<p>Hi, i'm English and i just had a few questions about applying to Princeton and just student life there in general. The main thing that worrys me is that for those who dont know in the UK students specialise very early. After GCSE's which you take when you are 16 you only do 3 subjects and they are normaly interrelated. For instance i am taking History, English and Politics for A level. This means that i havent done any maths or science or languages for 2 years. Thats not because i am stupid and take only a small number of classes, its just how the British system works. It also presented a problem for the subject SAT II's As the only options i had open to me were the 2 english papers and history. The english was ok and i scored 750 and 720. The third choice of paper was a real problem though because there is world history and American history (which obviously in the UK we dont study). This left me with world history which i took but didnt score very well in because history in the UK is focused quite narowly but in greater depth. For instance i have spent the last 2 years studying Nazi Germany which hardly constitutes 'world history'.</p>
<p>I'm also having a hard time working out how to relate my GCSE and A level exam results into the American system. At GCSE i got 7 A's and 3 B's whilst at AS i got AAAB. I am predicted AAA as my final A level results. Could anyone give me an indication as to how this places my chances in relation to the American system.</p>
<p>Now that the Acedemics are out of the way i was wondering what life is like for an international student at Princeton. I like to see my self as a reasonably easy person to get along with and i was just wondering wether the international students integrate well with the American students or wether they keep 'themselfes to themselfes' as it were.</p>
<p>On a lighter note the drinking age in the UK is only 18 so i have been able to legaly drink for the last 4 months. Is the drinking age of 21 rigidly enforced in the states ? In dorm and house parties as well as the bars. ( i'm not some kind of alcoholic btw, just curious :) )</p>
<p>Thanks for any help </p>
<p>Tom</p>
<p>to be honest with you, i have no idea about the british tests =) i dont think many americans know anything about international exams. but the drinking age is pretty rigidly enforced outside of universities, but most campus have rules but are 'lenient' about such things.</p>
<p>Yo man i'm also from London (name gives it away) and i was accepted to princeton through early decision. Don't worry about SATs because the admissions people know about the differences and they're not that important for americans either unless you do really well or really badly. For instance i got 1450, 800,720,710. Solid but not amazing. Your scores give you a decent chance man, but your GCSEs could be better. wat's more important is your school ranking, your extracurriculars and your background.
Don't worry about integration and everything, as long you're easy going and you don't end up at Brown (internationals like to stay together there) u wont have any problems.
Concerning, the drinking i'm also interested to find out. My friends already in the states tell me that college to most americans is their first real exposure to alcohol. So be prepared to feel like your 14 again at a house party with people getting wasted for the first time...but i guess that dies out after a while.</p>
<p>Thanks for the reply dude. Do you mind me asking what results you got London Guy for for your UK exams, i am just curious. I think you are right bout my GCSE's though. 3 of the A's were A*'s but thats still not great. Its definatley going to be really wierd having to sort of 'sneak' drinking alcohol though.</p>
<p>It's cool man, i got 11 A*s at GCSE and 5 As at AS level in maths, physics, history, latin and french.
I reckon your scores give you a decent shot so dont worry bout it.
If you're a Wolves fan then sorry bout the relegation.
keep the blue flag flying high from Stamford bridge...</p>
<p>molyneux, at most american universities, although its illegal, you dont really 'sneak' alchohol, because its sorta accepted that college people do it</p>
<p>lol, nah i'm not a wolves fan, Molyneux is actualy my real name. Big fan of the villa tho, having said that we aint doing much better than wolves at the moment. Getting knocked out the cup by Shefield! That sucks.
P.S - glad you dont have to 'sneak' the alchohol that would suck :)</p>
<p>Is carrying alcohol as a present in an unlabeled box illegal? There you go, here's your smuggling solution =)</p>
<p>I'm kind of in the same situation-I havent had a single Social Sciences/Humanities course for the past two years.
Oh well...</p>