"…then move to New York to escape paying my student loan… "
Elite schools also consider the character of their applicants. Perhaps you revealed more of yours than you anticipated in your application.
@AlbionGirl Isn’t that just being sensible? I want to move there anyway and don’t come from a rich family. Thanks for the unhelpful/slightly hurtful comment at a time when I’m not feeling good about myself anyway. Very clever, though sorry to disappoint you but I’m actually a nice guy.
Picking up on one flippant comment at the end really doesn’t help. I don’t know how you could judge my character from that. I’m fairly sure I have more of a basis to judge yours because of the fact you bothered to comment this and the way you worded your snide insult.
@hugo0777 - I think @AlbionGirl proved to be quite discerning with her comment on your lack of character. Your first comment to her showed that quite clearly I believe. If you came from a rich family, then you wouldn’t need the loan. If you don’t plan to pay off debts, then never take loans. Instead you can find a way to make some money to pay for your schooling. Good luck to you.
In the UK, you pay your university fees effectively through a tax. When you graduate it is taken as a percentage of your first wages, but if you never work in the UK, you never have to pay. So I’m not taking out a debt I can’t pay - I guess I’m just fortunate in that if I move to the US after university (which I want to anyway), I won’t have to pay the loan.
I would much prefer advice rather than being told I have a lack of character. I can’t help feeling condescended and insulted. My first comment to her shows my upset at what she’s said. After being rejected from everywhere I applied in the US my spirits are low, so maybe I am lacking in good character at the moment. But I would rather focus on the future than be told I’m a bad person.
@GrudeMonk Practically everyone takes a ‘student loan’ in the UK - its not because of my circumstances; I’m afraid this is a misunderstanding.
@collegemom said “None of us were on the adcomms that didn’t choose you” and she makes a really good point about CCers trying to second guess why admissions committees made their decisions. earlier this year i posted on a different thread somewhere about an online service that uses former admissions officers to give feedback on applications. usually people use this before they apply so they can make tweaks, changes, etc to their applications, but i think you can also use it at this point in the process to help you decide what to do next and how to apply differently next year (if you decide to defer and/or transfer). i couldn’t remember the name of the service the last time i mentioned it so i looked it up this time: admissionscheckup.com. hope this helps. if i were in your shoes i would want professional feedback, rather than second guesses (although i have to admit that collectively this group has a lot of really good advice!).
Did you only apply to these highly selective schools? Who, if anyone, gave you this advice?
As you clearly stated, your intention is to leave the UK taxpayers to pay your loans for you while you depart for the US where you will pay no UK taxes. I’m holding up a mirror, if you don’t like what you see perhaps it is time to ask yourself why.
I did state that, but it’s not the reason I’m moving to the US. I’m moving there as I’ve wanted to live there for a long time so if I have to stay in the UK for another 4 years, I will want to go over asap after graduating. You did more than just hold up a mirror, but I’m perfectly happy with who I am and know I’m not a bad person.
@janjmom Thanks so much this sounds very helpful
“I did state that, but it’s not the reason I’m moving to the US. I’m moving there as I’ve wanted to live there for a long time”
"…then move to New York to escape paying my student loan… "
Don’t kid yourself.
By the way. If you’re planning to take out loans for your education in the US don’t make the mistake of believing that you can avoid paying them here. The loan companies will chase you.
I’m serious I’m not moving there to escape paying the loan. It’s not like moving to New York is a cheap option?? That second quote was verging on a joke. It’s been my dream to live in the New York; I’m not a fraud. Can we drop this please - there’s no point arguing.
New York, not the New York***
Would you really expect to be admitted to Oxford or cambridge with only 3 A levels? What UK schools have you been accepted to?
I am sure you have read all the threads about the top US students also rejected, the ones with 10 plus APs, top IB, 2400 SAT, full pay, I am sure it should be no mystery here. You might have asked for more advice upfront because I think based on stats you would have got advice to apply the Alabama type group etc vs top tier schools if you just wanted to live in America.
The reason I did 3 a levels and not 4 is because oxford and cambridge and other UK universities only care about 3. They see a fourth as extra (mostly), and most students only do 3. In the UK I was rejected from Oxford for reasons that wouldn’t have affected my US application. And statistically my test scores are definitely high enough to get in. People with lower scores do. Oxford see 3 level 5 APs as 1 A level, so I had at least 9 AP equivalents + an AS which would be 1.5 APs. I don’t think my test scores and grades were the reason I didn’t get in.
So which UK schools accepted you? What was Oxford's reason?
Rejected from Oxford, accepted at UCL and Warwick for economics, and Leeds as my insurance. Oxford had their own test that was the same week as my SATs. I know it’s an excuse but I chose to work for my SAT subject tests as in my heart i didn’t and still don’t want to go to oxford. Oxford also like further maths for economics, which I chose not to take as I wanted my a levels be as broad as possible. But in retrospect I would’ve taken this as a fourth. I was advised by a cornell alumna and mother of a student that i should apply to top tier schools, and she was sure I’d get into one.
Such advice was poor. Also you have a green card? Based on your parents? GC are not longer travel documents so it may all be for the best, in reality you didn’t get rejected for being in the international pool, you were considered along any US kids applying with need. And the USA is full of british kids whose parents are working here, that is not international diversity. Green card holders who don’t live in the USA get a lot of scrutiny when they come back in from living overseas. As a minor, you would like as not get tripped up in this process.
Hi, an A-Level student fella here! XD
AAA*A (Phy, Bio, Math, Chem) actual
SAT 1: 2310
SAT 2: 3x800
thousands of hours doing artistic stuff professionally, volunteering, fouding club, etc,.
need significant financial aid
I got rejected from those schools you listed. Friends with better stats and full pay got rejected too. You should think twice before trying again and lower the standards. If you do decide to take a gap year, do something that really WOWS the adcoms.