I’m a Korean who used to be in one of the top private schools in UK, but I had to leave in the middle of the 9th grade because of financial problems. I was at home in Korea for the Easter vacation when the school told me that I could not come back.
Because I would not have been able to adjust to the curriculum of normal Korean high schools, I applied for a school in Korea that prepares people to go on to US/UK universities as a transfer student. However, as there was space only in the 11th grade, I joined as an 11th grader. I left England at the end of March 2004 and entered my current school in early June the same year. The Korean academic calendar begins in March, so I now found myself half-way through 11th grade.
Now, this has caused several problems, and to name a few,
I didn’t finish 9th grade and I skipped 10th grade out altogether. Therefore, no GPA for 10th grade and 1/3 of 9th grade.
In most subjects I managed to catch up somehow - my GPA isn’t too bad (3.83, UW). But I was and still am terribly behind in maths but I had to take an AP stat course and a post-AP Calc class like everyone else. My GPA would have been over 3.9 if it wasn’t for those two classes.
Little opportunity for EC’s. They’re not going to make give me an important position in the student council or any clubs over someone who has been there for three years. Also, I’ve lost 1 1/2 years during which I could have done a lot.
Will the adcoms take this into consideration? MY GC was worried that this might even have negative consequences on my app. I’m kinda hoping the adcoms might look upon this favourably.
<p>that's quite unfortunate...
but I think your case really is one of those special ones and maybe you can have someone from the school write a letter for explanation?
besides your good GPA, have u taken the SATs or the ACTs?
that might change things around</p>
<p>I had a similar situation as well. I did finish 9th grade though, but I have no 10th grade because I moved overseas, and my new school had a different school system, and so they put me in grade 11 according to my birth date.
I was planning to explain my situation when applying to colleges, but instead, I decided to transfer schools and do the IB program and graduate a year later. But it all works out though, since I skipped 10th grade, so I will still only have 4 years of high school.
Anyways, I don<code>t think skipping a grade is a good idea. Is there anyway to do an extra year of HS? Even if you explain your situation, your GPA is ok and you say you don</code>t have many good EC<code>s. If you are aiming for the top-tier schools, I imagine they would take someone who had</code>nt skipped a grade with a high GPA and better EC<code>s (sorry this is a bit harsh). My advice is to talk with your GC, do an extra year of HS if possible, take the most demanding courses avaiable, get involved in more EC</code>s, etc. You also need to study for your SATs, SAT2s if you haven`t done so already. Also, since you have no 10th grade and only 1/3 of grade9, colleges are going to have a hard time evaluating your transcript, since you will only have 2 full years of HS.
This is only my opinion though, so talk with your GC/parents. Good luck!</p>
<p>Yes, I have taken some standardised tests.
SAT II: Biology M 800, World History 800, Latin 710 and French 680 (retaking this one)
APs: USH 5 (self-taught), WH 5, EuroH 4 (night classes, 2 hours a week), Psych 5, Bio 5 and Chem 4 (self-taught). I've been able to take APs only once, this year.
Planning to take SAT in October; most likely upwards of 2250.</p>
<p>There's no chance that I will be retaking a year in HS. I don't want to, my parents certainly won't hear of it and my GC is against it as well.
As it is the custom in my school to hand over offices in clubs and in the student council at the start of senior year, I don't think it will help in anyway in EC's (bear in mind that I'm already half-way through the senior year, so if I want to retake the junior year, I'd be graduating 2 year late). </p>
<p>So do you think a letter from my GC or one of the teachers who know me well will help?</p>
<p>They will obviously not look at it with favor, but they may "pardon" the lack of extracurricular activities and the missing grades, though it is quite unusual. </p>
<p>Are there any out of school extracurricular activities that you could do?</p>
<p>My school is an all-boarding school in the middle of nowhere...
I managed to used my vacations to do some volunteer work and work as a camp instructor, although it isn't much.</p>