Americans applying to university in the UK

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adam0311

You should probably apply for both foundation and degree, regardless of your results. Reason being is this. Foundation is applied for seperately than UCAS (except for Durham degrees w/ foundation year). So you might as well see if you can get anything through UCAS in the relm of full degrees. Do you think you got over an 1800 on the SAT I or got 600 plus in two SAT II's? If so you are pretty much good to go for Aberdeen. Edinburgh would need the 1800 plus 2 SAT II's with 650 in each. When do you get your scores back? If you are confident about getting somewhere around this...and were really anxious you could just predict the scores at 1800 SAT and two subject tests at 650. Then send the scores once they come in.

The need for a reference for foundation is dependent on the program. Some require it some don't. Just look on the application at each website.

Im not sure if i can predict the scores. My exam for SAT I will be on OCT.23 and the SAT II will be on november, that's why im going to submit my UCAS on mid november-december.

So if im applying for foundation, its not on UCAS? Do i apply directly to the university?

Reply 301

jaybaby494

Hii im new to this forum but I am really nervous! I am applying to Oxford for Law and Ive been hearing it is super competitive.. Not sure if my grades/SAT/APs are gonna hold up.

SAT1: 2140
SAT2: Math lv.2(790) Chemistry(720) U.S History(720)
AP: Euro History (5) Chinese (5) Psychology (4) Chemistry (4) U.S History (4)
Current APs I am taking: Eng. Lang, Bio, Government&Politics, Economics, Calc
GPA: Around 3.67

Also going for UCL, KCL, Edinburgh, and LSE
Soo am I definitely getting rejected or could I actually make it? Thanks!

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 302

adam0311

jaybaby494

A fellow law applicant!

I'll go through your list:
LSE: For law you need 5 5's on an AP Exam. You'd have to get 5's on every AP you are currently taking to get an offer. You wouldn't know 100% if you are in until July. They don't take SAT I, SAT II, or GPA.

UCL: What you have should be good to go.

KCL: Same as above

Edinburgh: Likely strait into the acceptance bin.

Oxford: If you want to apply to Oxford, you need to do so by October 15th. That gives you a little less than a month. There is a form for overseas appplicants that needs to be filled out and mailed in...it needs to be recieved by the 15th. Which means you need to have it filled out and sent in the next two weeks for it to arrive on time. You may get the oppurtunity to interview since your SAT II scores are pretty high. Your SAT I is about 60 points under where it needs to be. Your conditional offer, if you did well at the interview, would likely be dependent on getting one more 5. The 4's are just not going to cut it for Oxford.

Here is my suggestion. Drop LSE or Oxford, don't pick both. Probably drop LSE, since you'll need to have 5 5's. Since Oxford looks at your other stuff, you won't need as many 5's. This will give you the option to pick a more realisitc school. Oxford, KCL, UCL and Edinburgh is a solid set. Look into some other unis like Nottingham, Bristol, Warwick, etc. London and Scotland aren't the end all be all of UK law schools. Refer to the league tables for a rough guide of law schools.

Keep in mind KCL and UCL are going to require the LNAT. It's the UK equivalent to the LSAT. You will need to take it by January. For Oxford, you need to be registered for the LNAT by October 15th, you will need to have sat the LNAT by November first.

I know it's a lot that is required...but law is one of the most competitive subjects in the UK. The application alone helps weed people out. All overseas applicants from Asia have already submitted their applications, not only that they had it completed a month and a half ago for their deadline.

Reply 303

adam0311

kristinaalovesu

Foundation is direct to the university. You'll see UCAS doesn't even give the option for foundation. Except for: 1. foundation at Durham, since it is a 4 year track. 2. Edinburgh has an integrated foundation which is applied for on UCAS. 3. Queen Mary also has an integrated program, but this is reserved (mainly) for domestic applicants.

1. http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/elt/media/Application_UG_22.04.10.pdf

2. For Royal Holloway you have to email them for access to their online portal, I am pretty sure. http://www.rhul.ac.uk/international/programmesandapplying/universitypreparation/internationalfoundationprogramme.aspx

3. http://www.sefp.qmul.ac.uk/apply/applicsefp.pdf

4. http://www.kcl.ac.uk/prospectus/undergraduate/print/name/international_science_foundation_programme/previous_year/true/printable/true

Those should get you started.

Reply 304

kristinaalovesu

adam0311

great! thank you!

Reply 305

zken11

jaybaby494

I was also in the same boat as you, an American applying to a UK uni, and am starting classes at UCL in a few days.

I'm going to be somewhat blunt, so bear with me.

Your SAT scores seem to be relatively quite low, especially if you're aiming for Oxbridge, LSE, or UCL. UK schools only look at an applicant's grades and personal statement (that threw all my extracurriculars right out the window). Try to take it again and raise it to a 2200 or 2300 as that will help your chances right there. KCL and Edinburgh will probably accept your grade.

Your SAT II scores are acceptable, but also not at the top. However they are less important than your AP scores.

There is nothing you can do with your current AP scores. Providing that you receive conditional offers, expect that you will be required to get 5's on your Eng Lang and your Law & Govt AP Tests. They may also have you obtain 5's on other subjects as well just to test your academic aptitude.

If you want someone to compare to, I do not mind sharing my grades and my offers. However it may vary slightly as I applied for economics for my degree (except imperial).

