<p>@Yogurthamster: I think some of us answered this question earlier but I’ll just answer it again to keep the conversation going. My top three when I applied last year were Red Cross Nordic, Atlantic, and Mahindra, however this year I realized that I would be happy at any of them and I’m putting on my application that I’m equally interested in all of the UWCs.</p>
<p>If you do that, you are almost guaranteed to get a spot at UWC-USA if you get in - a school in a beautiful, relaxed campus with an awesome wilderness hiking/camping program and close to skiing. All the faculty and staff are on a first name basis with the students, there are endless fun activities on weekends, excellent teaching, environmental activism, a wonderful feeling of community among the students, and great food. My D13 loves UWC USA and I can’t say enough good things about it.</p>
<p>@Apollo6: UWC-USA looks great, but I honestly would be happy at any of them. I’m interested in UWCs for the environment and the people, not for the campus. I feel like it’s a fantastic experience no matter where I go.</p>
<p>I think I’ve already answered this, but my top two are Atlantic and RCN, and then I have a tie for third - USA, Adriatic, and Pearson. (After that, Maastricht, Li Po Chun, and Costa Rica are tied.) I’d like to go anywhere, but my parents are less likely to allow me to attend the ones I don’t have listed - they may be convinced, but if I show a preference to the others and get in to the others, I am far more likely to be able to go.
Atlantic is the first one I heard about, and the service opportunities + the castle (:D) plus the fact that it was my first impression makes it my favorite, but RCN is a close second because I’m really interested in Nordic culture (especially since my sister lived in sweden last year) and the surroundings. Adriatic - not sure why I like it, it just appeals to me! USA - it really is gorgeous and I’m very likely to get sent there if I get in, so I’ve looked at a lot of the information about it - I also like the environmental opportunities. Pearson - a lot of emphasis on the environment which I like a lot!</p>
<p>I’m so pumped right now guys!!! I found out that UWC Great Britain have released their applications. Honestly can’t wait to get started on it! Sorry for the over excited ness but I really feel that UWC is a one in a lifetime experience so I feel this inner urge and anxiety oh how I hope I get an interview! How are you guys fairing with school an stuff? I know I’ve got a pretty jam packed couple of weeks ahead of me. Oh and again (I know I already discussed my favourites but saying it again can’t hurt) my favourite locations of the UWCs in order are: </p>
<p>Li Po Chun UWC Hong Kong -never been to Asia before; would be an adventure</p>
<p>Pearson College Canada- one of the most beautiful campuses of all the UWCs </p>
<p>Adriatic Italy-It’s in Italy, nuff said </p>
<p>UWC USA-I would be loser to relatives but I don’t really feel the need to be near people I know</p>
<p>Last but not least UWC Costa Rica- It’s in an interesting (exotic might I add) Latin has always intrigued me it would be nice to learn in it and gain some proficiency in Spanish</p>
<p>Again, sorry for this long winded post just wanted to contribute to the thread.</p>
<p>@stuffzhappenin: Hi! Good luck on your application! Is the process similar to the US application process with essays and interviews? I’m just curious. Do you know roughly how many people are selected?</p>
<p>I got some stuff in the mail today from UWC, so that was pretty exciting 
To the person that was concerned about being abroad durring the interview: I read that they make special arrangements for those who are abroad during the interview. I’m sure Skype would be just fine.
And thanks for the advice with my website :)</p>
<p>Now, to answer the question about top choices in schools…
I already answered this, but it’s changed. I think I have a good enough understanding of each of the schools now though that I can make an informed decision.
- RCNUWC (Norway): I guess it’s just the weather that really appeals to me. Without giving away too much information, I live in southern California in a city that’s pretty much 75 and sunny year round. Don’t get me wrong, it’s beautiful, but I’m really not a fan of the heat. I’d love to give cold, wet, and dark a try. Also, norway has always intrigued me, not to mention it’s beautiful!
- Atlantic (Whales): I’ve always loved england. I studied abroad in Oxford last summer, and I absolutely loved it! Plus you add in a castle on the shore, and it’s basically Hogwarts, right? haha
- Pearson: Just because I love it. It’s beautiful, and modern, and if it wasn’t so close to home, (not that it is, but Canadian culture isn’t that different than American. Basically what I’m trying to say is I want to experience something completely different, and I don’t know if Canada has that.) it would be my first choice.
