<p>g’day kids
good to see an aussie representation
and whoever was complaining about having to explain US to friends, i am soooo with you. every second person i know is all like why not go postgrad? isn’t australia good enough for you? etc etc
i just tell people that in america they actually have frat parties with the red cups like you see in movies…that usually does the trick… 
do they like australians in america?</p>
<p>yeah… see I go to school with girls… doesn’t always work. Their more “be careful you’re going to get attacked” if you mention frat parties…</p>
<p>and dude do they like aussies? noo they love them! There’s just something about the accent that seems to attract people.</p>
<p>I;m not going because of frat parties. I’m going because I don’t want to go to a second high school.</p>
<p>So how did the Aussies go in SATs?</p>
<p>I got 2090 (740 CR, 680 M, 670 W) for my first sitting. Not overly thrilled, so I’m going to do it again. I’m pretty dissappointed with my maths, since it is a stregth of mine, surprised and jubilated with my CR, and confused about my essay in writing.</p>
<p>Anyone else?</p>
<p>Haha, frat parties: SO gonna try that! What did you guys tell your parents?</p>
<p>About frat parties? Nothing. You spend enough years never being drunk/ generally GONE, you gains some trust. If I go to an American school, frat parties won’t be an issue.</p>
<p>ahh finally we have aussie thread!!! anybody here from brissy? ;)</p>
<p>Hey Guys
I’m Chinese but I continue my yr 11 and 12 here in Sydney…
Anyone thinking about applying for Yale next year?</p>
<p>No. I’m basically not applying to any Unis I can’t afford. Even if they need-blind. Waste of time+ effort</p>
<p>if it’s need-blind? why not?
you gonna try!</p>
<p>I’m applying to Yale this year, as well as to several other colleges 
although I’m not much looking forward to studying at Yale…
Hey where do you guys live in? Suppose most of you are from Melbourne, Sydney or Canberra?
I was wondering if I could get some help from people here who have already finished all their apps and are basically just waiting for college decisions Anyone like to help me with?
I’m in yr 12 this year and I wasn’t sure exactly when I should take standard tests; when you are sending apps in November or December, do you HAVE to have taken tests by then? Or can you submit your test scores after app deadline?
Also I wanted to know what kind of EC activities do you guys involve in? I know colleges dont specifically outline how much EC you should have done in HS, but I wasn’t sure how much would be “enough” to admission officers?</p>
<p>I’m class of 09, so I think we’re the same.</p>
<p>Most colleges accept december scores. Only some accept Jan. None accept march. You just have to indicate when the scores will be sent to them for consideration.
My ECs are:
school bronze award
combined 14 years of sporting experience
surf life saving-qualification
40 hr famine
soon to be red cross red shield appeal participant
attendant of UNSW Scientia Program
4 part time jobs (not all at the same time of course)
involved in some Amnesty International stuff once
I have some more, just can’t think for now, lol</p>
<p>For crismon.
About EC’s
I don’t think it is the quantity that matters, but the quality!
You devouted into, you benefit and you learned.
AO’s expect student to be responsible for the society and be a leader to motivate people around. They think EC’s can reflect this…so…do what you want to do is enough.!
About SAT
I’ve taken once last Oct, and taking another this May
If you are thinking about Yale, start early and try to get over 2250.
That the score a qualified Yalie should get ^^</p>
<p>I;m looking more at Canadian Universities. For me , they might be cheaper, and they offer about the same level of education and college community.</p>
<p>No offence or anything on your opinion, but I’m just curious: why go to Canadian unis when you can go to good Aus unis here? I’m considering going to Uni of Melbourne, Sydney or ANU if I don’t get accepted to any good American colleges, and then transfer to England or America after a semester or two Though I’m not sure if there are many transfer opportunities :S If there are, it’d still be pretty competitive. I know its probably bit early and busy stage to think about this, but have you guys decided what you want to study? :D</p>
<p>Ooh, additional questions to whoever has enough knowledge on American college stuff… 
When the admission officers examine the applications, do they evaluate students’ quality based on same criteria for every applicant? By that I mean if we international applicants would be disadvantaged because many of the education systems are different from those of America. Also there must be some applicants who’ve been given far different conditions from most of other applicants; for instance, me and my family moved to Australia when I was in 9th grade. So my case would be different from many other applicants. So essentially what I’m trying to find out about is whether applicants like me could be excused or understood if our ECs are less in depth than others and school results are bad in earlier years but show improvements and sign of efforts.
Sorry if I’m asking heapsa questions at once and talking rubbish :P</p>
<p>You will be compared to those from the same geographical area, eg. Oceania.</p>
<p>I do not think you will be excused, as people who have arrived in the country in 11th grade have pretty amazing ECs.</p>
<p>I came to Sydney in 11th grade from China
EC’s opprtunities are less but try! if you really keep an eye on it, there will always be!
I agree with Elvito, you won’t be excused.
And international applicants are compared within a certain geographical pool. not with U.S. student I think! </p>
<p>I also experienced the same condition. My first English assessment was a diaster, but then the improvement is dramatic. I think AO’s will see you attitudes!</p>
<p>Huanbing 
you came to Australia just last year? How are you coping with it?
In general, is it true private school kids hold more advange than public school kids in admission process? And if they do, would it mean the decisions are biased towards applicants with wealthy background?
Does anyone here knows about how transfer system works at american unis (like HYPSM, UPenn, Cornell, Brown, Duke, Columbia, Berkely etc)? Would getting admitted by transfer be more tougher than regular admittence to these unis?? I’m really worried :(…</p>
<p>Well I’ve worked my way through tough public schools the whole of my life. Stuff like that makes you stand out in admissions officers eyes. I mean, I’m in a good public school now, but I used to live in places like Arncliffe where we almost got our house robbed several times.</p>
<p>I don’t think we will be excused.</p>
<p>And, if you research Canadian universities, some of them are the best in the world. U of Toronto is one of the best in the world for technology.</p>
<p>In fact U of Waterloo has the LARGEST co-op program in the world. If I know anything from my businessman dad, experience is everything, and networking is even more. Know what I mean?</p>
<p>And Aussie unis are way too high schoolish from my opinion…and Canadian unis are like a gateway to America. U of Toronto has an engineering sciences that is amongst the most respected in the world.</p>