<p>Actually, that's quite competitive with most US elite private schools, even at the higher numbers.</p>
<p>Also the paragraph below has info from their site regarding a-levels...basically you'd have to contact the individual college directly to find out what their American equivalents are...you are not expected to sit A-level exams on top of your high school credentials.</p>
<p>Generally, you need to have, or expect to obtain, qualifications equivalent to three full A-levels. However, students from all over the world apply to Oxford and from a wide variety of educational backgrounds, and colleges are experienced in assisting applicants with a range of qualifications. If you are in any doubt, it is best to speak to the Oxford Colleges Admissions Office or to the Tutor for Admissions at your college of preference.</p>
<p>Well, I poked about a bit and found this page devoted to entrance requirements for students from the USA.</p>
<p>hmmm..so what chance would a student with 1550 (/1600) SAT, 9 AP exams with mostly 5's have at gaining admission into oxford?</p>
<p>Pretty decent chance. Again, you can't predict admissions into any college or university. It all depends on your interview and your interest in the subject you want to study. By all means, give it a shot.</p>
<p>did u take 9 ap's all in ur sophomore/junior years?</p>
<p>My daughter & I investigated this a few yrs. ago. Both the process & the standards are very different from US Colleges. I think I remember that posts #6 and #10 stated it correctly. (I didn't refresh page one of this thread, but that's my memory.) </p>
<p>What you have to remember is that even the more advanced, demanding, & competitive high schools in our country are differently structured than overseas. So the expectations of an incoming "Oxbridge" student would be quantitatively as high as HYPS, and often <em>higher</em>, qualitatively speaking. Mastery of subject matter, in breadth & in depth, is the emphasis. The interview counts big time, and is not a social opportunity but an academic investigation. The deadlines for North American applicants are sooner than even US colleges' ED deadlines. It is not really accurate to say they "don't care about e.c.'s." Yes, that's stated in the Oxford brochure, but they still ask for a list of your activiites on the UCAS app. The imp. difference between US & Brit.apps is that for Oxbridge anyway, your (one) recommender must sign off on the data you input on your app. With online an option now, I'm not sure how that's handled, but with paper ones a few yrs. ago, the recommender reviewed your scores, transcripts AND activities to verify that these are truthful & accurate. At that time, anyway, you did not send/submit your own paper app. Your recommender did. Perhaps they've done away with that requirement given the technology now. They were transitioning to online a few yrs. ago.</p>
<p>I definitely agree with the poster who stated that unless you're high-Ivy qualified, don't bother with the UCAS (common) Oxbridge app. The kinds of people who get accepted are the kinds who are cross-accepted to the most Elite US U's, or who are so exceptional in one particular academic area (a patented inventor or award-winning author) that there's an international factor there. And remember, you ARE an international for purposes of app. They don't know (generally) the reputation of your school. </p>
<p>Tuition's a "bargain," but Cost of Living is not. It all evens out -- not to mention adding in plane fare, storage of items for the many times you have to clear out your dorm at the end of terms, mid-year, etc.</p>
<p>OTOH, I always encourage the adventurous to apply to Canadian & European colleges that are in the match range if the applicant insists on limiting US choices to the reach range. I call Oxbridge a match for no one. It's less of a reach if you're already at least an EA admit for Yale or Stanford, but that's a moot point because (again) of the deadline conflicts. You won't know that until it's too late to add Oxford or Cambridge to your list.</p>
<p>Essay should focus on why you are going to pursue a certain major course of study. Write re: career plans and preparation for that field of study and career. Cambridge does not like U.S. educated applicants;Cambridge accepts only one or two American schooled applicants per year. Cost is less than U.S. schools,but I do not think that financial aid is available. Typically ECs are not considered unless they relate to preparing you for your intended course of study and/or career.</p>
<p>Most of the Oxbridge accepted students from my school usually have a tough decision deciding whether to go to Stanford, Harvard, Yale, LSE, Oxbridge, Princeton, MIT etc.</p>
<p>Someone said that the date to apply this year has run out. While this may be true for Oxbridge (you must have applied by October 15th, if I am correct), there are still many other prestigious and wonderful schools in the UK that you can apply to as an international student up until June 30th (but you should do it as soon as possible).</p>