- UWCSEA: Singapore. That’s the main reason why it’s ranked so high on my list, but the weather bothers me a bit… I feel like I would die in the heat and humidity
Also, I read somewhere that it was ranked among the 10 best boarding schools in the world. I think it was a list from two years ago. - Adriatic: Living in Italy… I think I could handle that :P</p>
<p>Does anyone know what the student to faculty ratios are? Or the type of teaching styles on these campuses? For example, are they discussion based or lecture? If so, where did you find this information? Also, if you get in are assured one of your 5 choices? Thanks!</p>
<p>@windowpainting16 Yeah the process is pretty much similar. I have one essay and a few short response questions to complete. In february-ish we find out if we have an interview; if you happen to get an interview you have to go down to Wales for an overnight stay. I’m not quite sure what we do at the interviews but, at least from what others have said there might be team building games, group discussions etc. only difference is we don’t need to take standardized tests! (Thank goodness!)</p>
<p>As for the numbers of people who get interviews its a little bit over 100 and i’m not sure of the amount of applicants though. I presume 50-ish(maybe slightly more) get acceptances and 10 or so have to go to Atlantic College.</p>
<p>Don’t know about your national committee, but according the website of mine, they try to pair student interest with what each school has to offer, but most of the time they send students to their top choice colleges.</p>
<p>@stuffzhappenin: Cool! That sounds pretty much the same. I wish you the best of luck, although we’ll probably continue to talk on here. </p>
<p>@lindzmm: I think it really depends on what you put down for your top choices. If you put down UWC-USA as your top pick you are probably much more likely to get one of your top choices. Also, lots of people rank RCNUWC pretty highly, but only 1-3 can get sent there. However my friend from the interviews last year had Mostar as her top choice and got sent there.</p>
<p>@WindowPainting6 I think you’re mixing me and @coexistxx up I didn’t ask that question, but I agree. I have a feeling anyone that puts down UWC-USA at all will go to that one. I would be beyond happy if I get in, no matter where I am sent.</p>
<p>Oh, @lindzmm sorry!</p>
<p>Hello! I joined this website just to join this awesome and amssive thread, which I hope to read all the way through soon 
Just to say, a British applicant here, who also has dreamed about attending the UWCs for years. My parents however, are very liberal, and (I quote) “Would rather slit (their) wrists than send me to private school”.</p>
<p>@stuffzhappenin On their website it says that 20 British applicants who get in go to Wales, and 17 go to the international ones, and it then breaks it down into how many to each college. Really, I would like to go abroad, as I feel like I couldn’t quite the same experience in Wales as in, say, Hong Kong…but on the other hand, who am I kidding!! If I get in, it’s not like I’m gonna be saying no!!</p>
<p>@applesauce21 That sounds about right! I was just going off what I heard from others. YES! exactly I feel the same way, going to Wales would be pretty different than going abroad. I love the feeling you get when you can’t understand a language but learn it bit by bit until you can actually express yourself. On the other hand, it’s about the UWC experience as a whole though and I would be more than satisfied if I was placed in the one in Wales.</p>
<p>@fruitloopery The girl who went to UWC Atlantic at fifteen…Had she taken more than the “normal” ninth grade class load prior to applying? Did she just apply as normal and then talk to the headmaster after the national committee accepted her? Did she have…how do I put this…any sort of extracurricular “hook” that would cause UWC to accept her early, like winning some national competition, publishing a book, etc?</p>
<p>Haha, this is giving me hope^ I’m a freshman (though I do technically have sophmore class standing, would be caught up academically) and I’m applying for YES/CBYX and ASSE to go on foreign exchange and was planning to just apply to UWC while on exchange next year…But it may be worth a shot to apply this year (If I got a UWC scholarship instead of YES/CBYX/ASSE, I could always go on exchange as a gap year).</p>
<p>Yeah, I mean, I’m taking a pessimistic view just to try and not get my hopes up. It’s something like a 0.25% success rate in America (I’m not sure about in the UK), and I know I’m not the ideal candidate, soo…:L
But I also know I want to go so much it hurts, and will carry the lessons learnt there and the messages of a UWC education with me through whatever I end up doing (I have no idea except that I want to be trying to help people and I want to travel), and will enjoy it - Oh My God I’ll enjoy it - with all my heart :)</p>
<p>Also, um, a while back, someone asked after an alumni from Adriatic? I know someone! Robin Tyne - he has a blog called Tales from Trieste :)</p>
<p>Well I’d prefer to go to any of the schools based in a non-english (or predominantly another language) speaking territory e.g. Costa Rica, for the same reasons @Stuffzhappenin cited, but i’ll just be happy to get in. Hey, does anyone know if you can get a little pet fish there? I like fish. Time to stop fantasizing, but yes the country or school doesnt matter - it would be the fellow students. What we could learn from others, teach and discover together. But I wouldn’t mind living in a castle, just saying.</p>