<p>Hi everyone! This is my first post at CC but I've been reading the forums for a few weeks because I think I'd really like to go to university in the USA (mostly for the range of courses on offer and the flexibility). I'm British by the way.</p>
<p>I'm planning to apply to places like Brown, Johns Hopkins, Michigan, NYU, maybe Penn and Yale and maybe a couple of LACs like Wesleyan and Vassar. I think I can get the grades I need in my A-Levels and SAT exams but I'm a bit concerned about ECs. The general attitude here in the UK is that extracurricular activities are secondary to academics, and I go to a school where that's very much the case, so my ECs are currently pretty weak.</p>
<p>I'm hoping to improve them before this autumn (I'm in Year 12 at the moment, the equivalent of junior year I think) but I was wondering whether US colleges give some slack to internationals who don't have amazing ECs. Obviously admission to these places is really tough and they want the best, but will they take into account the different focuses in different countries?</p>
<p>Sorry for the long post!</p>
<p>I follow a British patterned curriculum at school (GCSEs, A Levels… the works) and the preconception that ECs are is rife here as well! I’d suggest getting involved with activities that interest you, not necessarily school-affiliated. You do not need a multitude of different activities to be competitive. Just a few that you focus on and exhibit… ready for the cliche… passion! :)</p>
<p>I’m an American living in London but go to a British school
I am looking at similar schools as you: (Wesleyan, UPENN, Brown, and Vassar). I have a college coach and he says that they are not that sympathetic to international students with weak ECs just because the British culture treats them as second rate… With these top schools they have a large enough application pool that they can just choose another student for their school… But don’t worry. If you start now and demonstrate some skill and passion in your ECs then you should be ok.</p>
<p>^I concur with charned (and have the same background, as an American in the British system), and my counselor also noted the continued importance of ECs for internationals. The OP’s point (that British schools value ECs less) is somewhat generalized and only true to an extent- certainly at my school (which admittedly is well endowed with such opportunities), I’ve done societies, music, youth government, national rowing competitions, etc…
You don’t need “amazing” ECs- I got into Stanford, Duke, Dartmouth and a few others with the ECs listed above alongside good grades and essays ( and generally the more well- rounded candidates from my school did better with the US). Nevertheless, it is a good way to differentiate yourself; to re-iterate prior points, show leadership and passion and don’t just CV (or UCAS) pad for the hell of it</p>