I am an Indian Student. My undergraduation was in Geography from the University of Calcutta. I topped my university, and have throughout ben an academic and extra-curricular topper. I am currently doing my MA in Communications from India’s most prestigious media school. I am applying for the best Journalism programs in the US for Fall 2007. I have interned, done social work, reported, debated, made films, topped exams, and speak 3 foreign languages fluently. I have just one concern. The Indian system of education awards marks very differently from The US system. The all-time highest percentage for the ancient and highly acclaimed Calcutta University, in Geography Honors, for instance is 70%. that is considered BRILLIANT, as scoring is done on that scale always. Obviously, this when translated into GPA is low, yet the difference is not for the standard, but for the marking system in the country. I graduated from Lady Brabourne College in 2005, I topped not just my college, but the whole University which has 182 colleges under its jurisdiction. My total was 68%, again, a very difficult score to achieve in the system. My question is, how do I explain all this to places like stanford, or medill, or columbia? It will look like an awful GPA, but actually, I am and have always been a topper, and a complete scholar. please advice, I am a very determined and ambitious girl, and I would be crestfallen if system-related differences ruin my chances.
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