International student transcript question (Korean grades listed as Credit/Pass)

Esvrn
Tue, 20 Jan 2026 14:52:55 +0000

Hello,

This is a personal situation, but I would appreciate some advice regarding my academic records as an art major applying to U.S. universities.

I originally planned to apply to Korean art universities. In Korea, most art schools evaluate applicants based 100% on a national exam (similar to the SAT) and do not consider high school GPA at all. Because of this system, I focused primarily on exam preparation and did not prioritize my school grades at the time.

Due to health-related issues, I had to change my plans and decided to pursue college in the United States, where portfolio-based evaluation is more common. I transferred to an international school in 11th grade, and since then I have maintained a GPA of 4.14.

My concern is that my transcript from my previous Korean high school shows very low grades. However, this was not due to a lack of effort or responsibility, but rather because GPA was not relevant for Korean art school admissions at that time.

My question is: would it be appropriate to explain this context when submitting my Korean transcript? And do you think admissions officers would understand this situation if it is explained clearly?

Given this background and explanation, I am wondering whether very low grades in 9th and 10th grade would still pose a serious issue for admission.

Thank you very much for taking the time to read this long post.