danieleio

but really, what do they look for when you apply to a us university (lets take yale for example):

a. stellar grades (4As, SATs etc)
b. cca... (do they favour sports/academic stuff more? how about community service stuff)
c. what else do they look for?

kenyon_10

Oh well, I think they look for more than just stellar grades. I mean look at the blog. It's darn impressive IMO and it's done by students! That's a passion I am talking about. The love of one's school. Arh... aren't US universities going to take those into account?

Is gainning admissions to the States all about stellar grades? THat's the impression that blogger is having at the moment ("Picture this: people with distinctions in every single A-level subject (3 “S” papers included) and perfect SAT scores failing to get into a decent American university. Now picture a random Dean Of Admission spewing out his morning coffee all over my results slip that reads “BCCO”.")

scandal-less

danieleio: the number of sporean students who apply to HYP with all of the above (4as, sat scores, exco positions) are a dime a dozen. honestly, imo you just gotta have a hook. something that will make you extremely irresistable to colleges. i mean, out of the 42 rj students who dared to apply to harvard, im sure they all had stats worthy to speak of. but in the end, only 2 got in. so i guess the 2 were really special in their own niche, unique way.

kenyon_10

scandal-less!! You need to clear some messages from your mailbox!! I cant answer your questions unless you do so!!

jeremymjr

gaining admission isn't about stellar grades; it's quite sadly the bare minimum, unless you represented singapore for the olympics/first in international science olympiads. i know the girl who got into harvard one year apparently had an A* average for all subjects [yes i mean PSLE A*!], and another won prestigious poetry competitions.

a very overlooked factor - how about luck? =p somehow i get the feeling the college application process is more of an art than a science.

i honestly think singapore students can't compete with those in the states in extracurriculars. it's great that you want to plan early nevertheless. i only started panicking over us universities in december 2005 - and by then it was a bit too late to think of "hooks". my brother's principal was telling my mum how all his students start planning from sec 1 which ivy league school they want to go to (hint: it's a "communist" school with a clock tower). makes me feel like everyone was calculating every step, while i didn't even know what was going on. believe it or not i thought ccas were not needed for overseas universities; i obviously didn't realise how misguided i was. =p

shib

hello I found your thread in the forum. Im 14 and I know its a rather early to be thinking of college but Im kind of nervous well kind of. Its better to prepare early right? I haven't done much community work participated in much etc. so if it is that important would it help to start volunteering now then waiting until say J1? and so what is a good gauge of volunteer work and other activities that I should do?

kenyon_10

shib... Go GET a LIFE!! Gosh, I was worrying more about my streaming exams and whether I can get into triple science class back then. Pursue something that you like; not something to make your resume looks glamorous! But do note that US universities dont really focus on your grades in Secondary (except for your Os).

Oh well, that explains why we love those kids from the school with a clock tower. LOL, actually there's more than one school that fits that description isnt it? One located in a neighbourhood near junction 8, the other one located at a real prestigious location...

woebegone

gosh shib u really gotta get a life. if it's any advice at all, go pursue something u really enjoy and make sure u do well in it. community service... wld be gd if u organize something rather than juz having hundreds of hrs as a participant i wld think... then again college apps shdn't be ur primary motive for doing cip...

erm actually there r two 'communist' schs with clock towers located at the prestigious location aren't there? only that one clock tower looks more mighty than the other.

scandal-less

yes but his BROTHER's principal. which is obviously rules out nygh haha.

and yes shib its never too early to start planning, start whatever ure doing in sec3. because US unis look at grade 9-12. so being the practical sporean start filling up your resume at grade9. and yes it is a pity that none of us were that precocious to realise that we had to start young. my grade-9/10 profile is almost blank.

woebegone

lol ok my bad. din notice the brother.

jeremymjr

hahaha don't fret, there's still time to discover a cure for cancer as a "hook". if there is really something you want, then go for it; it will pay off unless you force yourself to do something you hate. i was desperately trying to hide my o level grades but was told to send them in - a consistent record really does help.

ps. i'm a female - i asked my brother to sign up for an account for me. and my sister went to the other "communist" school with the imitation clock tower. =p am the only defector in my extended family.

scandal-less

:hahaha don't fret, there's still time to discover a cure for cancer as a "hook".:

LOL!!!

i know what you mean, i didnt get a A1 x7/8/9 O Level cert either.

shib

I read in some threads in this forum that your extra curriculars need not be an impressive list- just show that you are passionate in it. so, does this mean that I should not try to do so many activities, just focus on my cca and do community work? the part on community work- how much should I do?

rayyy

Relax my dear! You've got years to go before you apply for college so you really shouldn't be sweating over this now! It doesn't help for you to plan everything for university admissions because it's such an arbitrary thing. Focus on some cca you like, do well in school and pray for good luck!

Hmmph I must not let this become a rafflesian thread! Where are all the other non-rafflesians? -search high and low- I know you guys are hiding somewhere!

To bring this back to Singapore, how has CNY been? I think all the bak kwa is going to make me gain lots of weight. Bah.

scandal-less

my angpow collection has been pretty dismal- to put it in the best possible way. but the savoury collection of new year goodies, mmm!