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British freshman at Harvard, AMA

helloeverybody5

All in the title.

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Reply 1

Imperion

Original post by helloeverybody5

All in the title.

How was the application process? How are you generally finding it? :tongue:

Reply 2

ubisoft

Course?

How expensive is it? Are there any bursaries/grants?

Reply 3

Evil Genius

What did you get in your A-levels?

Reply 4

Leechayy

Original post by helloeverybody5

All in the title.

Do the gyaldem get moist off dat British accent? :smug:

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Reply 5

helloeverybody5

Original post by Imperion

How was the application process? How are you generally finding it? :tongue:

The application process was not too bad. I had to apply through a website called the Common Application. I sent in my transcript of GCSE and A-Level grades, 2 personal essays, academic counsellor recommendation, two teacher recommendations, a list of about 10 extra curriculars and my ACT score.

It's really hard. Going from the British A-Level system to this is tough. I'm taking 4 classes at the moment and I'd say it's like taking 4 A-Levels at a time, except that there's constant testing and midterms so you have to keep on top of homework, papers and problem sets.

Reply 6

celloel

I thought you were about to start at Yale (according to your last AMA). :K:

Reply 7

helloeverybody5

Original post by ubisoft

Course?

How expensive is it? Are there any bursaries/grants?

In America you don't apply for a course, but you just apply for admission to that college. Undeclared at the moment but thinking of concentrating in History.

Admission is need blind which means that they don't take your financial situation into account when they consider your application. If your family makes under $65,000 a year you essentially pay nothing. I have a full scholarship that amounts to around 70k and that including tuition, room, board (unlimited meal swipes in dining halls), and they pay for two return flights (although they will pay for one in subsequent years) and money for personal expenses. If you're an international on a full scholarship then you will probably have a term time work expectation of around $1500 a semester, where you work on campus and keep whatever money you get for yourself.

Reply 8

helloeverybody5

Original post by Evil Genius

What did you get in your A-levels?

I got A* A* B. For the B I was 5 marks off an A. They accept you before you even get your final results in August.

Reply 9

helloeverybody5

Original post by celloel

I thought you were about to start at Yale (according to your last AMA). :K:

Wanted to troll our rival school :P

Reply 10

helloeverybody5

Original post by Leechayy

Do the gyaldem get moist off dat British accent? :smug:

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Nah I'm a girl. Americans will make you repeat "water bottle", "fluffy" and "vitamin" though.

Reply 11

Leechayy

Original post by helloeverybody5

Nah I'm a girl. Americans will make you repeat "water bottle", "fluffy" and "vitamin" though.

That must be really annoying.
I'm trying to study in America too, but only for a short term study abroad.
I bet it must be amazing there :colondollar:

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Reply 12

helloeverybody5

Original post by Leechayy

That must be really annoying.
I'm trying to study in America too, but only for a short term study abroad.
I bet it must be amazing there :colondollar:

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I've been here for two months and I'm still adjusting to a lot of things so I think I've passed the "omg everything is amazing phase" haha. It's a lot to adjust to university life and the workload, let alone being in completely different country. At first everything feels fine but then there are little things that just get to you. 3rd week in I was really craving blackcurrant juice and hobnobs. There's the honeymoon period, what am I doing here period, Americans are ****ing annoying period, and I think I'm doing ok period. I'm at the last one now.

Which colleges are you looking at?

Reply 13

BoogieWoogie97

What's the deadline for applications? I find the American application system very confusing and the impression I got was that you have to apply in the February before the year you want to start. So I'm thinking I've missed the deadline for a 2016 start. :/

What were your extracurriculars like? Did they ask for evidence of long-term commitment?

Also, you got in with A*A*B? D: I thought the standard was at least three As? I understand that they can't really compare the British system with the American one but I did think that you'd need similar grades to what's required by Oxford and Cambridge over here.

Do they have a view on resits (both within the two years and outside) or do they see it as a British oddity that they don't really understand?

Sorry for all the questions. :colondollar:

Original post by helloeverybody5

All in the title.

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 14

Leechayy

Original post by helloeverybody5

University of California, specifically Berkerley for CompSci.
But that is dependent on my 1st year results so I'm cracking down right now :yep:

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Reply 15

Betelgeuse-

Are u banging the QB?

Do you pound the freshmen for their lunch money?

Career aspirations?

Congrats OP!

What were GCSE grades and AS levels when you applied? What were your SAT/ACT scores? How was the interview? Any tips you would give to someone about the essays? Where else did you apply in the US/UK?

Are there many other Brits at Harvard? If so, are they mostly from the likes of Eton, Harrow etc, or more normal backgrounds? How have you settled into uni? What's the general atmosphere like and is everyone else who gets in as exceptional as they are made out to be?

Cheers, hope you're having a blast - two of my friends just started at Harvard. :biggrin: