Singaporean connection

<p>hey, i would like to seek some advice from you guys (and gals hahahahaha)!</p>

<p>right now i'm a sec 4 student in an IP school. i'm aiming to get into an ivy/top college but with my mediocre ECs (no leadership position, slack CCA, no awards -- nothing!) i'm wondering if i even stand a chance. Academically speaking i'm not great enough to be the top, but not lousy enough to be the last, just slightly above average I guess. my MSG is 1.7, if that helps.</p>

<p>I was wondering if those international new south wales competition stuff actually matters, cos I've got High Distinction in the English and Chemistry (Royal Chemical institute or smth like that). But other than that, I've no academic awards and stuff. But I do have interests in writing and photography, though sadly, i've no awards/prizes in these areas as well. speaking about teacher recs i think they'll all give me the standard crap, nothing outstanding as some of these teachers rather hate/dislike me. ;(</p>

<p>I took the SAT for fun in june and got a 2200. CR 730, M 740, WR 730 (MC 72 essay 10). I'm quite sure I can get better than this cos I was nervous that day...</p>

<p>I want to ask if going to Hwa Chong would be the right choice to 'maximise' my chances of getting into top schools? or is the ACSI IB any better? any info would be very much appreciated!</p>

<p>And... with my SAT score could I actually get admitted at some colleges without taking the A levels and a proper O level (cos we are IP, we have only the O level 'equivalent')? </p>

<p>Also... with my crappy ECs should I be doing something to boost them up or smth? I know they say you have to show some passion out of school, but honestly these opportunities are so hard to find! It's not like i'm being identified by my school as some sort of student leader... </p>

<p>so yup. it's been like some biiiig aspiration of mine to get into one of the ivys/LACs, but somehow i kinda feel like i don't deserve being admitted into them, like i don't have the qualities after seeing all the people who got in here on CC. any advice from people with experience would be appreciated okay! THANKS!!!</p>

<p>New South Wales isn't important, really.</p>

<p>HCI and ACSIB are both very good programs, but fundamentally different - A level is indepth while IB focuses on thematic learning. I <em>think</em> ACSIB is better at 'soft' subjects, with TOK and EE, while the A level system has greater depth in subject areas. Depends on what you want to do, though. Don't anyhow transfer lol.</p>

<p>With only a SAT score you won't get into any universities - you have to take the requisite high school courses. I know of some unis which admit based on O levels but they kinda suck, lol. I believe Purdue is one.</p>

<p>Um... Yeah. Don't sit there and wait for the school to 'identify' you, you do stuff. Like, run for council, or be proactive on your CCA, or take photog classes, I don't know man. If you're interested in tutoring young kids I'll hook you up with the organisation I'm working with.</p>

<p>New South Wales isn't important, really.</p>

<p>HCI and ACSIB are both very good programs, but fundamentally different - A level is indepth while IB focuses on thematic learning. I <em>think</em> ACSIB is better at 'soft' subjects, with TOK and EE, while the A level system has greater depth in subject areas. Depends on what you want to do, though. Don't anyhow transfer lol.</p>

<p>With only a SAT score you won't get into any universities - you have to take the requisite high school courses. I know of some unis which admit based on O levels but they kinda suck, lol. I believe Purdue is one.</p>

<p>Um... Yeah. Don't sit there and wait for the school to 'identify' you, you do stuff. Like, run for council, or be proactive on your CCA, or take photog classes, I don't know man. If you're interested in tutoring young kids I'll hook you up with the organisation I'm working with.</p>

<p>wow sec 4...</p>

<p>anyway i think alevels and ib both have their merits... but i think ib edges it slightly (maybe i am biased against alevels cos i am taking it) u shld seriously sit down and think about what you like (u know, what makes you passionate. it could be anything) and then put some serious effort into it. i don't think sats and new south wales competitions will get you into anywhere great ><</p>

<p>when has it been IB vs A levels in selecting a candidate? It's up to how good you are as a candidate and a matter of which exam plays to your strengths, not the exam itself. </p>

<p>Granted, I do think IB being IB is more recognised in the US. Also, it's an international examination - if you get a very good score for IB, then the admission officers could probably more definitively say that you're a better international candidate than most.</p>

<p>
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I want to ask if going to Hwa Chong would be the right choice to 'maximise' my chances of getting into top schools?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Actually, RJ is the real path to Ivy League. :D It's in the New York Times article even. Haha shameless plugging of own school. But really it's a very well-known school in many many top US unis.</p>

<p>fiona_, wow thanks, i'm rather interested in the IB but i heard it's stressful due to the TOK and EEE? also ACSI is expensiveeeeeeee. and i don't really like to learn like, in-depth stuff as well. so i suppose IB? but price... ;( and they might not even want to accept me right, haha.and is purdue that bad! Hmm maybe i should go to purdue so i can skip jc. hm. thanks for your advice about the CCA part. i should go out and find opportunities... and could you tell me more about the organisation you're working with? thanks a lot! </p>

<p>1234d, very funny lor, sec 4 cannot dream meh! though i am very lousy actually haha. do you think i should up my SAT score or something???</p>

<p>if everyone from my school is great does this mean i won't even stand a chance? like i saw some HC guy with terrific stats on this board once. and I dont wanna compete with these people hahaha. </p>

