Manx

I need advice from anyone who might have gone through the process of proving their UK degree is equivalent to a US one.
I have a BA (Hons) degree from Oxford Polytechnic - 1980 - sadly for me Oxpoly no longer exists. It is now Oxford Brookes University. I'm applying for a job with a Community College and they will not continue processing my application until I can prove my degree is equivalent to an American one.
My first problem was getting an original transcript - Oxford Brookes didn't have the records from when it was Oxpoly - I had to write to CNNA (the body that awards Open University degrees) - they sent proof that I was on the list of degrees awarded in 1980.
The Community College has directed me to use one of the 4 services listed below to get an equivalency determination on my degree.
Has anyone used one of these services? Can anyone recommend one over another?

International Education Research Foundation, Inc. (Culver City, ~$75:
www.ierf.org)
Academic Credentials Evaluation Institute (Beverly Hills: www.acei1.com)
Educational Records Evaluation Services (Sacramento: 222.eres.com)
The Foreign Educational Document Service (Stockton)

Dan725

The one I used recently was WES http://www.wes.org/ - I heard about it on this forum, seems to be one of the most widely recognized. Cost was $100, however, which seems to be more expensive than the ones you have listed. Turnaround time was pretty quick.

Basically, it's money for old rope for these companies - so I'd recommend using the cheapest one (so long as the place you are applying to will accept it, of course - this is probably the most important thing).

cranston

I also used WES. I was happy with their service and would recommend them too.

dunroving

Not sure I can help, as I never needed to do this. My UK degree was a similar vintage to yours, and also through CNAA, but back when I needed a "transcript" (1990), my old department head photocopied all the relevant pages of the undergrad catalogue of the relevant years (76-79, 80-81) and personally typed a letter explaining my degree. He was always a little OCD, and thankfully in this situation it was very helpful ... so that, along with a photocopy of my degree certificate, was all I needed.

Although I work in academia and did the US higher ed/postgrad thing, there are others on BE with better/more recent experience than I have, with the whole "UK degree translation" process.

p.s. I received 3 emails from you about this, all sent today. Does this mean I have my very own cyber-stalker?

Manx

Thank you to those of you who responded - and Dunrovin - I'm very sorry about the 3 emails - I only meant to send one! I'm definitely not a cyber stalker!

When I get back to the US next week I'll start phoning around and see which of the 4 recommended services is most familiar with UK qualifications. I wish I'd thought to request and keep original transcripts years ago. I was vey disappointed that Oxford Brookes had no interest or knowledge of records from when it was Oxpoly. Now, decades later the Community College I'm applying to seems very suspicious of a degree from an institution that no longer exists. It's discouraging.

Bob

You can point out it's quite common in the US for institiutions to no longer exist as well, so that shouldn't be a problem.

Basically you've got to use whoever they want you to use, if they've given you a choice, if they aren't paying for it, whoever will be cheapest or quickest if there's much difference in time.

It's not like it's an accredited business, I could print out a certificate and say you've got a masters for a handful of cash and it would be essentially the same for what most of these companies will do. A few of them might even actually bother to check up on transcripts though, such as WES.

anuny

CC are typically dependent on local community {City or county} and State for their funds. They are also loath to take risks (depending on the community college) and when in doubt - they fall back and punt.

Manx

Hello again - I just wanted to update those of you who were nice enough to respond to my question. I went through IERF (international Education Research FOundation, Inc. I selected IERF because it was the oldest of the 4degree evaluation services recommended. They determined my 4 year BA (Hons) from Oxford Polytechnic was equivalent to a BA from an accredited university in the USA. That was the information I needed for the community college to continue processing my my employment application.
They make no distinction between a 4 year or 3 year degree - or between a BA (Hons) and a BA.
Too late for this hiring cycle, but maybe I'll get on the substitute teaching list by January.
I'm still suprised, after having had a series of professional jobs in local government and at a UC (non-teaching) since moving here in 1981, that verification of this kind would be required! Oh well, keeps someone in a job I suppose.

chartreuse

Technically, it is. It's a bunch of extortionate bastards who all belong to the Guild of Bastard Extortionists. Your certificate wouldn't cut it, because you're not in the right mafia.

Dan725

Spot on. Money for nothing, but because the better known ones have been doing it so long and have all the contacts with the Govt, big business, etc, they are pretty *are* the accreditation for the particular line of business....and are free to act in their own self interest and keep the little guys out.

fsm

Just wanted to add to this for the purpose of my H1-B1 back in 1999, I have a BA in operations management.

In reality I don't a few years ago I was thinking of starting studying at a community college, I was told by the college it was easier for me to take the GED than to try and get my high school qualifications from the UK.