Apply to the US now or only if Oxford rejects?

Applying to College
1

<p>Guys, I need some advice, I am really confused with what to do with my applications. I'm applying both to the UK and to the US, but I have not done my US applications yet. I have an offer from UCL for deferred entry 2010 (compulsory military service), but I've been rejected by LSE. I'm doing the IB and I have Mock-exams (all of the syllabus in most subjects) starting on Monday, continuing until my possible Oxford interviews (I'll be in the UK 9th-13th Dec) and on the 16th, I leave to Thailand for two weeks.</p>

<p>My problem is this: I have to finish my US applications by the 31st of December, but I also have to prepare for my possible Oxford interview, and also study for the mocks. These mocks don't matter at all to UK unis, but they will show on my US transcripts. </p>

<p>My SAT I scores are not exactly great (CR640, M720, WR650(essay:6)), but I'm 100% Finnish so my CR/WR scores might be under less pressure. However, I did much better on the SAT II tests (770 Math II, 790 Physics, 680 French). My ECs are excellent (chairman of nationwide IB student union), my class rank is 1, my grades great (predicted 43-45/45 IB in rigorous subjects with 4 at HL) and my references stellar.</p>

<p>So my options at the moment are:
1) Do as I originally planned, i.e. apply to the US now => Means studying for the mocks, and writing my US essays in a huge rush. (Also, not preparing that much for the possible Oxford interview, which is academic unlike the US interviews.)
2) No application to the US this year => Means no need to write essays nor study for the mocks. (Will have plenty of time to prepare for Oxford.) If rejected by Oxford, I can apply to the US next year, since my UCL offer is for deferred entry. However, I cannot reapply to Oxford and LSE without rescinding my offer from UCL.</p>

<p>I'm applying for Harvard, Yale, Princeton and MIT. I would choose HYPM over UCL and LSE, but Oxford is my favourite.</p>

2

<p>If I were you, I would pick one or two less selective schools in the US to apply to. Your low SAT scores might keep you out of HYPM.</p>

3

<p>But with my UCL offer there’s no point. In terms of employability in the financial sector, UCL (course is straight economics) in the UK is equivalent to the likes of Brown, Duke, etc in the US. In the UK UCL is second only to Oxbridge and LSE. In the THES-QS world university rankings of 2008 UCL was 7th (9th in 2007), higher than for instance Princeton, Stanford and MIT. </p>

<p>In addition, I need to apply to places with need-blind admissions to internationals, since I don’t intend to pay $35000 tuition fees for four years when UCL costs £3000 and only lasts for 3 years. Those colleges are few and far between.</p>

4

<p>I’m not sure I’d sacrifice anything you need to do in order to apply to HYPM as an International with full need - your stats just aren’t competitive enough imo, unless there’s some accomplishment or celebrity you’re not sharing. UCL may be your best bet.</p>

5

<p>Matt’s mom is right.</p>

6

<p>I won’t need a full ride, I’d probably qualify for $25000ish. Though HYPM wouldn’t care, since they claim to be need-blind to internationals.</p>

<p>And though my SATs might not be competitive enough, I wouldn’t be sacrificing anything, since UCL won’t know that I’m applying to the US. I would only be sacrificing UCL if I was rejected by Oxford and chose to reapply next year.</p>

7

<p>By sacrificing, I meant preparing for your Oxford interview. Perhaps, another plan of action is, assuming there isn’t an Oxford acceptance, study like the devil for a retake of the SATs, fulfill UCL’s obligation and apply for US schools for 2010. It does look like you had a bad day the day you took your SATs, because your SAT1 and SAT2 math scores are so incongruent, esp considering the math is more advanced on the SAT2.</p>

8

<p>That is the course of action I have now decided to take. </p>

<p>I didn’t really have a bad day, it’s just that usually amongst the SAT1 questions there are at least two or three questions which I either fail to understand due to the language barrier or which involve using US units (feet, inches, gallons) which I am unfamiliar with.</p>

<p>And although I have HL math predicted 7, the questions on both SAT1 and SAT2 are so different in format that I do not perform as well as one would expect.</p>

<p>All in all, thanks for the advice.</p>

9

<p>You might have better luck with the ACT, as well. Good luck.</p>

10

<p>I’d go with just the English schools if I were you.</p>

11

<p>Pawn_H7,</p>

<p>Looks like I am indeed going with the English schools after all. I got an offer from Oxford to study Economics & Management, conditional upon getting 39 points in IB. I’m completely ecstatic.</p>

<p>Thanks for the advice everyone, I might not have made it had I tried to apply to the US this year.</p>