<p>So, hello everyone,</p>
<p>We live in the UK, so the American system is very baffling for us.</p>
<p>Our daughter is keen to apply for the US unis as the broad-based curriculum appeals to her and suits her.</p>
<p>I am wondering if someone could help us a little and give us some advice. I keep reading about the millions and millions of activities and clubs and AP programmes that American students do, and I don't know if that is possible here in the UK. So, in brief, my daughter's (she is 16) resume is as follows:</p>
<p>Done GCSE (all scores over 93% aggregate)
Sitting SATs in Jan 2013 for Nov 2014 application (EA possibly)
At a specialist music school where it is reduced academic curriculum (practice and musical activities for up to 4-5 hours a day) but she has excelled in academics throughout and taken the most advanced courses available.
Violin and Piano at v. high level (started violin only 6 years ago but successfully got into a leading specialist music school three years later). National orchestras and numerous solo recitals, and concertos, and chamber groups that she is leading/has led.
Dynamic and has been awarded best all-rounder student at school and academic awards.
Moved to the UK at the age of 9 with single mum. Lived with grandparents before then since age of 3 while Mum did her advanced studies.
Summer online course in area of interest with US university (grade 96%)
Set up work experience in University research labs and planning to do independent research project at the lab next year.
Rowing club member and trains every week
Teaching violin to neighbour's young kids
One of very few students selected to represent UK at an international charitable musical venture and fund-raising for it through concerts etc.
Set up independent French exchange outside school over summer
National Maths Challenge Gold and Silver medals</p>
<p>Well, could someone perhaps advice on what you think she needs to do more to apply for an Ivy League like Columbia? Where are the gaps? </p>
<p>Thank you so much!</p>
<p>Admissions officers here are familiar with the UK educational system, so your daughter doesn’t need to try to make herself into a clone of a US applicant. She needs to be her own best applicant.</p>
<p>I would recommend that both of you start by reading through everything at <a href=“https://www.educationusa.info/[/url]”>https://www.educationusa.info/</a> Then you should contact the counselors at the advising center in London <a href=“https://www.educationusa.info/Fulbright-UK[/url]”>https://www.educationusa.info/Fulbright-UK</a> They are expert at helping applicants like your daughter navigate through the application process, and can tell you which colleges and universities here have admitted students like her in recent years, and whether those institutions proved affordable for those students. EducationUSA is a not-for-profit organization and the counselors pride themselves on offering accurate, unbiased information. </p>
<p>You also might find some useful information for your daughter in the International Students Forum here. Go to the main page where all of the forums are listed, and scroll down to find it.</p>
<p>Wishing you all the best!</p>
<p>Thank you, happymomof1. </p>
<p>This is very useful and I appreciate you taking the time to respond to my post!</p>
<p>your daughter sounds like she is an attractive candidate. have you been in touch with the sutton trust? i think they target mostly state school students - and have had a lot of success with their summer programmes and US uni advice. i wouldn’t do any more ECs - focus on the music which is clearly her passion. there are only so many hours in the day! pm me if you need any advice - my daughter just went thru all this and is off to the US in a couple of weeks.</p>
<p>Thank you, verylumpy. Unfortunately sutton trust wouldn’t support her as her school isn’t state although it is means-tested government funded.
Have PM’d you. Would be great to get some advice on the process.
And, congratulations to your daughter and all the very best!!</p>
<p>Oh actually, saying that, it seems that I cannot actually pm you as I do not have 15 posts yet! Sorry.</p>
<p>Your daughter’s extracurricular activities are more than fine for Columbia or any college/university in the US. She doesn’t need to add, but she should think about how she will present herself in her application.</p>
<p>Since music seems to be her main interest, she should put together an all encompassing music portfolio that demonstrates her depth of interest. She should do this even if she doesn’t intend to major in music.</p>
<p>For example, she could include: performance recording supplement (see the colleges’ websites for instructions); a resume listing her music classes, awards, achievements; essays indirectly illustrating on how music influences her; an additional recommendation from an instructor or mentor; one to two (maximum) media articles.</p>
<p>Colleges evaluate admissions on three levels: objective (grades, scores, class rank), subjective (extracurriculars, essays, recommendations) and demographic (race, ethnic background, geography, family education). They try to build a balanced class of students who will contribute to the campus community.</p>
<p>Lastly, you should be clear on your financial situation. Many of the most selective colleges in the US are very generous with need based aid. Use an on-line calculator to determine how much aid she might be eligible for, and carefully read the college’s policy toward internationals. (I’m assuming that she is a UK national.)</p>
<p>If need based aid doesn’t work for your family, then she’ll have to seek merit aid. This can be done, even for internationals, but merit-generous schools are harder to find. Many well known colleges in the Northeast only offer need based aid.</p>
<p>If you are low income, look at QuestBridge.</p>
<p>Would you require financial aid? There are very few schools in US which provide need based aid to international students.</p>
<p>Rice University has an excellent music program and has some merit money for internationals (I have heard of full tuition scholarships).</p>
<p>Thank you, momrath, for your helpful and positive response. Some really useful tips about using her interests in the best possible way in the application. This is indeed very different from the UK Universities.
