Urgent advice needed...

Pre-College Issues High School Life
1

<p>Hi all.</p>

<p>Firstly apologies if I posted this in the wrong place.</p>

<p>To generalize it all, I am an international student from the UK.</p>

<p>I would like to study in the US but I am aware of the competition etc.</p>

<p>The thing is, I have taken such a massive course load. Not to sugarcoat it, but I am studying at least 12 hours a day.</p>

<p>Having amassed a lot of extra curic when I was younger, my main focus is on my finals - A Levels (AP equivalents I believe).</p>

<p>The thing is I am 18, and I am in my last year of high school (senior).</p>

<p>I have seen the requirements for the colleges I would like to apply to. The ones that I do require at least 3 SAT subject tests and the SAT I.</p>

<p>Again sorry to repeat myself, but because of my extensive work load I know that if I take the subject tests and SAT I this year, it will probably end up having an adverse effect on all my grades.</p>

<p>I am also unfamiliar with the US application system, I believe it is 1st of January for all the colleges, right?</p>

<p>In UK it is 15th October for Oxbridge or Medicine and 1st of January for other courses/unis.</p>

<p>So as I am a senior now, I intend to take a gap year (this is a year off from study per se, so to get experience or a job or do additional exams/courses etc before college/uni.)</p>

<p>I understand that the SATS test are offered in October, November and December.</p>

<p>Now would it possible for me to do:</p>

<p>October: Math 2,Physics,Chemistry</p>

<p>November: SAT I</p>

<p>December: English Lit and Math I</p>

<p>I am aware that you only really need 3 subject tests as well, but I would like to do these.</p>

<p>Anyway if I completed my A Levels (AP equiv..) in May/June 2014. Could I do these exams in winter 2014, and apply with all the results before the deadline?</p>

<p>I consider this to be the only viable option for me. Also again sorry to ask so much, but do colleges give out conditional/unconditional offers ; with unconditional being a grade requirement for a student to achieve for pending exams.</p>

<p>Many thanks if you read all this.</p>

<p>Kind Regards</p>

<p>Nate</p>

<p>NOTE - I posted this in the wrong thread previously.</p>

2

<p>bump bump bump</p>

3

<p>Taking the SATI and IIs in the fall as you are applying to schools is putting a great deal of pressure on yourself to do well on your first try. Many US students take these exams one or more times as a junior, then again in the fall of senior year if score improvement is needed.</p>

<p>Because of score choice, you can report scores that are your best out of multiple attempts. How about trying the SATI and II soon without much prep, just to see what they are like and where you score? Then you will know how much study is needed. (Also, taking three SATIIs in a day is pushing it, better to do one or two at a time).</p>

<p>Schools need scores in hand by their deadlines. Without scores your application will not be considered.</p>

4

<p>First of all, three is the absolute maximum number of subject tests you should even consider taking. There is literally no benefit at all to taking more than colleges require. Even if it costs you no effort studying and preparing, save yourself a Saturday afternoon of taking tests for no reason.</p>

<p>January 1st is a common but by no means universal deadline. It varies between schools, so look up the application and decision schedule of the schools you’re applying to. The fall/winter 2014 SAT and subject tests should be early enough for everywhere, though. The earliest deadline I know of was December 1st. </p>

<p>If it’s at all possible, try to take the tests before the last possible test dates so that you have a chance to retake them.</p>

<p>Almost all of your questions could be answered by looking on most college’s websites. If you say where you’re applying, some people on here who applied to the same places could tell you specific details.</p>

5

<p>Another option, how about a post-graduate year at a US prep school? This would give you time to organize your US applications and interviews with help from a counselor, and further guidance on testing, etc. </p>

<p>Early college applications have some advantage, and those may be due as early as Nov or Dec 1.</p>

6

<p>Thank you for your reply. It is detailed and helpful and I will try to respond to it chronologically.</p>

<p>Yeah I understand about only having one attempt, but I guess I only really thought about studying in the US this year, now in England there are all the exams bunched together in May/June so I have about 18 finals exams with only one sitting available in the space of 5 weeks. So as I didn’t realise that I needed to and wanted to take these tests when I was younger, I now know that I will have to do it now.</p>

<p>Oh right I see. As I understand the testing dates for all SAT[s] tests are October,November,December,January,March,May,June.</p>

<p>However there is no opportunity to sit the SAT I in March for foreign students AFAIK. And I do not want to jeopardise my other exams by extending the workload. I was thinking about doing mock tests to see where I will be/am at.</p>

<p>Oh right I see. Thank you very much for your informative reply.</p>

<p>Nate.</p>

7

<p>Ok thank you for your reply. </p>

<p>I see so the best course of action is to complete all tests, before applying.</p>

<p>Thank you</p>

<p>Nate</p>

8

<p>Oh right. I see. </p>

<p>Does that mean that they don’t even look at candidates who are yet to get their results back?</p>