[Tsunami2011]

(Original post by avash27)
You can go for BSc Government and Economics at LSE, and you can do a Chinese module as an outside option if you'd like. The LSE Language Centre now offers modules so you can take a language as part of your degree (one of my friends is currently doing this with Chinese, actually), or you can take it as a separate class and graduate with a certificate in it (this is not an actual part of your degree, but a separate qualification). If you have any questions about this, let me know!

aha glad to be proved wrong

[avash27]

(Original post by Tsunami2011)
aha glad to be proved wrong

The Language Centre is relatively new, so lots of people don't know about it haha. I'm trying to spread the word lol

[arielvale]

(Original post by avash27)
You can go for BSc Government and Economics at LSE, and you can do a Chinese module as an outside option if you'd like. The LSE Language Centre now offers modules so you can take a language as part of your degree (one of my friends is currently doing this with Chinese, actually), or you can take it as a separate class and graduate with a certificate in it (this is not an actual part of your degree, but a separate qualification). If you have any questions about this, let me know!

What is a BSc? Oh that language module sounds AMAZING. Do you currently go to LSE?

[arielvale]

(Original post by Tsunami2011)
It's fairly competitive, but not 'too' competitive if you have the right grades and a solid personal statement. I understand your point now, I'm sure you would be able to keep it up in some way, Warwick and LSE both have big Chinese communities and societies so this may aid you. The application process will be the same as LSE, apply on UCAS and pick your five choices! no additional tests. Have you considered Oxford PPE? as you can drop Philosophy after year 1

I'm not quite sure what the Oxford PPE is...can you explain it please?

[avash27]

(Original post by arielvale)
What is a BSc? Oh that language module sounds AMAZING. Do you currently go to LSE?

BSc is just the type of degree - Bachelor of Science. Most LSE degrees are BSc, we hardly have any BAs (Bachelor of Arts). Yep, I'm a first year Politics and Philosophy student

[DCDude]

(Original post by thesmiter)
@Dnibara: Thanks for the response. I've marked down the earlier application due date in my calendar. The personal statement is different from American universities in that it's supposed to describe your interests in the subject, right? And this is different from the American statement, which focuses on your achievements in general.

I checked out the 2000 word essay - the page implies that it should be some form of schoolwork. So does that mean I should submit an original history class homework essay (most likely an FRQ or DBQ)? Or do I have to write an entirely different essay?

As for the History Aptitude Test, did you take yours at school? How should I go about registering? Thanks for all your help.

History & Politics @ Oxford is very small - c. 50 places- and you have to convince both the H & P departments that you are right for both. If you get to interview you will be probably be asked if you would accept a place in straight History (it is a much bigger course). The HAT can be a nuisance to organize if your school isn't helpful, but it can be done. Start early! Troll the Oxford 2013 forum on TSR- you can learn a lot.

[alexs2602]

(Original post by arielvale)
I realize I am super late, but I'm a junior in the US and I am interested in applying to universities in the UK because unlike the US universities, the UK ones seem more geared towards students with a clear path in mind. I am thinking of applying to LSE, and possibly Warwick. I would love to double major in Economics and Political Science, and continue my chinese studies, although I am not sure whether LSE or Warwick offer Chinese. Does anyone have any suggestions/advice?

Thanks so much in advance (:

Nottingham offers everything you want. They'll be perfect for you because they have a fantastic program in chinese and a campus there(in china) too. And they're very well known for their economics too. Not sure about politics but I have a friend who does politics there and she doesn't seem to complain.

Oh... And this independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/nottingham-beats-harvard-to-be-the-talk-of-the-town-6256293.html

[arielvale]

(Original post by avash27)
BSc is just the type of degree - Bachelor of Science. Most LSE degrees are BSc, we hardly have any BAs (Bachelor of Arts). Yep, I'm a first year Politics and Philosophy student

Hmm that's interesting. How do you like LSE? I go to a high school with 2700 kids..is LSE bigger or smaller? (sorry for the multitude of questions :P)

[arielvale]

(Original post by alexs2602)
Nottingham offers everything you want. They'll be perfect for you because they have a fantastic program in chinese and a campus there(in china) too. And they're very well known for their economics too. Not sure about politics but I have a friend who does politics there and she doesn't seem to complain.

