Chile Forum

I've been asked to evaluate and convert Chilean university grades to the US scale *no grade inflation jokes please, I know ...*

I understand this to be the general scale from my own experience at Universidad Catolica:

http://www.answers.com/topic/grade-education

In Chile, a grade point average ranges from 1.0 up to 7.0 (with one decimal place) are used, where:

7.0 (excellent) is the best possible grade
6.0-6.9 (very good)
5.0-5.9 (good)
4.0-4.9 (sufficient); 4.0 is the lowest passing grade
1.0-3.9 (insufficient) are failing grades; 1.0 is the worst possible grade.
Generally, it's a linear scale, with 1.0 meaning 0% achievement, 4.0 meaning 50% or 60% achievement (depending of the scale used), and 7.0 meaning 100% achievement. Rounding of averages is generally done to the second decimal; hence, a 3.95 is rounded up to a 4.0, whereas a 3.94 is rounded down to a 3.9.

I've done a search for a definitive or authoritative source but no luck - I did find a good source for Canadian grades and could use it, but wonder if anyone might know of a site with a direction conversion?

It appears:

7 = 90-100% = A
6 = 80-89% = B
5 = 70-79% = C
4 = 60-69% = D
3-0 = 59%-0 = F

However if you see the scale above they mention 50% or 60%, which would create a different spread.

Any links or experience?

I know the use can also change from school to school in terms of how often they hand out a particular grade.

I suppose it is the same K-12 as in college or at the university, but I do recall how parents would compare evaluated homework and seemed to take far more time and interest in the grades than the children.

Then, you can probably see this coming, a couple parents typically mothers, not to be sexist, simply accurate would approach teacher x for a "consulta" and then microscopically analyze what each mark means and whether it did, indeed, add up and reflect all of the effort and hard work they know their child put into it. I've seen this pattern in both private and public schools, stateside and in Chile. Grade inflation is an issue, but so are parental expectations.

It is/was hard to see a teacher have to address the concerns but with assistance & support they could normally find one point to focus on for improvement and it addressed the overall parental concern - but not always. I'd substitute in their classes when needed and learned to appreciate first hand most students so when their parents came around the teacher felt supported and I was aware of some of the challenges.

Back to the regular programming - There doesn't seem to be a definitive x=y table for US<>Chilean grades so it appears this will have to do:

7 = 90-100% = A = 4.0
6 = 80-89% = B = 3.0
5 = 70-79% = C = 2.0
4 = 60-69% = D = 1.0
3-0 = 59%-0 = F = 0.0

This gives me a relationship so I can say a Chilean 7 is a US 4.0, and a Chilean 6 = 3.0, but still may be less than accurate if I have to round up or down and not go over a .1, first decimal - 3.9 instead of 3.94. It'll work for GPA conversion.

Again, any input appreciated

Putenio, not to throw oil on the fire but you haven't "race normed" the figures.
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.h ... A967958260

Mark48 might be better equipped to handle this subject as he's from such a diverse school district?

That article is more like thermite.

I am aware the Apollo Group (University of Phoenix) bought UNIACC:

Apollo Group Buys University in Chile - Chronicle.comApollo Group Buys University in Chile. The University of Phoenix is getting a Chilean cousin. Apollo Group Inc., the parent company of Phoenix, ...
chronicle.com/news/article/4001/apollo-group-buys-university-in-chile

What will the impact be on Chilean education? They are controversial stateside for perceived cookie-cutter courses, by the book instruction, and group evaluations. The Chronicle also has several articles where faculty across the US post, complain, praise, etc.

It will be interesting to see how the integration into Chilean higher ed impacts expectations and delivery.

Regarding the conversion, you are not considering decimal points that made a big difference.

For example, you can graduate with honors from Engineering at University of Chile with a "Good Scale" (between 5.0 and 5.9) and with Maximum Honors between (6.0 and 7.0). A GPA of 2.0 won't give you any type of honors .

Other details, in Venezuela, the scale to pass is 10 of 20 (50%). In Chile is around 57%.

If you transform the grade to percentage, let's say 5.9/7.0 = round up: 84%. I guess, that will let you find a GPA approximation. After all, the Grade Average Point delivered by universities in Chile is adjusted by the credits obtained.

It is the following idea too crazy? A simple conversion like:

4.0 GPA = 7.0 POINTS
X GPA = 5.9 POINTS

-> GPA (5.9) = 3.4

Any other ideas?

That is helpful and point well taken - it does make a difference.