Applying to US unis from the UK

Hi all, I’m a sixth form student seriously considering applying to universities in the US to study finance, but I’m feeling overwhelmed by the process, especially around funding, the application system, and recent political stuff. I’m aiming for a career in finance, and I’ve always been strong in maths and entrepreneurship. I’d massively appreciate any insight or advice from anyone who’s gone through this or is in a similar position.

Stats:

Attended state school for 7 years Achieved 3 A*s in Maths, Further Maths, and Physics (maths done a year early) GCSEs: 9999999988 Ranked 1st out of 200 in sixth form, and 1st out of 300 for GCSE

Run several businesses since I was 12 — one hit $100k in revenue last year Invested in the stock market with a ~30% ROI Built a decent level of wealth independently (my parents aren’t involved in finance at all)

Selected for the Cambridge STEM SMART programme (1.5 years, highly selective) Cold-emailed my way into a prestigious EY internship (4 weeks, fully paid, only one selected this way) Interviewed by a senior Microsoft exec as part of that, described me as “excellent and entrepreneurial”

Achieved Silver in UKMT Senior Maths Challenge Selected for a 3-week work placement in Aruba at an international art festival Founded and grew several TikTok accounts for my businesses — one video hit 700k views Started a maths support club in sixth form — now working on expanding it into an NGO to tackle stigma around maths in UK state schools

Challenges: My parents are heavily against me studying in the US — mostly due to financial and political concerns My parents come from a background affected by war and communism, so I don’t have any family “lineage” or connections Funding is a massive concern UK salaries don’t go far in the US, but I’m hoping I’d qualify for decent aid/scholarships given my profile

I feel like I’d thrive in the us, both academically and socially. The college experience seems more well-rounded and exciting, and the graduate prospects in finance (especially if I can land a top-tier school) look amazing. I’m very much considering Wharton, MIT, Stanford, NYU Stern etc., but I’m unsure how realistic that is or what kind of financial aid I could expect.

Reply 1

Bag2024

Hello. You have a great background, Funny how things are. I’m going to the UK and you want to come here. You are definitely competitive at those schools. My suggestion is to take the SAT and try to get as close to 1600 as possible. With your background you should be able to get there . If you have anywhere near 1550+ you will be very competitive at those schools. Since US applications for the better schools are holistic, You will need to craft a great marketing package for your own unique story. Start from the top (30,000 ft view of who you are and why do you believe you are a fit and how can you contribute to their campuses and class environment) Work on your essays. Get a 3rd party to review them. Craft your story. Most of the top schools offer scholarships to internationals, but you need to have a great package, which you do.

I understand how your parents feel. My mother feels the same away about me moving away from the US to go to college in Scotland. I’m not sure about NYU since they love the international student’s full tuition with no scholarships.Now most of the Ivy leagues and MIT/Stanford will have scholarships for the better international students. Feel free to PM me, I just went through this nightmare…