US Universities Application Guide

Reply 20

aok47

5

what school year/when should you start preparing for sat/act prep, and when should I take the test ? - from a year 10

Reply 21

aok47

5

when should i start preparing for the sat/act, as I am at the end of year 10 and want to apply to US unis, and since I have gces in a year I was wondering when I should start preparation and when I should take the exams as many people say take the exams in year 12, but i have never been clear guidance as to when I should start my preparation ??

Reply 22

penguingirl18

22

Original post by aok47

when should i start preparing for the sat/act, as I am at the end of year 10 and want to apply to US unis, and since I have gces in a year I was wondering when I should start preparation and when I should take the exams as many people say take the exams in year 12, but i have never been clear guidance as to when I should start my preparation ??

A few months before the test should be sufficient if your starting skills are reasonably strong. That should give you enough time to take 5-8 full practice tests and work through how to your missed questions correctly.

(edited 2 years ago)

Reply 23

aok47

5

Original post by penguingirl18

A few months before the test should be sufficient if your starting skills are reasonably strong. That should give you enough time to take 5-8 full practice tests and work through how to your missed questions correctly.

when exactly should i take the test? like what school year? can I start focusing on it after I do my gcses In year 11 like in the summer straight afterwards next year, or is it something i should try complete before then ?

Reply 24

penguingirl18

22

Original post by aok47

when exactly should i take the test? like what school year? can I start focusing on it after I do my gcses In year 11 like in the summer straight afterwards next year, or is it something i should try complete before then ?

Yes, that's a good time to focus on it. Anytime in year 12 is a good time to take it. If you're studying some of the maths topics in year 12, you might take it in spring of that year. The June exam is typically when they test any new variations or question types though, so I would take it before then.

Reply 25

Anonymous #1

Any tips on preparing for interviews?

Reply 26

ry7xsfa

OP

Universities Forum Helper

17

Original post by Anonymous

Any tips on preparing for interviews?

Do your research and be yourself! Honestly, that's the best advice I can give. Things definitely depend on the interviewer, but they'll all be looking for knowledge about the university and possibly ambition in your field too. I had questions such as "You're given an unlimited budget and are told to do research into anything you want, what do you put it into?" which was a really difficult question to answer as there's a lot I want to do. There's obviously the basic "Why X university?" question you'll likely get too, to see what you already know. The worst question I had was "Brexit or no Brexit, to which there really is no correct answer, especially when the interviewer was Hungarian lol.

Within your research, though, note questions that you have. There will be an opportunity to ask questions about the university to the interviewer, and it's just as much an info session for you as it is for them. Make sure the questions you ask are well thought-out and things you can't really find online - things about the nuances of student life there.

Reply 27

trigology

7

Hi, may I know if transcript to US universities should only includes IGCSE/AS results and A2 predict grades? Should we include term grades for Y10 and Y11 as well?

Reply 28

Anonymous #2

Original post by trigology

Hi, may I know if transcript to US universities should only includes IGCSE/AS results and A2 predict grades? Should we include term grades for Y10 and Y11 as well?

Just IGCSE/AS/A-Level predicted grades

Reply 29

trigology

7

Original post by Anonymous

Just IGCSE/AS/A-Level predicted grades

Thanks!

Reply 30

devk14

4

Hi, I'm currently in year 12 and I am very interested in applying to US universities. I'm new on this forum and have found the information quite useful. Are there any tips for applying and getting accepted? How can I guarantee acceptance?

Reply 31

ry7xsfa

OP

Universities Forum Helper

17

Original post by devk14

Hi, I'm currently in year 12 and I am very interested in applying to US universities. I'm new on this forum and have found the information quite useful. Are there any tips for applying and getting accepted? How can I guarantee acceptance?

I know you've been DMing me, but I'd like to respond here too, just so other people can use this info.

My best piece of advice (and what I did) is to just be yourself and trust the admissions office. They're looking for people who will be a good fit for the college, as well as the college being a good fit for you. Nobody knows the college better than the admissions office, so it's a good idea to trust their judgement. Sometimes there are reasons why you don't get in that aren't down to fit (i.e. them trying to build a more well-rounded class, or financial aid), but for the most part, that will be the main reason why. So just be yourself, and let the admissions office decide whether you - the genuine you - will be a good fit. If you're not a good fit, and it's not actually a good fit for you, you'll have a terrible time honestly.

In terms of guaranteeing acceptance - you can't. No university has a 100% acceptance rate, and there are people every year who are more than qualified who have to be rejected due to multiple factors including space and building a well-rounded class, among other reasons. Especially as an international student, there is just no way to guarantee admission, sorry.

Reply 32

username5835980

18

Original post by ry7xsfa

Hi! If you’re reading this, I’m guessing you’re planning on attending university in the United States at some point. There are already some threads on this forum that are designed to help you on your path - but some of these are a few years old and some info may have changed. Some stuff is also just not included in some of these threads. So, for that reason, I’ve decided to make a megathread with a lot of the information you’ll need - all in one place!

I’ve designed this thread with longevity in mind. As well as being relevant for the upcoming cycle of applicants (class of ‘26), this thread will cover relevant information for future applicant groups too (with a few possible minor deviations if CommonApp changes its stuff again).

I’ve also kept this thread very general for this reason! The advice given here is purely factual and is designed to guide you through the process of applying to the US - from researching universities to submitting your application for admission and financial aid (if applicable). Alongside this, I have created an AMA where you can feel free to ask me questions about my opinions or my own experiences.

I have split the information into several posts, which allows me to sort it into categories for ease of access! Click the category name below to jump to the relevant information.

The Admissions Cycle
When to Apply
How Many Colleges Can I Apply To?
How to Apply
Affording a US Education
The “Ivy League”
How to Choose Universities
Standardised Testing
Resources

That’s about all for now! If there’s anything raised in this post that you don’t understand - or you think I should have mentioned something I didn’t, feel free to let me know below.

All that’s left to say is good luck!

Hi everyone! I know this is a big favour to ask but I was wondering whether anyone would be able to read over two of my options for the common app essay and tell me which one is better? I don't expect specific feedback but I just can't decide which to submit. Also if they're rubbish and I need to start over, that would be good to know lol. If not no worries, I realise people are busy!!

US Universities Application Guide

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