<p>Well the title says it all. I am 16 years old and I have just finished my GCSE examinations. I will begin my A-Levels this September and I hope to study Chemistry, Geography, Mathematics and Biology. I hope to take my SATs this November so that I can re-take them if I need to in 2013. Also, this year is a much more suitable time for me, since the work load of A-Levels will not be at it's peak.
Compared to many students and applicants from the UK that I have read about, I am quite early in preparing to apply. I just want to know any advice about the application process. I have read a lot from a range of sites about applying to Universities abroad but I have not found a lot of information from people studying at Harvard, or students that are also applying from the UK. </p>
<p>So again, any advice would be much appreciated. Thank you!! :) </p>
<p>P.S. I hope to be attending University in 2014.</p>
<p>Well, what we always tell people going “the other direction”, that is Yanks applying to British colleges and unis, is that British schools are looking for people committed to their chosen subject. The U.S. is different, it is looking for people who are “well-rounded”. Americans who apply to American colleges and unis will be students who have become involved in a lot of activities while in secondary school. The most common of these is sports, but can include all kinds of things including paid or volunteer work. Also different sorts of clubs. At the U.S. high school I went to, a group of students started a new club for no other reason so that they wanted something else to put on their applications so that they would appear more “well-rounded”.</p>
<p>But maybe I am wrong and Harvard does not expect it’s British applicants to be well-rounded like Americans.</p>
<p>This board is mainly full of US students applying to the UK. I sugegst you post your question 1 board up on “International students” and you may get more answers.</p>
<p>Yes and yes. I found both websites extremely helpful! I was very surprised though, because the information given gave me the impression that applying to harvard will not be as complicated as i once thought </p>
<p>I am really worried about my extra curricular to be honest. My close friend is going to westminster school which in 2011 was the best independent/private school in the uk. He is given the opportunity to complete 100s of extra curricular activities! But since i am going to a state school, i will have to look for extra curricular myself. Which I thhink will be very difficult and time consuming.</p>
<p>^^ Depends what kind of extra-curricular activities you’re interested in. It’s incredibly easy to get involved in volunteering and sports, no matter what type of school you go to or where you live. For volunteering, have a look at the Do It website or V Inspired. For community sports, go to your local leisure centre and ask.</p>
<p>You must be doing SOMETHING with your free time!</p>
<p>Do you have a job? That can be an extracurricular. Are you a member of any clubs or societies or organized sports or volunteer work or religious activities or ANYTHING?</p>
<p>Put these in your application materials–even if they have NOTHING to do with your intended major.</p>
<p>Harvard won’t be impressed by someone who just says “In my free time, I just hang around the house and watch TV.”</p>
<p>Hey everyone, just a quick question -
I want to take a gap year before I begin University. I am in year 11 at the moment and I wanted to know if it would affect my chances…
Also, is it possible for me to still apply next year but for entrance in 2015 (providing I do take a gap year)?</p>
<p>Gap years are far less common in the US than the UK. However, so long as you tell them how you will be using your time productively (working, volunteering in the UK, building an orphanage, whatever it is … but maybe leave out the bit about getting smashed at the Full Moon Party) then I doubt that they would object to the idea.</p>
<p>Harvard actually encourages gap years – in their acceptance packet is an article from the dean and director extolling gap years. My S who went (as my name might indicate) to Eton before attending Harvard took a gap year (like many of his fellow leavers) and he also thinks it was an incredibly wise move. </p>
<p>As to extracurriculars-- US colleges will view you as a hybrid-- not like a UCAS applicant, but also not as a typical US applicant either. But the application essays neeed to speak about you as a person as much if not more than the subject matter you wish to study (very different than UCAS application). You should seek out an advisor who is familiar with US college and university applications at your school, if that is possible. </p>
<p>Also, remind your recommenders that they are writing for AMERICAN eyes and the usual British reserve will, even when the reader is aware, damn you with faint praise. The good recommendation of “she has done more than adequate work” will be viewed as “she is a dud” over here.</p>
<p>I’m a little confused… Do I apply for enrolment in Sep 2014 and - If I am accepted and receive the pack- choose to push my enrolment to Sep 2015 instead?</p>
<p>Thanks everyone for the extremely useful advice! </p>
<p>I was just thinking the other day about my GCSE results. In the UK, most universities look at the contextualised results: in terms of where I came from, what my school was like, how many people got A<em>s etc. In my secondary school, I got the the 3 or 4 Highest result in my year group (around 180 students). However, I did not achieve any A</em> grades. I just got 6 As, a C grade, and 3 Bs - as well as two distinctions in another type of qualification. These grades are really average, I know. I just hope it doesn’t impede my chance of getting into a great University.
