<p>Just wondering if anyone's familiar if rankings are done in your respective JC's? If so, what JC's are you from? Also, does your guidance counsellor fill up the midyear report for those who have already got their A Level results?</p>
<p>nope rankings are not done at my school (acjc) and I think the mid year report will be sent next year (jan/feb?) before my a level results. </p>
<p>but if you've got the results already, most likely it should be sent together with the counselor report I suppose.</p>
<p>Just curious... How do you get A-Level results before your mid-year report is due (Jan/Feb)?</p>
<p>Some colleges accept Predicted A-Level scores, GoBlue. ;)</p>
<p>the mid-year report generally isn't submitted by Singapore schools, i believe. so if you're applying in your 2nd year of JC, unis will make their decisions based on your predicted/prelim scores (depending on what you supply to them).</p>
<p>I've been wondering about the mid-year report, but basically I'll just be sending in a note saying that I graduated in December and A level results don't come in till after the Feb 15 deadline (for my school). </p>
<p>However, I think I'll have to send in the A level results as part of my final school report that they'll ask for in the 'spring of 2005'.</p>
<p>The system's a bit weird for Singaporeans cuz Americans end their school year in March or so whereas we end in November; the A levels suck donkey balls cuz we're based solely on a bunch of 6 hour papers that could possibly throw our admissions placements in total whack. Plus everything the schools need, we've basically already given when we apply by the regular deadlines. </p>
<p>BAH to the A levels.</p>
<p>heh...no one says you <em>have</em> to submit your A level results. some schools may say they want the final year report, but i think you can usually get away with not submitting it. my school (Penn) didn't require it, and my friend who was admitted by Northwestern was told to send her results, but she just didn't bother. basically, once they've accepted you, you're in.</p>
<p>the main thing is to make sure your teachers like you enough to predict good grades. and also to avoid getting your prelim scores sent, if they're lousy - if your teacher want to send this, tell her you really want to study in the States and would be really appreciative if she simply didn't send anything but predicted grades. the actual A levels are essentially unimportant when applying to US unis in J2.</p>
<p>Really? Cuz I've already been accepted ED at my school of choice but am dreading the A level sendage. Thanks, seeker for that info though! Takes a load off my mind. :)</p>
<p>also, many schools actually look at the o levels when accepting students, and give extra credit for the a levels. very few schools actually require the a levels for acceptance, such as berkerley and georgetown. even harvard and mit do not require a levels to be taken.</p>
<p>in case you're wondering, i did actually ask the admissions officers this question.</p>
<p>Colleges are not asking for your A-Level scores for admission. When they ask for mid-year report and/or final report, they are asking for your school report or final transcript (mid-term grades and final grades). Surely you are taking classes in your senior year...and you have quarter exams or mock exams... and you get a report card from your high school. That's the one they want you to send in.</p>
<p>The idea is to make sure you don't catch senioritis...like getting all C's instead of A's, or dropping your Calculus class for beginner golf. Your counselor is supposed to comment on any slacking off on your efforts.</p>
<p>You will only submit your A-Level result now if it will help boost your chance for admission (which is not the case here).</p>
<p>When you are ready to register in the Fall, you bring your A-Level result to your advisor. You can claim college credits and/or place out of introductory courses with your A-Level subjects.</p>
<p>sin_87 - what you say may be true, but it's quite clear that top universities generally expect applicants to have taken the most difficult course combination available to them. it'll take a lot of other achievements for someone with only O levels to be admitted. schools consider both O level results and A level predicted/prelim results when they make their admission decisions - it's not true that A levels will be purely considered for advanced credit.</p>
<p>of course, a few well-known schools like Purdue fit your description. they regularly accept O level holders.</p>
<p>well, most schools do consider o level holders, just that in better schools, obviously the chances of getting in are lower. but applying directly after o levels does not discount you from admission, and one does not need the a levels to matriculate</p>
<p>that said, one is better off with an a level cert, as you have rightly pointed out. and if you HAVE taken the a levels, of course they'll want to take a look at your results. but is it absolutely necessary? no.</p>
<p>I'm not from singapore but I took A-levels and submitted them to Yale coz Yale says that they accept A-levels as a substitute for SATs II, I don't think this will hurt as they openly declare it as their policy on their website. I agree completely tiwh GoBlue, A-levels show that you have taken hard courseload, but it's true that results are only worth submitting if they are good.</p>
<p>I think what sin_87 says has a point. Anyway, let me get back to the midyear report first.</p>
<p>From what I know, many JC's in Singapore do NOT submit the midyear report(in some cases, a blank/null form will be submitted with the counselor's signature). For those applying in the midst of JC2, your teachers will generate what is generally(different schools may call it differently, but they are generally the same where your teachers give comments and predicted grades) known as a Teachers' Evaluation Report.</p>
<p>The catch here is how do people with A levels results(in the case of guys who are applying when they are serving military service) make use of that? My guess is it's not necessary.</p>
