<p>P.S. Comparatively, which one has a slightly higher admission rate in Singapore, brown, columbia, duke or wash U</p>
<p>That an SAT score of 2400 does not help more than a 2200 is utter nonsense. All one has to do is check the common data set of any college to see that the difference in admissions rater between the 2 scores is huge.</p>
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Actually the amount of reputable schools joining the SAT-optional programme (LACs like Bates) is increasing.
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<p>chances are that the people here are applying to a college that requires the SATs.
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And I haven't even mentioned ACTs.
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<p>SATs, ACTs, standardized testing.</p>
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Prelims affect your transcript, and remember schools weigh coursework more heavily than SAT scores (though test scores are still weighted heavily). Poor coursework and high SAT scores will not get you anywhere.
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<p>our "coursework" is A-level grades, that's it. i didn't even send my horrendous prelim results, and Brown didn't even ask for them when I applied, so I don't know why the admission officer said that. maybe it's because i already had my final A-level grades at the point of application :)</p>
<p>and yeah, fiona a 200-point difference obviously is very big. don't underestimate the power of a 2400! ^-^</p>
<p>Darklord: i'd say wash u, with duke and brown a close second and columbia a distant third. actually, you don't just look at acceptance rate, but the competition too. wash u isn't a main draw for the most competitive students in sg, so it may be a little easier in that sense.</p>
<p>I applied before A-level results came out - none of my schools wanted my prelim results either. I just sent my Year 4 EOY grades (IP equivalent to A-levels) and my predicted scores. Heck, I only sent Stanford my A-level grades after I received my acceptance letter.</p>
<p>omg 1fan got 2400?! he sounded like he only got a barely <em>decent</em> score... wow</p>
<p>hahah y i f a n gg to stanford i last heard? maybe frank can verify</p>
<p>^ yeah he is, along with f o o and me. more hc/ec3 people are applying this year so we might even start an ec3 club over there =p</p>
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That an SAT score of 2400 does not help more than a 2200 is utter nonsense. All one has to do is check the common data set of any college to see that the difference in admissions rater between the 2 scores is huge.
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<p>Um, correlation != causation.</p>
<p>Surely you realise that someone with a 2400 SAT score is also more likely to have more outstanding <em>other</em> qualifications than a 2200. </p>
<p>Or is this set already normalised for all other achievements? I didn't know Singapore had Naviance?</p>
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chances are that the people here are applying to a college that requires the SATs.
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<p>A growing amount of "top" and reputable colleges are making the SAT optional.</p>
<p>Of course, yes, there will be certain types of students with the types of parents likely to thumb their noses at schools like Tufts or Swarthmore, solely because they've never heard the name themselves and they disdain everything that is not the Ivy League. </p>
<p>Besides, it is even rarer to find schools that will not accept the ACTs in place of the SATs. In that sense, they do not <em>require</em> SAT I's. And the ACT is a very different animal than the SAT, as you might know. ;)</p>
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our "coursework" is A-level grades, that's it.
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<p>The equivalent of a transcript. You know, the <em>other</em> grades.</p>
<p>A-level grades are the equivalents of AP exams and stuff that wins you rank and diploma. But they are not the "bulk work" of your education.</p>
<p>Oh please, Galoisien, screwitlah was just making a point, that most Singaporean people are not applying to those that are SAT-optional. Don't characterize all people, not applying to those, as bigoted. </p>
<p>And stop subverting his meaning. Screwitlah meant what is <em>reported</em>, not what is done.</p>
<p>Maybe I missed something between the O-level and A-level system, but as I am aware, in addition to your very final A-level exams, you have all these other end-of-term exams that are reflected in the report book, no?
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Oh please, Galoisien, screwitlah was just making a point, that most Singaporean people are not applying to those that are SAT-optional.
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<p>There are many schools that will accept the ACT in place of the SAT. The place that I am currently attending (which has like, dozens of Singaporeans in my year alone) is one of them. In fact, AFAIK the vast majority of top schools also have this option. So you can override a bad SAT score with a good ACT score, especially since the ACT is less culturally biased than the SAT is, and IMO the ACT is the more accurate test.</p>
<p>urm nope colleges only need our final O- and A-level grades. internal school examinations don't matter ****.</p>
<p>and thanks fiona for the clarification :)</p>
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urm nope colleges only need our final O- and A-level grades. internal school examinations don't matter ****.
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<p>American kids submit coursework transcripts. Surely you must have a real equivalent for that. I mean, no report books? A-levels are more like AP exams!</p>
<p>^ Yes, we do have internal exams, but the tests are so hard and our results so ugly that we often don't bother sending anything over. Our schools don't require us to and the universities don't seem to care either. On the other hand, if you are applying to US universities from a polytechnic, then you have to submit your transcript over.</p>
<p>Wow I just found this thread after years. Lol, how surprising.</p>
<p>hmmm what do you mean? anyway i believe it's your inaugural post on this thread so welcome! are you singaporean? what're you doing now?</p>
<p>Hi I'm singaporean, I have some questions regarding applications, hope you guys could help me out.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>I'm currently serving NS. Not that I have outstanding NS performance, but I think my NS life is meaningful (SCDF Officer), plus I'm applying only at the end of my NS, so it has been a long time since graduation, and I'm sure admission boards want to know what I've been up to. So, where do I include information for NS? Is it considered WORK? It can't be volunteer since I'm drawing allowance. </p></li>
<li><p>Also, if I'm in good enough books with my department Director, and I would be able to get a good recommendation letter, where does that go? This question also apply to other recommendation letters. As far as I've read, unis generally discourage sending of additional items above their application forms.</p></li>
<li><p>Are there any UC students here? I'm having a very hard time filling up their application (self-declared academic report, and where is the teacher recommendation?)</p></li>
<li><p>I have different types of achievements in JC and Secondary School, however in Common App, your JC teachers fill up the forms. How am I to include the secondary segment of it since the JC counselor will only send in JC transcripts, results and testimonials?</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Thanks :)</p>
<p>Me? I'm having 'fun' in OCS, going for overseas training in a few hours time lol. will read replies in 3+ weeks :P Applying this year, EDing Columbia.</p>
<p>koppen - it's probably considered work experience, and your director can probably write a very good rec for you. However, read each uni's admissions notes to see if they discourage supplementary notes/recs.</p>
<p>hey I just found this! I'm looking at Dartmouth and Stanford, but my prelim grades are horrendous. My ECs are not-so-great and my SAT 1 was 2160 only. I'll only be able to retake them in Dec. SAT 2s are good; 800s. Just to clarify- we don't have to send our promos/prelims at all? Just predicted? Do we have to ask our teachers to withhold the prelims or they will do so automatically?</p>
<p>^ It depends on your individual JC / CT's policies. My CT had me put whatever I thought necessary into the envelopes beforehand (certified true copies of course) and she will just include the Counselor Report, International Supplement and my predicted grades.</p>