Rejected International Student - take gap year and reapply?

Applying to College
1

<p>Hi, I'm very interested in going to a US university because of the breadth of learning as opposed to the depth of learning at a UK university. Unfortunately, I was rejected by all the top US universities that I applied to (wait listed at Caltech). I have been accepted to my UK universities. My intended major is Math.</p>

<p>Here are a few statistics about me:
SAT: 2150 (CR: 640, Math: 760, Writing: 750)
SAT2: 790 Math 2 and 770 Physics
GCSEs: 13A<em>s
A Levels: Predicted 4A</em>s
I go to one of the top states schools in the country.
Told that my recommendations were pretty good.
Interesting extra-curriculars (some I have been doing for a very long time)
Some Entrepreneurial Background
Strong work experience/internships with major engineering companies
Have some national/international awards for maths.
Applied to Princeton (SCEA), MIT, Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Duke.</p>

<p>I started the application process for the US a bit late, and everything seemed to clash with school work and my UK applications. I would have applied to Stanford SCEA, but seeing as this whole process was very complicated at the time I didn't want to waste my Stanford opportunity and applied to Princeton SCEA instead. </p>

<p>I feel that my essays were not of "stand out" quality - I'm not really a writer. My question is: Would taking a gap year with pretty much the same application package (small updates to grades, references, extra curricular...) but better essays be a waste of time or a good opportunity? Is the major I am applying for (math) too competitive? - should I be applying for something else that I have a strong interest in (i.e have the grades but don't have national awards)</p>

<p>Would appreciate any advice?</p>

2

<p>All schools on your list are the most competitive institutions in the world, and are reach schools for everyone. I do not think applying to the same schools again next year would yield better results, and it is futile to justify why you didn’t get into any of them. Instead, if you really want to attend an American college, look <em>below</em> these ultra-competitive institutions. For instance, though not as selective as the schools you applied to this year, Carnegie Mellon is highly regarded for its science and math programs (it’s not easy to get into though). Some small liberal arts colleges too are reputed for their exceptional science and math offerings–Swarthmore, Harvey Mudd, Wesleyan, Reed, Grinnell and Carleton come to mind.</p>

<p>Your major is mostly irrelevant to these colleges because you can change it once you get to the school. That is to say, you are not really competing with people who put “math” as one of their potential majors. For the most part, you are competing with every international student who applies to these schools.</p>

<p>Anyway, what universities in the UK are you currently considering? If we’re talking Imperial or UCL, go for it. There is no point wasting a year just to reapply to Harvard. It’s not really a lottery, you know. Or, if you really love the idea of a liberal arts education, you could consider taking a gap year and researching better to come up with a better list of colleges.</p>

3

<p>Plus, you were outright rejected by these schools – not even offered a cursory waitlist spot (with the CalTech exception). You were not in the running. You’d have to polish up your whole package, all the while doing something very meaningful for this gap year. All to submit yourself to colleges that are accepting under 10% of international applicants? Doesn’t sound sensible to me.</p>

4

<p>Lower your expectations for the schools you apply to, or else you risk hitting the same fate next year.</p>

5

<p>What I really want to know is this:</p>

<p>If I take a gap year I will HAVE to reapply to my UK universities (both a positive and negative). I was thinking of reapplying to the above list of US schools plus a few other “below” US schools such as Harvey Mudd at the same time. </p>

<p>Because I was rejected this time round, will my chances this time be 0%. Would like to know if anyone has been successful either US or international in reapplying to the SAME schools and getting accepted.</p>

<p>OR go to my UK university
I would also consider applying as a transfer student, but that also means putting in a lot more effort when that admissions process period comes up. Correct me if I am wrong but isn’t the freshman acceptance rate higher than the transfer admissions rate (particularly for internationals).</p>

6

<p>Do not apply to the same universities again. It is almost certain that you will be rejected. Schools like Harvey Mudd are certainly not “below”–Harvey Mudd and Caltech had the same acceptance rate this year.</p>

7

<p>Go to your UK university, do well there, and come here for grad school.</p>

8

<p>Harvey Mudd is not “below” those schools indeed. Acceptance rates are pointless in OP’s case because they are <10% for intls at all those schools I noted. </p>

<p>But what schools in the UK are you considering, OP? It’s not wise to say ‘no’ to top schools in the UK for another chance at Harvard and all. Most of the time people who reapply to these schools do not experience success. The school just did not find you compelling enough, and unless you have a significant addition to make to your application, the outcome will likely be the same. (Schools do, in fact, gloss over your old application while reviewing your new application.)</p>

<p>From the experience of people around me, a few have been successful while reapplying to liberal arts colleges mostly because those schools value the interest you show. But Harvard? Yale? Nope. </p>

<p>PS do you need financial aid?</p>

9

<p>Go to the UK university. With basically the same application package next year, you will likely get the same result in the US. You can always try to take a semester/year in the US or go to the US for grad school.</p>

10

<p>Cambridge and Imperial are my choices. However, I really prefer the US education system. In the UK you are trapped in a 4 year institution learning one subject… It’s a huge problem if you decide that the course isn’t right for you. </p>

<p>I feel that my credentials would have put me in a great position for US universities, and maybe my essays just let me down. At this point, I don’t want to seem bitter about why I didn’t get accepted. </p>

<p>The idea of transfers/grad school doesn’t appeal to me as much because the whole admissions process almost whole-heartedly begins again - gaining “great” references, grades, essays etc…</p>

