<p>Intelligent, thoughtful responses only, please.
Let me tell you the full story- no, it is too much. Let me sum up. (Princess Bride reference in case I'm not as funny as I think)
Stats (on me, obviously):
ACT composite 26, English 33, Math 17, Reading 30, Writing 9, English/Writing composite 31-2ish.
GPA- 3.2 (likely 3.3ish + by the time I graduate) Got straight C's my freshman year when I attended a boarding that I was almost as unprepared for as it was for me. Transfered to a small college-like school (WITHOUT AP or IB AVAILABLE), loved it, focused as much as I could on English and Global Studies and Languages. Got about half B's, half A's, now, senior year, getting straight A's.
I WANT TO STUDY ENGLISH LANGUAGE/LITERATURE and likely SPANISH, possibly switching courses to English and Philosophy or Film Studies later on.
I've got a really good letter of recommendation from a teacher (that I think will serve as a Referee's Report also), and plan on a kick-ass personal statement.
THE REASON I'M APPLYING TO PRESTIGIOUS SCOTTISH UNIS (St. Andrews, Edinburgh, Glasgow) BUT MY STATS DO NOT MATCH THIS AMBITION is because during our first trimester this year I elected to take a class called College Writing that sets the bar at (reputably) slightly higher than a very good university's level. I LOVED it. I finally felt genuinely challenged, and I am SO passionate about thinking, that long (within a short time) story short: I put two and three (I'm obviously not a mathematics aspiree) together and realized "HOLY SHIT! I NEED TO GO A UNIVERSITY THAT WILL CHALLENGE ME. I love to think too much and improve my expression of that (writing, friends) that I can't NOT go." I had been planning to aupair in Sweden for a year or two and see Europe to get some perspective and travel.
I know my scores are going to be a challenge. I'm honestly not BAD at math, but our school's quarter and block class scheduling make it difficult to recall what we learned in previous classes. I also (gag) forgot a calculator.
I'm sure I forgot things, but if I make this too much longer I fear no one will read it.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR (INTELLIGENT) HELP!
Anna</p>
<p>Hi Miss Leap Year - </p>
<p>I am new to this myself but I will give you my two cents. First, I am assuming that you’ve looked at each school’s web site to see what qualifications they require. I copied and pasted below.</p>
<p>As your stat’s are lower than required I suggest you email or call the unis directly and talk to them. Have you talked to an admissions counselor for any of the universities?</p>
<p>I can tell you that my daughter had a low math SAT score (but her overall SAT score exceeded the requirements for the unis and she had high APs and SAT subj tests) and when she posted here on CC she was told that she wouldn’t get into the unis she was applying to because of her math score even though she’s also going to study English/Lit. She felt very discouraged. We ended up going to Scotland to tour the unis and they made it clear that the applications are looked at holistically. They do consider your personal statement and letters of recommendation besides just scores. My daughter applied to Uni of Edinburgh and St. Andrews and was accepted to both.
You have strong Eng/Writing ACT scores. What you are missing is the additional APs and/ or SAT subject tests. Also, do you have anything else that shows your desire to study English/Lit other than your College Writing course? My daughter had taken two summer courses - one on creative writing and one on literature.
How strong is your desire to go there? My DD felt if she didn’t get into her top pick uni she would wait a year, bolster her application with additional AP/SAT subj tests and reapply next year! She was that determined to go to school there. Would that be possible for you?
I know St. Andrews has rolling admission until June 1st for international students but I don’t know if you might have missed the deadline for application for U of Edinburgh and/or Glasgow. I know the UCAS deadline was Jan. 15 but it may be different for international students. Well, I know U of Edinburgh wanted my daughter’s application by Jan. 15th.
If going to uni in Scotland is what you want keep working at it and make it happen!!! If you can wait a year then sign up for SAT subject tests (in relevant areas) and, if possible, APs. It wouldn’t hurt to resit the ACT or take the full SAT. (Well, for St. Andrews you have until June 1 to do that.) Find something that shows your desire to study English/Lit at the next level and do that before you apply. One final thing is I am also assuming you understand that you will be financially responsible for paying the full international tuition. There are not scholarships (very few) for international students.</p>
<p>Best of luck to you! I know this is a stressful time!</p>
<p>Uni of Edinburgh<br>
ACT Composite score of 27 minimum plus two SAT Subject tests with 650 minimum;
OR
ACT Composite score of 27 minimum plus two APs at Grade 4;
OR
Three APs at Grade 4 minimum</p>
<p>Uni of Glasgow
a minimum composite score of 27 in the ACT assessment; AND
A minimum of either 2 or 3 AP examinations in relevant subjects (eg. Science applicants must provide APs in Science subjects), with grades of 4 or above, or at least 2 SAT II subject tests in a relevant subject at 600 or above.</p>
<p>St. Andrews
Our selection committee expects you to have taken a rigorous curriculum at school, with a GPA of around 3.6 and over. They look closely at your letters of reference, so choose your referee carefully.
If you have taken any APs we require marks of 4 and 5; 1950 + for SATs (across all 3 elements) and a score of 28+ in the ACT.</p>
<p>Thank you very, VERY much for your reply. I do think that taking the SAT as well is probably a good idea as my composite would likely fare better since it is mostly comprised of literacy and critical thinking skills, as opposed to the 50/50 math/science to english/reading on the ACT. Unfortunately my high school does not offer any AP or IB courses- I hope that won’t significantly reduce my chances (or god forbid, squash them).
