Do British Colleges Prefer SAT Subject Tests or AP Scores For American Admissions?

Student Lounge International Students
1

Hey guys,

I am considering dropping my online AP courses since they do not seem to be providing much benefit for me in terms of American college admissions. However, I am aware that British colleges want to see AP test results since it is a requirement for Americans to be considered for admissions. I am going to be playing to competitive schools such as Oxford, UCL, King’s College London, St. Andrews, the University of Edinburgh, and the University of Manchester. I see that in order to be admitted into every single one of these schools as an American, you must either take SAT subject tests or AP exams in a student’s relevant choice of study, on top of scoring a minimum amount of points on these exams. Would British colleges prefer it if I send AP exam scores instead of subject test scores? Because I was planning on dropping my APs in order to have more time to study for my SAT subject tests in relevant areas and even give myself more time to study for the ACT. Is this a good choice to make? Or would British colleges prefer AP scores? Any help is appreciated!

2

There are definitely places that prefer APs and don’t accept SAT Subject Tests. You’d have to check the websites for the places you wish to apply.,

I presume this is to apply next year for 2022 admission as you mention Oxford?

3

Yes. I’ll be applying next year.

4

FWIW, my son (who is reading Maths & CS) submitted his APs (CSA, Calc BC, Physics C - Mech/E&M) as well as his SAT2s (Math 2 & Physics) with his UCAS. When he received his CAS from Oxford, the three academic qualifications they referenced were CSA, Calc BC and Physics C Mech. Not sure if that means that those were the ones that they preferred, but that’s what they referenced.

5

Did those classes relate to his chosen course, or major as Americans call it?

6

He’s reading maths & computer science, so yes, AP Computer Science A, Calculus BC and Physics C (the calculus based physics class) were related.

7

Would Oxford prefer it if I send AP scores or SAT scores?

8

Why not check with the individual Oxford colleges you wish to apply to? My suspicion is APs are taken more seriously than SAT subject tests.

9

You will need to self report all of your standardized test results on your UCAS. You don’t need to send score reports until you have received your offer. Your offer will state the test scores on which it is conditioned (AP/SAT/ACT/SAT2). You send the appropriate reports to verify that you have met the conditions of your offer.

10

OP, per one of your other threads:

We’ve been a little ways down this road before (on still another thread). Not sure what you think studying Classics will involve, but I think you need to spend some time reading about what’s involved in those courses:

At Oxford, for example, aside from getting to real fluency in Latin (based on your taking Latin 1 this year) you will be integrating literary analysis of the texts (eg, the Aeneid) with…study of the the historical, archeological, and philosophical material. Your grades will be entirely based on language tests…and essays.

University of Manchester?
“Combine the study of Greek and Latin language, literature and culture with the examination of Greek and Roman political, social and intellectual history.” This is what you would study in first year:

etc:

I think that people on this thread, and your others, will be able to give you better/more useful advice and ideas if we had a better sense of who you are as a student:

What are you looking for from college?

What is it that you love about Classics but don’t like about English & History?

What category do your academic issues from Grade 9 % 10 fall into (health issues / personal issues / school issues / immaturity / etc)?(not looking for details here!) Has it resolved?

What sort of student are you / what sort of learning environment suits you best?

Besides the fact that most of them will weight your scores > grades, so you might get into a ‘better’ name, why do you want to go to the UK/Canada?

11

This is fun. So much backstory here, and all baloney.

So in April 18, OP was a rising freshman, aiming for computer science and business (huh?) at Yale.

Next up in May of 18, about five threads about transferring into private school as a sophomore - an established Catholic competitive one, where OP has already been accepted.

Next up, about 10 threads agonising about “can I get into Yale/Michigan/Duke with just one honors class.”

In July of 18, OP suddenly is taking AP European History and also taking AP Chemistry.

In January 19, OP is suddenly a junior having taken “English 2 Honors, US History Honors, and Italian 2 Honors. This year I am taking AP English, AP Chemistry, AP European History, and AP Economics”.

In Feb 19, OP is back to choosing APs for junior year.

By July 20, OPis still choosing APs for junior year.

By August 20, OP is looking at flight school?

Also back to agonising about transferring into private school again, now looking at Canadian unis.

Suddenly, classics are coming up, without a single Latin or Greek class mentioned.

Oh, and the private Highschool is no longer the competitive Catholic one, but a completely new one that doesn’t offer any APs at all.

And OP is looking for a college to make them fluent in Latin, Ancient Greek AND Hebrew, to become an archivist.

By Sept 20, multiple threads asking about admissions to various schools, all merged, with OP unable to answer the most basic questions about course schedules and GPA.

And wants to apply as a junior.

To Oxford. For classics, with 4 social sciences APs, taken online. Because why should APs be related to the subject applied for, just because Oxford says so?

So maybe apply with an Italian AP class, taken online after Italian 2?

Or maybe not, because US colleges look down on online APs, so why take them at all, and the stress isn’t worth it.

And suddenly the school is the best Catholic high school in the state again. Which probably doesn’t help because OP still can’t take AP Bio, English, or history simply because they suck in those fields of study.

Aaand, now we are back to applying to Oxford for classics. This time with SAT subject scores. In order to study for which, AP classes must be dropped.

Why is anyone here still feeding this mythical creature?

12

MODERATOR’S NOTE: Since the OP has been inconsistent, I am closing the thread.