<p>Could anyone offer me more information on King's College in London? I've always been interested in studying in England and just from viewing it, King's College looks beautiful. I've tried to look up some information, but the stuff on their website wasn't too helpful. Thank you in advance to all who respond.</p>
<p>Does anyone know what statistics one would need to apply and have a reasonable chance? I'm also curious if anyone knows about their academic reputation in a field like history.</p>
<p>What subject? For example, for English Lit, at KCL you will need 5s on three relevant APs plus a solid SAT. (You do know that you study one, or at most 2 subjects, in UK unis, right?). There is plenty of info on their website- search by program (subject).If the requirement for admissions is AAA, think '3 5s in relevant APs). Note that the more competitive the uni, the more likely it is that that will be a minimum (I don’t know any Americans who got into Oxford wi just 3 5s, for example).</p>
<p>Sorry I didn’t state it directly, history is the subject I was curious about. As far as solid SAT, what would be solid? 2150+? Also, what would “relevant” include for history? I haven’t taken European or World History for two reasons: they don’t offer European in my school and World history is a two year course and when I had moved from a different school I wasn’t able to take it. I took APUSH last year and received a 5 in that. I know they have the requirement information on the website, but I was assuming that was the bare minimum for admission and that you would have to have a crazy hook. Does it work differently in the UK?</p>
<p>Yes, it works differently in the UK. If you meet the requirements listed you have a good shot of getting in (excluding the very best unis of course). You’ll also need to write a personal statement demonstrating your commitment to the subject you want to study. It’s not a bad idea to do some ECs relating to the subject you’d like to study (for history maybe join history club at your school? volunteer at a museum?). I’m not sure whether you have to interview at KCL, check on their site. </p>
<p>In terms of only having taken APUSH…not great. Even though you got a 5 they won’t be that pleased. Is there absolutely no way you can do World or Euro? You can always self study. Oh and SATII subject tests can take the place of 5’s sometimes if you score high enough (750+). The SATII World History test is really, really easy. It might be worth buying or borrowing a World text book and then taking the SATII. That would show both committment to your subject and help them feel more secure about your apptitude. Another relevant AP would probably be either of the English exams bc history obviously involves a lot of writing.</p>
<p>You definitely mean King’s college London? Cambridge is the beautiful one. </p>
<p>All that is relevant are your academic stats. They won’t even understand the meaning of the word ‘hook’. You need to prove you excel academically at history. ECs are not valued unless they are specifically related to history. You must appear focused NOT “well-rounded”. Do you have any SAT II or IB courses relating to History? This would help if you have no APs (but do check with admissions office - though they won’t reply right now because it is A-level results week. UK students mostly find out where they are going to uni on Thursday).</p>
<p>I read a lot of books about history so I don’t think self studying, in particularly European history, would be an issue for me, but I wouldn’t have the scores in time to apply and wouldn’t be able to get predicted scores because I wouldn’t have any teacher guiding me. It would probably help to mention that I’m going into my senior year. </p>
<p>Do you think it might just be easier to go to college in the US, do extremely well there and then apply to KCL, and maybe if I do really well Oxbridge, for graduate school?</p>
<p>Yes, it’s definitely easier/more common to do grad school in the UK. </p>
<p>Oh and for self studying…there’s an SAT II in December no? that’s after the deadline probably but it could really help your application to be at least doing some history this year.
What are you taking by the way? Psych? Human Geo? Gov? None of the APs that are left are pure histories so it would probably help considerably to at least be able to say that you’re studying one, even if it’s independently.</p>
<p>@cupcake I haven’t taken any SAT II’s yet, but I’m fairly sure I will do well on them and my school doesn’t offer IB classes.</p>
<p>@uscamstudent I honestly just love to learn, but history is my favorite subject by far. I’m taking AP Physics, AP Calc AB, AP Gov, AP Lit, AP Economics, and possibly AP Chemistry this year. I could study European history because I read history books in my spare time and can’t imagine it would be that difficult, but again I could say I’m studying it and have no way of verifying it. </p>
<p>I know I mentioned it above, but thank you to everyone who has posted so far. I do appreciate the help.</p>
<p>With your heavy AP load this year they may be willing to overlook the lack the history courses (esp with Econ, Gov, and Lit).
Have you done 3 APs (in any subject) yet? If you do have three 5’s it’s worth throwing off an application (the fee is very little if anything).
