GPA, TOEFL, etc..........

[hanaumabay]

Hello

 

I have several questions about US requirements for non citizens students:

- I have my qualifications in BASE 4. How can I translate it to GPA?

- Most of universities require a grade-point average of at least 3.0. If you don't reach this, can you be selected? I mean, do I try to apply or not...

- The same question with TOEFL, if you don't reach the point required, can you be selected?

 

Thank you

 

[hanaumabay]

OK, I think I've got it. I have a 1.41 in base 4. I have use a GPA Calculator (Spain), 300 credits. I think I studied a Bachelor's, but not sure because in my qualifications I can read Master' Thesis, since I had to develop a Final Project.

According to the calculator I have a GPA of 2.

 

Cumulative GPA: 2.00

So the questions now are:

- How o who (organization) can tell me if my spanish studies are a BS or a MS in US?

- Most of universities require a grade-point average of at least 3.0. If you don't reach this, can you be selected? I mean, do I try to apply or not...

- The same question with TOEFL, if you don't reach the point required, can you be selected?

[hippyscientist]

Is your degree in Spain a primary degree, or have you already completed a degree and done further study? I completed a final year project (full research study) as part of my UK bachelors, and so I applied with a BSc. If you have gone on to do further study beyond the degree you are talking about then that is your MS.

With regards to the GPA requirement of 3.0, see the many many threads on that around this forum. There's many websites such as http://www.foreigncredits.com/Resources/GPA-Calculator/Spain which may help you convert your spanish grades to those of American universities so you know if you're in the right region to apply. These are just rough guides so  a quick email to the administration team of the programmes you would like to apply to should help you to find out if you meet their minimum requirements (although I'd try and check by yourself first - you are afterall applying to a postgraduate level course).

With regards to TOEFL, I'm sorry I cannot help you there as I have no particular knowledge of how that works, but common sense tells me that if you struggle to communicate near-fluent in the language you are applying to (written, AND verbal as you will be teaching) then you'll probably minimise your chances of acceptance. Again, I'd check with the programmes you're looking to apply to as they'll be able to tell you more.

[emmm]

If your GPA is really a 2.0 on a 4.0 scale, it's going to be a rough road to acceptance, I think. You might even consider some sort of post-bac course, to show that you are able to perform at the academic level they expect. I have heard of this program, but I don't know how good it is: http://ecampus.oregonstate.edu/online-degrees/undergraduate/computer-science/ and there are (excellent) courses offered through Harvard Extension: https://www.extension.harvard.edu/

Courses like these could potentially strengthen your record, but you might want to email some of the programs you're interested in and ask them for advice.