<p>As for the point you mention, sin_87 you're right in the sense that GCE A levels is not required. Then again, if you scrutinise the instructions carefully, they'd say there's no minimum grades/scores, curriculum one needs to complete before applying. While that holds true, oftentimes you will be held at a disadvantage when you apply to selective colleges considering the strength of the applicant pool. So draw whatever conclusions you like from it(this is pretty much a dilemma similar to that of financial aid issues for internationals - even though some colleges claim to be need-blind, I am pretty sure they know who to offer the place to if they had 2 identical academically-qualified applicants with just 1 needing aid).</p>
<p>Hi all,</p>
<p>Just curious: for you guys from Singapore who applied to universities in states, what is your lowest rating school whose acceptance you will still consider, how do you compare it with NUS and what makes you think so.</p>
<p>I am so in love with this thread right now. Anyhow, I think unless you've attained admission into HYP or a few other TOP tier ivy-leagues, the A level grades won't matter too much especially if it isn't an AAAA/A1 that graces your certificate. </p>
<p>I went to a Columbia talk earlier this year and the general consensus was that unless you were pretty darn sure of getting kick-ass grades for the A levels, admissions to these institutions can be revoked.</p>
<p>Scary thought eh? <em>shudder</em></p>
<p>GoBlue81: We <em>can't</em> get senioritis. We're already out of school. But I get where you're coming from, just that I think it doesn't apply to Singapore candidates; some admissions policies hinge on your performance in the actual exam, some don't.</p>
<p>Seeker,
The problem is there is no way you can 'predict' A-Level scores with any kind of accuracy. Unlike IB, A-Level is based "solely on a bunch of 6 hour papers". Your 6,7 years of efforts all come down to one test!</p>
<p>discombobulated,
It's a matter of timing. If you apply ED/EA, you will submit your application before Nov 1, and you will be notified before Dec 15. You won't have your A-Level scores then. So the decision is based solely on your GPA (and O-Level), SAT, EC's and essays, etc. Unless your admission letter specifically say that it is contingent on your A-Level, you don't have to submit it...you are already admitted.</p>
<p>For RD, your deadline is Jan 1. All your transcripts, test scores and other required documents have to be postmarked before the deadline. I presume you will not have your A-Level scores by then(?). The mid-year report is intended for students who are still in school. Since you have already graduated, there is no need to submit a mid-year report. You will only send in your A-Level if you get good scores.</p>
<p>Not sure I'd believe the 'general consensus' you heard at the Columbia talk, unless you heard it from the horse's mouth (I doubt that any admissions counselor will say anything like that). HYP and other top schools do not just look at grades and test scores. If you are an exceptional student, you will get in.</p>
<p>ok, for one thing, some schools won't accept students younger than, say, 17. so if you're too young, you still won't be accepted on the basis of O levels unless you have incredible achievements or whatnot. just in case anyone wasn't aware.</p>
<p>it's pretty pointless debating whether A levels are "essential" or not. i would say that, if a top school hasn't admitted an O level holder in the last decade, it probably indicates that either 1) no O level holder has been good enough, or 2) no O level holder has even attempted to apply. statistically, in case 1, you're facing very tough odds if you apply as an O level holder, and in case 2, you're facing unknown odds. the main question is, do your achievements/qualities compensate for your lack of A levels or equivalent?</p>
<p>anyway, with regard to mid-year reports, for NS guys it's simple. you just send in your A level results, and nullify the mid-year report.</p>
<p>discombobulated - i never heard of anyone getting their admission revoked because of lousy A level results, but then again i never heard of any J2 submitting their A level results. i say what GoBlue81 says is right: "Unless your admission letter specifically says that it is contingent on your A-Level, you don't have to submit it...you are already admitted."</p>
<p>GoBlue81 - you misunderstand me on the 'predicted A level results' point. in Singapore, teachers are to officially predict the A level grades of their students; these predictions are used for UK & US university applications. essentially, they're all that universities have to go on for the student's most recent academic achievements. in light of this, universities necessarily have to place a greater consideration on the O levels, since those scores are already confirmed. this is the reason why most schools state that O level scores are important in decisions.</p>
<p>Seeker,
I see...so your 'predicted A-level results' is like the mock exam, if even that.</p>
<p>Not sure what you mean by "some schools won't accept students on the basis of O levels". I presume you don't mean students jumping to college right after O levels...as that's only equivalent to Grade 11. Many students here, however, are starting college after finishing the first year of their A levels (Grade 12)...as they want a 4-year college education instead of just three. Technically colleges can only evaluate these students based on their O levels results. I know students who were admitted last year into Yale, Cornell, CMU, Michigan, Brown, UVa, WUSTL, Texas, etc. So not completing A levels didn't seem to be a factor in admission.</p>
<p>"Not sure what you mean by "some schools won't accept students on the basis of O levels". I presume you don't mean students jumping to college right after O levels...as that's only equivalent to Grade 11."</p>
<p>that's exactly what i mean. no issue there :)</p>
<p>and well, we have mock exams for the A levels (known as preliminary exams). some schools here force their students to submit their prelim exam results with their US uni apps; other schools just send predicted grades alone. i'm glad my school's one of the latter :)</p>