What are my chances as a UK student?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Hey!</p>

<p>I wondered whether there was anyone on here that has some experience with the selection process at Ivy League institutions for international applicants. I know it is hollistic and all, but its difficult for me to even estimate my chances. Hopefully, you guys can help me with some objectivity! And thank you in advance!</p>

<p>These are the main American colleges I will apply to:
Harvard
MIT
Princeton
Yale
Brown
Columbia
Pennsylvania
UCLA
UC Berkley
Amherst
Williams
Pomona
CalTech
Cornell
Dartmouth
Duke
Johns Hopkins
Stanford</p>

<p>I know it is an extensive list with a lot of essays to be written, but I already wrote some essays and am happy to complete the rest of them.</p>

<p>My major is always either:
The Pre-Med track if it is available
OR
Neuroscience</p>

<p>My other stats:
GCE A-Levels - (AS Grade/module grades/predicted A-Level grade)
Maths (A/A,A,A/A<em>)
Chemistry (A/A,A,A/A</em>)
Biology (A/A,A,A/A<em>)
Physics (A/A,A,B/A</em>)
English Literature (A/A,A/A<em>)
Business Studies (A/A,A/A</em>)
Further Maths (A/A,A,C/A<em>)
German (A/A,A,A/A</em>(achieved in one year with A2 module grades A,A,A))</p>

<p>I also took on French to A2 and Creative Writing to AS this year and am predicted an A* and A. I also have my EPQ which is predicted an A*. It is nearly finished and is about an investigation on the IQ of gifted children.
For people unfamiliar with the UK system, students in the UK usually take between three to four, rarely 5 A-Levels. I have 10. </p>

<p>I have no GCSEs as I came to the UK last year for Sixth Form. I was in Germany before that and achieved a GCSE equivalent of 14A* and 1A.</p>

<p>I changed to three different boarding schools, all on scholarships. My last boarding school before I came to the UK was a school for gifted children only.</p>

<p>As for my extracurricular activites: Coauthored a historic novel at the age of 15 and received a prize if 7500 Euros for it. Started a dual enrollment program at a German University in Medicine at the same age (that means I went to Uni and school simultaneously ... don't know if such a program exists in the UK). I also won several literature, arts, languages and science competitions; all of them either 1st, 2nd or 3rd prize on a national or international level.
I do voluntary work intensively since three years now, am the head of the charitee comittee at my school, lead events for Terre des Hommes, UNICEF, AllOut and Stonewall UK and cofounded a small FairTrade organisation back in Germany ('BananaFair'). I am currently volunteering in a nursery home as well.
I'm also a youth UNESCO representative and got sent to New York this year in March.
I'm also super interested in arts and do some arts, mainly objet-trouv</p>

2

<p>I think your 10 (!!) A-Levels at A-A* will make up for that SAT score (although, obviously, if you could raise it, it’d be better). Plus, you’re taking Further Maths, which is considered the hardest math course that can be taken, even harder than Math HL and WAY harder than Calc BC.
Your EC’s are phenomenal. So your odds are as good as anyone’s to get into one of these schools.
However, do NOT go for the “premed” track since internationals rarely if ever can get into American Med schools (public med schools only accept citizens). Furthermore, do not major in biology as there’s currently a glut of them.
Since you can easily handle these ALevels, you should consider double majoring. With that many A Levels you’ll be granted sophomore status (it’s usually granted for 4 A Levels). So if you take the 4 years you’re entitled to (especially if you’re on scholarship), that would give you plenty of time to fit in lots of classes purely for their interest to you, and still leave enough time for a double major.
In addition, can your parents pay for UCLA or UCB ($50,000 a year, no financial aid)? If you don’t need financial aid, it’ll be a huge hook for you to add to the rest.
However, you should think about “fit” very carefully since this is an extensive list of schools. In addition, do you have a back up, a school you’re sure to get into in the UK? If not, you should find 2 colleges that share similar characteristics with your dream schools, but have a 25-30+% admit rate. You’d find them in the Top 25 LACs or Top 25 national universities.</p>

3

<p>Thank you very much ! I had not expected such a swift response !
So would you advise me not to apply for pre-med then in order to raise my chances further ?
And no, I am dependent on financial aid … are there any other ways to fund UCLA and UCB ?
And yes, I do have a back up university in Germany.
Thank you so much nice again !</p>

4

<p>I require some help
I am Indian student looking forward for undergraduate studies in USA and Singapore. I want to major in Computer-Sciences. I am confused as I am unable to decide which university to apply for ?</p>

<p>MY SAT-I was not as good as SAT-II.
SAT-I in January CR:450 W:470 M:800 TOTAL=1720
SAT-I in May CR:480 W:560 M:740 TOTAL=1780
SAT-I IN June CR:490 W:610 M:750 TOTAL=1850
SAT-Highest with all 3 sittings CR:490 W:610 M:800 TOTAL=1900</p>

<p>SAT-II in first sitting in November
Maths Level 2 : 800 Physics : 800 Chemistry : 800</p>

<p>I obtained 9.6 cgpa off 10.0 in 10th grade. I am sure to secure above 90% in Indian 12 standard CBSE exams.</p>

<p>I am also good chess player who has won gold-medals at district level competitions and participation at state and national level competitions
I was selected Best-Chess player and captain of school’s under-19 chess team.
I have won MS-PowerPoint presentation competitions at inter-house, inter-school and tri-city level competitions
I was selected Best-computer wizard of the school and the house.
I have been student body head of school newsletter publishing department and reported directly to vice-principal and house mistress.</p>

<p>Now, the problem I am facing is that I dont know which colleges/universities I should apply to. With perfect scores in SAT-II some of my friends told me to apply to elite colleges like Ivy league, but I think they are crazy. Some people say with 1850/1900 in SAT-I you are not going to get into even good universities like UCSD and Ohio State university what to talk about Ivy league.</p>

<p>Please tell me which colleges should i apply to and please do rate my chances in the following</p>

<p>UCLA
UCSD
UC Berkeley
Georgia Tech</p>

<p>DREAM CHANCES</p>

<p>Stanford University
IVY LEAGUE</p>

5

<p>HI 257448: you can’t post your own question on someone else’s thread. Just create your own :)</p>

<p>Ray 2013: no there’s no way to finance UCB/UCLA. Either you pay… or you can’t attend. They admit students who aren’t in-state to make up for the budget cuts so if you don’t have money… too bad.
Although your profile is sure to interest Top 10 universities and LACs, including those that are need blind and meet 100% need, don’t neglect any of them. Make yourself known (fill out a “request info” form), look at the faculty and find one or two for whom you’d like to work on research or whom you’d like to direct a research project of yours then email them, asking about the courses they teach, why you’re interested in studying under them, what your current project is. Show interest.
Do not apply to premed since you’re unlikely to be allowed to attend med school in the US. Considering your ALevels, look into neuroscience, for example, or physics, or math, or CS (not to mention double major in German or any other language that’s less commonly taught than Spanish).</p>