?</p>
<p>I do not think that will be an issue. You can explain it and so can your counselor. Perhaps you could ask the guidance counselor to indicate on the transcript that junior year was spent abroad. It is a good thing.</p>
<p>Thanks so much! This has reassured me for the time being!</p>
<p>Many students receive only Ps when they do a year abroad program. No problem! In fact, a year abroad is looked at quite favorably when applying to college.</p>
<p>Oh okay Katliamom, thanks. When I was in the 8th grade I took two 9th grade classes that counted for credits and they appear on my official transcript with a ‘P’ next to them. </p>
<p>Thanks for the reassurance!</p>