<p>I dont exactly get the word ‘transcripts’. What does it exactly refer to (in our indian system)? Marksheets? Certificates?</p>
<p>Well, I plan on applying to Harvard, Columbia, Rensselaer, Boston U, Yale and Duke and this has been bothering me since forever…What about the Higher Secondary Certificate? I’m currently in 12th grade at a school affiliated to CBSE board and like everyone, I will receive my Board marks in May 2012 and the official certificate in June (I think). So will the non-availability of the Board certificate affect my application? In India, every SINGLE thing revolves around Board marks, what about US institutions? </p>
<p>Also, I read that you also need to submit your 9th, 10th and 11th grade marks…I got 89% in 9th, 9.0 CGPA (85.5%) in 10th, but only 72% in 11th 
(Don’t ask why, my school has this “Dont study in 11th” unofficial policy). Will this hinder my chances getting into Ivies? I’m working for atleast 85-95% for 12th boards though.</p>
<p>Well here the system revolves around your 9-12th grades for every single class. We have final exams for every one class at the end and it is averaged in with the rest of our year performance for that subject. These exams are not reflected in the transcript. However, the mandatory SAT I and option SATII, AP, and IB exams do show up…unless you plead to the school to remove them off (quite frankly, I have never removed any). These OPTIONAL tests are of course pretty much recommended/obligatory to have when applying to top privates/publics. We also have weighted and unweighted grade point averages (GPAs). Weighted takes into account standard, honors, and advanced placement sections for each class in each subject. So say you are taking english, you have a choice for what level you want of it. Usually, teachers have to evaluate the range first based on your abilities and then you have a pick from that range. Advanced placement section award 6 points if you receive an “A”, honors offers 5, and standard: 4 (if you get below that grade, you just have 1 less point for each less grade received). If you have 8 classes every day (common), then you just add these points up and take the average. Usually, you can do that each semester/year. Of course, India and other asian countries have a uniform non-level type setup, so that is why they base their grading on final exams. When applying during your senior year, students who apply early don’t have any proof of how they are performing during their senior year (except for the teacher recommendations if you have the same junior year teacher for your 12th year). Unfortunately…JUNIOR YEAR here is considered to be the golden year where you have to work your butt off and think that you gotta spend all that energy that year. Your school really needs to emphasize that…but again, I realize that the system there is quite different.</p>