<p>im quite sure that transcripts are compulsory, reports from year 9 onwards should be sent in… I know what you mean, but i think SAT scores balance it out: even if you’re, say, a straight B student, if your SAT score’s 2200+, they can assume your school has higher standards or something… i’m including a letter explaining that my school is selective, because im pretty much an average-ish student here, but im counting on my hsc pulling me up, so i can send in my atar that’ll show im in the top 2% or so. just send in your reports but send in your final year 12 atar or whatever you have in your state to show you’re not really just an average B student~</p>
<p>Just about clubs and stuff.</p>
<p>Wanted to point out that many clubs actually do stuff over the summer break from what I’ve heard. So in that regard, you might be disadvantaged for leadership positions unless you’re willing to stay over in the US for your summer.</p>
<p>Also, remember that US colleges will prefer US citizens over internationals for undergraduate unlike their graduate programs. That said, if you’re interested in MIT and the like, you – quite literally – have to be the cream of the crop. Remember that most Australians are quite content to remain in Australia. That said, you won’t be compared to the whole population, but rather those who are also applying. So in that regard, the ATAR won’t mean much except for relative comparison.</p>
<p>Just for reference, I had a 35 ACT (2360), 800 Math and Physics, 760 Chem with a 98.9 (Oops) and was rejected by MIT. =[</p>
<p>I heard that they want olympiads and gold medals if you’re international. Unless you made a cure for cancer, of course. Actually, even then.</p>
<p>But don’t let that put you off applying; I wrote a crap essay too. =P</p>
<p>On a less depressing note, yes, you can go to university here first. It won’t matter until you accrue a certain number of credit points; that won’t happen until the end of your first semester.</p>
<p>Thanks Shoyz, that was really helpful.
seriously - i just realized that comes off a bit saracastic, but im not.
but woww: those stats and rejection from MIT? sigh. on the other hand, it means that it doesn’t all come down to stats! =]
but the ATAR thing Shoyz said is right, its useful only in comparison: btw, admin people know what an atar is, right?
and on the topic of summer break: some of the supplementary essays ask us to write about what we did over our summer breaks. errr… what does this mean?
does this mean the december holidays, over here? im confused.</p>
<p>and also: you know the space for the US social security number? are we supposed to chuck our tax file no. in there, or leave it blank?</p>
<p>You leave that blank unless you’re a US citizen with one. =)</p>
<p>They would be familiar with the ATAR indeed. Or well, yours would be the first bunch with an “ATAR” going through, but I’m sure they’ll work it out.</p>
<p>For summer breaks, talk about our summer long break, so yes, during december.</p>
<p>Not much to talk about during their summer break. =[ We’re slogging over midyear exams. =[</p>
<p>nah.
they still treat you as a freshman.
transfers have to go through a whole different procedure (which is what i’m doing),
but some schools which you were accepted to in the us, might take credit for some subjects that you have already taken.</p>
<p>Oh? I’m guessing you’re from Monash then? =P</p>
<p>Which schools are you applying to?</p>
<p>Does leadership experience experience really matter when applying for American unviersties? I have my ECs and sports covered but I’m getting increasingly worried about leadership especially since the senior leaders at my school are practically not good leaders. (OK, that didn’t make sense but meh)</p>
<p>Most US universities take a holistic approach. If your ECs/Sports are outstanding, that’d make up for a lack of leadership.</p>
<p>It’s just a balance, really. If they want you for your sports, then they’ll take you! If you’re aiming for the top (HYP etc.), then you’d need a hook/great essay/luck as they have plenty of well-rounded people already. Then again, it’s a crapshoot for everyone, so definitely consider it anyway.</p>
<p>Thank you.</p>
<p>I’ve already applied to Cornell & Columbia GS.
I’ll be sending rest of my application in the next week or so,to BU, Syracuse,northeastern and nyu.
How about you?
Did you do VCE?
I applied to NYU after VCE but didn’t get in.
So trying again…</p>
<p>I did the TEE. xP Perth WA!