Oh... And this independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/nottingham-beats-harvard-to-be-the-talk-of-the-town-6256293.html

I will definitely look at Nottingham then
Wow that article is intense..debate in Chinese, that has to mean you're fluent

[alexs2602]

(Original post by arielvale)
I will definitely look at Nottingham then
Wow that article is intense..debate in Chinese, that has to mean you're fluent

Any questions just ask. I study maths at Nottingham. Economics wise Nottingham isn't as good as LSE(because LSE is the best in the UK for econ afaik) but it's approximately as good as Warwick iirc. As we have a campus in China you can easily spend time there(either a semester or a year, I can't be sure without checking). They are also chinese students who study on the chinese campus and spend time over here. You'd have to do your own research for politics I'm afraid - just not my field.

[thesmiter]

(Original post by DCDude)
History & Politics @ Oxford is very small - c. 50 places- and you have to convince both the H & P departments that you are right for both. If you get to interview you will be probably be asked if you would accept a place in straight History (it is a much bigger course). The HAT can be a nuisance to organize if your school isn't helpful, but it can be done. Start early! Troll the Oxford 2013 forum on TSR- you can learn a lot.

Wow, that's tiny. I would take a place in History, but I guess my second choice after History and Politics would be History and Economics. Of course, frankly, I'd be happy enough getting into Oxford - getting the exact course I want to take would make me cry tears of joy. I'm going to ask my counselor about the HAT very soon and see what he thinks. I desperately need to take it at my school. The nearest open testing center is a 6-7 hour drive down to San Diego...

I will check out the Oxford 2013 forum, but I feel as though I might get lost there, since I'm not actually a British student...

Also, what's the interview like? How was it conducted?

[Dnibara]

(Original post by thesmiter)
Also, what's the interview like? How was it conducted?

My interview was held at my school, in my counselor's office. It was over Skype, and there was no one else in the room. It actually wasn't that bad. I had thought that it would be really scary, but it wasn't. The interviewers are pretty nice, and they try to help you as much as they can. The questions that you'll be asked will be related to your subject, not random questions like "If you were a tree, what kind of tree would you be? Discuss in length."

[thesmiter]

(Original post by Dnibara)
My interview was held at my school, in my counselor's office. It was over Skype, and there was no one else in the room. It actually wasn't that bad. I had thought that it would be really scary, but it wasn't. The interviewers are pretty nice, and they try to help you as much as they can. The questions that you'll be asked will be related to your subject, not random questions like "If you were a tree, what kind of tree would you be? Discuss in length."

Oh, okay, whew. I was reading up on the interview process on the site, and from the language they use, it sounded terrifying - like they'd ask me to read and analyse historical documents on the spot or something. x_x

[Dnibara]

(Original post by thesmiter)
Oh, okay, whew. I was reading up on the interview process on the site, and from the language they use, it sounded terrifying - like they'd ask me to read and analyse historical documents on the spot or something. x_x

Oh haha they do that. They'll probably give you a document ten/fifteen minutes before your interview, and then ask questions on it during the interview. But from my experience, that was easier than when they asked questions without anything for me to look at, but it might be different for history interviews, I don't know.

[avash27]

(Original post by arielvale)
Hmm that's interesting. How do you like LSE? I go to a high school with 2700 kids..is LSE bigger or smaller? (sorry for the multitude of questions :P)

LSE has about 4500 undergraduates, so it's bigger haha. I love LSE, it's a great school in an amazing city, and you have the opportunity to meet all types of people from around the world. I happen to like the fact that it's not a campus uni, but everything is so close together that you won't have a problem ever finding a building or anything.

I also replied to your PM

[Tsunami2011]

(Original post by arielvale)
I'm not quite sure what the Oxford PPE is...can you explain it please?

Oxford PPE stands for (Philosophy, Politics and Economics) so you'd be able to drop the Philosophy after year 1 and focus on your two passions!

