Alissa

hi everybody!
ok here a question for you, what do you think is totally important to do for you preparation and (how early should you start) for Oxbridge or for a elite university at all, experiences may help , try to make a list. I am tensely about your opinions!
Thx

lisieux

Doing your SAT I and IIs in time. 'Cos with the scores, then it'll help you gauge which unis you'll be applying to as well.

(assuming you're also gonna apply to the US...)

Alissa

^^i am going to do my A levels, but i mean just with SAT I and II or whatever you are not totally prepared, are you?

lisieux

You asked for the totally important one, and one that has to be done early... So there ya go. Of course you are not totally prepared with that. For it, you need a loooong list. SAT is just one of them.

Alissa

ok than I ask for the five really important things for you preparation...

Alissa

^^sry then

jasonshah

yeah, barium pretty sums it. There's no step by step process for applying, go through them simultaneously. You still have time to participate in extra-curricular activities and work hard for your grades. Study the SATs when ever you are free. Since, you have to give both SAT1 and SAT2 for the elite schools, you need to plan accordingly. Now, the dates are in October, Novembver and December.

Do you have good relationship with your teachers? I mean, in personal level. If yes, that's wonderful. The person who knows you best, outside the classroom too, will write you great recommendation. If not, you can point the teachers who'll write good recommendations for you and start sharing your experiences with them. Probably, the best time to give your teachers to write recomendations for you would be the summer vacation.

Utilize this summer vacation wisely (if you have one). 'Challenge yourself'.

b@r!um

I will stir up some controversy and bring this thread to life. Sit back and enjoy the replies of all those who will tell me that I am wrong. Hopefully all of us can benefit from the discussion that will follow!

Here are the - in my opinion - five most important admission criteria, in order of relevance:

For Oxbridge:

- Interview
- Distinctions in your subject
- A-Level results or AP scores
- letters of recommendation
- High school transcript


For US elite colleges:

- Outstanding achievements (academic or otherwise), if applicable
- High school transcript
- Test scores
- Letters of recommendation
- Extracurricular involvement in general
(- Essay, Interview)

P.S. jasonshah refers to this post before I edited it.

Alissa

thx b@r!um, thats what I mean intersting list...

any other suggestion?

ccnovice

The most important preparation for an application would be the "self-reflection" process, though it may not be listed anywhere. I mean thinking abt yourself, what your strengths and weaknesses are, which experiences/persons have shaped you as a person, what you want to study, etc. Spend lots of time on this. Definitely helps when it comes to completing the app form, writing the essay, or coming to an interview.

Alissa

^^great point ccnovice, an importaint one...

srjanak

Cant Say At All