1. Metropolitan Area Foreign Student Advisors
How to use MAFSA charts for the evaluation of secondary transcripts
February 22, 2013
Silvia Hoke
Prince George’s County Public Schools

2. Purpose of training
To provide consistent and equitable evaluations of foreign transcripts.
To recognize course work completed at comparable ‘high school’ levels abroad.
To facilitate the process of evaluation so newcomers can use the MAFSA charts appropriately.
Silvia Hoke

3. History of transcript evaluations by MAFSA
In the past, transcript evaluations were like putting together a puzzle:
Each new record was evaluated individually, and became a piece in the country puzzle.
It took many months or years for evaluators to become comfortable with a particular country.
Evaluation was learned ‘on the job’.
There were few resources for evaluation of high school records.
Silvia Hoke

4. Understanding foreign transcripts
Rather than going from a specific example to a generalization, it helps to know some basic types of systems.
Learn the attributes of the general systems, but understand that variations exist from country to country.
Compare foreign documents to the basic system, not only the U.S.
Remember that systems are fluid and constantly changing.
Individual schools may or may not follow
the pattern for that country.
Silvia Hoke

5. General types of transcripts:
United States
United Kingdom
France
Soviet
South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Mexico, People’s Rep. Of China, U.A.E., Vietnam
Britain, Uganda, Kenya, Nigeria, Jamaica, India, Pakistan
Francophone Africa, Iran, Afghanistan, Haiti
Former Soviet countries, Russia, Turkey, Poland
12 years of primary and secondary education, ending with a high school diploma or certificate
11 years of primary and secondary education (12 in India/Pakistan/ Nigeria), ending with an exam (‘O’ levels, GCSE, Higher Secondary Exam)
12 years of primary and secondary education, ending with Baccalaureat
10-12 years of primary and secondary education ending with a certificate
Age of graduation is generally 17-18, and can then attend college
Age of graduation is generally 16 +, and need two more years (A levels) to attend college
Age of graduation is generally 17-18, and need a passing Bac to attend college
Systems vary greatly due to political
transitions
Silvia Hoke

6. Secondary cycles - examples:
10 years
11 years
12 years
13 years
Philippines
Turkey, Russia, Colombia, Peru, Brazil, Jamaica, Nicaragua
Unites States, France, Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, India, Canada, China, South Korea, Mexico
Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Cuba, Czech Republic
6 + 4
8 + 3
9 + 2
6 + 5
8 + 4
9 + 4
Diploma
Bachillerato
Certificate
External Exit Exam (CXC)
External Exit Exam (GSEC, Higher Secondary Cert., Baccalaureat, etc.)
Diploma or Certificate
Silvia Hoke

7. How to use the MAFSA charts to evaluate foreign transcripts
Collect and copy all records brought in by family. Note that original was seen. Altered documents are not acceptable.
Decide on how long you will accept records after enrollment.
Silvia Hoke

8. How to use the MAFSA charts to evaluate foreign transcripts
Conduct an oral interview with student or use a ‘Transcript Supplement’ to get more information about the student’s schooling. Have student and/or parent sign to indicate that the interview was held. This helps avoid challenges to your evaluation at a later date.
Silvia Hoke

9. How to use the MAFSA charts to evaluate foreign transcripts
Important questions to ask:
When does your school year begin and end?
How long were your class periods?
How many times per week did you study each subject?
Describe the content of generic courses (i.e. History, Social Studies, Technology, Science, Math, etc).
Did you skip or repeat any grades?
When did you leave this school? Were final grades given on report card or exams taken before you left?
Silvia Hoke

10. How to use the MAFSA charts to evaluate foreign transcripts
Compare the records with the MAFSA Country Chart to determine grade equivalencies and placement.
Determine if student has already graduated from the home country.
Check that records are complete, including all years of ‘high school’ and all terms/semesters for each year.
Silvia Hoke

11. How to use the MAFSA charts to evaluate foreign transcripts
Check the records:
Are there any alterations?
Check the school year and any dates listed on records.
Is there a gap in education? (i.e. a student who brings in the equivalent of grade 10 records dated 3 years ago should have graduated by now. Where are the records for the following years?)
Are the years of study and the student’s age compatible?
Is the name of the student correct?
Check for a defined passing score.
Is there a grading scale on the report card?
How many classes are listed?
Read the comments if any.
If both a report card and exam results are provided,
decide on which to use for evaluation.
Silvia Hoke

12. How to use the MAFSA charts to evaluate foreign transcripts
Awarding credit
- In general, 132 hours of instruction = 1 credit hour
66 hours of instruction = 1/2 credit hour
In general, a class that meets 5+ times a week = 1 credit hour
a class that meets 3 times a week = 1/2 credit hour
- Consider the definition of credit in your district (clock hours vs completion of a unit of study).
Total number of credits awarded per year should not exceed the total amount that can be earned by a student in the U.S. (in PGCPS, the maximum is 8).
Consider the length of the school day and the length of class periods.
Classes that meet for less than 3 times per week may receive no credit.
Consider combining classes for a full or half credit (i.e. Chemistry, Biology and Physics may be studied 2 hours each, and could be combined for a Science credit).
Decide how English, Foreign Language, and Math credits will be granted, based on your school system’s guidelines and procedures.
Review your district’s policy on awarding credit by exam or for courses
taken in Middle School.
Silvia Hoke

13. How to use the MAFSA charts to evaluate foreign transcripts
Awarding grades using the MAFSA chart
If a grading scale appears on the report card, use it!
If there is no grading scale, check for a passing score, or ask the student what the lowest passing score was.
Find the scale for the country on the MAFSA scale. Note that some schools may use the scale of another country.
If more than one scale is listed on the MAFSA chart, decide on which one to use based on other information collected (lowest passing score, written comments, etc.)
If there are comments on the report card, see if they compare with the grading scale (i.e. a comment of Insufficent next to the score of 9 in a report card from Cameroon).
Calculate the ANNUAL score for each subject, and compare it to the chart. Note whether the score is a number or a percentage.
Silvia Hoke

14. How to use the MAFSA charts to evaluate foreign transcripts
Important Note:
As evaluators, we are not making a judgement as to the difficulty of the courses taken, but must use the country’s scoring rubric as is. For example, many countries hardly ever award A’s, and a C grade is perfectly acceptable. This does not mean that we should ‘give’ the student an A if they received a score lower than what appears on the scale.
OUR GOAL AS EVALUATORS IS NOT TO GIVE GRADES, BUT
TO COMPARE THEM TO THE U.S. GRADING SCALE IN ORDER
TO GIVE A COMPLETE PICTURE OF HOW THE STUDENT WAS
PERFORMING IN HIS HOME SCHOOL.
Silvia Hoke

15. SAMPLE TRANSCRIPTS:
Silvia Hoke