Well I don’t really know how to start a question so here we go:
I wanted to make a application to Kings College in Cambridge this school year and so far my qualifications are: 700+ on a Biology Subject SAT, and a 5 on a Physics AP exam. I’m taking the AP classes this senior year and (or) am going to receive tutoring for my other 4 AP exams and Kings wants 5’s in at least 3. In October I also really want to take the other science subject sat’s as it might help with score predictions. The problem with that plan is that I wouldn’t be able to take my SAT till November. I feel like taking my SAT II would be better in terms in having more test scores to be looked at but I’m concerned if not taking my sat before the application deadline would hurt my application in terms of test scores.
So basically my question is if sending an application where I haven’t took a SAT yet will impact my application negatively? If it will then I’ll just take the SAT in October instead of the Subject SAT’s
Maybe I can email them around August and see what would be better/they prefer?
That’s fine - they’re used to reviewing applications before the student has taken exams as that’s the standard practice for domestic applicants. Your teacher’s rec should predict the likely grades.
In the UK we usually apply with only predicted grades anyway, as A-Levels/IB/Pre-U are now all linear so exams aren’t taken until the end of Year 13, so you’ll be in the same boat as everyone else. that’s why they have admissions exams which everyone has to take.
So it seems not taking my SAT before the deadline won’t be a dealbreaker, thank you.
And I have one more question on something that has me lost, how important are your GPA’s?
A lot of threads I read online say different things. Some say they don’t pay attention to your GPA at all as long as your grades in what you want to study are good, some say they do.
Based on what I read and assumption, as long as you have a GPA of atleast a 3.5, it won’t count against you?
Remember that the first step is to get an invitation to interview. You would be applying with one AP and one ok-ish SATII, and the subject application test. That isn’t a huge amount for them to go on, and probably a lot less than most US applicants will be applying with. Workworkwork on your PS and do what you can to shine on the NatSci assessment test ([here](http://www.undergraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/files/publications/nsaa_specification.pdf)). Unfortunately, it’s the first year for this, so there are no sample papers yet, but they say they will post one in July.
I’m already looking at resources and threads on what they want included in a PS so that’s a good thing.
I wanted to take my other SAT II’s on June 2nd but something unfortunate popped up which sucks D:
Something that I heard somewhere on a few threads was that if you take your tests before the deadline, they’ll wait for the scores before they make a decision? I didn’t know how true that was as scores can always be released late but in the case that it might be true, I wanted to take my SAT II’s first so they have more to go on and I checked the dates in the past on when scores been released, and October dates are usually released in late October.
The timeline for making the interview cuts is very tight: submission is Oct 15, Admissions tests are Nov 2-4ish, and interview offers go out around Thanksgiving. I think you can’t take for granted that they will wait for your scores, but if they are there before the admission test scores it seems more likely that they would look at them at the same time.
Understood! I don’t want to count on scores coming out on time as anything can happen.
Hmmmm I was sort of planning on either taking a gap year or applying for the spring term for US universities as I will be getting my SAT score after most of the deadlines. Maybe I can also take a year before choosing to apply to Cambridge. Then I’ll at least have my scores together and will have a little more time to sort money out too. Also I heard a number of students take gap years at Cambridge too, was a little worried about being older than the students there.
Yes, a gap year should be fine unless you’re applying for maths.
GPA isn’t important per se, but your teacher’s recommendation should talk about your academic ability. As klong as you’re strong in the subject areas close to what you’re aplying for (I guess sciences for you), poor performance in other areas shouldn’t be held against you.
Just that maths academics prefer you not to have a year not studying the subject in between school and university. They’re afraid you’ll get rusty/forget too much. And yes, it does seem to be a specifically maths thing.
