<p>Hi, I've been lurking around CC recently, and am very very grateful for you guys coz I've learnt so much! </p>
<p>Well, I am a student from Singapore, and our equivalent of the last two years of American high school is Junior College, where we study towards the (singapore-cambridge) A levels.</p>
<p>Now, I am 15, and for me next year would be the last year of secondary school, which is the second year of American high school. </p>
<p>Well, I like Penn a lot, and I am thinking if I could take the SATs now, and apply, would that be OK by the Adcoms? Would Penn consider accepting me, if say I get like a near perfect score on the SAT plus good recs. </p>
<p>Well, most colleges like the fact that you've "graduated" from an institution before attending their own schools. More than anything, you should discuss your options with your COUNSELOR who might know about these things more so than other high school students. </p>
<p>If you want to take the SAT's right now though, go right ahead. It's definitely beneficial.</p>
<p>I was gone during the time because I was studying abroad, but I heard that the valedictorian at my school two years ago was a graduating sophomore. Apparently she took a load of community college classes in addition to a heavy load at school, and now she's going to USC.</p>
<p>Debbie, don't understand what you mean. Mind elucidating?</p>
<p>atrophicwhisper, I don't know... My school counselor seems to me as the person who gives advice to those depressed problem people. Isn't the SAT a sort of high school graduation thing?</p>
<p>Well, remember that your application is considered along with everyone else's applications from Singapore, and thus your application will not be competitive, since everyone else's applications will have O-level (or IP equivalent grades) and their A-level or A-level predicted grades, while you will just have your O-level (or IP Year 4 grades). </p>
<p>This would just show that you have not yet taken the most demanding course load in Singapore, and thus may not be suitable for Penn. If you are going to take A-levels as well as the SAT next year and score well on it, then I don't see why Penn won't accept you as you have "exhausted all educational opportunities" at pre-university level in Singapore.</p>
<p>The terminology as used by Americans is different from that of Singaporeans, so school counselors in the states are usually your form teacher/CTs in Singapore.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Isn't the SAT a sort of high school graduation thing?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Not at all.
You actually don't need to take it to get into top schools (one can replace it with the ACT), and some universities are now sat/act optional.</p>
<p>During half of the 10th grade and half of the 11th grade (from March 2006 to January 2007), I did an exchange program in Japan. I was gone for 10 months.</p>
<p>One of my current classmates recently told me (in a discussion about going to college) about the valedictorian of the 2005-2006 school year <em>because I was in Japan, I didn't know who the valedictorian was that year</em>. My classmate said that this girl was also in the 10th grade, the same age as us, but she graduated that year. The reason is because she took so many classes during her two years of high school, and she also took courses at a local community college to fulfill graduation requirements. This girl wound up at USC.</p>
<p>So yes, it is possible to skip the last two years of high school in America if you have completed all of the requirements, but it also may depend on each school's policy. However, since you are from Singapore and because education in Singapore is different, I don't think you will have a problem.</p>
<p>Debbie, thanks! As for me, I've not taken any sort of advanced classes, just classes for my level... I've heard a story about a friend's friend who took the SATs and went to Caltech, (frankchn he's from RJC!) wondering if that's really possible or something. </p>
<p>If I just take the SATs and Subject Tests, and score pretty well, won't it mean that I'm fit for college or smth to that extent? Or I'll have to complete pre-U qualifications before I'm even allowed to apply, or Penn Adcoms will just auto-reject me seeing that I have not gone to Junior College??</p>
<p>hmmm, graduating at 16.....
Would you actually fit in with people in their 20's. Doubt it.
And colleges look at how mature you are and how you would fit in with everyone else.
And there are some experiences in HS that you really can't repeat in college.
IMHO: not the best idea unless you just wanna go there. But it's your choice Pennaspirant.</p>
<p>I doubt Penn's adcoms will auto-reject you, but unless you have something outstanding relative to the other 18-19 year olds from Singapore applying there (remember some of them participated in S'pore's national and maybe even international olympiads, more CIP/SL projects, more leadership positions through out their 4 years), your chances are going to be slim anywhere.</p>
<p>If you are looking at applying to competitive schools, then you have to think in terms of your competition.</p>
<p>Admission to top schools is not just a matter of scoring well on a test or two -- they look at your accomplishments in high school (test scores, grades, classes taken in terms of difficulty, extracurriculars, volunteer work, teacher recs and awards).</p>
<p>Then -- they look at you in comparison to other students who are applying. This is particularly true for international students -- the number of spaces available for Asian international students is very limited, so you have to keep in mind your competition.</p>
<p>I don't see how you would be competitive for Penn in the least -- you would have no A-levels, no AP or IB classes. Two years of high school doesn't give you much time to develop leadership positions in extracurricular activities and to garner any awards.</p>
<p>I may not understand the Singapore system completely -- but doesn't every student take the O-level exams after two years of high school and then spends the next two years studying for A-levels? If so, that doesn't make you any different than top students from either Singapore or the US. In the US, students looking to apply to top schools like Penn usually spend the last two years of high school taking AP or IB classes, which are comparable to A-levels (at least in terms of how they are viewed by college admissions)</p>
<p>i've a friend (american citizen) who applied to michigan during sec4 at TCHS. he spent the first 3 months in HCJC, before dropping out to attend. he transferred after freshman year and is now attending columbia.</p>
<p>i don't think it's likely you'll get into penn or a top school, especially considering you come from a standardised-testing-factory, but i suppose it's possible. hope the anecdote helps.</p>
<p>Look over on the right hand side of this window. Click on NEW! Stats Profiles. Search the stats for University of Pennsylvania for the class of 2011. Look at the students who were rejected. Notice their high scores; at least one had 2400 on his/her SATs. </p>
<p>You wouldn't be competitive at this point, unless you have some special results you haven't mentioned.</p>
<p>Wow, thank you everyone. Yes, I know I don't exactly have anything much in particular, but... would they sort of blacklist me if I can't get in??? </p>
<p>Anyway, serf, wow, did the person have any special awards or stuff as well? Thank you! Maybe I should do the same.. hmm.</p>