Just an update. I got in conditionally to Bristol (I need a 5 on the AP Lit test) and was rejected from Nottingham (they offered to let me switch my major, in which case I would have been accepted, but I turned that down). Just waiting to hear from Cardiff and Durham.
Hi Londondad, I wonder what your impression is for how it would be for an international (American) student at Durham compared to Edinburgh and St Andrew’s, relative to York? Ideas?
I applied to University of Edinburgh yesterday as an American applicant. I have the necessary test scores and am applying to the religious studies program, a relatively non-competitive major.
When should I expect to hear back?
You should hear back relatively soon, hopefully within a month. My DD’s best friend is Theology major and she loves, loves the course. She actually turned down Cambridge for Edi 
Good luck and let me know if you have other questions.
Thanks so much - that’s really great to hear!
@Dodgers1 “Hi Londondad, I wonder what your impression is for how it would be for an international (American) student at Durham compared to Edinburgh and St Andrew’s, relative to York? Ideas?”
My two cents’ worth is that for most open-minded US kids, they should easily be able to adapt to the academic and social environments of Durham, Edinburgh, St A’s or York. All of them are great cities and should be an easier transition than, for example, more provincial Northern cities such as Sheffield or Newcastle. While St. A’s would be the easiest transition due to the large number of international (particularly US) students there, the others would be fine as well as there are plenty of international students at the other 3.
Durham should be a good choice for you as it is overall easily the strongest academically of the 4 universities. Also, Durham has a residential college system similar to Oxbridge or Yale, which should make it easier to make friends. (As you may know by now, the quality and variety of on campus residences varies widely across UK universities). In addition, I believe that Durham is one of the few UK universities outside of Oxbridge that provides accommodation for all 3 years. If I was a US student, this would be a big draw for me. At most UK universities, you will need to already be looking for second year accommodations by Christmas of your first year.
Edinburgh as a capital city is a great place to study, although the academics are generally not as good at St A’s or Durham.
York is a bit smaller city but is very charming as it has kept its medieval centre intact and as a result has a lot of history. Plus the nearly countryside is really nice.
Depending on your academic qualifications, you may want to structure your UCAS application with Durham as your reach, St. A’s and Edinburgh as matches and York plus one more as a safety?
Edinburgh as a capital city is a great place to study, although the academics are generally not as good at St A’s or Durham.
How is it that E. is ranked much much higher than D or SA in any of the world university rankings?
Thanks @londondad – that is very specific and helpful information about the campuses.
@montefiore For the same reason you won’t find Amherst, Williams and Middlebury in the world rankings. Durham and St Andrews are relatively small and focussed on undergrad teaching. Larger research universities like Manchester, Edinburgh and King’s do better in world rankings than they do in domestic rankings.
To all UCAS people: I applied to some schools in the UK and Canada, using UK as more of a back up. The thing is, some of the offers I received had a condition that I had to get a specific grade on an AP exam, but I decided to drop the course because of how badly the curriculum is constructed.
Contacted the Canadian schools, and they said it’s fine, but I am curious if those UK schools will withdraw their offers because of it. Just wondering how strict they are with the conditional offers, particularly Aberystwyth U.
@BearBluebear I suspect if they asking for another AP it is for a reason rather than just to keep you ‘honest’ in your senior year. Best way to find out is to ask them as per your Canadian option.
I applied last year (I’m a UK student) and Warwick replied withing a week, whereas it was months to hear back from Durham (and obvs Oxford because of interviews and stuff)
Anyone going to Warwick next year?? It’s my backup for when I inevitably get rejections from all the US colleges I applied to
There’s often some leeway if you don’t quite get the grade requested, but I don’t think dropping the course altogether would work out for you.
@Conformist1688 does is make any difference if the course is irrelevant to the major?
It probably depends on why they asked for it in the first place, and what the rest of your application.stats looked like. But basically you’re saying can you change their conditional offer to an unconditional one. Or are you switching into a different AP course which could be a substitute?
I think your best option is to ask them. as elguapo1 suggests.
University of Bath has asked the guidance counselor for predicted IB scores so I guess they’re finally looking at my daughter’s application. It’s been 3 months.
so much for applying early…
Hey, @collegemom3717, I have a not entirely off-topic question for you, and I hope the answer might prove useful to other UCAS applicants.
I don’t know if you remember me, but we had a few exchanges during the 2016 (entry) cycle when my son was invited to Oxford to interview for Experimental Psych. He didn’t get an offer, but did receive offers for UCL, KCL and two programs at Edinburgh. He firmed UCL, with KCL for insurance, but later decided to spend his first year at an American university. (Needed math and science units at an American university for later medical school… thought that would provide better preparation for psychology, too… suddenly felt unsure about starting both independent living and college while also adjusting to life abroad, especially without already knowing anyone at the new university… etc.)
He decided to attend UCSB, which is far enough away from home to make it a very independent experience, but one he could share with several friends from his high school and city. This plan has worked out very well. He has enjoyed this more typically American first year of university (even though he doesn’t want to continue after freshman year), and we (the parents) have been happy to see a lot of maturation in a short period of time. Unfortunately, he screwed up his deferral to UCL (got enrolled instead of deferred!), and found out in early October he had to reapply through UCAS. So, he updated his PS a bit, got his referee to update her recommendation a bit, found a place ( 2 hours from his university) to take the TSA… then reapplied to Oxford, too, since that was always his dream choice. He was invited to interview again in Dec., and yesterday he got an offer! He will start at St. Hugh’s College next fall.
My son has already met his Oxford offer but needs to provide the documentation. For UCL, that was a little tricky and involved getting his high school vice-principal to sign, date and stamp the school’s address on a copy of the AP results. (My son submitted a scanned version to the UCL portal.) St Hugh’s is asking for: “original certificates” or “legally certified copies” of AP and ACT results.
If your daughter was also asked to provide “original certificates” or “legally certified copies,” what did that entail? UCL wouldn’t accept AP scores sent directly from the College Board. Will Oxford accept results sent directly from the College Board and ACT, or will my son have to go through some version of the UCL process (certified at high school) again? Or will he need a notary public? Or …?
Also, how is your daughter doing? I hope she is healthy and happy and back to her regular university life!
Thanks!
Hello again @ Junipero! and massive congrats to your son- what a felicitous screw up
Good news is that Oxford is perfectly happy with scores direct from College Board (code is 6706).
btw, pro tip for Hughs: have him get a student rail card and a 13 week city bus pass first day he gets there (upstairs at Debenhams) and/or get a (second hand! they disappear a lot) bicycle. Hugh’s is right between Woodstock and Banbury Roads, and lovely buses (w/ free wifi) trundle up and down both roads very frequently.
Thank you for asking about my girl- she is fully recovered and out of treatment and even has proper hair again Have to say, the care she got from the NHS was truly superb.
I’m so glad she is fully recovered! And the hair growth really helps things feel ‘normal’ again.
Yes, the screw up actually worked in his favor-- in a big way! Glad to hear the documentation of results will be more straightforward this time, and thanks for the code.
I will pass on the tips. I think the bus pass could come in especially handy. Thanks so much!