percentage to GPA conversion?

[sqrt]

Does anybody know how to convert percentage averages to GPAs for grad school purposes? I'm from a Canadian university where we're on a 100% grading scale. There's an official percentage-to-letter grade conversion (80% = A-, 73 = B, etc) but no official conversion to 4.0 scale.

[Minnesotan]

Does your prospective university use a straight letter grade (a, b, c, d, f) or a +/- system (a-, b+, etc.)?

[sqrt]

I believe they use a +/- system. (does it matter?)

[Minnesotan]

There are more 4.0s in a straight letter grade system, but in a +/- system, average GPA rises. I would be careful doing any sort of conversion from one system to another. Better to list your per centum score, and let the adcoms figure it out. They aren't completely daft (all the time).

[Highlife]

Most application forms specifically note that you should not convert your grades. Even if they do not state that, I would not convert them. For example, British grading in polsci is on a percentage scale, but, and this is a big but, in contrast to the Sciences, noone gets 100%. An A starts with 70%, which makes a conversion somewhat difficult. The Canadian system must be well-known to US profs and admissions people. I would not worry about it.

[Minnesotan]

Yeah. And Canadian universities give out "E" grades, too (at least they do where I'm studying, though I would shoot myself if I ever saw one on my transcript).

Anyway, I agree with the others. Don't convert unless requested; and if you do convert, write out your method and justification.