<p>Just joined the forum here: I'm from Singapore and graduated from Junior College some time back in 2007 and went to serve National Service which will be till next year feb. Problem is after searching and requesting for information from a few unis, i got the answer that I needed a secondary school report on top of the Junior College requirement. Since I'd graduated from sec sch 5 years ago, my teachers have either retired or been posted out. So I'm kinda stuck with the common application. I'm going to list my problems and some basic info to aid those who can help answer some of my questions:</p>
<p>1) Secondary school reports (do i REALLY need them??)
2) I'm sitting for my SATI in dec this year and it seems that I've got to sit for SATII too. (is it ok for me to submit my application with just an SATI?)
3) The common app requires me to have a high school counselor's report (those from s'pore would understand that we do not have such a program/counselor, at least not in my school)
4) All the transcripts to be submitted by me or my teachers? (the CA did not have an option to upload scans of my result slips)
5) How much do experiences count in the application process? (are they looking more for book bound nerds or people with a decent brain and great personality?)</p>
<p>Some info about me:
- Stuck in NS till 2009 Feb
- finished my A levels in 2007 with As for Chem, Econs, Math and a B for General Paper
- got a decent Co-curricular activity report and some notable academic achievements
- Plan to take up a financial aid assistance grant (I'm kinda broke)
- planning to take up Environmental Chemistry in either one of these unis (which I'm obviously applying to): Cornell, Chicago, Northwestern</p>
<p>any help would be greatly appreciated thanks</p>
<p>What do you mean by completing “Junior College”? It sounds like you already have two years of college (what we would refer to as a junior or community college) and, if so, you would likely not be a “freshman” applicant but instead a “transfer” applicant, which many colleges define as anyone who has had one semester or more of college since graduating from high school. Different rules apply to transfer applicants at each college and the common app, which is only for freshman applications, is not useable for that type of application. You have to get the transfer application from each college’s own site. Moreover you should definitely be going to each college’s site and see what they say about applications from internationals as they may have special instructions for them. As to your questions:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>A “Secondary School Report” is your high school transcript (and anything the high school itself usually sends with it, such as something like a general description of the high school and courses offered). You simply request your high school you attended to send it to any applicable college; again as an international, check the particular colleges’ sites to see if there are any special instructions for internationals that you must follow about a transcript from your high school.</p></li>
<li><p>Whether you have to take the tests at all is a question you need to research because many colleges don’t require them for “transfer” applicants who have had two years of college. However, I think the ones you mention probably do. However, colleges may not require SAT IIs from transfer applicants even if they require them for freshman applicants. Also, neither Chicago nor Northwestern (except for some specialized programs) requires SAT IIs, even for freshman, though Northwestern recommends them. Again, first determine what is actually required by the college to which you are applying if you are a transfer applicant (or international applicant) and that is info you must search on their sites for. Otherwise, and as a general matter, you can submit an application before submitting any test scores.</p></li>
<li><p>Transfer applicants generally do not need counselor reports. Your situation with your high school and having no counselor is indicating to me that you may need to throw away the common app even if you are a freshman applicant and go to the schools’ sites and get their own applications, and get any special instructions they have for internationals who apply. Note, if you actually need a counselor’s report you should be able to substitute any person of authority at your high school who can can fill out the applicable form.</p></li>
<li><p>Any transcripts should be sent by the entity having control of your transcript – your high school and your junior college. Someone from the school must send it, usually an administrator in the office. That is what makes it official, in that it does not come from you which, if it did so, would mean you had the opportunity to alter it before sending.</p></li>
<li><p>They are looking for all kinds. Work experience or having military service (and as a result being older and wiser) are generally considered plusses (but no guarantee of admission).</p></li>
</ol>
<p>You mention plan to seek financial aid. This is another where you need to check with the particular colleges (and it is not something I know for the three you list), but large majority of US colleges offer no need-based financial aid to internationals and, in fact, actually require that you present proof of being able to afford to pay for college and expenses as a condition to being admitted. That is the kind of information you can find on the colleges’ site in their international applicants sections.</p>
<p>You should take your questions to the International Students Forum. You can reach it by clicking on “Discussion Home” in the upper left of this screen and then scrolling down. You also should make every effort to get an appointment with the counselors at the EducationUSA office in Singapore. They are the true experts on helping applicants from Singapore find good colleges and universities in the US. </p>
<p>SINGAPORE
CENTER FOR AMERICAN EDUCATION, USEIC
Mailing Address:
USEIC
12 Prince Edward Road</p>
<h1>01-03 Podium A</h1>
<p>SINGAPORE Singapore 079212</p>
<p>Walk Up Address:
12 Prince Edward Road #01 - 03
Bestway Building Podium A
Singapore
SINGAPORE 079212</p>
<p>You also need to know that in the USA, the words “college” and “university” indicate institutions of tertiary education. In many other countries “college” is used for institutions of secondary education - the equivalent of “high school” in the USA. Completing your A levels in 2007 would indicate to me that what you call “junior college” is secondary, not tertiary, education.</p>
<p>thanks for the link. erm, i think i did school till grade 12 (if i really did convert it correctly) as junior college in Singapore would mean grade 11 and 12 in the US.</p>
<p>zzzzz…didnt realise that they moved the thread over here…oh well, i’ve updated info on the s’pore connection in case anyone’s interested to reply…</p>
<p>Most colleges/universities in the US will require grades from at least 3 years of secondary school, some will want 4 years of grades. This means that you will most likely have to get copies of your records from the school where you completed the equivalent of 9th and 10th grade. They should have a permanent file for you there, so it doesn’t matter if the teachers have all moved on.</p>