In terms of ECs, I took the advice you all gave to me earlier on this year, and really went all out with as many extra curricular that I could think of. I now row 3 times a week, for about 8-10 hours a week. I volunteered as a local primary school (kindergarten) for 7 weeks - I have volunteered at many events, inside and outside of school. I have competed in National, and international competitions, both sports and academics. I have been the creative director for school events, such as theatre performances - as well as pioneering the introduction of the Chemistry Olympiad in my school. I am going to a summer school in late August - but I intend to complete a range of other things this summer, just because I want to. Not just for applying to University.</p>
<p>EtonDad, at the beginning of the year, I transferred over to a new free sixth form school, you may have heard of it. Eton college is one of our independent partner schools, so I have an Eton buddy, which is pretty awesome. Our visit to see our Eton buddies in Late december really inspired me, simply because both my college, and their’s were able to demystify all the myths they had about us, and vice versa! Also, my Eton buddy’s friend is one of their rowers and he encouraged me to take on rowing and work hard at it to get to a higher level!</p>
<p>Thanks again everyone for the advice, I assure you I listened and took everything on with a ‘why not?’ attitude! So thank you again, and I hope that I am doing enough to give me the best opportunities at some excellent Unis!</p>
<p>Hi curtisdean. Congrats on going for all your e.c.'s, that can make a huge difference. </p>
<p>I just wanted to reiterate a point made above–don’t forget that you’re selling yourself to Harvard. I’m from the states but go a UK uni and I personally know that you brits are much more reserved in applications. What may seem like outrageous bragging to you is just normal for us. For instance, one of my UK friends was applying for internships in the US a few months ago and put on that he was captain of a team for a major economic competion in the UK but not that his team got 1st place! He though that would be bragging…for applying to the US, including that kind of information is essential! </p>
<p>One more thing…if memory serves me right, applying to Harvard involves writing an essay on why you want to go to Harvard. Since you probably don’t have a counselor that familiar with these types of essays, here’s what the Harvard rep who came to my school said to include:
-specific (!) information about why you want to go there and what kind of activities you would take up (I plan on joining the storied rowing team… as opposed to I would like to get involved with all sorts of activities…you get the point).
-information about what YOU would bring to Harvard. I know this sounds weird but they really want that. Again, what would you participate in? What is something unique you can bring to the table (probably mention something about a foreign perspective… that kind of thing)? etc. </p>
<p>Best of luck! As I’m sure you know, getting in to Harvard is as hard as getting into Cambridge or Oxford. If you’re interested in applying to other schools in the US, some other really good options (that are less well known than the obvious like Yale) are Standford, Berkeley, Princeton, Columbia, and University of Chicago (these are the schools that most people from my high school who applied to Harvard also applied to).</p>
<p>Thank you!
I’m Going to take this advice head on! I completely understand what you are saying!</p>
<p>I am so ecstatic about applying, I just hope the process to applying to all of these Universities won’t be too tedious! I have looked at a range of Universities. Some public, some private - with a range of high minimum grades, to relatively low minimum grades.</p>
<p>I hope to travel to the US in 1 weeks time so that I can view Harvard, MIT, Princeton, Cornell, and Penn State (all quite close to New Jersey, which is where my family live). </p>
<p>I don’t know what to do this summer if I am honest. I really like Fashion, as well as Chemistry. I have written an essay linking the two topics together, which was just for fun really. Because I am not using it for educational reasons.
I’m thinking of maybe developing my interest in Fashion further? I have absolutely no idea. </p>
<p>How is the UK treating you? + Which University are you at, and what course are you doing?</p>
<p>Well that’s a great thing about US unis…you can pretty much study anything you want (even odd combo’s like fashion and chemistry ). Don’t be afraid to write about discordant interests in your admissions essays ( I think harvard has an option that basically lets you write anything you want). Oh and while you’re in the area you might want to look at UPenn, it’s a great school (a bit further from NJ but well worth the trip). </p>
<p>And I’m at Cambridge studying Archaeology and Anthropology</p>
</p>
). Don’t be afraid to write about discordant interests in your admissions essays ( I think harvard has an option that basically lets you write anything you want). Oh and while you’re in the area you might want to look at UPenn, it’s a great school (a bit further from NJ but well worth the trip). </p>