Oh and you could verify you’re self studying by having your counselor write a note and including a copy of your registration for the SATII? Or any arrangements your counselor would have to make for the AP test (you’d have to pay for a proctor or take the exam at another school if you do Euro).</p>
<p>In my school junior year is generally the first year you can take AP classes because of prerequisites so I was only able to take English comp and APUSH. I got a 5 in US, like I’ve said above, and sadly a 4 in English Comp. </p>
<p>Do you really think that they would make the exception because of my course load?</p>
<p>As to the note from counselor I most likely could get one and you have to register in October for the AP’s in my school so I could also send them that if she refused to write one. Also, I think you’re right with the application. What’s the worst that could happen if I were to throw one in, they say sorry you’re denied and then I work really hard at a US university and go to a UK university for graduate school.</p>
<p>Well to be honest if you only have a 5 and 4 I’m not sure how good your chances are but it can’t hurt to apply, you are taking a lot of APs this year.
Make sure your councelor explains what you explained here (about Junior year being the first to take APs). </p>
<p>This is what I would do:
1.Find out the deadline for applying to KCL…I did a quick search and apparently last year’s was January 15. If it’s around there, that is enough time for you to take SATIIs in December and get your scores in for them to consider.
2.Study for your SATIIs, including a self study for World (I swear this is by far the easiest SATII you can take…I assistant taught freshman honors world history and had some kids take the SATII and get +750).
3. I’m sure you’ve taken the SAT but would you mind reporting your scores? If your Reading/Writing sections are high enough, they might overlook the 4 on AP Lit. If your scores are not high enough, I would retake the SAT, aiming to get over 2200 (esp 700+ on English/Writing).
4.Submit your UCAS (the British Common App) after getting your December scores…if your December scores won’t arrive by then, contact the admissions office and explain that your scores should arrive very shortly, can you still apply, etc.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>Good thinking–what’s the worse that can happen?</p>
<p>There’s also the option of taking a year off and then trying again if you don’t get in the first time you apply.</p>
<p>Your “courseload” isn’t relevant at all. What is relevant is having LOTS of high scores, or predicted high scores, on AP tests.</p>
<p>If I were you, I would be sure to find a way to take those AP tests in European and/or world history. Have a counselor act as your “referee” and make a predicted score for you. Maybe they will overlook the fact that you don’t have this specific AP test, but maybe not. Do you really want to risk it? You will be competing with people who DO have the right AP tests or A levels, no “hook” can make up for this.</p>
<p>I am also curious why you think “King’s College London” is beautiful. Have you actually visited it? Never believe the photos in brochures, they always crop those or whatever in such a way as to make them look better. They do seem to have some very attractive old buildings, but such things are actually quite common in the UK. Have you looked at other UK colleges and unis that may be just as attractive or even more so?</p>
<p>I’ve just looked at pictures online, is it really terrible looking in real life because you’re the second person to say that. I got a 2000 SAT 710 reading, 660 writing, 630 math. I really should have done better, I just get so nervous when I take tests for the first time which is why my English grade was poor. I had a 95 average in the class and on all the practice AP tests I got a 5, but when I took the test I panicked and forgot to use more than three sources for the document essay. </p>
<p>I’ll try to take the SAT II’s and see if I can take the AP tests for them. I just thought KCL would be a good fit for me because I really want to experience places other than the United States, from what I’ve read it’s a reputable school, it’s full of smart students, I live near Manhattan so to go to college in the city wouldn’t be a big change, and the school itself I find pretty. </p>
<p>So to sum it up: Hypothetically if I’m able to get a 750+ on history SAT II’s, take the AP test for European History and get predicted 5s for it, and get my SAT up to a 2200 I should have a decent shot at getting accepted?</p>
<p>Yes I’d say you’d have quite a good shot at getting accepted. For your SAT, I wouldn’t stress too much about the math section. Obviously it would be nice to have it higher but UK unis don’t really care about you being well rounded. They’ll want your english and reading scores up, however, so I would concentrate on that. </p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>Thank you very much for your help camstudent and all others who posted.</p>
<p>KCL has one of the highest, probably the highest, crime rates among all UK universities.</p>
<p>It’s very possible that KCL–King’s College London–is very attractive by American standards, but by British standards is just ordinary. But NEVER assume that a college or university anywhere in the world is “attractive” just from the photographs they put in their brochure or on their website, go and look at it yourself in person.</p>
<p>If you haven’t looked at lots of British colleges and unis, you don’t have a standard to measure the attractiveness of KCL.</p>
<p>And someone suggested this before–are you SURE you are not confusing “King’s College London” with the “King’s College” that is part of Cambridge University? The two are completely different.</p>