Financial aid is something that has been worrying me, with the costs of studying in the US, but I don’t want to discourage her from following her dreams. From what I’ve found out by looking at the University web-sites, the ones on the East coast have better funding for International applicants than the ones on the West Coast.</p>
<p>A question that she has is about the best time to apply/start applying. Would the start of second year of A-level be ok to start applying (Nov 2014 in her case) for Early Action/decision? Or, do the students in the UK have to complete all their A levels and get the results before they can apply to the US Universities?</p>
<p>I would not go that far. There are very specific schools which provide FA to every admitted to student irrespective of their origin. They are listed around on CC in some of the international threads.</p>
<p>Harvard, Yale, Princeton and Dartmouth come to mind. Penn does provide FA but does not guarantee to Internationals. MIT does but I don’t know if your daughter would be interested.</p>
<p>There are a few smaller LACs but I don’t know them off the top of my head. Rest may admit but don’t always give money.</p>
<p>The seniors in US high schools are currently applying. So if she will be in 12th in 2014 fall, that’s when she would apply.</p>
<p>There are international-friendly schools all over the country, but first, you need to determine the approximate amount of need-based aid that your daughter would be eligible for. Again, need-based aid and merit aid are different: some of the more selective east coast schools do not offer merit aid. (Columbia for example.) </p>
<p>Calculating aid for single parent households can be complicated as the income of both parents is considered. If yours is a complicated case, it’s best to start on it early on.</p>
<p>Small liberal arts colleges (as mentioned by texaspg) are often good sources of generous need AND merit aid for internationals. Your daughter’s music involvement would be a plus at many LACs, even if she doesn’t major in music. If she is non-White, she may get a boost at LACs that use internationals to increase their diversity percentages.</p>
<p>Thank you, texaspg. She had her heart set on Columbia, but she will be hopefully also looking at Harvard and Princeton. We didn’t know much about Dartmouth so will look into it now. Thanks! And, MIT would be great, so I will put that forward to her too.
Everything is a long shot of course, but you never know unless you try.
Are these the LACs?</p>
<p>“Liberal arts” is a confusing term. The liberal arts in general refers to study of general disciplines in humanities, social studies and sciences. Most students at any college or university study the liberal arts. (As opposed to professional programs like engineering, nursing, architecture.)</p>
<p>In America small colleges (around 1500 to 2500 students) are called liberal arts colleges or LACs (as opposed to large to medium sized research universities). </p>
<p>Small LACs usually do not offer professional graduate schools (like law or medicine) or other advanced degrees, although there are exceptions. They feature small classes, lots of interaction with professors and close knit communities.</p>
<p>Like large and medium research universities, LAC academic quality covers a wide spectrum: some are excellent on a par with the big name privates, some are middle.</p>
<p>Many LACs actively recruit and finance internationals but it’s difficult to generalize as race and ethnic background can play a big role. At some music involvement is a big plus, but these may or may not the same that offer good financial aid to internationals.</p>
<p>Women’s colleges are a special category. Many offer excellent academics and good need and merit aid.</p>
<p>What is your daughter’s citizenship? You mentioned that she moved to the UK when she was 9. Be aware that if you’re considering Rice that their music school, the Shepherd School is as competitive as Juilliard. Outside of the Shepherd School, musical activities may be more limited than they are at other schools without an associated music school. There is no direct entry to a BA in music at Rice if your daughter was considering that.</p>
<p>Have been looking at a lot of financial aid information out there and all the University websites and my head is reeling, and I can feel myself getting more and more stressed!
prefect, daughter has British citizenship. She hasn’t ruled out music schools and conservatoires, but would ideally like to do something joint in science and music.</p>
<p>What is really worrying me is that the Universities require non-custodial parent information and they are also obliged to contribute. This wouldn’t work in our case at all and will cause unnecessary complications, mental anguish and stress for everyone involved. Has anyone dealt with such a situation before? I will also do a general search on CC. Thanks!</p>
<p>Complications regarding non-custodial parents are fairly common in the world today. Schools will want to consider both parents’ incomes, but they also understand that there are extenuating circumstances. This obstacle can be overcome, but it takes some time and effort. I’d suggest that you contact the financial aid offices of one or two of your daughter’s top choices. And also spend some time on the Financial Aid board of this site.</p>
<p>Your daughter might want to take a look at Williams, an example of a school at which music involvement is highly valued in admissions. Not a conservatory but a very strong music program with study and performance opportunities for majors and non-majors. Also excellent sciences and excellent overall academics, on a par with ivy league universities. Double majors are common.</p>
<p>Need based financial aid can be generous, even for internationals.</p>
<p>I would also look at Smith – all women’s so less selective, but excellent academics including science and music programs. Some merit aid, notably for women in sciences.</p>
<p>For schools with strong music and science programs without being Ivy League, I’d suggest looking at Oberlin, Lawrence, and St Olaf. She might also want to look at schools in cities known for their orchestras or music opportunities. If your daughter wants a broad-based curriculum a Bachelor in Music probably isn’t the way to go and she should probably try to find places where she can combine high-level music (either as a major or an activity) and a BA in another subject. A school with an open curriculum (such as Brown) might also help her in that respect.
Top LACs can be an excellent place to learn and an excellent source of financial aid but she’ll need to cast a wide net. Internationals should apply to at least 6 to 10 schools, simply because there can’t be any safety for them. Reduce the number only if she has a safety in the UK.
Although schools want to have the non-custodial parent’s financial information, if the parent is absent, unknown, or is unavailable for a real, legitimate reason, you don’t have to go over incredible length either such as DNA testing and paternity search 
- I’m stretching it a little here, but you said you were a single parent not a divorced parent, so I’m assuming your situation is complicated. Each college will deal with it in their own way and it’ll be its own headache come January.
She can apply Fall of Year 13 but her “counselor” (or someone who will act as one) should provide her predicted A Level results as well as her official AS level results. SHe’ll also need to send her GCSE results.</p>