<p>Coming from an American education system, you will find it VERY, VERY difficult to sit an A-level. Students prepare for those by taking GCSEs (in 11ish subjects for normal unis) three years before, and then AS-levels the year before, and then A-levels. As has been mentioned, they are very much more difficult than APs. I did indeed read on one of the C'bridge college sites that 4 5's and one 4 in AP should be attained before an application was considered, as another poster mentioned. </p>
<p>Oxford (at least) does not accept transfers for undergrad. So, if your SAT score was on the 1600 scale, have you already started uni?</p>
<p>American students do not need to sit A-levels. If you check out the link Tarhunt posted you can see the requirements for US students...a brief outline from that link is copied below</p>
<p>Though there are no formal requirements, successful candidates would generally have an excellent High School record, supplemented by:</p>
<pre><code>* Scores of at least 700 in Verbal, 700 in Math and 700 in the Writing Test in SAT I (or 2100+ combined)(Or ACT with a score of at least 32 out of 36)
</code></pre>
<p>We would also expect:</p>
<pre><code>* SAT II in a good spread of three or four subjects at 700 or better;
* Or, preferably, grades 4 or 5 in two or more Advanced Placement tests in appropriate subjects
* Alternatively, a mixture of SAT II and Advanced Placement scores; both should be at the levels indicated above.
</code></pre>
<p>We also welcome candidates sitting the International Baccalaureate; successful</p>
<p>Nat, I was responding to a poster who asked about taking A-levels from America. :)</p>
<p>nah...just what i'm hoping to have accomplished by the end of this year (hoping..really really hoping).</p>
<p>This year, for a sciences degree or joint honors with a science course component, the university tuition was 11,800 GBP. The college fee (varies from college to college, but not that much) was 4730 P. Room and general college fees for my son were 2550 P - for a medium size single. Food is about 500P per term or 1500 P for the year. Books are much less expensive, because you can check them out from the university libraries or your college will often order a copy for you, so you don't have to buy many - we estimated 400 P for the year but that is high. Spending money depends on your lifestyle, but my son has been comfortable on about 50 P per week (9 weeks 0th through 8th per term, 27 weeks total) - say 1500 P per year. Then there is airfare - several trips per year, spring term more expensive - I estimate 800 P for airfare this year.</p>
<p>That comes to about $45000 per year total cost, at 1.94 USD/GBP, about the same as an expensive US private college. It is about $6000 less if you are in an arts course (e.g. English, history, etc.).</p>
<p>What helps the most in the overall degree cost is the three-year degree, as most courses are only three years long = $135K, varying with the exchange rate at the time you have to pay the big bucks. (International students have to pay tuition up front for the year in September - the first year the rate was 1.8, this year it was 1.86, next September is likely to be much worse, unless the US gets out of Iraq.)</p>
<p>As to cost/value ratio - high cost, but tremendous value - no question, you receive more than you paid for. A superb education with tons of personal attention, Oxbridge is alone in the world in the amount of faculty attention given to each student. It makes it much easier to write that check!</p>
<p>yulsie:</p>
<p>Thanks for the information. Very useful.</p>
<p>I like the British system with the exception of single exam focus.</p>
<p>Tarhunt, I agree, that is very different and creates pressure in the final year. My son would prefer to get graded all along as a more objective gauge of his progress, but he has adjusted (and really improved his study habits). </p>
<p>I think the most important point for an applicant to bear in mind, however, is single course choice. Many highly qualified students are just not ready to put the ring on their finger, so to speak. It's a pre-graduate school type focus instead of the US undergraduate focus on a well-rounded education.</p>
<p>My son surprised me there, as he had so many interests I never thought he'd hone in so soon. He chose a joint honors degree with three subjects, keeping one foot in the arts and one foot in the sciences, and he's very pleased with his course. But no more physics or chemistry, no more languages, no more literature, no more history - he doesn't regret his choice, but he does wish he could also pursue studies in his other interests. A student should really be sure about his/her focus before applying to study in the UK for undergraduate work.</p>
<p>was the post which said GPA is no factor correct?</p>
<p>if so, are the only factors sat, ap, interview, entrance exam?</p>
<p>Yes, that would be it, plus personal statement and rec. I just went through this process this year as an American student.</p>