[sixdaysinthesun]

(Original post by thesmiter)
I'm going to ask my counselor about the HAT very soon and see what he thinks. I desperately need to take it at my school. The nearest open testing center is a 6-7 hour drive down to San Diego...

Your school should be able to arrange the test for you, but even if they can't you can take it at a local college or even a library, which is where I took mine admissions test. You just have to phone around and ask if they offer test proctoring services, which most do.

[DCDude]

[QUOTE=thesmiter;36995536]Wow, that's tiny. I would take a place in History, but I guess my second choice after History and Politics would be History and Economics.

Arielvale and Avash27 have been talking about PPE, which might really suit you. FYI, the Oxford rep on their road show said that it is the most common course for US students to apply to, which obvs. makes it more competitive. BUT, really the first, last and most important thing to remember about Oxford is that (assuming if your numbers are in the right range), what will really matter is demonstrating to the tutors that you have a strong, well developed interest in, and aptitude for, the subject. (Note that it is not an Admissions office- it is your actual future teachers who decide who comes). There are some Oxford podcasts on iTunes, and in one of them a History tutor says that basically, they don't really care if their students are well-rounded, because most of them (the tutors) aren't terribly well rounded- that they love really their subject, and want to teach students who are excited about it.

I will check out the Oxford 2013 forum, but I feel as though I might get lost there, since I'm not actually a British student...

Actually, I think it's pretty accessible, and you get a ton of information - and there are very few of the obnoxious types as on the US version (CC, that is!). Plus, if you are serious about going to the UK to study you might as well get to know them! There were some pretty great people on the 2012 thread.

[thesmiter]

(Original post by sixdaysinthesun)
Your school should be able to arrange the test for you, but even if they can't you can take it at a local college or even a library, which is where I took mine admissions test. You just have to phone around and ask if they offer test proctoring services, which most do.

Sweet. I'm pretty sure my school will let me register to take it there though, because we're also a testing site for the SAT and proctor over 3000 AP tests yearly. I just need to talk to my counselor to see if we're registered or if we can register. In the unlikely event that we can't, I'll definitely use that tip about the public library! Thanks!


[QUOTE=DCDude;37009859]

(Original post by thesmiter)
Wow, that's tiny. I would take a place in History, but I guess my second choice after History and Politics would be History and Economics.

Arielvale and Avash27 have been talking about PPE, which might really suit you. FYI, the Oxford rep on their road show said that it is the most common course for US students to apply to, which obvs. makes it more competitive. BUT, really the first, last and most important thing to remember about Oxford is that (assuming if your numbers are in the right range), what will really matter is demonstrating to the tutors that you have a strong, well developed interest in, and aptitude for, the subject. (Note that it is not an Admissions office- it is your actual future teachers who decide who comes). There are some Oxford podcasts on iTunes, and in one of them a History tutor says that basically, they don't really care if their students are well-rounded, because most of them (the tutors) aren't terribly well rounded- that they love really their subject, and want to teach students who are excited about it.

I will check out the Oxford 2013 forum, but I feel as though I might get lost there, since I'm not actually a British student...

Actually, I think it's pretty accessible, and you get a ton of information - and there are very few of the obnoxious types as on the US version (CC, that is!). Plus, if you are serious about going to the UK to study you might as well get to know them! There were some pretty great people on the 2012 thread.

Should I post my stats? History grades, AP scores, maybe even an essay? My goal for high school was to take and ace ALL of the History APs at my school - World, Euro, US, Econ, Gov/Comp, even Psych. I took Human Geography as a freshman as part of a non-credited school course. Freshmen aren't even allowed to take APs at school.

I've also posted on the Americans going to UK thread on CC, and the people there seem friendly enough, but this is the more active board. I'll pop in to the Oxford 2013 thread sometime this weekend when I have time to pore over messages.

[sarahoo]

Ahhh, not to drop in and mess up all the Oxford talk, but I just wanted to see, on the off chance, if anyone here might be attending Queen Mary in the fall?