What is the difference between a sehr gut and vollbefriedegent in the German system? A 7 or 10 in the Argentine system?
Unless you are ensconced in those countries, it is unlikely you would know. Even if you can translate the grades, you would need to have a strong understanding of the cultures and traditions that govern legal education in those countries to fully comprehend what the grades mean. Most employers will not have this information easily at hand. As a candidate from a foreign country, if you choose to provide grade information in your resume, you also need to be sure you are providing the appropriate context so that an employer can understand the information. Otherwise, the information will lose its effectiveness.
Here are two basic ways to put your grades into context:
Ranking
The easiest and most effective way to put grades into context is to show your class ranking, either using percentages (e.g., top 10% or 20%) or a straight ranking (e.g., 5 of 90). A ranking generally shows where you stand in relation to your peers. Demonstrating your ability to excel in relation to others similarly situated is a very valuable metric for potential employers.
Showing the Scale
If a class rank is not available to you, but your grades are numeric, you may be able to put your grades into context by showing the scale on which you are graded. For example, in the U.S. system, students are graded on a four-point scale, so a student who graduated with a 3.8 grade point average should show his/her grades as 3.8/4.0. This is not as accurate or as informative as a class ranking, but may also be useful. Be aware, however, that grade inflation is very common in the U.S. If you come from a ten-point system where it is extremely rare for anyone to score above a 7, your grade of 6/10 might be quite impressive. However, to American eyes, where grade inflation is rampant, 6/10 might look mediocre.
Note that honors and awards can also be effective in putting your grades into context. If you won many awards for academic achievement, it will cast your grades in a positive light and help demonstrate your grades and academic accomplishments.
Unless you are ensconced in those countries, it is unlikely you would know. Even if you can translate the grades, you would need to have a strong understanding of the cultures and traditions that govern legal education in those countries to fully comprehend what the grades mean. Most employers will not have this information easily at hand. As a candidate from a foreign country, if you choose to provide grade information in your resume, you also need to be sure you are providing the appropriate context so that an employer can understand the information. Otherwise, the information will lose its effectiveness.
Here are two basic ways to put your grades into context:
Ranking
The easiest and most effective way to put grades into context is to show your class ranking, either using percentages (e.g., top 10% or 20%) or a straight ranking (e.g., 5 of 90). A ranking generally shows where you stand in relation to your peers. Demonstrating your ability to excel in relation to others similarly situated is a very valuable metric for potential employers.
Showing the Scale
If a class rank is not available to you, but your grades are numeric, you may be able to put your grades into context by showing the scale on which you are graded. For example, in the U.S. system, students are graded on a four-point scale, so a student who graduated with a 3.8 grade point average should show his/her grades as 3.8/4.0. This is not as accurate or as informative as a class ranking, but may also be useful. Be aware, however, that grade inflation is very common in the U.S. If you come from a ten-point system where it is extremely rare for anyone to score above a 7, your grade of 6/10 might be quite impressive. However, to American eyes, where grade inflation is rampant, 6/10 might look mediocre.
Note that honors and awards can also be effective in putting your grades into context. If you won many awards for academic achievement, it will cast your grades in a positive light and help demonstrate your grades and academic accomplishments.
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