I am a semifinalist as well. Is there anyway we could get in contact via Instagram or facebook? I think people tend to do better on the interview if it’s arbitrary . Perhaps , it would come out more authentic if it’s not written down. I’ve learned that if you can just be yourself and relax. You’ll do fine because due to the fact they chose you for a implicit reason, and you essentially just need to grasp on that reason and nurture it during the interview. I recommend not make answers ahead of time because you may sound robotic in that I reccomend show your personality. What you enjoy for instance?
In a addition, of course the written applications are well behind us, it’s solely just the interview from now on
Hello! I am a current sophomore in America, and I am looking into the UWC experience for my senior year and a gap year before I go to college. Is that an option? Also, when do I start the admissions process? This information is probably very obvious, but I couldn’t find any of it online! Last thing - if I post my resume on here, will anyone be able to review it for me to see my chances of getting in? I’ve fallen in love with RNC (of course) and Atlantic (duh), but I’m not sure about my chances of getting in. Thanks<3
Hi @tiffmsl I am also from Canada, and I am in grade 10 like you! I live in Vancouver, and this past year I applied early to UWC and I just found out today that I GOT IN!!! I got into option of Wales, Costa Rica and India! My big piece of advice for the whole process is to never doubt yourself and your skills (even after you meet so many amazing applicants), and to really be honest in your interview. Good luck!
Hey @ariana125 I’m so happy for you! This year I’m gonna apply and I’m so scared. It’s my dream, but honestly I don’t have any strong ECs. I’m good at school but that’s it. Last year I wanted to be a Red Cross volunteer, however there were some problems and I’m starting this year. I can play the piano but I don’t do anything in a competitive way, so I don’t have medals and stuff. Does it mean I have no chances to get in? Everything I do is not certified, please be honest. Any advice would be great!
Hey there! I had a similar problem. My school was heavily academic and we were literally not allowed to do anything, apart from memorising. So I advice you to be candid in your app. It’s more about demonstrating you want to do, as opposed to what you have already done.
@DustyMind At least for the USA national committee:
It won’t kill you; the admissions process is more about your personality and future capability than specific numbers. I personally only have about 40 hours of community service and one club (I was accepted for the class of 2017). They don’t want you to be perfect; they’re looking for someone who will learn something from the experience (beyond what they’d get at any IB school).
@DustyMind@randomness12345 Hi, I just finished my first year here at uwcsea and I think I could help. I thought the same thing when applying before as I’d only done school service and small things like tutoring organizing events, and other small service like raising money for homeless or for people who can’t afford an education. On my application I wrote a lot about how I felt doing service and how I really enjoyed it and wanted to continue and pursue doing bigger service projects. I think as long as you have really good academic grades (In this uwc they accept like 20 people for each grade every year) and you can write an application talking about what you wish to achieve and how the stuff you’ve done have helped you and changed the way you see things, you’ll have a better chance. I’ve really enjoyed it here so far and the service trips and service opportunities are really great. Good luck I hope you guys get in!!
Hello,
I was wondering if someone could offer advice on my situation:
I am in 10th grade (15) and I found out about UWC from a freind who went to the one in Swaziland a couple of years ago. The idea of it appealed to me a lot and ever since I have been trying really hard to get in.
I applied through the USA board even though I am actually a British citizen (I have been living in the US For about 4/5 years) and I thought I had a pretty good chance of getting in because, due to my parents’ jobs, I have lived in different countries like Indonesia, South Africa and Ethiopia. Because of this I feel as though I have a bit of insight into other cultures (I geared most of my essays toward my experiences overseas, what I learnt from them, what I hope to learn in the future etc.).
I also do many activities at my highschool like band and theatre and I did volunteer work over the summer which involved helping kids with special needs (I’m planning on doing a lot more over the year because I loved it!).
I have all As and a 4.13 weighted GPA (from just my freshman year when only honors- not ap- classes were available) and take as many honors and ap classes this year as my school offers.
But even so, my application went really badly and I didn’t even get an interview. I was really upset and disappointed, but I know that I have the opportunity to apply again next year. However, considering what I put in my application and the fact that it seems they were pretty uninterested in me, I really don’t think much will have changed by then (accept that I have just been given the opportunity to join National Honors Society- you can only join as a sophomore- which is very community oriented and I may do a leadership camp this summer) . But I have been thinking that there were a few things that could have given me a disadvantage this year. For example, I hadn’t taken any standardized tests (I took the PSAT the day before the app. was due). I also know that there were a lot of applicants this year and I submitted mine just the day before the deadline (I wanted as much time as possible to look over my essays:/) and there was a complication with one of my letters of rec. which was out of my control (I sorted it out ASAP). Both of these things could have pushed my application down the list; perhaps they just didn’t have time to really look at it?
