<p>Hello, I’m a junior female from a boarding school in Wisconsin. I’ve spent this year in the Netherlands (Holland) and done the year “5VWO” which is the 2nd to last year before graduating of secondary education at the pre-university level. In the beginning of the year my Dutch was not yet good enough to really follow the curriculum as well as my Dutch peers. So at the beginning my teachers didn’t give me grades becuase my Dutch was not good enough yet. Now it’s just a habit not to give me grades. Now that it’s the end of the year, I can finally do assignments/tests at a level with my classmates, but still they will be significantly lower than if I took the tests in English. When colleges go to look at my junior year, what should I have for them look at? What kind of a transcript should I get from my Dutch school? Also, unlike the US where school is not only a center for education but also for sports and clubs…in Holland school is exclusively for classes. So this year I’ve had essentially no extra-curriculars compared to my previous years in the US. </p>
<p>So, how can I make admissions see how important and meaningful this year as been to me, when I cannot give them a GPA and a nice list of extra-curriculars? I certainly have plenty of antecdotes from this year for the essays, but in terms of transcripts/grades and extracurricular lists I’m afraid it will look very lacking compared with my freshman and sophomore years. </p>
<p>If anyone else has gone on exchange, I’d love to hear how you handled your grades while you were over there. Any advice is welcome! thanks!</p>
<p>I went to high school outside the U.S. as well (Mexico) and extra-curriculars were also not emphasized there, except for sports and the occasional dance ensemble. U.S. schools know this. I would definitely explain the language situation so that they know why your grades were lower than they should have been. </p>
<p>Definitely take some SAT II subject tests or AP tests to highlight your strengths. </p>
<p>And make sure you use your essay you talk about your experience!</p>
<p>Unfortunatley Dutch is too obscure a language for the SAT II’s or APs…but luckily there is a National Dutch Exam that I will be taking. I hope to do very well on it. How much of a downside for applications do you think it is that I spent a year abroad, compared with the lack of grades I have this year?</p>
<p>what I mean is, take SAT II subject tests in subjects you took while in Holland … like math or biology or something. That could make up for your lack of grades. You’ll be doing your senior year in the U.S., right? Make sure you rock your first semester in terms of grades - take the hardest course load you can handle. And of course your SAT or ACT scores will say volumes.</p>
<p>I don’t know what you should do in terms of your transcript. How is your high school in the U.S. handling it? They’re letting you come back for senior year, correct?</p>
<p>Yes, I’m coming back for senior year and taking:
AP English (I’ll take both AP Eng exams, but only folllow the Lang+Comp course)
AP Enviromental Sciences
AP Calc AB
AP US History
Independent Study: Dutch (Following a distance learning course from England for the A-Level exams)
Independent Research: Archeology on the historic site of Logging-era School Building
And then I have a gym glass “independently”. </p>
<p>My US highschool is expecting “something from my dutch school that will show my progress and work this year”. That’s frustratingly vague, but also leaves me open. The Dutch have a different grade system of 1-10, which really doesn’t equal out to our percentage scores. Basically everyone has grades between 5-8, and anything below five never happens unless you sleep in class and never open your book…and 9’s and 10’s are reserved for that child genius every four years. </p>
<p>How did you do your transcript/grades while you were in Mexico?</p>
<p>Thank you for the idea about the SAT II’s too, lilybbloom!</p>
<p>Well, I lived in Mexico all through middle school and high school, and I always had grades, so my only worry was getting my transcripts translated. </p>
<p>It seems like you’re taking a good variety of classes your senior year, which will be looked favorably upon by admissions officers. I really don’t know what to say about the transcripts - I would call the schools you are applying to directly and ask them what the best way to proceed would be. </p>
<p>But definitely don’t worry about not getting into a good college b/c of your year abroad! Good luck!</p>
<p>I’m Dutch (but live 10 years in the USA) and now my D is going to college next year in the USA.
Pretty good you ‘survived’ 5VWO, which to my opinion is one of the most difficult classes you can take. It’s a pitty you didn’t (also) take 6VWO, because the subjects can translate to IB level in the USA. When I can to the USA i had my diploma’s translated and notarized. I suggest that you (have) the subjects translated. Also check Wikepedia for explanation about the Dutch school system (and any school system). There are also some nice graphs availble on internet to explain the difference of a 4, 5 and 6 year High school education.
Let me know if you (ever) need help explaining to others the Dutch school system.</p>
<p>Fred</p>