<p>I guess this justifies continuing with my education in the UK. However, the (risk) of applying to US universities I feel is unjustified for pretty much every international student. The effort you have to put in (SATs, essays, gaining more references, interviews) in addition to the school work and other domestic university applications; I guess this is where the privilege of being a US citizen comes into play. I do wonder though why in the US you are allowed to apply to as many colleges as you want - this completely drives down the acceptance rates and disillusions the college admission process to both domestic and international applicants…</p>

11

<p>Regardless of acceptance rates, the same amount of students enroll. Schools come to know their average yield rate and thus accept more students compared to their enrollment. In the end, how many people apply usually only affects the perceptions, not anything to do with the education or the school quality. That’s why you can apply to as many school as you want in the US.</p>

<p>I think the big problem here is expectations. You should realize that there are literally hundreds of good schools in the US, and you seem to be restricting yourself to the very very top level. This top level you are applying to is not miles and miles ahead of the rest, there are MANY schools that offer relatively comparable experiences and educations. You are just setting yourself up for rejection applying to the schools you have mentioned. Not even an american student considers any of those schools remotely safe.</p>

<p>Check out schools in the range of 30-70 in the US rankings on various sites (start with US news probably) and find schools that are similar to the schools you applied to, whether it be in environment, academic department strength, location, size, etc. Apply to 3-5 of those, and pick 1-2 of the schools you applied to previously if you wish, but don’t expect a different result. You have great scores and grades, don’t deny yourself a good education because you went top tier or bust.</p>

12

<p>@HeyHaveYouMetTed I completely agree. I have always believed that the US should adopt a similar system in the UK where you can apply to a maximum of five colleges. If not anything else, then a limit of being able to apply to only ONE Ivy would do, too.</p>

13

<p>I just wanted to explain that UK courses can be more flexible than they look. You mentioned Cambridge and you’re right that you’d be studying one subject. But it’s not at all unusual for students to change courses. This happens particularly at the end of years. So, for example, it would be possible to do Math in first year but then if your interest change in second year you could study Economics, for example.</p>

<p>It’s probably not a great idea to apply with the specific intention of changing, but note that is is doable should you need it - they are quite accepting that interests change and develop as you study further. Things you need to know are:</p>

<ul>
<li><p>the courses normally have options that you complete at the end of each year, which is why it’s relatively easy to change subjects between years and start new options on the new course.</p></li>
<li><p>you have to ask to change and get permission from the new Director of Studies ( who will normally meet with you to discuss the change and how prepared you are for the new course - you would need to have suitable AP subjects if there are required subjects etc). Obviously depending on how similar the subjects are, some changes are easy, others are impossible.</p></li>
<li><p>you are normally only permitted to change courses if you’re doing OK. So they let you change because your interests have developed but not because you are doing badly and looking for an escape (since that would normally just lead to you struggling on the new course).</p></li>
</ul>

<p>Other than changing subjects, some courses are very broad indeed to begin with e.g. Natural Sciences or Human, Social and Political Sciences so you can study loads of different things within the course and tailor it to your interests as you go on.</p>

<p>Many courses also allow you to ‘borrow’ some options from other courses. It depends on the course structure for each course, but you’ll notice that quite often you can study one subject including an option from a relevant part of another subject ( for which you’d have teaching as if you we’re doing that other subject just for that option).</p>

<p>Look into it if you’re interested! Good luck.</p>

14

<p>Note that Irish universities are more flexible than UK colleges and some universities have begun implementing “liberal arts” type programs.</p>

<p>Would Cambridge allow you to defer for a year if you ask for a “gap year”?</p>

<p>Don’t apply to the same colleges. The odds for international students are about 3-5% and if they didn’t admit you in the first round, your odds in the second round are basically nil since there’s not much else you can do to change your application, beside work on your essays (read “Essay Hell” faithfully).
For all schools in the top 20 (universities and LACs), you are competing against the best students in the entire world. For Top 10, they may only take ONE student from your country: do you feel there’s no one stronger than you in the UK, for instance?</p>

<p>There are lots of other super selective schools if you need to apply to one, including HarveyMudd and CalTech, so if you apply again to school above 99.8% all American schools, choose these two where you may have a shot, plus Carleton, Williams, Amherst, Cornell, Haverford, Bowdoin, USC, Emory. MIT if you want to try again against all odds but that’s it from your former list.
For the others on your list, look at schools outside the top 20 - with 3-5 in the top 20-50 and 3-5 in the top 50-85 (LACs or universities. Note that LACs are NOT “lower” than universities in the US - the top 30 LACs are elite schools focused on undergraduates and many applicants have to choose between, say, Amherst and Yale.)Look at what they have to offer, whether you’d qualify for merit aid, etc.</p>

<p>If you don’t plan to apply outside the top 20 LACs/Universities, really your gap year is pointless as the results are likely to be identical to this year’s. I’m not really sure a gap year is the right idea, actually (understatement). But if Cambridge lets you defer for a year AND you apply to a variety of schools AND you find structured, productive activities for the year (volunteering? research? Enroll in a sort of PG year in another country, like in a MPSI or MP* in Paris (a special non-university, post-high school program with crazy difficult classes in math and physics) if you’re really advanced. Or go to another European country, learn the language, work on a farm with the WOOF system)…</p>

<p>Key question: do you need financial aid? How much?</p>