Any thoughts on these credentials?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Princeton University
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<p>Hi I am thinking of applying as an international student (for the UK) for 2010-11 entry and was hoping to get some opinions from anyone if willing?
Um here they are:</p>

<ul>
<li>I have already completed my A-levels and so will be applying as GAP year student.</li>
<li>I haven't taken the SAT I yet so can't really comment due to my lack of scores. However, without meaning to sound full of myself in any way, I have taken and scored well in the UKcat medical admissions exam which seems quite similar in approach?</li>
<li>I got AAB (Maths, Chemistry and Biology), although the B was only 475/600 so only 5 marks off. Do you think that will make a difference in the way they look at it? Also B for A /S history. </li>
<li>10A*s and 1A for GCSE.</li>
<li>Also I received an additional GCSE English Literature Top 5 mark award from AQA.</li>
<li>National Maths Challenge certificates (1 Gold, 1 Silver and 2 Bronze.</li>
<li>Duke of Edinburgh award: gold, silver and bronze completion.</li>
<li>County level representation in netball.</li>
</ul>

<p>Extracurricular activities include:
- Work experience in and around the hospital setting (around 250 hours).
- Volunteer work in a children's nursery (around 200 hours).
- Volunteer work in a residential/nursing home (around 100 hours).
- Qualified youth counsellor in my school ACHE counselling scheme.
- Appointment as a Senior prefect in sixth form.
- Member of the school charity committee.
- Singing in various choirs and participation in musical productions.
- Additionally touring South Africa with my school choir, donating musical instruments to township children with the fundraising money raised.
- A long-standing commitment to netball since the age of 9, having played at school, local league and county level.
- And also, working in a local family-run shop for the last 4 years (but probably not woth mentioning).</p>

<p>I applied for medical school last year here in the UK and got into 3 out of 4 schools but later decided that it wasn't a career I wanted to pursue - probably a huge waste I know. But I'm kind of hoping that the US schools may look at the applications in a similar way to medical admissions staff (with the whole holistic approach etc). Crazy notion?</p>

<p>Anyway, if you could give me any ideas either way it would be much appreciated.</p>

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<p>Wow… such a gap in the academics terms we use. “Credentials” instead of “stats”, “2010-2011 entry” instead of the “Class of 2014” It’s not criticism, just fascination at the exotic. </p>

<p>I have no idea what A-levels are, what AAB is, what the GCSE is. </p>

<p>No scores yet, so we’ll put that aside for now. </p>

<p>I can only comment on your extracurriculars, and they seem alright. I’m sorry I can’t give you much help, but usually chance threads deal with GPA, scores, ECs, work, and special circumstances.</p>

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<p>To help you out a little, Gryffon, A Levels are kinda the equivalent to APs or SAT IIs, we generally do 3 or 4 A Levels. GCSEs are done at age 15 and 16, I’m not sure what the US equivalent of that would be, perhaps just regular high school grades… they aren’t really considered much in university applications.</p>

<p>I’ve already replied to this on the Yale board so the OP knows my thoughts, just wanted to try and give you some idea of what the grades there mean.</p>

<p>As for “credentials” and “2010-2011 entry”… yeah… we’re a weird bunch.</p>