Canadian High School education vs. US High School education

[jhunjhun 7]

I was told by the employer that my Canadian High School Diploma must be evaluated to US high school equivalent. One of their requirements in order to be qualified for this job is U.S High School Diploma or GED. I don't have U.S.H.S because all of my educations ( high school and college) were completed in Canada. But Puerto Rico High School diploma is indeed acceptable because it's part of the US education standards. I want to send my high school transcript to one of the accredited evaluators but it cost me $75. Is this happened to everyone?

[mkg265 2]

I can give you an answer as far as what Universities need for foreign grad students but I don't know about employment.

I work for a huge university and we require high school transcript (translated into English), TOFEL scores and SAT or ACT scores.

Is is a small employer that is not used to seeing international degrees?

If you have a college degree, why is the job bothering with a high school transcript?

[Flames9_RN 358]

To start school here I had to get my Cdn high school checked out. I used http://www.educationinternational.org/procedure.htm and they were awesome!! I had the required paperwork back BEFORE they had even cashed my cheque. They mailed a copy directly to my school (by my request) and 1 copy to me.

[Reba 2]

Wow, hard to believe they'd not consider a Canadian high school diploma equivalent to US. What are they, new?

[Flames9_RN 358]

Wow, hard to believe they'd not consider a Canadian high school diploma equivalent to US. What are they, new?

They do consider them equivalent, just some want proof!!

[Carlawarla 1]

I can give you an answer as far as what Universities need for foreign grad students but I don't know about employment.

I work for a huge university and we require high school transcript (translated into English), TOFEL scores and SAT or ACT scores.

Is is a small employer that is not used to seeing international degrees?

If you have a college degree, why is the job bothering with a high school transcript?

I agree. That's really weird. Sounds like flames gave you a great lead!

[thetreble 19]

Um yeah. If you have a college diploma then I'd be careful of what employer you are trying to look for. I don't know why they would be concerned with anything you did in highschool.

I know that when I got employed with the state they called my University to make sure I had completed my degree but that's as far as they went, and I work for a university!

[domegirl1978 1]

I went to high school both here in Canada and in the United States. Our education is at a higher level. I got to Florida for their sophmore year (our Sec. 4) and I had to re-take classes I had already done here in Canada. BORING. I will say that I had a few awesome classes there because I went to a private school though that my friends here in Canada were jealous of.

And Treble is right. I would really look into any employer that is asking about high school. Our high schooling is exactly the equivalent if not better than theirs. They may look at your SAT's and tests like that but they should only be looking at college scores mostly.

I have never heard of anyone in the states trying to see if they are equivalent to each other...its pretty much a known fact.

[Flames9_RN 358]

If thats what ur employer wants, why give them a hassle??? Want to start off on the right foot.

[July09Bride 1]

Okay, as a teacher (for 16 years) in the United States, I feel like I have to speak on behalf of Public Education here. First of all, every state, every city, and even every DISTRICT, in the US has different policies, procedures, and believe it or not, curriculum. I taught in Arizona and am now teaching in Michigan. Although the same topics are covered, some districts cover material at different levels. Unfortunately, it is a researched fact that Florida is in the bottom of all rankings for education. So, that's probably why domegirl had to take classes over again. Now, when it comes to private schools, they're just that. Private. They don't have to hold to the same standards as the public schools. Some schools are more lax than public (I've seen that from kids transferring in to my class from private schools) and orther private schools are more stringent than public schools (I've seen that too). So, fortunately or unfortunately, because the US school system is not government controlled, there will be those differences.

My fiance and I have gone round and round regarding education in the US vs. Canada. They both have their pluses and minuses. I'm trying to be honest here and not play favorites... honest!

I also agree with domegirl and treble... schooling is schooling. I do things differently than other 4th grade teachers at my school! LOL Just depends on who you get for what subject/grade which year!

In addition, some employers are only familar with their local education systems and are too dang lazy to find out on their own what else is out there.

[mkg265 2]

Okay, as a teacher (for 16 years) in the United States, I feel like I have to speak on behalf of Public Education here. First of all, every state, every city, and even every DISTRICT, in the US has different policies, procedures, and believe it or not, curriculum. I taught in Arizona and am now teaching in Michigan. Although the same topics are covered, some districts cover material at different levels. Unfortunately, it is a researched fact that Florida is in the bottom of all rankings for education. So, that's probably why domegirl had to take classes over again. Now, when it comes to private schools, they're just that. Private. They don't have to hold to the same standards as the public schools. Some schools are more lax than public (I've seen that from kids transferring in to my class from private schools) and orther private schools are more stringent than public schools (I've seen that too). So, fortunately or unfortunately, because the US school system is not government controlled, there will be those differences.

My fiance and I have gone round and round regarding education in the US vs. Canada. They both have their pluses and minuses. I'm trying to be honest here and not play favorites... honest!

I also agree with domegirl and treble... schooling is schooling. I do things differently than other 4th grade teachers at my school! LOL Just depends on who you get for what subject/grade which year!

In addition, some employers are only familar with their local education systems and are too dang lazy to find out on their own what else is out there.

Excellent post! Never forget, school in America is very dependent on the state and district. My cousins went to school in Kansas and they weren't taught about evolution while I went to school in Georgia. The teacher, by law, has to read a statement saying evolution is a theory and only a theory before we could learn about it. My friends that went to public school in New York were taught evolution without the theory statement.

[thetreble 19]

If thats what ur employer wants, why give them a hassle??? Want to start off on the right foot.

Because the information sounds incredibly vague. How about starting off with WHY they want to see your highschool scores? Why would you give in to demands without explanations?

[thetreble 19]

The issue is not the standards of education though, the issue is why would an employer want to look at a highschool record when the OP has a college degree? It isn't relevant.

[Flames9_RN 358]

If thats what ur employer wants, why give them a hassle??? Want to start off on the right foot.

Because the information sounds incredibly vague. How about starting off with WHY they want to see your highschool scores? Why would you give in to demands without explanations?

Because thats what the employer wants? Its not that big of a deal. Why as a new employee does one want to cause a ruckus?? We have had a zillion discussions on here how little each countries truly know of each other. Sure i would ask why, but I also know when to pick my fights,lol

[thetreble 19]

Well it appears to me that it is not his/her employer yet because I don't think someone would hire you BEFORE you showed them your qualifications and if they are relevant.

But again, we have many job postings at work that require you to have a GED or High school diploma. But if you have a college degree, we want to see THAT and not your GED. Why would I want to see someone's high school diploma when they have completed post-secondary education, making their High school diploma nothing more than a piece of paper.

I think it's a big deal when you've gotta pay out of your own pocket to see if your high school diploma is equivalent to an American HS diploma. College and University I can totally understand. Whether or not you know much about Canadian education standards, unless you think Canada is an undeveloped nation or from a part of the world where an education standard may greatly vary from yours, you can make an educated guess that someone has been given a similar OR better education from the age of 5 to 18.

If they wanted to know if his HS diploma was valid, that is reasonable to me. But to wonder whether or not it is equivalent is silly.