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American applying to UK universities with no AP/SAT scores

Hello everybody!

I am interested in applying to a few UK universities (UWE, Northumbria, etc.) where I have the slightest chance of entry because I have no AP classes or SAT scores on my high school transcript. I graduated a year and a half ago so it's too late. Any advice? :smile:
Reply 1
Is it not possible for you to sit any SAT/ACT exams externally?

You might want to contact the admissions departments for the universities you're interested in for starters, perhaps find out what sort of GPA they're looking for. :smile:
Original post by totalrequest
Hello everybody!

I am interested in applying to a few UK universities (UWE, Northumbria, etc.) where I have the slightest chance of entry because I have no AP classes or SAT scores on my high school transcript. I graduated a year and a half ago so it's too late. Any advice? :smile:


I think every situation is different. I graduated in 2005, with no AP's and a bad score on the old SAT's. But there is still a chance you could take the SAT's if your chosen universities want them.


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Reply 3
Original post by totalrequest
Hello everybody!

I am interested in applying to a few UK universities (UWE, Northumbria, etc.) where I have the slightest chance of entry because I have no AP classes or SAT scores on my high school transcript. I graduated a year and a half ago so it's too late. Any advice? :smile:


I suggest you do what I did, although you may call me an abject fool. Wait until next year and apply to Cambridge, preferably at one of the less competitive colleges (if you're a Republican or just like old world tradition, I suggest St Peter's College). On your UCAS form, enter your chosen SAT exams with the date as "to be taken". You will be invited for interview, where you will talk about your chosen subject with a professor or two. When you come back to the States, you will have an offer. Then you can write your SAT's.

Everyone gets an interview at Cambridge. I don't know why more people from America don't apply—Cambridge rocks, but the town is dead, so I suppose I see why, but it's crazy. It's the poor man's version of Yale.
Original post by honeywhite
I suggest you do what I did, although you may call me an abject fool. Wait until next year and apply to Cambridge, preferably at one of the less competitive colleges (if you're a Republican or just like old world tradition, I suggest St Peter's College). On your UCAS form, enter your chosen SAT exams with the date as "to be taken". You will be invited for interview, where you will talk about your chosen subject with a professor or two. When you come back to the States, you will have an offer. Then you can write your SAT's.

Everyone gets an interview at Cambridge. I don't know why more people from America don't apply—Cambridge rocks, but the town is dead, so I suppose I see why, but it's crazy. It's the poor man's version of Yale.


While the dude did say he's wanting to apply to places like UWE that he feels more certain about getting into, I suppose that with cambridge they have admissions tests so he could contact them to see if he were alright without SAT's.

Op you can email admissions officers as well if you want to check





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Reply 5
Emailing seems like the most rational thing to do; just wanted feedback from everyone here :smile:

Original post by honeywhite
I suggest you do what I did, although you may call me an abject fool. Wait until next year and apply to Cambridge, preferably at one of the less competitive colleges (if you're a Republican or just like old world tradition, I suggest St Peter's College). On your UCAS form, enter your chosen SAT exams with the date as "to be taken". You will be invited for interview, where you will talk about your chosen subject with a professor or two. When you come back to the States, you will have an offer. Then you can write your SAT's.

Everyone gets an interview at Cambridge. I don't know why more people from America don't apply—Cambridge rocks, but the town is dead, so I suppose I see why, but it's crazy. It's the poor man's version of Yale.


Seems a bit too easy? I don't think I'd get in anyways. My high school GPA is modest (3.37) and is what your talking about a "conditional" offer? Something like applying, entering your expected score, going for the interview, then getting an offer on the condition you meet your expected SAT/ACT score?
Reply 6
Original post by totalrequest
Emailing seems like the most rational thing to do; just wanted feedback from everyone here :smile:



Seems a bit too easy? I don't think I'd get in anyways. My high school GPA is modest (3.37) and is what your talking about a "conditional" offer? Something like applying, entering your expected score, going for the interview, then getting an offer on the condition you meet your expected SAT/ACT score?


Most offers from British unis are conditional AFAIK.
Original post by honeywhite


Everyone gets an interview at Cambridge. I don't know why more people from America don't apply—Cambridge rocks, but the town is dead, so I suppose I see why, but it's crazy. It's the poor man's version of Yale.


That can't be true. Everyone?



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Reply 8
Original post by Coffeetime
That can't be true. Everyone?



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Definitely not all UK applicants, that would be ~15,000 interviews! It varies per subject e.g. mathematics has an 80% interview rate, whereas I imagine it's a lot lower for something like economics.

It might be the case that all international applicants are interviewed, which sounds a lot more reasonable.
Reply 9
I know Northumbria was adamant about the AP's when I asked. I'm pretty doubtful you could get in without.

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