<p>I'm a sophomore at Northeastern and my lil sister wants to attend a college in America like me. She's 16 and already in her final year of high school. Here's the thing, she wants to take the SATs but someone told me you need 12 years of school to take it? She only has 11 years. Also, I was wondering what's the difference between community colleges and 4 year colleges? I heard that some 4 year colleges have connections with community colleges and take their students directly? Thanks in advance guys!</p>
<p>-Where is your sister going to school? The “basic” SAT doesn’t necessarily correlate with high school subjects or years but it depends on the educational system and its strength; subject tests typically cover material that in UK-based or European systems go to GCSE’s or 10th grade level, although it doesn’t hurt to have one extra year of study. For the “basic” SAT many students try to take it in the 10th grade even though the norm is to take it in the 11th grade. (I still remember talking with a father, who was complaining about his son devoting all this time to playing the guitar when he only got 1800s on his SATs. “Surely he’s got time to take it again next year before he applies to college?” “Oh, he’s got plenty of time, but I wanted him to be done with this before he started high school so that he could focus on AP’s” The kid was in the 8th grade…)</p>
<p>-Community colleges last 2 years and they typically don’t have dorms, so it wouldn’t be ideal for your sister (I wouldn’t set up a 17 year old alone in an apartment in a foreign country).
It CAN be a very good situation if 1° you have family near the community college <em>and</em> 2° your family can pay full cost for the State’s public university. California is especially famous for its CC-UC link, but many states have that too: you take a set of required classes at the CC and obtain good grades (A’s are recommended but B’s are the minimum) and if you’re in a TAG/TAP program you are garanteed admission to the big university for your last 2 years.
The downside is that International students don’t have access to transfer scholarships so, for example, you’d need to have $60,000/year to attend a UC…
For International students who need financial aid applying as a 1st year student to a 4-year college is vastly preferable since that’s pretty much the only chance to get financial aid.
Women’s colleges can be a good option: excellent quality of teaching and facilities, good financial aid.
Finally, since your sister is only 16, why doesn’t she ask to do a year in an American high school so that she can explore her options?</p>
<p>Www.EducationUSA.state.gov</p>
<p>She needs to read through that website. Then she needs to make an appointment wit the counselors at the advising center closest to where she lives. They can help her with everything.</p>
<p>But frankly, I have to ask, if you know so little about admissions for international students, how is it that you managed to get your own self into college here?</p>
<p>@MYOS1634 I think she wants to apply to 1 ivy league (MIT), BU and a few others. She told me that she wants to take the SAT and the subject tests as well. I’m thinking maybe she should take a year of AS-Level, taking the SATs and then applying to college. After reading your comment about the CCs, I think that option is only practical if she goes to a CC in boston where I live hmm… Thanks very much for your advice! really appreciate it.</p>
<p>@happymomof1 thanks for the website! I’ll be sure to tell my sis to set up an appointment with an advisor there. Actually I studied in the UK for a year (AS-Level) but then I decided not to finish A-Levels because I wasn’t interested in going to a UK university. I took the SATs, TOEFL, and applied to college. I pretty much wasted a year in the UK because of that :S applying and using the common app was pretty rough but I spent a whole lot of my free time reading stuff from this website. Thanks for the advice! Really appreciate it.</p>
<p>If she wants to apply to the Ivy League, top LACs, or MIT, she needs to complete her A-Levels. Most will require her to have completed AS levels and to be competitive for this type of schools she’ll need to have A/A* grades in A2 as well, plus great SAT scores, plus TOEFL, plus something exceptional.
However there are hundreds of colleges in the Northeast (from PA to MA) so she should investigate whether all will require the complete A Levels or not.
I reinterate the suggestion of women’s colleges (top notch education, great financial aid). She should request info from Wellesley, Smith, Mount Holyoke, Barnard at the very least.</p>
<p>Most universities in the US will require an A level diploma. Not an AS. Take the SAT as soon as possible without interfering with her cie’s. Assuming shes A levels first year? She shouldve tooken the SAT by now. If not there is time. She should sit in the october session. She will also have to sit in either nov or dec session for her SAT II. Prepare for both over the summer. If shes in O levels, then she should sit ideally somwhere in her A1 year. If she needs to give AS and carry thr credits for A levels. Then january next year would be best to give the SAT. and the subject tests in the oct session of her A2 year. </p>
<p>A community college is a no. Consider community college on a lower scale than A levels. I know people who went to community college after completing their O level. She should apply to a proper 4 yr uni. There are plenty of good schools who are not ivy and offer scholarships even to internationals. Try googling somethinh like best universities for international students. U might get a usnews ranking page</p>
<p>Hope i helped ;)</p>