Hi you guys, I have just heard back from a university in the UK and they have stated they want my “predicted grades for my APs and my high school diploma currently being undertaken”. We don’t do predicted AP scores at my school, so what should I do? Should I have a teacher who knows me best write a letter predicting my scores and give that to them? And what do I give them in terms of my diploma, since I don’t receive that until August? In the email it says “currently being undertaken” so maybe do they mean my transcript, and I just explain to them I don’t get the official diploma until August? Thank you so much for anyone who responds, I’m very confused haha!
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https://www.ucas.com/advisers/references/how-write-ucas-undergraduate-references
Ask your guidance counselor for a reference and predicted grades. S/he should solicit feedback from AP teachers. Give her the link above, as it describes the process and content. You will submit a copy of your diploma once you obtain it.
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Have you applied or did you just email for info?
If you have already applied via Common App:
AP predictions: have your GC or the teacher who wrote your LoR or the teacher in the subject closest to what you are planning to study (ie, the course you are applying for) predict your scores. Be aware that if the prediction is too low you won’t get an offer and that you may well get an offer that is “conditional” on actually achieving that mark. That means that a) if you don’t get the mark you are likely to lose the offer and b) you won’t know for certain whether you have the place until early July, when AP marks come out, so you will want to have a back up plan.
HS diploma: they already have your transcript; the same person as above can write that you are following a ‘standard high school curriculum’, and you are expected to complete it in June, 2019 (or whatever).
If you haven’t applied yet, and were just asking them to help you figure it out, welcome to your 1st lesson on university in the UK: learn to help yourself (which you did, by coming to CC).
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Thank you so much!
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@collegemom3717 I’ve already applied through UCAS. Thank you so much this is so helpful
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The UK and other countries have a prediction for IB score, not AP. And they have different sorts of hs diplomas. This question makes more sense in their context, than ours.
Predicting AP scores is pretty useless. Your teacher doesn’t know. For the diploma, just say you’re aiming for the "standard US hs diploma.
What college is this, that they seem a bit confused? Or maybe it’s a form response.
@lookingforward They specifically asked for AP predictions. I think I’m just gonna show my teacher my grades in my AP’s and tell her personally what I think I will get and ask for her opinion as well, there’s not much else I can do. And thank you for the diploma help, I had no idea what to say for that one
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Yes, but in the US, we don’t do AP predictions. You could get an A, be the best kid a teacher ever saw, and still not get a top AP score. Even if you run practice tests, you don’t know. In contrast, predicting IB scores is based on various things that apply.
Yes, UK schools often want AP predictions if that’s what you are taking. Look at the admissions criteria for the school and make sure that any predictions are at or above the level required for your course, e.g. if they require 5 in Calc BC, you’d better be predicted that or you probably won’t get an offer. But remember you may well get a conditional offer requiring you to achieve at least some of these predictions (that’s likely why they are asking), so don’t just get your teacher to predict all 5s (unless this is Oxbridge in which case that’s what is needed anyway).
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@lookingforward, AP predictions is standard practice for US students applying to UK universities. US teachers do tend to have an idea as to how AP scores run with their students, but more to the point there is no downside for the teacher in predicting whatever suits the student. It is really on the student to make sure that their predictions are sufficient for an offer but still achievable for making the offer.
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Ok and thanks.
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@collegemom3717 so in regards to telling them about my diploma, should I add this information into the letter describing my predicted AP scores or a different letter? And I’m basically just saying I’m studying the standard high school curriculum and I’ll be expected to obtain it in June 2019. Should I mention the amount of APs I’ve taken throughout high school/my GPA? Thank you so much
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Let’s get specific: what course at what college are you applying to? What APs have you taken, with what scores? What APs are you scheduled to take this year?
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@collegemom3717 This for the English BA at UCL. I have taken AP World History (4), AP English Language (4), AP Psychology (5). I’m taking AP English Literature, Government, Art History, and French this year.
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Have you read the admissions criteria? They want 5,5,5,4,4 including a 5 in English Lit. So you’d better be predicted at least two more 5s including a 5 in Lit. That’s going to be a minimum requirement in any conditional offer. Though I’m afraid you probably don’t have a great chance of getting an offer with a 4 in Lang.
So, you have to send them all the AP scores you already have, and predictions for the 4 you are taking this year. You need predictions of 5s for at least 3 of the 4.
Following @Twoin18’s question about how carefully you have read their requirements, how carefully have you read the program description?
https://www.ucl.ac.uk/english/prospective-students/ba-english
https://www.ucl.ac.uk/english/prospective-students/ba-english/application-process
In Year 1 you take 4 courses (for the whole year):
Narrative Texts
Criticism
Intellectual and Cultural Sources
Introduction to Medieval Language and Literature
In Year 2 you take Chaucer + 3 modules; Y3 is Shakespeare + 3 modules
Module choices:
American Literature to 1890
The Modern Period I
History of the English Language
Literary Linguistics
Literary Representations and the History of Homosexuality
London in Literature
Middle English II
Old English II
Old Icelandic
Renaissance Literature
The Eighteenth Century
The Romantic Period
The Victorian Period
You are assessed primarily by a year-end exam in each course (known as a ‘paper’), though you can substitute essays for up to 2 exams; and there is a research essay in final year. UCL has a tutor system, so every two weeks you meet one-on-one with your tutor and discuss your most recent essay.
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