Hello all. I’m glad I found this site where I can get input from other people rather than relying only on lists and charts on the internet. I’m 18 years old, from America, and currently in my freshman year at a local community college. I’ve thought for some time, and decided that I truly desire to attend a university in England. I’m just a bit confused about the requirements for applying thru UCAS. In high school, I was an average student with a 3.1 GPA and an 1190 score on the new SAT. I didn’t take any AP tests or the ACT. At community college, I’m still a pretty average student. I would imagine that somewhere in the UK there is a place for me (as I was never a bad student), but I’m having trouble finding out whether or not I’m qualified at all for study in the UK. Any and all feedback is appreciated (sorry if this question has been asked already).
A few things that might help in deciding about going to university in the UK:
The UK system is structured so that in the last 2 years of secondary school you study 3-4 subjects (A levels) that are usually fairly tightly grouped by what area you want to study in university. So, if you plan to study (say) chemistry in university, you will certainly take chemistry, probably math (calc BC) and another lab science.
When you apply to university you typically apply to study a specific subject (eg, chemistry) or a tight group of subjects (eg, natural sciences), or pre-paired subjects (eg, history + french or economics + politics). In most cases, the course you apply to study is very structured: you have few (if any) choices in the first year, and when you do have choices it is usually from a list of related courses. UK universities are great about posting a lot of detail: look up whatever subject you are looking to study.and you will find info right down to the classes you will take each year of the course.
So, when you apply to a course in the UK it is important to know what you want to study, and to be prepared to study just that for all 3-4 years of the course.
It is also important to understand that where specific subject requirements are given, it is because it sets the level of background knowledge that everybody brings.
Some UK unis will use a year of college (sometimes community college, sometimes full college/university) instead of APs, but the only way to find out which ones is to go to the university website and search ‘international qualifications’. For example, University College London will accept 1 year of community college- but with a GPA of 3.3, a HS GPA of 3.3 and a new SAT of 1380. Others will accept an Associates degree, without SAT. Note that your CC credits may get you in, but they won’t get you credits toward graduation- you will be coming in as a first year. Remember that the UK system is built for UK students, so your situation is unusual, and they won’t have a lot of experience with it.
Also, most UK unis offer a ‘foundation’ year, in which you take classes that will qualify you for application to unis. The vast majority of students in ‘foundation’ years are getting their english up to speed, but it is another pathway. Note that they are not inexpensive, and only prepare you to apply- they do not guarantee a place at any university.
A side note: although there is variation, in general the UK system tends to put less weight on continuing assessment (homework, quizzes, papers, tests) and much more on fewer, bigger exams (in some cases, a final exam is most or all of your final grade). Think carefully about how you work: some people struggle with the self-discipline to keep studying throughout the term when nobody is checking.
Finally, there is the question of finances: there will be no financial aid; you will pay international fees, and tuition does not include accommodation, and you may have to prove that you have enough money to cover living costs for the year in order to get a student visa.
A big question, of course, is what you want to do with your degree, and how recognized it will be in the US.
Thank you so much for your help!
What subject do you want to study?
International business
There are probably some places you could get in with your scores. However, compare them carefully to your US options.
Have a look at:
Kingston - http://www.kingston.ac.uk/undergraduate-course/international-business/entry-requirements.html
Westminster - https://www.westminster.ac.uk/international/countries/united-states-of-america
University of West London - https://www.uwl.ac.uk/international/your-country-international/usa
as examples.
Why the UK specifically?
All four nations are quite different culturally, although they’re all British.
Read up on each (especially Scotland and Northern Ireland).
Look at the League’s Tables and look for Universities that admit students with 280-350 tariff points (although, there’s a new tariff system and I’m not upnto speed about it so hopefully someone who knows will be able to!)
Look at University of St Andrews. They tend to take a lot of US students.
@sgopal2, OP does not have the stats for StAs
Taking a lot of American students is not the same thing as taking any American student. In addition St. Andrews doesn’t have an undergraduate program in International Business.
@collegemom3717 and @vickisocal: thanks for your feedback. Would be interested to hear your thoughts on Brexit and the impact on internationals.
Do you think that these UK schools would be willing to take in more internationals to overcome budget gaps in the coming years?
No, at least not for St. Andrews. The information presented at the international student reception indicated that they do not believe at this time that it will impact the ratios of EU/UK/nonEU students. They are hoping to continue to maintain the current EU pricing structure with the cooperation of those governments.
I also do not believe there are huge numbers of qualified American students who wish to go there and are currently not applying. It is a finite market.
Largely agree with @VickiSoCal. There is a view that EU student numbers may be impacted, as the higher fees may put them off, esp below the top tier.
If there is some expectation that they will lower standards I don’t see it happening. I can only speak from the perspective as someone with a masters in chemistry, looking at the work my daughter is doing as a first year chemistry student, and a less qualified student would not survive.
They are already keen to take US and other full-pay (non-EU) international students, and I would say it is a bit easier to get in most places with a US background than the equivalent British standard. But they will only do that so far, as they have to feel the student can cope with the course.
I hadn’t heard they hoped to get the EU governments to cough up the difference in fees, and tbh I’d be surprised to see that coming to fruition. And even if they do, the less easy route to work following a degree here must put off some EU applicants. Numbers of EU applicants have already fallen, in fact, even though fees have been guaranteed to stay at domestic rates for their whole degree, for those students starting their course before Brexit comes into force.
How’s she doing, @VickiSoCal?!
(I agree with your point, btw- and it’s the piece that a lot of the people who come to CC looking to go to the UK don’t get: there’s getting in and then there’s staying in!)
Across the Pond has a lot of information about studying in the UK, along with people who will help with the essay and other requirements. Studyacrossthepond.com. I know a kid who was very pleased with them.
@collegemom3717 She’s doing great. Getting good marks on her problem sets and labs. Decided to start at slightly lower math than maybe she should have so that class is pretty easy.
That’s great, @VickiSoCal!. No harm in having a class which isn’t a stretch, when she doing and learning so much in every dimension of her life 
She seems to have a lot more experience in the lab and writing up lab reports than the UK students and maybe a little less in terms of the actual classroom chemistry. But overall her IB HL Chem seems to have put her in upper half at least compared to A level students.