<p>Hello there.
I'm from Bangladesh and just recently completed my A levels. I'm the only one out of my friend circle who wants to try out for Universities in the states. I have financial difficulties so one of my teachers suggested me to apply to these need based colleges who have work/study programs. I searched and found colleges like Berea, Alice Lloyd, Columbia. I looked at their requirements and they require SAT or TOEFL or IELTS (which I plan on taking in the coming months). My only problem is, I have no idea how to manage all their requirements together. I'm completely new to this and my parents don't have clue how these things work. </p>
<p>Can someone help me with the application process? I really need help on the "what to do's" and "What nots" because time is running fast and I don't want to sit around for another year.</p>
<p>My O level result: 2A, 2B, 2C (I got A in English)
My A level result: 1C(Maths) 1U(Physics)</p>
<p>^Plus I'm scared that I might get rejected because of that one "U". </p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>Um, Berea is really selective. Last year, 800 international students applied, 30 were accepted. Also, your grades are terrible, not to mention you have not taken the minimum number of subjects required in A levels, which is three. If you really really want to go to the states, apply to Colby Sawyer College. You will not, regardless of your SAT scores and everything else, get into a school with a full scholarship because of the terrible grades. Yes, for international applicants, merit of the application would be important for financial aid decisions at many schools. At many that do offer international, strictly need-based aid, you wouldn’t be qualified for admission.</p>
<p>Yea I know about the terrible grades part but I can’t rewind back and fix the obvious. I don’t really see much hope right now and I REALLY need to get accepted at least one of them. I made some bad decisions before which led to these grades and I just want to make a right one and get into a college.</p>
<p>A good decision would be to do three A Levels and retake the exams in May/June. And study for it. It will take your time, yes, but good results would be far useful in helping you receive admissions and taking you to a school that you’d like to go to. In the end, one extra year will mean nothing in the face of four years at a wonderful institution. If you have qualms about opportunity costs, it would serve you well to enroll a college in Asia. </p>
<p>Trust me, I have done very, very rigorous research into international student admissions at American colleges and one thing’s for sure: grades are very important, and they need assurance that you can handle the coursework. That is far from apparent in your case, as a U is going to nullify your chances at aid and lack of enough courses will do the same. If you didn’t need aid, what I would write would be completely different.</p>
<p>PS O Levels are not considered at most colleges for admissions (they are a part of your transcript, not exams you need to take to have a status equivalent to that of an American high-school graduate.) Three A Levels would be required.</p>
<p>Well it’s too late to register for January session (Edexcel). I might be able to catch another registration date in March. I guess I can repeat the physics and take up one more subject.
The problem is, the reason I failed previously was due to financial problems. I had to work plus study since I was having some family problems. And I have to do the same now too, so I’m scared if the same result will come again.</p>
<p>Plus can you give me some information about Berea? Because I heard they pick the financially unstable students. I know academic scores matter a lot but I’d still like to know.</p>
<p>What you could do is go on the school’s website, look for the admissions counselor for your area and email them. Those persons would give you the best advice. Also, if you are an excellent writer, you need to really do well on the SATs then write some of the best essays of your life on those applications.
I am also an international and I can understand that its hard. I applied to schools last year and had to start over this year. A year off is not that bad. You will have the time to really focus on your essays, really research some colleges and, if you can afford it, to get your SAT grades up.
The best advice I can give you though, is to get in contact with your regional admission reps from the schools you are interested in. They would have the most accurate information.</p>
<p>All students who apply to Berea have genuine financial need. It doesn’t help your case.</p>
<p>Anyway, regardless of personal circumstances, academic ability is a must and the only way you can show it is through exams, so I really do not think there are many options for you.</p>
<p>At Berea, great financial need is a prerequisite. No one can apply if they’re not low-income.
I agree that you’d need to apply in Fall 2014 for September 2015, using this year as a “gap year” to beef up your application.
Would it be possible for you to self study for AP’s? They’re American tests but most of them are shorter and easier than A-Levels. AP Physics B and two other APs would definitely help. The tests are in May, I dont know when and how you’d register. You’ d probably have to take them at a local international/American school, which may involve planning and travel if there isn’t one in your town.
In the meanwhile you need to prepare SAT2 tests and SAT Reasoning.
English, Math2, and another subject for SAT Subject tests should be relatively easy, and you should reach for 700.
With good scores, you could apply to Berea but also to women’s colleges such as Mount Holyoke.
