School-Related Processes
School-Related Processes
Embedded Files
Transcripts
Transcripts
School counselors are expected to upload the students’ official transcripts into the application. If this is not possible, some universities will accept the documents emailed directly from a school official. The transcripts should be from 9th, 10th and 11th grade. If the student has already completed high school, then their completed 12th grade transcript is also required. If you are currently completing your baccalaureate, you will need to submit your scores as soon as you get them.
Students should work on obtaining their transcripts as soon as possible. In Syria, different schools have different instructions/rules when it comes to providing transcripts to their students. For example, some public schools such as Al-Mutamayizeen/bohooth do not give their students access to their transcripts unless they drop out and pay their dues. Other students, especially those among refugee populations, do not have any connection to their schools for various reasons; destruction of certain schools in certain areas, lack of online communication within schools in Syria, the schools’ inability to access older files...etc. If this is the case, you should work with your mentor to figure out alternative options.
Translating your transcripts: Most Syrian and Iraqi schools (private or public) are unable (or refuse) to provide transcripts in English directly. In that case, the student will need to take the Arabic version to a sworn translator, who will verify the accuracy of the information translated. In theory, that form should then be taken to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to be signed by them but at the undergraduate level, most schools are okay with the sworn translator version. The second step is often not required.
If any SYE student cannot obtain their transcripts, they must contact their mentors explaining their specific situations in regard to acquiring their transcripts. If your mentor is not able to provide a solution, please reach out to the SYE team. In the past, SYE helped by either working directly with schools in Syria, or the target colleges in the US, in some cases, to waive that requirement.
The Mid-Year Report
The Mid-Year Report
Schools will ask for a mid-year report, but most SYE students do not get mid-year reports. If you have finished your baccalaureate, you can just upload that transcript in place of a mid-year report. If you are currently completing your baccalaureate, you will need to reach out to the university’s admissions office indicating that your school does not have mid-year reports.
Letters of Recommendation
Letters of Recommendation
You need a total of three letters of recommendation for the Common Application. Two should come from teachers that you have worked with in recent years and one should come from a school counselor or administrator. You should check the requirements for the universities you’re applying for to make sure that they don’t have specific requirements; for example CalTech requires one of your teachers to be a “humanities teacher
Who should I pick as a Counselor?
Who should I pick as a Counselor?
The help of a counselor is required in order to submit the Common App. Your counselor is the one who sends important parts of your Common App application — such as your high school transcript — to colleges. Some colleges also specifically ask for a recommendation letter from a high school counselor. Also, to apply for a waiver through the Common App, your counselor will be asked to confirm your eligibility for an application waiver. They may be asked to submit a statement in support of your fee waiver request, or will just need to fill out a form on the common app portal.
If there is no counselor at your school (the case at most Syrian schools), you can ask any official teacher, principal, or director. The counselor must be different from the teachers you choose to write your two letters of recommendation. If no one is willing to help with the process and submission and all other requirements given technical trouble creating an online account on the Common App and/or emailing the documents, you can ask any school personnel (teacher, principal, or director) if you can create an account on their behalf and drive the process yourself (This is not the best way to do this given the inherent conflict of interest and you should avoid this unless you absolutely have to in order to submit your application).
**Your counselor cannot be the same as a teacher you listed for one of your recommendations. Your teachers and counselors will have access to different forms.
** A SYE mentor cannot be your Counselor.
Who should I pick as teachers?
Who should I pick as teachers?
You want to pick references who will speak very highly of you. They should ideally be enthusiastic about writing the reference because they have a lot of positive things to say about you. This is a top priority. It can also be useful for your recommender to have been your teacher in topics you would be interested in studying in college (for example, if you are interested in doing a pre-med program, it would be best to have a biology or chemistry teacher as your reference). It also does not necessarily have to be from teachers in classes you got good grades-- it can be a powerful statement for a teacher to write you a great letter of recommendation in a class where you didn’t get the highest grades. You should also check with the schools on your list to ensure they do not require certain types of recommendations. Some science-focused schools, like CalTech, have historically required one of your recommendations to be from a humanities teacher. This is rare, but something to keep in mind.
When should I request my letters?
When should I request my letters?
Letters of recommendation should be requested over the summer. Ensure that your reference uploads the letter of recommendation far earlier than the application is due.
When are letters of recommendation due and how are they submitted?
When are letters of recommendation due and how are they submitted?
Letters of recommendation are due the same day as your application. To ensure they are submitted on time, we recommend all letters are submitted 1-2 weeks before the official deadline. All letters of recommendation are submitted via the Common Application. Each teacher/counselor will need to make an account to upload your materials.
Can my teacher write my recommendation in Arabic?
Can my teacher write my recommendation in Arabic?
It is fine for your references to write their letter first in Arabic and then have it translated. It does not have to be an official translation-- you can translate it, with the permission of your reference. However, the person writing the letter of recommendation does have to submit it through the Common App. This is a process that you can help them with, but they do have to do it. The submitted letter needs to be in English.
What if my teacher won't write me a letter?
What if my teacher won't write me a letter?
Some of your references will request that you write your letter of recommendation yourself, and they will sign off on it. While the goal would ideally be to have them write it, if this is the situation you are presented with, then use it to your advantage! Work with your SYE mentor to identify the traits that this reference would be most impressed by, and write that into the letter of recommendation. You have to be genuine and use examples that you believe they would write, but this also gives you an opportunity to put yourself in the best possible light. If this situation arises, please let SYE leadership know as soon as possible.
Resources and Guides for Recommenders
Resources and Guides for Recommenders
Because these types of recommendation letters are not common in the Syrian or Iraqi context, we have provided some resources that may be helpful in giving you a better understanding of what these letters should be, and giving your teachers and counselors some guidance on how to write a letter of recommendation:
Report abuse