There is a significant item that might help demonstrate my interest and passion for studying English further, and that is that I’m currently writing a novel and have made a large amount of progress on it, working with a published author who is an alum my my high school on it as I go. Do you think that would help?
I really do deeply want to go to school in Scotland and (obviously) to a university that would challenge me. The specialization but safety net of the second-year course-alteration is not available anywhere else in Europe.
I did try calling St. Andrews multiple times and never got through; they did finally reply to an email of mine (this was a few weeks ago) regarding my scores. I told them my English, Reading, Writing scores but not my “poor” scores in Math and Science. They responded that I should “rest assured” that they will be mostly concerned with my scores in the area I wish to study, but that they do have a math requirement, which I didn’t (don’t) really understand.
If you don’t mind, could you tell me what you thought of each school? I hope to visit in April but may not be able to. How friendly, organized, were they? What did you think of the accommodation? Did anything strike you as worrisome? Much appreciated!</p>
<p>Hi Miss Leap,</p>
<p>Good for you for working on writing a novel! Yes, I think that will certainly show a commitment to your subject.</p>
<p>I do know that the Scottish unis are mostly concerned with the scores in the area you are studying but if they said they do have a math minimum you should try to meet that. I will be honest I don’t know what St. Andrews’ math requirement is but I know U of Edinburgh wanted a minimum of 600 on the SAT. However, thankfully, it is up to the university to decide who is a good candidate and I believe they look at the candidate as a whole.<br>
I hope you have a good “referee”/counselor helping you at your school who is familiar with the UCAS and international applications. Could he/she call the unis on your behalf?</p>
<p>What did we think of each school? We only toured U of Edinburgh and St. Andrews. Both are fabulous but totally different. We did not see accommodations at either school unfortunately. We saw the outside of St. Salvatore’s at St. A’s but that was it. We found the people we met at both universities to be professional, organized and very friendly! Edinburgh is very much a city but a beautiful one with a lot of cultural events and museums all things my daughter loves. The Student Union at U of E was fantastic. There was a mix of beautiful old buildings and large modern ones. It is a large university with a lot happening. St. Andrews is in a small seaside village with beautiful buildings and beautiful views. We have heard wonderful things about the student body/experience (which I sincerely hope are true). When we visited Edinburgh we had the privilege to meet a couple who, coincidentally, the husband is a professor at Uni of Edinburgh and his wife, a graduate of St. Andrews. They both really sold their respective universities. I don’t think one will go wrong attending to either one. The only thing that I found “worrisome” is not really a worry just a different cultural experience. We live in one of the largest cities in the U.S. and are used to just running out to get whatever we need (at anytime) be it a quick dinner out or buying school supplies. At St. Andrews everything basically closes around 5:00-6:00 p.m. The town completely seemed to go to sleep very early aside from a few pubs. That will be a shock to my daughters system. I understand the students are at their Student Union or gathered in private apartments. The library was a full of students every evening we were there. I think it is a social gathering spot as well as a place for study. My daughter has not fully decided but is leaning toward St. Andrews. She just connected to St. Andrews and as the wife told her: she (my daughter) lives in a city, will graduate and most likely will find a job in a city and spend the rest of her life living in a city, when will she ever have the chance again to live in a beautiful Scottish seaside village (while receiving a world class education).</p>
<p>Good luck and post how things go for you.</p>
<p>I was looking at information regarding AP tests - registration is now for DD and I found this on a link from my daughter’s school. It is from a guide to AP testing put out by the College Board. (which I’m sure can be found online.)</p>
<p>Home-Schoolers and Students
Whose Schools Do Not Offer AP</p>
<p>If you are a home-schooled student, you are preparing on your own,
or you attend a school that does not offer AP, you can still take the
exams by arranging to test at a participating school or authorized test
center (for students outside the U.S.). Call AP Services for Students
no later than March 3 to get the names and phone numbers of
local, participating AP Coordinators who have indicated a willingness
to test outside students. Then contact the AP Coordinators identified
by AP Services for Students no later than March 17. When calling
AP Coordinators to arrange testing, be sure to tell them:
You are trying to locate a school willing to administer exams to
home-schooled students or students from schools that do not
offer AP Exams.
The exams you plan to take.
If you have a documented disability that will require testing
accommodations at the exam, and if you have been approved by
the College Board to test with accommodations.
Once you locate a school willing to administer your exams, that
school’s AP Coordinator is responsible for ordering your exam
materials, telling you when and where to report for the exams,
and collecting the exam fees, which may be negotiated to recover
additional proctoring or administration costs. That school must
administer the exams for you; the school cannot forward exam
materials to you or your school for handling.</p>
<p>(You can buy AP test prep books like SAT/ACT prep books at a bookstore) </p>
<p>Hi again!
I thought I’d update you with where I’m at.</p>
<p>In June I applied for the English course at the University of Stirling, the University of Edinburgh, and the University of St Andrews. I was accepted into Stirling and St Andrews, and because of the accommodation deadline at St A’s, accepted their offer before hearing from Edinburgh. I’ve applied for the visa and accepted my accommodation offer, and am extremely pleased to be looking forward to starting in St. Andrews in several weeks!</p>
<p>Thanks for your advice!</p>