<p>Hey, I'm looking to apply to universities in the UK next year. Right now I'm currently studying for a year in Brazil (Rotary Exchange Student), and will be finishing high school with the class of 2014. I'm a dual UK/US citizen and have spent a lot of time in both countries, but I live primarily in the US. I'm excited by the idea of studying in the UK!</p>
<p>These are the schools I am looking at (for either history, IR, or PPE):</p>
<p>Oxford or Cambridge (i know you can only apply to one of them)
Warwick
UCL
Edinburgh
LSE</p>
<p>These are my credentials:
ACT: 33
SAT: 2180 (750 CR, 700 M, 730 W)
GPA: 4.1 top 10%
AP's: Human geo -5
Euro - 4
World History - 5
American History - 5
Psychology - 5
English Lang - 5
----- I know extra-curriculars don't matter, but I'm an Eagle Scout, Class President before my exchange, Rotary Exchange Student, officer in Interact, FBLA, Newspaper, and Model UN</p>
<p>---- By next year I should also be bilingual! (English and Portuguese)</p>
<p>I’ll be straight out honest here: I have not much clue as to what your real chances are with UK schools. </p>
<p>But I know that they have different education systems, and US students have a hard time getting in. And it is actually because they consider US high school graduates under-qualified. </p>
<p>The matter of fact is that the UK schools -and I believe European high schools?- don’t follow the K12 education of the US. UK’s high school seniors have done 13 school years -1 year more than US students. This explains UK college’s 3 years length.</p>
<p>Now, that doesn’t necessarily mean that you won’t get in just because you haven’t had 13 years of high school experience. And one friend of mine applied to LSE and got in with scholarships -though he chose to go to Princeton. But remind you, he had great many qualifications, himself being a founder and years-long president of a very active and successful non-profit organization, president of three academic clubs, class officer, NHS vice president, winner of many awards from state and even national level competitions, and a school valedictorian with 4.6 Weighted GPA with about 12 APs taken -all of which he got a 5 in. He also has approx. 1000+ hours of volunteer service throughout high school. Yes, he was a monster:P And perhaps not the best example for this scenario perhaps. But my point is, You’ll have to really prove yourself to make it in to the top tier UK schools.</p>
<p>And just fyi, UK schools are very different from US schools in all that they teach and prepare you for. Research thoroughly first to see if they’re your fit.</p>
<p>I appreciate the insight Dactylic! I actually will have completed an extra year of high school by the time of my application. I am studying in Brazil between my junior and senior year for the whole year. I hope that might give me an edge over other American applicants who (when I apply) will be a year younger than me. </p>
<p>P.S. Your friend is a boss.</p>