I got into UCLA =)</p>
<p>:O!! Nice one, Shoyz! LOL - WA REPRESENT! haha… g’luck at UCLA (:</p>
<p>Ha! I decided to take a term of non-attendance before I go. So I’ll only go in January.</p>
<p>Got some stuff to sort out here, and I’m hesitant to go. =P
Mostly about how UCs are having financial trouble, california is dying, and work visa issues after graduation…and expensive school fees…you know. =P</p>
<p>Shoyz don’t scare the young’uns before they even go! haha</p>
<p>Anyways I thought I would pop back in here and share a jolly word for the land of USC…
If anyways has any questions about what college is like feel free to PM me, I hardly come on here anymore cause I have a crap ton of work and facebook is more then distracting enough but if you PM me I’ll get it on my email inbox and I do check that more than once daily (stupid time zones). I wont lie to you and I won’t sugar coat things. I’ve had ups and downs in the past month. There have been days that have been the best in my entire life and days where all I wanted to do was get the first taxi to LAX and jump on a plane. But I am happy to talk about anything and everything from the application process to thursday nights at the frat houses. </p>
<p>First of all… leadership. I had barely ANY leadership but most of my extra curriculars were over a long period of time and I definetley had some in the areas that reflected my career goal/intended pre-professional emphasis (USC does not have a pre-med major). Leadership positions ARE NOT everything, DEDICATION is. They don’t want to see you doing a million different extra curricular activities over 4 years, they would rather see you do a select few but really have dedicated time to them, thats where the whole leadership things actually comes in, because well if you are a captain or a leader in a group you obviously have dedicated a lot of time to that particular group right? And THAT is what they are looking for. Of course leadership positions always help… especially if you are pre-law or politics… </p>
<p>Along with what Shoyz said you have to remember that this year is going to be more competetive then any other previous year. College admissions are just getting harder, particuarly to private institutions. With the economy what it is at the moment public universities and colleges are getting more expensive with the same or even less of a pool for financial aid, therefore applications to private schools (such as the ivies) are getting even more competitive because they have bigger endowments AND in a regular year I believe the Harvard admission rate is about 8% so PLEASE don’t get discouraged if you don’t get in! If you really want to go just MAKE sure it comes across in your interviews/essays okay? When they are reading your essays the admissions committee is basically thinking “Okay do I want to spend 4 years with this person” so make sure your essay conveys WHO you are, not who you think the college is looking for because that won’t help you.
And if you really determined to go look into safety schools, smaller colleges, many of them DO offer financial aid for internationals too, many of them don’t but there are some that do if that is an issue. Their tuition/living costs also tend to be less than bigger schools and you can get an AMAZING experience at a smaller school. Or there are bigger safety schools as well. </p>
<p>If you want another reference point I got 2210 SAT, 760 Math IIC, 740 Chem, 710 French and a 98.05 UAI and I got rejected from Columbia and Brown and into USC and UCLA and not even as an international, I was considered out of State for UCLA cause I have dual citizenship (hence I am not the best person to talk to about visas)</p>
<p>Also non-US citizens who do not have a SSN - leave it blank - if you need one once you start school someone will help you apply for one, your TFN is NOT the same thing. Its more for financial aid and identification purposes I believe.</p>
<p>Hey guys,</p>
<p>i’m applying to US colleges this year as well, but I am a Kiwi. There aren’t enough of us applying, so can’t start our own thread, but yeah, mind if i link arms with you aussies? =)
I’ve posted a few times on CC before, including my stats in Chance threads
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/778582-any-suggestions-pretty-good-student-nz.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/778582-any-suggestions-pretty-good-student-nz.html</a>
I’m no veteran in admissions, but i have accumulated a fair bit of know-how over the months. I’m on my gap year, so can take things more slowly, and I was in US for two months at a summer school there, and made contacts etc. And i have some friends from NZ who got in to places like Princeton, UPenn, Dartmouth and Amherst.
So yeah, if you need any help, pm me, and i will try to help! Of course, if i need advice too, i will post them here.
Thanks!
Victor</p>
<p>sheesh victor my fellow nzer where did you go to school!!! did you go to christs or something man.
Well i am also looking to admissions but over in Switzerland next year so i don’t know if i will at least sit SAT once while still in NZ.
What are you doing for your GPA i’ve heard that you take you best 80 credits and multiply E’s by 4 M’s by 3 and A’s by 2 then divide by 80 (the number of credits) to get your gpa out of 4.
Also how did you go about studying for SATs did you get guide or anything and if so is there any chance i could buy them off you.</p>
<p>That goes for anyone. Does anyone have SAT guides i may be able to buy off them</p>
<p>Hey nzrower!</p>
<p>Oh i live in Christchurch. I went to Burnside high school, ever heard of it? I see you live in Dunners?
Looking at Switzerland? Sweet, what for?
For my school, they just said that GPA is non-applicable. NCEA system doesn’t let you convert it, honestly, it doesn’t work. We have percentiles and stuff, that Americans don’t use, so it never works out.
I don’t suggest converting GPA. just send in your NCEA results, along with your high school results, and they will sort it out. I have asked several universities’ admission offices, and they say that they will research the country and the school, so don’t worry.</p>
<p>I studied with the Collegeboard Blue Book. You can get both the first and second edition from [Fishpond.co.nz:</a> Online Book Store | Buy Books Online in NZ](<a href=“http://www.fishpond.co.nz%5DFishpond.co.nz:”>http://www.fishpond.co.nz). I suggest you also get Word Smart Vocabulary I and II for vocab.
Check out the OFficial NZ Thread that I made, it only has two posts right now!
Cheers mate,
Victor</p>
<p>just to say for all the 09ers in nsw:
hsc starts in 20 days.
forget about apps, girls and boys, lets get that 99.95 atar. LOL.
btw victorkangnz, hi! im korean-australian, lol. one of my friends lived in nz for a couple of years. off-topic, but meh. saw your chancepost, its crazy good.
i now bid everyone adieu. i ban myself from facebook, cc, and online poker.</p>
<p>I recommend the SAT notes on sparknotes… =x</p>