Another semester is over, and many students applying for the 2019 fall intake are already preparing their application materials. One crucial item is the university transcript.
We all know transcripts need to be printed by the academic affairs office and must include an English version. But CheersYou（清柚教育） has noticed that many students still have questions about transcripts, such as:
CheersYou（清柚教育）, will retaking courses at a Chinese university affect my application to foreign universities?
Some schools do not show the original grade from your first attempt on the transcript when you retake a course, but policies vary. It's best to check with your academic affairs office to see how the transcript will display it.
CheersYou（清柚教育）, do U.S. graduate applications require all four years of grades? What about courses like Maoism, Marxist philosophy, or military theory?
When applying, you only need grades from freshman to junior year, but before enrollment, you must submit all four years' grades. Generally, U.S. universities do not pay much attention to courses like Marxist philosophy or Maoism.
CheersYou（清柚教育）, how is GPA calculated? If my undergraduate university already calculated it, do I still need a WES evaluation?
That depends on the requirements of the schools you're applying to. Universities like Columbia, NYU, and Penn often require a WES evaluation, even if your undergraduate institution has already calculated a GPA.
CheersYou（清柚教育）, will U.S. universities focus on English grades, like College English or English Writing?
U.S. universities pay more attention to your major courses. Unless you're applying to an English-related program, your English grades are treated like any other subject and won't be given special attention.
If you're about to apply to a U.S. university, do you have similar questions?
One very important topic that came up is WES transcript evaluation.
So what exactly is WES? How do you go about getting your transcripts evaluated?
Below, CheersYou（清柚教育） will walk you through the entire WES process!
What is WES and WES Evaluation?
World Education Services (WES) is a third-party credential evaluation agency widely recognized by U.S. universities. Your Chinese school is one party, the U.S. school you're applying to is another, and WES acts as the intermediary, authenticating and converting your grades for the U.S. institution. Besides WES, there are other credential evaluation agencies, but many U.S. schools accept WES-evaluated grades, and the GPA calculated by WES tends to be relatively higher. So when a school requires a credential evaluation, they usually recommend this agency.
International students applying to U.S. schools (such as Johns Hopkins University, New York University, Fordham University, and other top universities) may be required to undergo WES credential evaluation.
Which U.S. Universities Require WES Evaluation?
Howard University
New York University
USC
College of William & Mary
Columbia University
California State Polytechnic University
Medical College of Georgia
Drexel University
U of Texas at Dallas
Suny-Buffalo's Roswell Institute (CMB track)
U of Memphis
U of New Mexico
LOYOLA U CHICAGO
GMU
MUSC (Medical University of South Carolina) - some departments require evaluation
FAU
UNC-Charlotte
U of Tennessee
Some programs at U of Oklahoma require it, but EE does not
Florida Atlantic U (EE)
WSU
UW
Stevens' Chemistry
Temple's CS
Florida Atlantic University
JHU's Carey Business School
U Central Florida
U of Wisconsin Milwaukee
Texas Tech University
U of North Texas Health Science Center
Washington University at St. Louis
University of Colorado–Denver and Health Sciences Center
San Jose in California
Fordham University
University of Maryland Baltimore
Temple University
Columbia College Chicago
The New School
Baylor University
Montclair State University, New Jersey
TA&MU
*This list is subject to real-time university updates. Always check the official website of the university you’re applying to and verify whether an evaluation is required.
Why Get a WES Evaluation?
Reason one:
To standardize the GPA calculation methods for international students. Different countries have different undergraduate GPA scales—for instance, some Chinese mainland universities use a 5-point scale, others a 4-point; Australian universities often use a 7-point scale; and the UK uses a classification system. To evaluate international applicants' academic performance more fairly, U.S. universities entrust a third party like WES to recalculate each international student's GPA using a uniform standard, and then admit the best candidates.
Reason two:
To further verify the authenticity of the international student's academic background. Universities can accept weaker academic ability, but academic integrity issues cross a fundamental line. They want to catch such problems early in the admissions process.
Completing the WES evaluation involves two steps: applying on the WES website and completing the China Academic Degrees and Graduate Education Development Center (CDGDC) certification.
Why do you need to certify through CDGDC first?
Because the schools we apply to delegate the tasks of verifying transcript authenticity and converting grades to a third party like WES. WES partners with CDGDC to confirm the authenticity of our transcripts and degree certificates. Once WES receives the CDGDC report verifying their authenticity, they begin converting our grades into the U.S. 4.0 scale. This way, the schools receiving the 4.0 scale transcript can accurately gauge your academic standing.
Types of WES Evaluations
WES offers two evaluation services: WES ICAP and WES Basic, which are further divided into Course-by-Course, Document-by-Document, and CPA Board Evaluation.
The difference between ICAP and Basic is that ICAP archives your evaluation in the WES system, so you can order additional reports later as needed. Basic, on the other hand, does not retain your information after the initial evaluation.
We generally recommend choosing ICAP because with the archive, you can simply order extra reports for additional schools directly through the website when needed. If you're applying for an MPH (Master of Public Health), you must select WES ICAP, as MPH applications are processed through SOPHAS, the public health profession's centralized application service, which only accepts WES ICAP (except for Johns Hopkins University). However, requirements vary by school, so always confirm with the admissions office which type of evaluation is needed.
