<p>I'm curious - what do universities think of people who apply without their A Level results in hand? I'm thinking about applying for admission in the fall of 2007, which means I should be submitting my app this year. The problem is that around the time I submit, I will not even have my AS results yet. By the time the mid-year February report is due, I will only have my AS results (I don't think I'll even have trial results for A2 yet at that time). I was looking at Harvard's website, and I noticed that they tend to assume people applying will finish their studies in June of the year they are admitted, which is what I will be doing. However, they also encourage people to complete their secondary education before applying (which appears somewhat contradictory).</p>
<p>The thing is, I don't want to waste money, time and effort -- especially the effort of my teachers in writing recs and all -- applying twice after finding out was disadvantaged this round because I didn't have my full A Level results in hand yet.</p>
<p>So, what's the experience of other international applicants? Do people customarily apply during their course, or after they have obtained their A Level results already?</p>
<p>If I'm not mistaken, results for regular apps come out in April, and I think that's around the <em>earliest</em> I can expect trial results (and this isn't set in stone; I might only be sitting for my trials when the admission/rejection letters are mailed out).</p>
<p>They do let you update your app with the "mid-year report" that I mentioned (I got a copy of the Common Application from Harvard's site, which apparently already has PDFs of the Common App for next year). The problem is that I will only have AS grades to submit, so I don't know how it'll look.</p>
<p>Of course I do. The problem is that my school intentionally deflates the grades, so a score that would get me an A on the real AS/A2 exam gets me a B+ instead. We're supposed to have AS trials in September, so the results should be out in time for applications. I'm a bit worried about them applying their own grade scale instead of the standardised one set by CIE...even some of my teachers aren't happy about it.</p>
<p>From what I know A-Levels, like IB and maybe AP are given a boost. For example a 80% requirment could go down to 75% or even 70% in some schools (most notable Canadain ones.)</p>
<p>Also, I know most AMERICAN schools don't even use your A-Levels. You write you SATs and SAT IIs send them a transcript and they make a decision.</p>
<p>And of course the Brits just use the As straight or use the tariff system.</p>
<p>Yeah, the A-level won't be the focal point of the application. It only serves as a proof of completion of secondary education. Given the SAT and A-level, SAT carries more weight. But of course, you still need to score As to maintain academic consistency.</p>
<p>The problem I have is that there's not much else in my academic record to go on. I just have my O Levels (6As, 1B) and a lower-level 9th grade/secondary 3 exam which I didn't do too well on (4As, 3Bs). (My overall secondary school record is actually quite abysmal for international applicants, considering it's so...average.) It's good to know that colleges most probably won't need my final A Level results for admission, though.</p>