All of these tests will cost money though :s. I don’t know if they cost more than retaking ALevels.</p>
<p>Note: to put things in perspective for American applicants, the ALevel scale isn’t A-F, but A-GU, where U=F, G=D, F=C-/C, E=C+, D=B-/B, C=B+, B=A/A-, A=A+, so, in American terms, the applicant has 2 A+'s, 2A’s, 2Bs for O’Levels, and 1B+ and 1F.</p>
<p>Some universities allow you to apply just with OLevel results, but they do not give financial aid…</p>
<p>Actually, the A Level scale is A*, A = A; B = A-/B+; C = B; D = C; E = D; U = F. F and G are applicable for IGCSE’s, although I’m not sure if they are applicable to O Levels.</p>
<p>A Levels would be cheaper and more useful in OP’s case because she took up A Levels in high school and they are school-leaving examinations while APs are college-placement tests. It would be crucial to retake the A Level exams, including math if possible to bump it to a B or so.</p>
<p>Thanks @caribgurl. My previous teacher told me to focus on the SATs and essays as well. I’m good in writing and I’ve already completed the one required for the common application and berea.</p>
<p>@MYOS1634 Yea, I’ve decided on taking the gap year. I’m not sure about the AP Tests because, yes A level is cheaper than that plus if I can re-sit for the exams I took and add another one to the list, then I think I can make my application look more promising.
But just in case I don’t get selected next year, will I be able to apply again? Do they like, cross you out or something?</p>
<p>@International95: same difference. My point was that a B in British-patterned schools isn’t a B from an American school, neither is a C.</p>
<p>I agree that A levels would be cheaper and easier to do that AP’s, but I was trying to offer an alternative to Scarlet, who didn’t seem to want to sit them again. Ap’s can be self taught and don’t require as much of a time commitment as A Levels.
And indeed bumping Maths to a B would be great, plus two others (Physics and an extra subject, which in the US does NOT need to be a science. All will be well-received, although some schools don’t give credit for Media Studies or Critical Thinking.)</p>
<p>Scarlet: work hard on SAT prep. Use this free prep website <a href=“https://www.number2.com/[/url]”>https://www.number2.com/</a>
use khanacademy (also free) and use Sparksnotes online (also free.)</p>
<p>You can re-apply to any school that didn’t admit you, but there’s a law of diminishing returns. For them to reject you one year, then admit you another, you’d have to go from U in Physics to A…</p>
<p>Here is another free site => <a href=“https://march2success.com/index.cfm[/url]”>https://march2success.com/index.cfm</a> It is excellent for SAT prep. I think it would be best for you to take one first to see where you are at then do the others after some practice.</p>
<p>Also, American colleges really want to see that you can manage high school work. But in the additional info section on the common app, you could write all these challenges that you are telling us about there. DO NOT write about them in your essays UNLESS you have learnt some significant/valuable lessons. </p>
<p>The year off is a good idea. Taking those national exams will put you in a competitive spot with other persons from your country. That is how admissions counselors look at you, in the context of your country and educational system that you are from.</p>
<p>All the best !</p>
<p>@MYOS1634: Thanks for your help and I’m going to utilize my gap year. And it’s okay, there are many universities to apply to once I turn my grades around.</p>
<p>@caribgurl: Thanks, I was looking for a site like this. Oh, glad you mentioned that. Do I have to explain my grades? Like, suppose I push them up to C’s or D’s do I still have to explain? And What things should I add in my essay?</p>
<p>Well, is there a chance they’ll compare me with the students through my essay and extra curriculum activities? I heard if the essay is really good, they consider you as an applicant. How can I stand out than the rest applying?(apart from my grades)</p>
<p>I don’t think you understand this: if you are not at a threshold where it seems that you can handle the work, NOTHING, NOTHING will salvage you. Your grades demonstrate that you are indeed NOT at at that threshold, and certainly not at one for enough financial aid. Therefore, you need to reach that threshold. C, D is NOT good and still doesn’t help you with financial aid matters. A, B = good. If you do not think you can get A’s and B’s, it is in your best interest to attend college in a regional school in Asia because going through with the application process as an international student applying for fin aid will be a waste of time as the competition is severely intense.</p>
<p>I agree with I-95. They compare you in context of your country/region. There are ALOT of applicants from your region. So even if you have stellar SATs, the admissions officer from your region would still discredit you because you could not handle the coursework in comparison to your fellow countrymen.</p>
<p>What I should clarify then: Use the gap year to get your grades up to As and Bs, then, assuming that all you have to send in grades from all regional exams you have taken, you would then explain in the Additional Information section why you failed those courses… But most importantly, you must get your regional exam grades up. Cs and Ds won’t cut it for your region, mainly because of the abundance of regional applicants. If you could pay your fees, then maybe it would be a different story, but Scarlet, for those of us who need aid, we HAVE TO do EVERYTHING to stand out so our financial needs can be met.</p>
<p>But again, seek out regional admissions officers, get in dialogue with them. I think most of them will say though that you should use the gap year to get ALL your grades up.</p>