Study Abroad at the University of Leeds Spring 2014-2015

Hello,

I am a student from the US. I am double majoring in Marketing and Management. I would like to study abroad at Leeds for the 2014-2015 Spring Semester. I will need to be applying soon as the application deadline is in September...I just have a few questions before I do so.

-On my University's study abroad website it lists a 3.0 Eligibility requirement, I have talked to my University and Leeds University about it as I have a 2.883 GPA. I started off as an engineering major and took classes that satisfied that, which I believe brought my GPA down a substantial amount. My GPA has been pretty consistent with an upward trend and I should be pretty close to having a 3.0 GPA by the end of this next fall semester. I was just wondering if there are any other international students out there that have been in the same situation as me? If so, could you tell me if you did anything that brought the attention away from your lower GPA and onto your stronger things? Or could you tell me if the GPA requirement holds less weight in the application process than i am thinking it does (I am worried about not getting accepted because of this). I am very involved with student organizations and hold 3 Board/Officer positions within them, so this is something I would like to emphasize as it is one of my strengths.

-Since I am a Business Major, I was also wondering how hard it is to get into the business classes at Leeds.

Thank you in advance for your responses!

Reply 1

friendsfan08

Hi,

firstly think that you should switch back to your Engineering major, even if it's harder than a business major :smile:

I want to do physics, so I'm completely biased, but the drop out rate for more technical courses like engineering is huge in the USA, higher for women, and so I think that you should stick with what you genuinely find more interesting :smile:

(ps the right answer is engineering! It is an amazingly cool subject, and everyone else automatically thinks you're really smart. And you can do really cool work with an engineering degree, no matter what kind of eng it is. And you'll meet the coolest, inspiring people and make lots of money and have a guarenteed job when you graduate, no matter how bad your grades seem to be.)

Rant aside (sorry!), I'm a US high school student from California, and so I may be able to help you a little bit. I think it depends on the kind of exchange. If it's a departmental exchange, where you are getting taught my professors from your university but just abroad, then I am inclined to say that GPA doesn't matter as much and they will look at your extracurriculars. Mostly they want to see that you can behave well abroad and be responsible. Especially if you can argue that studying abroad will benefit your degree. If it is the type of study abroad where you are on your own and study at Leeds, taught by their faculty, then GPA matters. One of the biggest differences between US and UK universities is that UK unis care MUCH less about your extracurriculars. They see your academic grades as a sign that you either can or can't keep up with the rigor of the coursework. So if they are the ones evaluating your application to study there, do your BEST to emphasize that you are a good student academically.

I was also wondering what university are you at? I will be applying directly to Leeds, but I am also in the market for American, "back up" universities to apply to that will let me study abroad in Leeds, that offer science degrees. I understand if you don't want to disclose that info on a forum, and I don't know if there is such thing as private messaging on here since I'm new, but if you could find a way to get me that info that would be great so that I could look into it.