So if any of you w/ experience (got accepted/ got an interview/ know a lot about it) think that one of those things could have been the issue, then of course I will apply again next year. But it’s very possible that I just didn’t seem like a good fit, in which case it seems pointless to re-apply.
Of course I don’t want to give up, UWC has been my dream for a while now, but if I really have no chance I would like to know so I can move on and look for other options.
Sorry I wrote a lot, I know many of you who got an interview will be nervous and looking for advice, but I would really appreciate it if someone could help out (maybe someone in a similar situation would also benefit from a reply)?
Thank you! Also good luck to everyone else, I really hope you get in, UWC seems like such a great experience!
I would have been very surprised if the USA national committee selected you when you were 15, during your sophomore year. While some national committees do take students this young, and many schools will take young students who are paying full fare and not applying through a national committee, the USA national committee highly prefers older applicants who are completing their junior year. Part of this may be because they can afford to be more selective as they receive many more applicants per spot than most national committees. The USA national committee has less spots per capita to allocate than many smaller countries and the Shelby Davis scholarship attracts more applicants from all economic backgrounds.
Another reason is that despite what the common code of conduct says, heavy use of alcohol is very common at many UWC’s. Kamhlaba in Swaziland is the most notable exception to this. Students and faculty at some UWC’s could just as well use the UWC common code of conduct as toilet paper, given how much they respect, abide by, or enforce it. At one UWC, the administration finally tried to temporarily stop students from going to local pubs after a couple students nearly died from their excessive alcohol consumption recently. More surprising was how many alumni arose in opposition to this ban, apparently feeling that this ban would ruin the UWC experience they experienced for current students. The USA national committee might be more comfortable sending students who are a little older to UWC’s where pub induction is as important and long standing as any other tradition, even if it’s not official or endorsed by the UWC administration.
If you still really want to go to a UWC for your 12th and 13th grades, apply again next year. It won’t be pointless at all.
Hi guys! I heard about UWC a few weeks ago from my mom’s friend and since then I’ve been obsessed with it! Right now I’m a freshman (I’m 14) so I’ll be applying to the school next year when I’m fifteen. I’ve gone through a lot of threads like this to try and gather more information and I’m just even more excited! One question I had, though, was that on the website it said you had to have your test scores from either the PLAN, ACT, PSAT, or SAT. I guess I’ll have to take the PLAN early next year or something. I’ve tried talking to my guidance counselor, but he’s never heard of the school.
Given that only 50 students are selected from the USA each year, most high school counselors will never have heard of it. Our large public high school regularly sends about a dozen students to Harvard or MIT each year, but had never before sent anyone to a UWC and knew nothing about it before.
If you are applying as a sophomore, I would encourage you to take the PSAT or PLAN as opposed to the SAT or ACT. Some US colleges want applicants to submit all their ACT or SAT scores. Hopefully your scores will improve after your sophomore year.
You will need to be 16 or 17 when you would enter a UWC in August (or January for the one in Swaziland). The UWC’s USA national committee seems to really prefer applicants who apply during their junior year. It can’t hurt you to apply during your sophomore year, but don’t be discouraged or think they don’t like you if they don’t select you at that young age. They might just feel you need a bit more experience and maturity before they throw you into the UWC experience.
Hey guys so excited you’re trying uwc, I tried, didn’t get accepted… A friend who was also rejected got into the Eastern Mediterranean International School (EMIS). It’s relatively new school by a uwc alumni in Israel and it has 20% of Israelis 20% of Palestinians/other Arab countries, 60% of internationals. My friend who goes there love it and thinks the only think it doesn’t have of UWC is the name! Plus, they’re generous with scholarships. I regret so much not applying! If you get in touch I can forward your questions to my friend.
@Annarosew318 Hi!! I’m currently an accepted UWC student for the fall of 2016. Please don’t give up here. I may have been accepted as a sophomore, but, as was mentioned before, they seem to prefer accepting juniors. Please apply again! Focus on community work more and find a passion. If there is something you love, pursue it. The admissions officers will fall in love.