SAT1: 2230
SAT2: Math II(800) Chemistry(760) U.S History(720)
AP: BC Calc (5) Eng. Lang (5) Chemistry (5) Government&Politics (5) Statistics (5) Microeconomics (5) Macroeconomics (4) U.S History (4)
Physics C (4)
GPA unweighted: Around 3.8

offers:
LSE (rejected)
Imperial (rejected)
UCL (conditional)
Warwick (offer)
St Andrews (offer)

best of luck to you!

Reply 306

EcstaticMuse

zken11

Welcome to the thread and best of luck at UCL!

Reply 307

EcstaticMuse

So, has anyone else gotten their welcome e-mails/letters yet? I'm still waiting, albeit impatiently, for mine.

Reply 308

adam0311

EcstaticMuse

So, has anyone else gotten their welcome e-mails/letters yet? I'm still waiting, albeit impatiently, for mine.

The welcome letter took a week to get to me. Pretty quick actually. If you want to login to track, just go to track. Click forgot login details and then click forgot personal ID. It will then send it to your email. All the other details to login into track you'll already have.

Reply 309

EcstaticMuse

adam0311

Wow, that's pretty quick! Thanks for the info, I'm going to try it now. In case you haven't noticed, I'm the neurotic type that will likely be checking track every hour on the hour. :rolleyes:

Reply 310

adam0311

EcstaticMuse

Wow, that's pretty quick! Thanks for the info, I'm going to try it now. In case you haven't noticed, I'm the neurotic type that will likely be checking track every hour on the hour. :rolleyes:

Yeah I'd be lying if I said that I haven't checked it a few times haha.

Reply 311

EcstaticMuse

adam0311

Yeah I'd be lying if I said that I haven't checked it a few times haha.

Neuroticism rules! :biggrin:

*high five*

Reply 312

Beleg Cuthalion

Hi, I'm an American planning on applying to St. Andrews, Edinburgh, Durham, Bristol, and Manchester for history. If anyone could give me my chances of getting in, that would be great. I realize St. Andrews may be a long shot.

I have a 2090 on the SAT (720 in math, 710 in English, and 660 in reading), 710 on SAT II US, 31 on the ACT. For APs, I have 5 in AB calc, 5 in stats, 4 in US, 4 in English Lit, and 3 in C Mechanics (I didn't really take an AP class for this and probably won't report it). My weighted GPA in 4.08. I don't really know my unweighted, but probably around 3.8. I have some ECs, but I hear they don't really matter in the UK. I am currently spending this year as an exchange student in Germany.

I haven't sent in my application yet like I guess most of you have. I've got stuff filled out, but having even started my statement yet. Is that a bad thing? Does it matter when they come in as long as it's before the deadline? Thanks a lot.

Reply 313

Beleg Cuthalion

One more question, do UCAS point requirements apply to Americans, and how does that work?

Reply 314

EcstaticMuse

Beleg Cuthalion

Welcome to the thread! :biggrin:

Your stats look pretty fabulous and Durham might actually be your most competitive choice and your offer might involve getting another 5 or two on any AP exams, preferably something that has to do with History. The exchange program will really make you stand out from the crowd and you SAT scores are really good, above standards for your uni choices.

Honestly, I wouldn't worry about St. Andrews. Since you are international and will be paying international fees, they'll want you there. Not only are you qualified to get in but, and excuse my bluntness, they want your money. It's plain and simple. International fees help to keep fees for Home UK/EU students as low as they are compared to international fees. The same goes for Edinburgh, as they're both in Scotland and Scotland tends to, in particular, favor international, mainly American students.

To be perfectly honest, I think you could get unconditionals from Edinburgh and Manchester, possibly for St. Andrews but it is less likely. Your offer will probably be something akin to getting another 4 or another 5 on AP exams. Bristol, I feel like it's a cross between an unconditional and a condition with one more 4/5 but Manchester and Ed I think you have in the bag.

Don't worry about not having your application ready yet! As long as it's in by the deadline, you will get equal consideration. The only reason most of us on here are applying early is because international students for most schools get rollings admissions and we find out in a few weeks rather than a few months if we have an offer or not. I'd say if you can get it in by the end of October, you should know around November or December rather than March.

Best of luck and keep us updated!

Reply 315

Beleg Cuthalion

Ok, thanks a lot for the info. The thing is I probably won't be taking any more APs since I'm in Germany now. I guess AP German wouldn't be too hard if I could get it mailed, but I doubt I will have any. Certainly would be glad to go to Edinburgh if I could get in like you say. Another question, do we mail in transcripts when we complete the application, or after the unis ask for them? Thanks.

Reply 316

adam0311

Beleg Cuthalion

You'll have to submit the AP/SAT/Transcript, etc. once you get a conditional offer. Nothing until then.

Reply 317

EcstaticMuse

Ahhh. Been checking track obsessively, even though I know it will only lead to disappointment. I need to get off of TSR for a while. It reminds me of uni and then I check track and then I come back here to complain about how there's nothing there. But I probably don't even have enough self-restraint to not be on TSR at least every other day so there's basically no point in what I just said.

Reply 318

jayjaybird33

I know its early (1 am here) but I new ACT scores were being posted tonight. :mad:

Score didn't budge.

But I SENT IN MY APPLICATION!!!!!!!!!! :woo:

I ended up going for
Queen Mary - English Language and Linguistics

Edinburgh - Linguistics

Essex - Linguistics

King's - English Langauge and Communication

and
UCL - Linguistics

Now begins the obsessive checking. :yep: