b@r!um

No, it doesn't. It shows that you have enough time and money to take both tests.

If you can score high on one of the two tests, taking the other one is misdirected effort. Bad test scores can result in a rejection, but good test scores won't get you admitted to the top colleges. What can get you admitted are your letters of recommendation and prestigious awards or other rare achievements. That's what you should be focusing on.

An acquaintance from Princeton once explained Princeton's admission criteria. He said that Princeton assigns each applicant two numbers for academic and non-academic achievement: 4 indicates an international accomplishment, 3 national, 2 regional, 1 local. Apparently most admits are 3+2s, but they can only admit a fraction of their 3+2 applicants.

IBAustralia

What is or will be your major(s) in College (what college)? Why did your choose it? Which graduate school will apply to? I'll start first. I plan to major in Biochemistry and Neuroscience at (hopefully) Harvard College. I've chosen Biochem for med school, and also because I like chemistry. Neuro as I'm interested in the human brain. I'll be applying to Harvard Medical school.

b@r!um

Are you asking me or other posters in general?

IBAustralia

b@r!um: thanks for the advise. Academicly, what program would help one gain a 4. For example would high score on an IC B exam qualify.

IBAustralia

I was asking everyone in general.

b@r!um

What's an IC B exam?

An international academic accomplishment might be something like a good performance at the international science olympiads. Most students don't have that, that's why 4s are so rare.

IBAustralia

Excuse me, I meant IB.

b@r!um

Think about it like this: there are ~300 students each year that score 44-45 points on the IB, and another 500 with a score of 43. HYP can't accept all of them. An IB score in that range is certainly an impressive achievement, but it does not guarantee admission to the top universities.

It might come down to what else you are doing besides school. A high IB score from a student who is doing homework all day is nowhere near as impressive as a high IB score from a student who has other accomplishments to show as well.

IBAustralia

b@r!um: thanks for the great advise. I know that near perfect grades won't do, and I try to demonstrate my passion through my EC. Knowing that there are many others similar to me, I try to focus on things that show my character, strength and ambition. Mostly on what makes me unique.

improvprincess

am also an aussie planning to apply to america & aus unis, but does anyone know how we can go about doing this so as to be able to choose between all unis once accepted? since we hear back from australian unis in jan/feb and must reply in feb, and hear back from american unis in march and must reply in may? (does that make sense? :S)

IBAustralia

@improvprincess: for U.S Colleges I think you apply by the end of year 11? That way you can meet the Jan 01 deadline. The Colleges will see your year 12 grades after you're accepted. Therefore it would be best if you took SAT I/ACT and SAT II by the end of year 11. In the U.S I think most Colleges reply by April and you have all of May to decide which to attend in the fall or summer?

sikhman

Do your SATs asap - I left mine pretty late, with my SAT I in November, and SAT II's in October of Year 12 (kinda a snap decision to apply to the U.S.). As for timings, it is pretty annoying, considering Census date for HECS is 31 March, and usually you don't hear from the Unis before then. I enrolled in an Australian uni, and just finished first semester. Then, in august, I'm heading off to the States. My suggestion is to go to uni here, do first semester, then apply for credit once you go to the states. If you are set on the U.S., do a science/arts degree so it will be easy to get credit.

@IBAustralia - I, and all of my friends going to the U.S., applied at the end of Year 12. If you apply at the end of Year 11, you won't finish school in time, as HSC/VCE etc. are usually in October, and Fall semester starts in August.

Sidfromaus

mate, why dont u look at the format of most 'What are my chances?' thread posts and start a new thread for your chances. That way, people can help you determine what your strong points are, as well as your inefficiencies. Thats the best you can do at the moment to answer your questions. All these 'what ifs' are not going to help.

There are many ways one can get admitted to top tier schools, and by that, i mean there are many profiles that are looked at favourably. It is a question of which you adopt and how well you do in comparison to others also sharing what you have to offer.

For example: if you choose to display yourself as an academic...like one of those International Olympiad gold medallists, then you will be competing with others also displaying that ability. Obviously, you are a top applicant then, but it ll depend on the type of applicant that the university wants to fill its student body. Maybe MIT will have better medallists from Singapore and China, and choose instead an entrepreneur from Australia (who is prob not at the same scientific academic level as you, but just has something else to offer). It happens, this is where 'luck' kinda helps.

get the idea?
writing applications isnt as linear as a science exam. It is about creating a whole character from 1000 essay words and shiit like that. I am happy to help you out. I just prefer to know what kind of studetn you are ie where u are studying, what you are studying, what are ur interests etc. Message me or just email me: sids@mit.edu

IBAustralia

Harvard University
Yale University
Boston College
Duke University
Boston University
University of Sydney
Australian National University
Uinversity of Melbourne
Macquarie University

Gender: Male
Ethnicity: Black (half African American)
Location: Australia
School: Parramatta Marist High School (large private school)
Rank: NA (however, based on my grades I'd say 10% percentile)

Year 9: unweighted (4.0)
English A
Maths A
Science A
Art A
Commerce A
Work Education A
PDHPE B

Year 10: unweighted (4.0)
English Literature A
Geometry A
Chemistry B
AP Government and Politics Exam 5
French A
Intro to computers A

Year 11:
English IB SL
History of the Americas IB SL
French SL
Mathematics IB HL
Biology IB HL
Chemistry IB HL
Theory of Knowledge class
Extended Essay

Year 12:
English IB
History of the Americas IB SL
French SL
Mathematics IB HL
Biology IB HL
Chemistry IB HL
Theory of Knowledge class
Extended Essay

Standardized Tests: (haven't taken yet)
SAT I: NA
ACT: will be taking in year 11
SAT II: Maths II, Chemistry, Biology, French

EC:
Hospoital volunteer-1000+
CAS Hours
Research participation-500+
Cross country (state) came 10th
Track and Field: 10-12
Member of Christian Club
National Honor Society
Key club
MUN

Awards:
Excellence awards in Science, Techology and English (year 9)
Community award for service
Citizenship award
MUN

Interests:
Medical Research (passion)
Neurology/neuroscience (passion)
Philosophy
Volunteering
Church
Cross country
Non fiction novels
Mathematics

College major (undergraduate school):
Biochemistry/Neuroscience
Intended graduate school:
Harvard Medical school
Future career: Doctor (specialist in Neurology, perhaps a neurologist)

b@r!um

I would be careful to put that on a college application if you are not a US citizen or permanent resident. Most colleges heavily heavily discourage international students from going pre-med, and that policy may or may not spill over to the admissions office as well. It might be safer to go with biomedical research as a career goal for admission purposes.