<p>I am aged 13 in the UK but I already know I want to go to an ivy league college, especially yale. I have looked all over the internet for advice on what to do to get into an ivy league. Does anyone have any advice for me besides get good grades. How can I prepare for the SATs and when should I take them? Also is there anyone who could act as a mentor for me on how to get into the ivy league from the uk. Any suggestions will be gratefully recieved.</p>
<p>Read the SAT-preparation subforum for tips, they are pinned to the top.</p>
<p>Read the individual college forums to see the profiles of accepted students and to read in general about admissions there.</p>
<p>There is no how to manual for admissions. Admit rates are very low. Slots available for international students are even lower.</p>
<p>13 is very young to be set on Yale.
What do you like about it? Would you like to attend American universities other than Yale, or is it “Yale or bust”?</p>
<p>However, being that driven at 13 means you probably expect a lot of yourself.
So:
Aim for 8-10 GCSE’s at A-A*.
Get involved into academic competitions - anything that’s your forte (latin translation, math…)
Go study abroad in the summer to improve your French/Spanish/both. Even better, do an exchange.
Try to get into a United World College (you need to prepare around Year 10, apply in Year 11 - UWC is for Year 12 and 13).
Use your Xmas money/Boxing day money to buy “Insider’s Guide to the Colleges” or “The Princeton Review’s Best Colleges”. Read the guide carefully each and every entry (don’t let yourself be guided by prejudice or “prestigiosity”) and write down in a notebook:
date - name of college you like & why OR
date - name of college you DO NOT like and why.
Don’t bother making entries about colleges you don’t feel anything about.
Use one page per college. Don’t try to fill the page. Leave space to refine your comments (so that you’ll add new dates under the first ones).</p>
<p>For all the colleges you like, fill out the “request info” form on their website.</p>
<p>Then come back here and let us know what colleges you liked and didn’t like, and why, so we can suggest similar colleges where to fill out the “request info” form.</p>
<p>Register with SAT “question of the day” and ACT “question of the day”. Practice answering the questions you can (not all will be feasible in Year 8 or 9 but by year 11 all should seem rather easy).
During year 10, get familiar with the SAT format using Sparksnotes for instance, and start practicing with number2.com (it’s free).
Then start working with guidebooks.
Take SAT Subjects right after the corresponding GCSE - check the syllabus to make sure they match.
So, well, you’re set for the upcoming 18months :)</p>
<p>Never, ever count on an Ivy - admissions is near-impossible. Take the SATs multiple times, starting with Year 10 and don’t stop until you’re at 2250+. Find a niche and work at it. Do something exceptional. Unlike the UK, being an excellent student isn’t enough. You have to also “be somebody” and have a path in life.</p>
<p>Ivys recognise excellence. You have to be better than good enough. That is much, much easier said than done.</p>
<p>Top tips for getting into an Ivy: if you’re an international, never ask for financial aid. If you have a parent who went to Yale, that’s tremendously helpful. Show some serious initiative - if you’re interested in business, start a small one yourself; if you’re a writer, get your work published. And don’t be a stereotype. High SATs and A-Levels help, but they’re expected of you. Go beyond the expectation.</p>
<p>Even still, however, NOTHING is guaranteed.</p>
<p>And besides, the Ivys are HIGHLY overrated. You might change your mind as you get older - I know I did.</p>
<p>Also, it is my understanding that unis don’t pay much attention to doing things outside of school and basically look at grades and that’s it, but in America they really like that sort of thing like doing a sport or helping volunteer and being in clubs and things like that</p>
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<p>Please take a look at the forums offered here on CC, there is one specifically for SAT prep.</p>
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<p>CC is not the place to find a specific mentor, this is a discussion forum to post questions and ask advice, any members who choose to will respond.</p>
<p>thank you for all the suggestions, they are all very useful. this message is mainly for MYOS1634 but i couldnt send a pm because i haven’t sent more than 15 posts yet. in answer to your questions I dont just want to go to yale I don’t mind any good Ivy school. i would love to study abroad but my parents cant afford it, even if i did get into an ivy i would have to apply for financial aid. also most websites say you need to be involved in exxtracurriculars, which i am, but in the uk you cant gain posistions in these clubs like president and so on. will this affect my chances?</p>
<p>These types of top colleges in the US will look at what you do in the context of what you have available. If there are not leadership positions available you won’t be expected to have them, but there are other ways to show that you are a leader. The types of exceptional students that they admit find opportunities on their own even if it isn’t offered. There is always something you can do, but at the same time there is no specific thing you need to have done.</p>
<p>Wow. Well done for being so switched on and sounding so mature on the forum. </p>
<p>You’re lucky in that you have this forum to help you properly research the process. It’s an amazing resource. You’ll find the international and financial aid forums very helpful, too. </p>
<p>Have a plan B. It’s not going to derail you or tempt fate. If you can’t go to the US for 4 years due to funding, there are many exchange programmes with UK universities. These give you a semester or year in the US (or Canada, Australia and beyond) and this time counts towards your British degree. Each uni has its own links between institutions. A quick Google reveals that UCL and Sidney Sussex at Cambridge have formal links with Yale. There may be more. </p>
<p>Have a think about why you want to go to Yale and the US in general. Have a good read about university in the UK so you understand the differences both socially and academically. And that the ancient Scottish universities have a 4 year degree that gives you more flexibility to try several subjects at one time and change degree subject as a result. </p>
<p>If you enjoy languages, extremely prestigious universities in the EU may also be open to you- the Sorbonne in Paris and Humboldt in Berlin. </p>
<p>Also, take a look at these here- Oxford, Cambridge, UCL, Durham, LSE, SOAS, St Andrews, Warwick, Bath, York (yay!).</p>
<p>I totally understand and love your idea. But enjoy exploring all the other brilliant opportunities available to you both in the US, at home and elsewhere. It’s always worth the time. </p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>International applying for a lot of financial aid? Very difficult, unless you’re an athlete.</p>
<p>I’m international (applying this year), and the head of admissions to Brown told me (in person) that if you’re an international not requesting financial aid- your chances are significantly increased. Every college (except Harvard, MIT and a few others) are not needs blind for internationals. Good luck!</p>