LSE AP requirement for an US high school student

Student Lounge International Students
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Greetings

I am a Korean student, studying at a U.S. high school, who is interested in applying to LSE. I’ve been to many great schools in the US, but it seems like LSE has the “thing” that makes me feel like I should go there.

OK so main point of what I’m concerned about is that I might not be qualified to even apply to LSE

I am applying for Econ history, which requires four 5s on relevant subjects (science subjects are considered “relevant”)

I have taken following AP exams

World History - 5 (taken in 2014)
Human Geography - 5 (2014)

Biology (2015)
Macro Econ (2015)
Micro Econ (2015)
Euro History (2015)
American History (2015)

I don’t have the result for five AP exams that I took this year (they come out this week!)

My other qualifications are;

ACT: 32

SAT II: World History (770), Math II (760)

TOEFL: 115 - but who cares :slight_smile:

However I know that ACT, SATII and TOEFL does not have any effect on LSE admissions (heard this from the admissions director person)

While I am pretty much confident that I will score 5s on both histories and macro econ, I am not sure about Micro econ. In worst case scenario, I might end up with 4 on micro econ and biology, and this makes me unqualified to apply to LSE.

I actually flew across the pond and visited LSE on their March open day. I heard from director of admission there (I don’t remember her exact title, but she was some sort of important figure at LSE admissions dept) that I might be able to receive conditional offer from LSE if I mention AP exams that I am planning to take.

Now I am considering to take Harvard Extension course on Calculus (I live in Greater Boston area) and also will take AP Calc BC, environmental science and Physics C (Mechanics) exams in my senior year.

Do you guys think stating my plans for senior year (taking those APs) will help me get conditional offer from LSE? do they even give out conditional offers to international students?

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They absolutely do give out conditional offers to international students- your offer would be conditional on specific AP results. Here’s hoping you are being pessimistic on your results from this year, b/c you need 3* of your 5s to be in the same year (*4, if you are counting macro/micro), and you only have 2 from last year & 2 for next year.

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@collegemom3717 is write they do give out conditional offers to international students.

Before I start explaining whether or not you might receive a conditional offer from LSE, I need to make sure that you are aware of one thing. Yes, LSE requires that you earn a 5 on at least 5 AP courses to be even considered for an economics with economics history degree. However those 5 AP courses must be A level AP courses. To see which AP courses are classified as A level and which are classified as B views the following link https://www.ucas.com/ucas/undergraduate/getting-started/entry-requirements/tariff/tariff-tables/966. However, taking two certain B level AP courses and obtaining a 5 in both will count as 1 A level. On the LSE USA requirements page (http://www.lse.ac.uk/study/informationForInternationalStudents/countryRegion/northAmerica/USA/entryRequirements.aspx), AP courses grouped together are two B level AP courses that when taken together will count as one A level. For example Human Geography and Environmental Science are two B level AP courses that when the requirements are met, will count as one A level AP course. Taking any two B level AP courses won’t necessarily count as 1 A level. Only the two LSE groups together.

So as of right now you have the scores equivalent to 1.5 A level AP courses since human geography is a B level. If you do not earn a 5 on the environmental science test your senior year neither it nor human geography will be considered by LSE. If you do not obtain a 5 on both economics tests I wouldn’t even bother applying. If you do receive a five on both and 5’s on the history tests you are confident about, your biology test result will only improve your application if you get a five because you will have met the requirement of taking 3 AP exams in one season.

Now moving to the courses you are taking senior year. Providing you have gotten a 5 on the economics tests, you should have the equivalent of 4.5 or 5.5 A level AP courses (depending on Biology). As I am sure you know, earning a 5 on AP Calculus BC is required for any math based program. You can still apply to LSE even if you have not taken your all your AP tests yet. However, a teacher or guidance counselor will have to predict that you will get a 5 on the test which will at least put you in the running for a conditional offer from LSE based upon earning that required grade in the spring. Like I said before, you must get a five in environmental science for LSE to count human geography. Physics will only count as 1 A level if you have taken both the B and C tests. Therefore, even if you get a five on both Physics C tests it will not matter to LSE as that is only half an A level.

Be aware that most people who apply to LSE meet the academic requirements or even exceed them. So writing a great personal statement is what gets you accepted. Make sure that when writing your personal statement to first and foremost show your enthusiasm and interest in the degree you would like to obtain while weaving in what you have done outside of academics as evidence of your enthusiasm, all while using intelligent language.

Some important things to remember:

  • Getting a 5 on both economics test is required
    Assuming that you meet the requirement above:
    -a 5 in AP biology is not crucial
    -getting a 5 in environmental science is required for human geography to count
  • if you get an offer from LSE it will most assuredly be a conditional one based upon your Calc BC test result.
    -WRITE A STELLAR PERSONAL STATEMENT
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Also, please have some alternative plans as well (in the US/UK/Canada and maybe elsewhere as well).