A Levels or IB for American Universities?
I'm going into year 11 this year and have always had an interest in studying at an American University rather than a British one. I study currently at a comp in Wales where no-one has ever even applied to an american university before so if I were to stay here then my chances of receiving much help would be low. I know I'm only inyear 11 but I'm posting this now so I know whether I'd be better off studying the IB? I'm currently applying to UWC as it's the only IB school I can find that offers good scholarships ( I can't afford the fees of private schools). I'm just asking whether I'd be better off studying a levels (probably in Maths , Further Maths , Chemistry , Physics , Economics and the Welsh Bacc) or applying to schools to study the IB with regards to getting into a good american uni such as Princeton or Yale? Also , does anyone know any good websites that offer advice for British Students applying to American Unis ? The only ones I've found so far are for americans living in the uk applying to them?
If a similar page already exists and I've basically just repeated a thread that someone else has already made or something , could someone please direct me to it? Thanks
Thanks
If a similar page already exists and I've basically just repeated a thread that someone else has already made or something , could someone please direct me to it? Thanks
Thanks
(edited 8 years ago)
Hi! I'm also applying for the Ivy Leagues.
I am also currently doing the IB. After talking to a lot of representatives from some Ivy League school (Cornell, Stanford and Princeton), they particularly like IB students because the course is rigorous (Extended essays, internal assessments, Theory of Knowledge
). IB also allows you to be more a well-rounded student by restricting candidates to choose up to two natural/social science courses. Not to mention, they also require you to be bilingual (ah the pressure...)
When applying to U.S universities, you can go under undecided major so they do not impose a restriction on what subjects you should be taking in order to pursue the degree.
I might be quite biased towards the IB curriculum because I like how it prepares me for university (especially in writing long coherent essays). However, you should pick the one that suits you the best. If you are a very academically driven person, then I'd recommend you to take A-Levels as the curriculum focuses more on exams.
Just do well on your SAT. If the courses you are applying for requires SAT subject tests, make sure you ace it. SAT is of utmost importance because it's a filtering tool. Most Ivy Leagues require 2300 ++
Build your resumes on voluntary work because U.S. universities don't want just academically intellectual individuals. They focus on you holistically.
Also, pick the right prompt when you are about to write your personal statement
I wish you the best for your application!
I am also currently doing the IB. After talking to a lot of representatives from some Ivy League school (Cornell, Stanford and Princeton), they particularly like IB students because the course is rigorous (Extended essays, internal assessments, Theory of Knowledge
). IB also allows you to be more a well-rounded student by restricting candidates to choose up to two natural/social science courses. Not to mention, they also require you to be bilingual (ah the pressure...) When applying to U.S universities, you can go under undecided major so they do not impose a restriction on what subjects you should be taking in order to pursue the degree.
I might be quite biased towards the IB curriculum because I like how it prepares me for university (especially in writing long coherent essays). However, you should pick the one that suits you the best. If you are a very academically driven person, then I'd recommend you to take A-Levels as the curriculum focuses more on exams.
Just do well on your SAT. If the courses you are applying for requires SAT subject tests, make sure you ace it. SAT is of utmost importance because it's a filtering tool. Most Ivy Leagues require 2300 ++
Build your resumes on voluntary work because U.S. universities don't want just academically intellectual individuals. They focus on you holistically.
Also, pick the right prompt when you are about to write your personal statement
I wish you the best for your application!
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by Calsiwm_Silicad
I'm going into year 11 this year and have always had an interest in studying at an American University rather than a British one. I study currently at a comp in Wales where no-one has ever even applied to an american university before so if I were to stay here then my chances of receiving much help would be low. I know I'm only inyear 11 but I'm posting this now so I know whether I'd be better off studying the IB? I'm currently applying to UWC as it's the only IB school I can find that offers good scholarships ( I can't afford the fees of private schools). I'm just asking whether I'd be better off studying a levels (probably in Maths , Further Maths , Chemistry , Physics , Economics and the Welsh Bacc) or applying to schools to study the IB with regards to getting into a good american uni such as Princeton or Yale? Also , does anyone know any good websites that offer advice for British Students applying to American Unis ? The only ones I've found so far are for americans living in the uk applying to them?
If a similar page already exists and I've basically just repeated a thread that someone else has already made or something , could someone please direct me to it? Thanks
Thanks
If a similar page already exists and I've basically just repeated a thread that someone else has already made or something , could someone please direct me to it? Thanks
Thanks
American colleges would prefer the IB, since it is an international programme with equivalencies that could be transferred into the educational system in the US. On the other hand, it would be difficult to transfer A-level grades into the American college system, which means that you may be disadvantaged.
If you have to option to do the AP programme, then I would highly suggest this route, given that it is widely accepted in American colleges and you would be better off with scholarships and better chances of getting in.
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