Undergraduate study at MIT/Harvard

I find it funny how you guys are just thinking "I'll maybe just apply to MIT/Harvard/other sub 10% acceptance rate schools" - like it's an easy feat and you'll get accepted easily.

If you were serious about going to the states you'd look into the liberal arts colleges as well as the larger Ivies/top unis.

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As I have stated in my other forums that I have posted on here, there is a big list that I would like to apply to, however the cost of application will be a limiting factor. Also I feel that I can get a good education in the UK and so whether I go to a university like NYU or UCL doesn't really matter because there is an opportunity to go to the states as part of the course.

I find it funny how you guys are just thinking "I'll maybe just apply to MIT/Harvard/other sub 10% acceptance rate schools" - like it's an easy feat and you'll get accepted easily.

If you were serious about going to the states you'd look into the liberal arts colleges as well as the larger Ivies/top unis.

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What like Dartmouth and UPenn?

Those are Ivy League universities mate and UPenn is the furthest thing away from an LAC. Dartmouth has postgraduate programs and does research as well.

Liberal arts colleges are completely undergraduate institutions with a very small student population - like 2000-3000. Places like Amherst, Williams, Claremont Mckenna, Pomona are considered the "little ivies" because of their small size and undergrad focus - the calibre of students can compete against the ivies in most cases.

The current SAT is fine, you should get a revision guide HOWEVER if you want to take the exam after march of next year, then you will need to make sure you get a revision guide for the new SAT.
The SAT itself has very little that isn't covered in GCSE, but the SAT II (subject tests) have information that is AS, and so what is recommended is you do year 12 and then get a revision guide for the subject tests and do that too because that is plenty.
Let us know if there is anything else that you need to know!

The thing is it would be better to go to uk unis as opposed to them.

Amherst and Oberlin are good, especially since Amherst is need-blind or says that they are.

But the ivies, mit, stanford, caltech are exclusive, its where all the valedictorians and the rich douchebags are, its the name that goes along with it I suppose.

I thought you were at Oxford?

That's fair. I admire your attitude!

If you are confidently aiming for grades that could get you into a top 10 UK uni then there isn't much risk applying to the best US ones I guess.

Nah mate, going to Notts this Sept. Might apply for Oxford if exams go well (I.e. A*s) this year then start 1st year again.

I'd disagree. The valedictorians and (even more so than the ivies) 'rich douchebags' will be found at the top LACs. I know a private equity partner who went from Amherst to McKinsey (got an MBA and switched to PE after) and he told me it was normal for people to land top gigs at MBB and the Bulge Bracket banks coming out of Amherst.

Amherst, Williams and co are legitimately just smaller versions of the ivies. They have pretty much the same make up and offer the same brand (mostly in the US though due to their size). It's akin to how Durham is barely known out with the UK but is a solid uni.

Nah mate, going to Notts this Sept. Might apply for Oxford if exams go well (I.e. A*s) this year then start 1st year again.

I'd disagree. The valedictorians and (even more so than the ivies) 'rich douchebags' will be found at the top LACs. I know a private equity partner who went from Amherst to McKinsey (got an MBA and switched to PE after) and he told me it was normal for people to land top gigs at MBB and the Bulge Bracket banks coming out of Amherst.

Amherst, Williams and co are legitimately just smaller versions of the ivies. They have pretty much the same make up and offer the same brand (mostly in the US though due to their size). It's akin to how Durham is barely known out with the UK but is a solid uni.

I see, thank you for your insight.

So it seems that Oxbridge/Imperial/LSE are some of the few unis in the UK who are comparable to these ivies.

I see nice, good luck with everything.

Oxbridge is the best undergraduate educational experience in the world. No doubt. After that, Colleges like Harvey Mudd (liberal arts colleges) should be sought after. Harvard, Stanford, MIT, etc, have big names but the attention to undergraduate students is lacking. For graduate school, they undeniably hold a monopoly. If you're a British citizen and you're going to study at University, really your best bet is to study here at undergrad. Save the US for later on when all that private funding actually counts for something.

Thanks for the viewpoint, never thought of it like that. So would you say that unis such as Imperial/LSE/Warwick are better to do undergrad degrees than ivies/stanford/mit etc.

I find it funny how you guys are just thinking "I'll maybe just apply to MIT/Harvard/other sub 10% acceptance rate schools" - like it's an easy feat and you'll get accepted easily.

If you were serious about going to the states you'd look into the liberal arts colleges as well as the larger Ivies/top unis.

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I couldn't agree more. My opinion is that you really shouldn't pin your hopes on those schools like Harvard, MIT etc with those insanely low acceptance rates (Stanford <6%, Oxford ~25%). Getting in is almost a game of chance with those schools seeing that they routinely reject valedictorians, straight A students, students who have done volunteering work in different continents, and much more spectacular achievements. I suggest you don't pin your hopes and dreams on getting into those Universities; nonetheless you can still apply and hope you do get in.


I notice also that no one has mentioned the all important high school transcript and teacher recommendations. What were your grades like in class (apart from GCSE's and A-Levels)? Would your teachers regard you as a one of a kind, exceptional student in physics and literature (for example)?


I myself am applying to Oxford, Imperial and three other UK uni's, in addition to several US unis (Harvard, Stanford, MIT etc) but seeing that UK uni's accept solely on academic potential, I am really only considering the UK uni's. I think that US unis require too much holistically from applicants.

I agree, except grades in class don't mean anything in the UK. You'll, most likely, only stick your GCSEs, AS levels and predicted/achieved A2s on your "transcript".

Thanks for the viewpoint, never thought of it like that. So would you say that unis such as Imperial/LSE/Warwick are better to do undergrad degrees than ivies/stanford/mit etc.

I would think that if you couldn't get into Oxbridge, say Princeton or MIT might be a good choice. Certainly, in the US they sound more impressive than Warwick.

Bro, it's easier to get into Oxbridge than to get into HYPMS. Sub 10% acceptance rates with a very strong cohort of applicants is the reason - so it'd be the inverse of your statement.

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