Credential evaluation philosophies are challenged when a credential from a foreign educational system does not fit into the educational structure in the home country. Take three-year first-cycle degrees, for example, and their evaluation in the United States, land of the four-year bachelor’s degree and the autonomy of higher education institutions in making admissions decisions. This session will examine the credential evaluation philosophies of year-counting and benchmarking, and will explore the nuances of understanding, purpose of evaluation and fine-tuned judgment that come into play when they diverge and intersect.