<p>screwitlah and lisieux, hmm ya. also what's drawing me is that the papers reported acsi got like 9/20 of the perfect scorers around the world right?
so is acsi's name becoming bigger in the eyes of american colleges right now? any stats at all on acsi grads college admissions? </p>

<p>Thanks a lot everyone!</p>

<p>hi i am from RJC and currently doing my US apps. The Common App requires applicants to send in a secondary school report and final report. these 2 forms look exactly the same and i don't see how it is applicable to RJC. RJC only has one version of the secondary school report and there is no mention on any final report on its website. so what do i do? i am afraid if i just ignore the final report, my application would be deemed as incomplete.</p>

<p>
[quote]
wow cool i'll go check that out! </p>

<p>thx fiona! any other ideas/activities u noe of , hope you'll tell me

[/quote]
</p>

<p>not sure if this is of any interest to anyone:</p>

<p>SYINConnect, a national-level youth conference, needs youth volunteers to assist as group facilitators. Don't worry, experience is not a prerequisite, but you should be friendly and approachable.</p>

<ol>
<li>You must be available on 26 July, Sat, at 8am-7pm.</li>
<li>You must be between the ages of 17 and 35 (inclusive).</li>
<li>You must be interested to interact with other youths and make them feel comfortable at this youth conference.</li>
</ol>

<p>What's in it for you?
You get to meet like-minded youths and attend this conference for free! Lunch is provided, and the conference actually costs $12! If you need CIP hours, it can also be arranged! </p>

<p>So what's this conference?
It's called SYINConnect. It's a youth conference on social change that connects over 200 participants to urgent social issues, and what people are doing about them in Singapore. Participants will get the opportunity to meet the community leaders making change in our society today, and build the skills, networks and confidence to be effective agents of change. Conference themes includes social entrepreneurship, climate change, interfaith dialogue, adventure learning, and even sanitation! For more information, visit SYINConnect</a> 08.</p>

<p>E-mail <a href="mailto:mervyn_sek@hotmail.com">mervyn_sek@hotmail.com</a> if you would like to be a group facilitator.</p>

<p>Pennaspirant: i don't think SAT is a big issues for you right now.... as it stands 2200 is good enough so you should focus on other parts of your portfolio, such as your cca, non-academic involvement, etc</p>

<p>I really have no clue about ACSI but it's partly coursework-based, so the exam weightage isn't 100%. TOK is mini-KI.</p>

<p>Haha, I'm not sure what you mean by "don't want to learn in-depth stuff", yeah, A levels is highly mugging-focused. You wont really be able to avoid mugging largely though, this is Singapore.</p>

<p>Lol don't go to college just because you don't want to do A levels... It seems finaid is an issue, since ACSI is 'expensive'? Purdue doesn't offer much finaid to internationals.</p>

<p>mikey123, you only submit final report once you received your A-Level grades.</p>

<p>When I was young, I thought ACSI IBDP was a dream. Coursework-focussed! Actual philosophical thinking and not machinelike mugging!</p>

<p>But hearing from my friends I was quite wrong. </p>

<p>It still is a challenging programme.</p>

<p>Whether A-levels or IB is more "recognised" depends on the school. American schools tend to underappreciate IB (compared to say, UK or France).</p>

<p>lisieux do you mean i send in my sec sch report first, and only send in the final sch report when my A Levels come out? but the thing is i am not in JC now(army), and i plan to send my A levels with my sec sch report. how?</p>

<p>Then you ask your CT to send everything in, Sec Sch report, Mid-term report and final report, with a note saying that you have already graduated from JC. Which schools are you thinking of applying to anyway?</p>

<p>am thinking of UMich, Boston U, CMU, Northwestern, NYU, USC, Wisconsin.
thanks for your help</p>

<p>anyway do u send in your financial documents to certify that you are able to pay the sch fees after admittance or before</p>

<p>Some unis ask for it before, some unis after. Do check with the individual requirements yourself.</p>

<p>hi all, I'm new here, registered today actually, and here to increase the non-rafflesian headcount [lol]</p>

<p>anyway, first things first, i'm in jc 2 now, took sats last year, has 2130[>.<] for reasoning test & 800, 780, 760 for subject test; all tests taken once only as of now.</p>

<p>would I stand a chance to get into schools like amherst & williams? or middlebury? what sort of schools would I stand a chance at? [i'm going to ask for financial assistance.] </p>

<p>So should I retake the reasoning test? the only prep I did previously was to look through the collegeboard official blue book, so I guess the results might improve if I do. only consideration is that I'm only 4 mths away from A levels...</p>

<p>i don't have solid cca achievements for jc, though I've been in stuff like Local Science Attachment Programme in temasek life science lab for 8 weeks, attachment to cambridge for 2 weeks, singapore biology olympiad [bronze], citibank-ymca youth for causes 16-week cip project[group leader] & various misc stuff.
for A levels I'm probably going to get A unless I flop.</p>

<p>second question---- the common application mention an arts supplement. how high is the standards for submitting it? schools seem to hint that if you're just average, or just good, not exceptionally good, you're better off not submitting it. I did O'level equivalent of general art course in secondary school [not aep, but similar enough that we do the same exam internally], has an A for overall results. should I even submit anything? and what about musical instruments? diploma standard?</p>

<p>last question----does doing early decision really increase ur chances? or it doesn't do much since criteria is higher?</p>

<p>thanks a lot~~~</p>