<p>So I recently (a few months ago) found out about the UWC movement, and since then have spent a good portion of my time searching all over the internet for more and more information about the schools, because I just want to be accepted so much! I've read through all of the UWC threads here, but they're old now and not being posted in, so I thought I'd start a thread here for those applying in 2012/2013 for the school year beginning in 2013.</p>
<p>And yes, I know that I'm posting this ridiculously early, given that the application won't even be available for another 3 months... Hopefully those who want to discuss will find this thread when they need it :D</p>
<p>Anyway, if anyone else is as excited as I am or has any questions (as I do), feel free to post here!</p>
<p>In the meantime, this is my main question:
Does anyone know about acceptance for slightly younger students? I skipped a grade, and thus would apply at 14 (even though I'd be applying as a sophomore), interview at 15, and only turn 16 near the end of my first year. The admissions website states that students outside the normal age range are welcome to apply, but that exceptions are rarely made, which kind of freaks me out. It'd be amazing if I got in this year, because my family has to move after this school year and spending two years in my home high school and then two years at UWC would help my educational circumstances QUITE a bit. It would calm my nerves a bit if I learned that there were, in fact, younger students accepted in the past. I have above a 4.0 grade average, and am taking junior-level math, science, and English classes as a sophomore, so I'm not worried at all academically, but...aaaaaah.</p>
<p>I would really like to go as well. I recently heard about the program and thought it wasn’t real because let’s face it, it would be a dream. I talked to my parents and they are unwilling to give me up two years early although I think with much convincing they may let me apply (mainly to get me to stop nagging).
I don’t have an answer for you but I’m sure if you explain your situation, they will understand.
I just thought I’d post in here and let you know I’m thinking about it (More like I’m set, but I have some convincing to do), but I’ll keep up with the forum, and <em>hopefully</em> be applying with you. Good luck with everything!</p>
<p>Thank you, and good luck to you as well! I hope we pick up a few more applicants in this thread (or some alumni!). Still waiting impatiently for the application to come out…</p>
<p>I plan on applying for the 2013 school year too! I had sucscribed to my national comm’s site and just yesterday they sent an email notification saying that applications are open!! Weeee~ But theres only two choices available, rcnuwc norway or armand hammer uwcusa :(</p>
<p>I’m glad that there are others as exited as me about this already! And weavingtrails, both of those sound amazing anyway. RCN is almost tied for my first choice, but I think I like Atlantic a tiny bit more.</p>
<p>I want to apply for the 2013 school year! I have a 4.0 GPA at my current IB school, but im not involved in many extra curriculars. Will that affect my chances? PLus I’m planning on joining clubs and volunteering alot this year for good marks on the application. Any suggestgions from current and past UWC students?</p>
<p>UWC!!! I’m definitely going to apply to UWC for 2013 entry! Are you guys current 10th graders or 11th graders? I’m going into tenth grade this year and will try my best to show my enthusiasm for UWC through my application. What’s everyone’s top choice? Mine is the Li Po Chun UWC in Hong Kong.</p>
<p>@HT2465 Yeah, I think doing a lot of volunteer work is beneficial because not only is service a very important part of the UWC experience but helping others can give you a new perspective on your own life. Try not to join too many clubs as this could be seen as “resume padding” which in my opinion can hurt your chances as admissions officers will think you only added them to get in to UWC. In short, try and find clubs and activities that really interest YOU. There’s no point doing an activity you don’t like. Sorry if I rambled on too long I just wanted clear those things up. Also, do you have an EC you’ve been doing for a while? Say for a couple years? Continuity is very important when it comes to ECs.</p>
<p>@HT2465 I don’t know anything firsthand about applying, but from what I’ve read, I agree with what stuffzhappening said. ECs are definitely important to the application, but make sure that they are things YOU actually want to do.</p>
<p>And I’m a current 10th grader, with Atlantic as my absolute first choice.</p>
<p>My first choice was actually the Adriatic one, but my NC didnt offer I’m a secondary 4 student (16yo), dk what grade/year that is.
Wow it seems like @HT2465 has a very impressive rrecord compared to mine! With everyone having such high standards i dont think i have high chances :/</p>
<p>Hi everyone! I’m a current junior in the US and I applied to the UWCs last year and was placed on a two-person wait list. (50 were accepted and they were all juniors last year.) I have some experience with at least the US application process so if anyone has any questions I can try to answer them for you!</p>
<p>agh, a two-person wait list, that must have sucked. So close! Are you applying again this year?