Required Materials for WES Evaluation
Verified undergraduate/college and all school transcripts: transcripts authenticated by CDGDC or CHESICC, both Chinese and English versions are needed. If your school does not provide official English transcripts, CDGDC or CHESICC will provide an official translation.
Verified undergraduate/college degree certificate or enrollment verification: authenticated degree certificate & graduation certificate (for graduates) / enrollment verification (for current students) by CDGDC or CHESICC.
“Verified” means these documents must be sent by one of the two Ministry of Education-designated agencies CDGDC or CHESICC. In other words, you must first submit your documents to one of these two agencies for authentication, and then they forward the verified documents to WES.
Although the process requires CDGDC certification first, followed by CDGDC sending the report to WES, when applying online you must first register with WES, pay the fee, and obtain a Reference Number before you can register for CDGDC certification.
WES Application Process
Go to the official website: https://www.wes.org/
For first-time applicants, select New Applicants and click Apply Now to create an account. For U.S. university evaluations, choose U.S.
Enter the My Account page and fill in the required information. Fields marked with * are mandatory. For Reference Number, select "NO". Choose "YES" to receive WES updates.
Make sure your mailing address is correct, as this is where WES will send your evaluation report.
Under Report Purpose, select Education, then choose the degree level you are applying to in the U.S.
Add your diploma information according to your actual situation. If you're still studying, enter the expected graduation year. If you have multiple degrees, add all of them.
Note: If you have completed your degree, medical students may have special requirements.
Next, select the schools you want the report sent to. If you know all the schools you're applying to, search for them in the Institution list. Some students haven't finalized their school list at this stage; WES will automatically send one copy to you, and you can order additional reports later through the website. To do that, select ICAP in the next step.
For evaluation type, remember to choose "Course-by-Course Evaluation" for transcripts. Each additional school report costs $30.
After filling in the above, WES will mail one report to you. Standard mail costs $7, while international courier costs $75 but is faster and trackable. Choose based on your needs.
WES has different document requirements depending on your situation; be sure to check your specific requirements. Students from mainland China are required to have CDGDC authentication.
Finally, make the payment. After successful payment, you will receive a Reference Number. Be sure to keep this number safe; you'll need it for all future communications with WES, when filling out the CDGDC application, and when mailing degree certificate copies to WES.
For graduated students:
① Mail copies of your Chinese degree and graduation certificates (no English translations needed) to WES. Remember to write your WES Reference Number and name on the envelope.
② Have your transcripts and both graduation and degree certificates (Chinese and English) authenticated by CDGDC, and CDGDC will send them directly to WES on your behalf.
For current undergraduate students:
No need to mail anything! Simply submit your Chinese and English transcripts and degree/graduation certificates to CDGDC for authentication, and CDGDC will send them directly to WES.
CDGDC Application Process
Now proceed to the CDGDC application.
Go to: http://www.cdgdc.edu.cn/cn/
Find "认证申请" (Certification Application).
Register an account and fill in your personal information. After registration, select Certification Application.
Enter the certification information page and fill in according to your situation (e.g., if you are a current undergraduate, select “Undergraduate Transcript” for current students; if graduated, select “Undergraduate Academic Transcripts”).
Current students need to upload transcripts and enrollment verification (both Chinese and English). Graduated students need to upload (Chinese and English) transcripts, degree certificates, and graduation certificates.
After verifying all information is correct, select the receiving institution, which is WES. When you select WES, a dialog box will prompt you to enter your WES Reference Number—the number you received after paying the WES fee.
In the "报告接收机构" (Receiving Institution) section, click "选择" (Select), type WES, and the address will automatically appear.
Finally, make the payment. Both domestic and international bank cards are accepted. After payment, you'll receive an email informing you of the estimated completion time (generally 18 working days).
At this point, the entire online WES transcript evaluation (WES application + CDGDC application) is complete.
Once WES receives the certification report from CDGDC and the degree/graduation certificate copies you mailed, they will begin the evaluation. After completion, they will send the evaluation report to your target schools and also send you a copy. The WES evaluation process is officially complete when your schools receive the report.
Courses with Reduced Weight
▲ Physical Education, Military Training. PE and military training courses usually do not carry credit (unless for PE majors).
▲ Ideological courses. Courses like Deng Xiaoping Theory, Mao Zedong Thought, etc., will have their weight lowered.
▲ General foundation courses. Especially those less related to your major and considered "non-technical" may have slightly reduced weight. For example, if you are an English major, a course like Principles of Political Economics might be weighted a bit less.
Courses with Maintained or Increased Weight
▲ "Technical" general courses. Courses like mathematics, logistics, computer science, etc., that are tool-oriented and support your future development usually do not lose weight.
▲ Major foundation courses. Courses closely aligned with your major; for instance, for a Journalism and Communication major, courses like Chinese Culture or Western Culture generally won't have their weight reduced.
▲ Core major courses. These are the core knowledge of your field; their weight often increases or stays the same.
*The GPA calculated by WES is generally slightly higher.
