The placement of students in a high school becomes especially important if they are trying to gain admission to a foreign land. This placement usually becomes a challenge for international students in US high schools or other institutions, due to the varied education systems. However, we can overcome this with transcript evaluations. In this blog, let us delve deeper into high school credential evaluations.

What is a transcript evaluation?

A transcript evaluation is a report that compares your academic records from your native country with their US equivalents. This makes it possible for colleges to evaluate your academic records using the same criteria as students studying nationally

Enrolment procedure for international students in the US

The primary enrollment process in the new school for international students is as follows:

• Select the suitable school type (public/private, religious/secular, college-preparatory/vocational, in-person/online).
• Pick the schools in your area that match your criteria.
• Prepare official documents certifying your previous education.
• Consider a professional credential evaluation report and certified English translations.
• Fill out the application to the chosen school to start enrollment.

Importance of high school evaluations

Having a credential evaluation is one of the primary steps for any international student  in the US. Assessing international education and students makes it essential to take assistance from transcript evaluation service providers. High school evaluations are an essential step in the enrolment process for any international student in the USA. Enabling seamless comparison of students native credentials with the US ones, is the primary motto of credential evaluators.

Who is required to furnish an evaluation?

The educational institution you are applying to will have some bearing on this. Understanding the application requirements for each high school you’re applying to is the easiest way to determine if you need to submit a credential evaluation. It will  be mentioned next to other requirements for admission specific to overseas students, including English language competency.

Key takeaway –

If you attended an American school outside of the US, you usually won’t require a credential review. However, you most likely will need a transcript evaluation if you fulfilled the educational school standards specific to your native nation and desire to get placed in the US high school.

When should we apply?

Application for high school evaluation varies according to the organization. Some institutions will need to evaluate your credentials to make an admission decision. Along with this, the other essential application components must be submitted by the deadline. Institutions will ask for a credential evaluation later in the application process, so you don’t have to submit it at the same time you apply to the school.

Understanding high school evaluations: The overall process

High school evaluations can be broadly classified into the following stages, which include:

Documentation:

Documentation involves compiling a comprehensive set of records attesting to a student’s previous academic accomplishments. This  will guarantee accurate placement in any high school.

Key points to remember while documenting-

• Obtaining certified records from their prior school is advised for all students.
• Documents that have been sealed or signed by school administrators are considered official.
• Having an overview of the school and its curriculum is also an added advantage.

Translation:

A certified English translation could be required when documents are not issued in English. Parents can offer a complete application package with professionally created translations to guarantee proper placement.

The actual process:

Upon receipt of the required evidence from a prospective student, either by the school or an evaluation provider, the documents are compared to the native education system and then to the US education system. Year counting, which starts in the first year of obligatory education, is the most widely used system. Grade levels match the ensuing school years.

Things can be challenging because elementary and secondary school might consist of several stages with varying lengths of time depending on the country of study, and grade levels aren’t usually numbered sequentially.

Carefully examine each document’s submission instructions (by email or courier). Certain documents may also need to be turned in in an envelope sealed by the authority that issued them. Be careful to adhere to these recommendations, as they can be complex.

The timeframe of evaluation:

After receiving all the documents, most evaluation services will require two to three weeks. Processing times, however, will vary based on the credential review service providers and the volume of applications they are handling concurrently.

Ways to finalize an evaluation:

• Consider looking into a credential evaluation institution if you’ve decided you need one.
• Opt for independent organizations specializing in assessing degrees and transcripts from other countries; they are not affiliated with any particular university.
• Select the ones with the best offer price, and ensure they are certified.

Conclusion:

Getting credential evaluation is a task for international students. However, taking assistance from reputed credential evaluation institutions is the answer. This benefits the schools as well as the students equally. Examining the offers and comparing the services, prices, and turnaround times helps the parties decide. Selecting the best evaluation institution that offers better prices, reasonable turnaround times, and better services is key to the smooth enrollment of international students.