Boston College

well I don't know about "Boston college" specifically, do you mean Boston Uni? because I'd assume you'd want to go to a Uni after doing IB :confused:

or not

well from my experience with US Uni applications, I say write a great PS and get a SAT score above 1500 (this is for average Unis, really depends on where you're applying, I'd say for more competitive ones you'd need above 1800...) and aim for a 35-ish in your IBs would be good enough... unless you're aiming to get into an Ivy league where clearly that won't be enough :p:

I suggest you make a collegeboard account, and see the requirements from international students in the Uni you want to go to;yes;

Reply 2

The US System is very different from UCAS or any other type of system they offer abroad (to me). It's not like the college is going to send you a list of grades you need to get in order to get in, as I understand it is with other systems. They'll take a look at your transcript (I guess that would be your class grades, however they've done them), your SATs (SAT I and two SAT Subject Tests), your TOEFL if you're not a native English speaker, your essays, extracirriculars, and everything else you need to send in. Then you'll get a letter in April saying whether you got in or not.

The role that actual IB scores play in US Colleges is minimal. A lot of IB students here in America don't really do as well as they should, since by they time they sit for the tests, they've already gotten into their colleges. The only thing you can do with IB scores is that if you get a 5, 6, or 7 on a Higher Level test, you can get out of taking some classes once you're in college.

I suggest you do a whole lot of research if you're going to be looking at US Universities. It's not something you can decide to do on a whim; it's a totally different system that will not make much sense. In fact, if you're just deciding now, you're a little late in the game (I've already taken my SAT I twice, my SAT IIs once (Lit, Math II, and German), and I'm taking ACTs on Saturday).

Boston College is a pretty good school, but it is Catholic. Is that something you're comfortable with?

Reply 3

I think raiena meant in terms of predicted grades zack... as an international student we have to send those in;yes; and I think the only requirements in terms of grades for US unis are the SAT scores or the TOEFL scores which you can check out from the Uni page on collegeboard raeina. :smile:

as for IB grades, as Zack said they really don't matter as much, but you get credit hours for them... so don't worry about them too much (in the sense of getting extremely high grades in them) just get 30 and above and you'll be good to go :smile:

Reply 4

~Lc~

I think raiena meant in terms of predicted grades zack... as an international student we have to send those in.

Really? I don't think I have to do that for my apps. I guess that's yall's version of a transcript. Are predicted grades something you get every term, like report cards?

Reply 5

zackinbaltimore

Really? I don't think I have to do that for my apps. I guess that's yall's version of a transcript. Are predicted grades something you get every term, like report cards?

no dude we have to send in our transcripts and "predicted grades" my friend's acceptance to rutger's is conditioned on her getting the exact same grades as she's predicted :p:

though not all schools in america do that.. actually it's not that common at all^o)
I myself didn't send the predicted grades :p:

because they were too low, and my transcripts were much higher (my grades in IB1 where about a 37, and my predicted was a 34 :s:

so I decided not to send them and risk an incomplete application, but there was no problem because I had IGCSE grades and so much in the package I sent I don't think they noticed, of they might have assumed that one of my transcripts were my predicted :dontknow:

)

Reply 6

~Lc~

no dude we have to send in our transcripts and "predicted grades" my friend's acceptance to rutger's is conditioned on her getting the exact same grades as she's predicted :p:

though not all schools in america do that.. actually it's not that common at all^o)

It seems wierd to me that Rutgers, a state school, would do that. In fact, I've never heard of that done before at all. I guess I'll have to see if the schools I'm applying to will ask for predicted grades. I'm sure my teachers would be like, "Predicted grades? What? Well, I guess I'll put down a 7, right? You're pretty good... :confused:

" (That's probably not true.) I guess I'll cross that bridge when I come to it, right?

Reply 7

zackinbaltimore

It seems wierd to me that Rutgers, a state school, would do that. In fact, I've never heard of that done before at all. I guess I'll have to see if the schools I'm applying to will ask for predicted grades. I'm sure my teachers would be like, "Predicted grades? What? Well, I guess I'll put down a 7, right? You're pretty good... :confused:

" (That's probably not true.) I guess I'll cross that bridge when I come to it, right?

yea you would :rofl:

and yea they're pretty strict about that stuff :s:

I mean I got into Purdue and NEU which have a better reputation that rutger's and I wasn't asked for a placement test, or to get grades like my predicted :p:

and you'll be so lucky if you get that from teachers;yes; mine were like "oh you're an excellent student! so much hard work! so much potential! you have such a wide future ahead of u! yea here ya go there's a nice 5 :smile:

"

but maybe it's an international students thing? I mean you're doing APs as well so I don't think you admissions will be depending on your IB predicted ;no;

Reply 8

~Lc~

I mean you're doing APs as well so I don't think you admissions will be depending on your IB predicted.

I'm about 99% sure that predicted grades will not be included in any of my application materials. The purpose of me doing IB, aside from all the academic (read: masochistic) satisfaction, it'll will make the colleges say, "Oh! He takes IB! That shows that he's willing to work hard! Wow, that IB program is leaps and bounds harder than AP or any of the honors courses that other schools offer. Oh!? Look at that?! He's taking FOUR higher levels? Jeez, and they're in diverse backgrounds, such as English, History, Math, AND German! Wow, this candidate sure is impressive. I think I have no choice but to accept him into our university/college!"

I must have telepathy, because obviously I know exactly what goes through a admission officer's head. :biggrin:

Reply 9

zackinbaltimore

I'm about 99% sure that predicted grades will not be included in any of my application materials. The purpose of me doing IB, aside from all the academic (read: masochistic) satisfaction, it'll will make the colleges say, "Oh! He takes IB! That shows that he's willing to work hard! Wow, that IB program is leaps and bounds harder than AP or any of the honors courses that other schools offer. Oh!? Look at that?! He's taking FOUR higher levels? Jeez, and they're in diverse backgrounds, such as English, History, Math, AND German! Wow, this candidate sure is impressive. I think I have no choice but to accept him into our university/college!"

I must have telepathy, because obviously I know exactly what goes through a admission officer's head. :biggrin:

lol I think yo should be eligible for scholarships with all you're doing! but that depends on your grades and since I don't know them I might be bsing right now :p:

but seriously I admire you;yes;
machoism FTW :biggrin:

Reply 10

Paradiddle_man

Haha I applied to Boston College.. and ~LC~, Boston college is different with BU.

I got waitlisted and I withdrew. Waitlist was a pretty good achievement, considering I did the whole app and essays on the date they were due (new year day!) in a couple of hours with a sleepy head. Shows what IB students can do :p:

Ability to bs on the spot.

Depending on the unis, SATs may be more important than IB. I did pretty crap on SATs since I never had much desire to go to the US. Only 1770 I think. My friends were aiming for 2000+

Reply 11

miktumiktu

~Lc~

well I don't know about "Boston college" specifically, do you mean Boston Uni? because I'd assume you'd want to go to a Uni after doing IB :confused:

or not

well from my experience with US Uni applications, I say write a great PS and get a SAT score above 1500 (this is for average Unis, really depends on where you're applying, I'd say for more competitive ones you'd need above 1800...) and aim for a 35-ish in your IBs would be good enough... unless you're aiming to get into an Ivy league where clearly that won't be enough :p:

I suggest you make a collegeboard account, and see the requirements from international students in the Uni you want to go to;yes;

1500 SAT

i wish that's all you need...
for University of Florida, you need to get somewhere around 1900 to ensure a spot
shouldn't differ that much for boston college since they are about the same level....

Reply 12