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Grading Practice in Germany
There are several grade conversion systems that exist which can provide a good approximation to the German grading scale. One such system used by most universities is the modified bavarian formula. As per the study conducted by WES, the average grade in Germany is approximately around 3.0 and below WES table converts a 3.0 to a B equivalent in the US.
| Percentage | German Grade | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 90-100% | 1.0–1.5 | "sehr gut" (very good: an outstanding achievement) |
| 80-90% | 1.6–2.5 | "gut" (good: an achievement substantially above average requirements) |
| 65-80% | 2.6–3.5 | "befriedigend" (satisfactory: an achievement which corresponds to average requirements) |
| 50-65% | 3.6–4.0 | "ausreichend" (sufficient: an achievement which barely meets the requirements) |
| 0-50% | 5.0 | "mangelhaft" / "ungenügend" / "nicht bestanden" (insufficient / failed: an achievement which does not meet the requirements) |
Grading Practice in India
Most colleges in India either use a 10 point scale known as the CGPA (Cumulative GPA), or just plain percentages. The 10 point scale can be either relative (as is the case with most of the elite colleges such as the IITs, NITs, and BITS Pilani), or absolute, in which case it would just be the percentage divided by 10.
Some colleges in India grade/score very stringently, since the min. percentage required to graduate is 50%. So, if you were an average student at a such a college, your CGPA/ Percentage would be 7.0 or 70%. Using above conversion table, your GPA on German scale would be 2.80. However, most elite German universities might straight-away thrash your application if your GPA is above 2.50 in German scale. This will not work; it’s like comparing Apples to Oranges, or German Apples with Indian Apples! This is why most schools don’t ask you to convert your score.
Our Advice
- Don’t convert your score to German grading system unless specifically asked by the university. Apply with the grading scale used by your bachelor’s university.
- If your school had a very stringent grading system. Mention the top grade obtained and your grade relative to the top student (e.g. you can say that you belong to the top 10th percentile) in SOP. Few elite universities like TUM take special care in taking this factor into consideration.
- Your LOR should always have this sentence: Mr/Ms. X was among the top _____ students in our class. Universities do scan LORs for this information before judging your bachelor’s grade.