UNC Chapel Hill, NYU and Chicago

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>I am a UK national in the process of applying to American universities. At the moment I have my mind set on NYU, UNC Chapel Hill and Chcago but mainly UNC or NYU. However, my situation is very unusual:</p>

<p>I am in a gap year and have therefore already obtained grades. I scored 38 points on the IB with 5, 6, 7 at HL, the 7 being in the subject I want to major in. I also took an A-level in Maths in which I got a B- I am retaking this to boost my grade to an A/A*. Additionally, I am a fluent speaker of four languages (if this is at all relevant). As for extra-curricular activities, I have been with the RAF (Air-force) Air Cadets for many years, volunteer at an observatory and have done other activities with my IB class (such as aid work in Swaziland).</p>

<p>My concern is regarding the SAT. I feel I may have missed quite a few marks on the Math section due to timing (I normally have extra time but I thought it would be too much hassle for this exam). However, I feel fairly confident that I did well on the rest.</p>

<p>Obviously, I'll make my own judgements when my scores come out but I'm just curious to hear what people think on the matter. If I were to score below 600 on my SAT Math, would the mentioned colleges be likely to take that grade with a pinch of salt given my other qualifications? </p>

<p>As for overall score on the SAT, I'm expecting it to be around 1800-2000. How important would this be given that I already have grades? I expect most applicants would only have their predicted scores.</p>

<p>Finally, I am debating whether to take SAT subject tests. Would these make a big difference?</p>

2

These are VERY different schools. I can’t imagine someone saying that UNC and NYU have much in common at all. UNC is in a very small town, and has a “campus” atmosphere. NYU is in the middle of the city, and is for someone who likes the city lifestyle. At NYU you’ll be going to school with celebrities, famous actors, etc. My stepdaughter LOVES NYU and ended up in a similar school in another city. NYU and Chicago are very similar. Your SAT scores do matter, a lot. For UNC you’ll need at least 2200 for OOS (the state of NC has very strict limits on how many OOS students schools can let in so it’s very competetive). You’ll probably be fine at Chicago or NYU with 2000.