I don’t think I have any specific questions about applying, though I do want to know a bit about the writing/essay portion of the app - about how many questions are there, and what are the word limits? Is it more like two longer essays or, say, 6 questions with an 1500 character limit (which is what the UK one is. Yes, I looked up a sample UK application form. I’m just very excited.)?</p>
<p>I’m so excited for everyone on this thread! I hope you’ve all had/will have a great start to the school year! I’ve been trying to keep my mind off UWC (unsuccessfully) until it gets a bit closer, but of course, here I am. I am going to be a sophomore (10th grade) this year, but I am considering waiting a year and applying during junior year instead for multiple reasons. First, obviously, is that it seems that it is easier to get accepted as a junior. Also, I would be older and would possibly be able to get more out of it and I would be able to take more AP’s and rigorous classes to raise my GPA before leaving. (If I went for the 2013 school year, I’d only be able to take 3 AP’s, but if I went for the 2014 school year I would have taken 9 AP’s.) I don’t believe that any of that is entirely necessary, but it’s the way I’ve got to think considering I still haven’t talked my parents into letting me apply. </p>
<p>My brother leaves for his freshman year of college tomorrow morning and I’ve decided to take the advice my dad gave me and drop the subject completely until she realizes that life without him isn’t the end of the world. My dad hasn’t really voiced his opinion on me applying, but he definitely doesn’t seem against it.</p>
<p>Anyways, I know this post was long, and I doubt any of you care about this, I just wanted to update you all on where I’m at. I’d still absolutely LOVE to go to a UWC, it’s my dream and if I don’t apply this year I will definitely be applying next year (My mom said 12th and a gap year didn’t sound like a bad idea) . But I am keeping my fingers crossed and am willing to do all I can to persuade my parents. It’s just a timely thing.</p>
<p>Good luck with the new school year everyone!</p>
<p>Hi everyone! I’m going to UWC Atlantic in a couple of days (haha I’m a bit delayed so I’m missing orientation, which sucks). I don’t know the exact process for the US national committee (I applied through the Chinese national committee on a US passport because I live in China, lol) but if you guys have any general questions I’d love to help.</p>
<p>Hi everyone, I’m applying this year too so I’m just going to join in the conversation haha… @lindzmm Tell your parents that it’s hard to get in and that you really want to go so you might as well apply! They’re more likely to let you go in 11th grade if you kind of ease them into it, like get them to let you apply first and then if you get in they will have had more time to think about it and get used to the idea of you going so they might be more likely to say yes? Just a thought. @littleivy first of all, congratulations on getting in and I hope UWC is as awesome as it seems! You must update us on how it goes. I have so many questions lol but just wondering: having applied and gotten in, what would you say is the most important thing in getting accepted- personality, EC’s, academics, interesting accomplishments, volunteering, some combination of all of the above?
So anyways, where are you guys all from and which UWCs do you want to go to?</p>
<p>@moramora: thanks! I think in regards to academics, you just need a solid GPA. Again let me say that I did not apply from the US national committee and for some reason I feel like it’s a lot harder to apply through the US or Hong Kong than it is through China simply because more people know about UWC. You’re probably going to want to be quite involved within the local community, and definitely with volunteer service. Honestly, though, you should join a group that you actually like and don’t mind dedicating time to.
For me at least, I don’t have any “interesting accomplishments” or anything. At all, haha. You definitely need to have a good personality. I’m not saying that I have a good personality lol but you obviously need to be able to get along well with others.
I have previously applied to HADES schools before and FOR ME, THROUGH THE CHINA COMMITTEE, the paper application was nowhere near as difficult. I didn’t have to write any essays and everything was short answer, basically.
In essence, just be a good person. Be a good, well-rounded student, and actually believe in the values of the UWC movement. :)</p>
<p>@littleivy Please, update us with all things UWC as often as possible. I would mean a lot to me and others, as well, I think.
I have a few questions:
What ECs did you do before UWC?
What’s your favorite thing on campus?
Are there any people from Ex-Yugoslavia at the school?</p>
<p>Hi v00jin! I’ll answer the first one for now, because I’m only heading to the campus tomorrow (my visa finally came through! lol.)
The only time they asked for my ECs were on the paper application and I had to handwrite it and there was barely any space to write! I had to pick out basically the accomplishments I was most proud of. The ECs I listed were these (I think I’m remembering them correctly, haha):
During the summer between 9th and 10th grade, I got 100 hours of community service when I went to the British Virgin Islands and tagged sea turtles, interacted with local youth, and also helped the local search and rescue center.
I worked at a local charity store during the entire summer between 8th and 9th grade. So it was 2 months of lots of sorting and talking to the locals who were hired to make sure the shop itself was running smoothly.
I was in a student-led charity organization at school that helped a local orphanage that was for disabled orphans. The organization had wanted to expand and help another orphanage (simply because the first orphanage was about an hour’s drive away and it was a whole-day commitment, and a lot of the upperclassmen just didn’t have the time) and I was familiar with another orphanage, so I became kind of like a liaison between the executive committee of the school organization and the second orphanage (haha sorry that was a bit complicated.) And basically through the student organization, I got like 60 hours of community service hours I didn’t need because it wasn’t required lol.
I definitely don’t think you need to be some kind of revolutionary new-age young version of Mother Teresa person or anything. Just find something that you actually want to help. It was only through those previous service experiences that I actually realized that I enjoy helping the adults and the elderly more than I enjoy helping children. I know this sounds terrible but I’m not a very big kid-person. I don’t click with them! And I know my effort would be a lot more effective and noticeable in a community of disadvantaged adults.</p>
<p>Hi Everyone, looking to apply for the 2013 year from canada! I first heard about UWC from my cousin who went to Lester B. Pearson. Since then, I have wanted to apply. I have been reading your discussion for awhile, and finally got an account. Does anyone have experience applying from Canada? I’m only in 10th grade, and in Canada though you can apply in 10th grade, 11th grade experience is preferred. If I don’t get selected, I will apply again during junior year. One question, does doing the pre-IB program before entering a UWC give you an advantage?</p>
<p>As for credentials, I have approx. a 96% grade average. Am involved in many school activities, such as badminton, soccer, cross country, debating, geography challenge, orchestra. Where I live, high school starts in grade 10. I plan to join some other clubs since there are more options there. I also play violin in 2 ensembles outside of school, and do 15 hours a week of competitive badminton. For community service and leadership, I am the president of an international organization’s local branch. I plan activites and weekend camp for local youth, and run leadership training for other kids working on the planning. I have travelled internationally twice with the organization, and have attended many national leadership meetings and training with other youth.</p>
<p>Anyhow, I was wondering if anyone had experience applying from canada? Especially from a smaller province. I think my province only has one spot per year. Do any of you think I have a chance of getting selected?</p>
<p>I am so excited, this has been a dream of mine for the past 5 years!</p>
I’m a secondary 4 student (16yo), dk what grade/year that is.