Confused About Grading Scales!

I'm getting different results for my grades when I use different grading scales. For instance, a 67 and 38 out of 45 convert into different letters on different scales. Is there a 'standard' grading scale all colleges in the US use? And if not, how does this vary for colleges internationally and how can I understand my standing better?

There isn't a universal grading scale used by all high schools or colleges in the U.S., let alone internationally. Typically, American high schools and colleges may use a letter scale (A-F), a 4.0 scale, or a 100-point scale, and what constitutes an "A" or "B" on these scales can vary slightly by institution.

For instance, one high school might consider a 90-92% an A-, whereas another school might consider it a B+. Similarly, in terms of a 4.0 scale, some schools might consider an A- a 3.7, while others might see it as a 3.67. You'll need to consult your school’s specific grading scale to accurately convert your scores.

The difference becomes even greater when you look at grading scales internationally. For example, in the United Kingdom's A-Level system, an A (the highest grade) is equivalent to an A+ in the U.S. In some other countries like India, a percentage in the 60s might be considered excellent, whereas in the U.S., it would most likely be considered below average or failing.

For your better understanding, colleges typically take variations in grading scales into account during the admissions process. They’re familiar with the different education systems and grading scales around the world, and they’ll recalculate GPAs based on their own scales. If a college in the U.S. receives an application from a student in the UK, for example, they'll know how to interpret those scores in the context of the American grading system.

To understand your standing better, seek to excel within the grading scale used by your school. Aim for the highest grades possible, given your workload and abilities, and focus less on how it might convert to other scales. You can also consider how you're performing relative to your classmates and how you're improving over time, as colleges like to see an upward trend.