Chance me for astronomy/astrophysics hybrid profile UK to US [international in VA]

Chance Me / Match Me
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Demographics

  • US school H4 visa
  • State/Location of residency:VA
  • Type of high school (or current college for transfers): Private
  • Other special factors: british citizen, relocated to the US start of junior year, previously in top-5 UK private school

Cost Constraints / Budget
No issues, can do full ride anywhere

Intended Major(s) Astronomy obeervational or astrophysics with minor ( or possibly second major economics)

GPA, Rank, and Test Scores

  • Unweighted HS GPA: possibly 3.62 as per website calculator
  • Weighted HS GPA: 94.1% or 4.52 per website calculator
  • Class Rank: the school does not publish rankings
  • ACT/SAT Scores: ACT 28/ SAT 1360 (eng 670- maths 690)
  • In the UK 12 GCSE with maths 9 and further maths8, chemistry 8 , latin 8, french 8, art 8, physics 7 , eng lang 7, eng lit 7, ancient greek 7 ,geography 7, biology 7

List your HS coursework

(Indicate advanced level, such as AP, IB, AICE, A-level, or college, courses as well as specifics in each subject)

  • English junior year: advanced seminar inschool victorian literature (82%)
  • English senior year: advanced seminar inschool americam literature
  • Math junior year: AP calc bc grade 4 class grade 86%
  • Math senior year: AP linear algebra
  • Science junior year : AP physics 1 score 4, class grade 94%, AP chemistry score 3 class grade 86%
  • Science senior year: AP biology
  • History and social studies junior year: regular US history (92%)
  • Social studies senior year: AP macro, AP micro
  • Language other than English junior year: Advanced Latin (94%)
  • Language senior year: Advanced Ancient Greek

Awards : Junior Year AP scholar, NLE magna cum laude, previous year in the UK Gold award in UKMT Kangaroo

Extracurriculars
40 hours of volunteering in junior year in school guided activities

Astronomy python project deposited in Github,

Pioneer research program scholar summer of junior to senior year,

Co-author for data analysis on 5 medical papers submitted for publication to peer-reviewed journals.

Varisty athlete in 3 sports: XC, Swimming and outdoor track with presence in the VISAA state champs for all of them

Membership of AAS

Schools
Aiming/hoping Chicago ED1, Rice ED2, EA UVA , Michigan, UoArizona, CU Boulder, UT Austin, UC Berkeley, UC SC, Ohio State, Maryland ( college park)

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If University of Chicago is your top choice, you might as well apply ED 1. Chicago is a bit peculiar because they are test-optional but offer a “No-Harm Testing” Policy, meaning if you choose to submit test scores, they will only consider them if they will add something positive to the application. This doesn’t mean that you should submit the scores, however. The supplemental essays are of upmost importance. Think of them as the written interview. You will need to project intellectual passion and vision in such a way that test scores or GPA won’t matter. You may want to do the optional 2 minute video if you think you are going to make a lasting impression.

One thing that is distinctive is that you will have taken both Advanced Greek & Advanced Latin. Any interest in continuing further study in either language, both, or perhaps start learning an additional language?

I pulled up the last class profile: students with 23 ACT and 1220 SAT got admitted (of applicants that disclosed scores); so a 34 ACT or 1500 SAT isn’t required but there are way fewer slots available for new incoming freshmen.

Chicago is a great place to pursue astrophysics and economics.

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How many non-A’s do you have in core courses? How many years of latin have you taken?

Does this mean you need a full ride/qualify for need based aid, or that your family can pay $100K per year for college?

I think it’s highly likely you will be accepted to Arizona, so if you would be happy to attend there and it’s affordable, you are good to go.

You must make the EA deadlines for all the colleges that offer it, not just UVA. So, Michigan, Arizona, Boulder, Texas, Ohio State, UMD

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You attend a private high school. Usually those schools have very good college counselors. Those schools want to see their students have successful college application outcomes. I would suggest you discuss your list with them. They might have some additional suggestions.

In your list of courses, I don’t see an arts course. IF you want to apply to Cal, this is a required thing. Did you take a full year of the same arts course during high school? If not, you need to delete that college.

Will you be retaking the SAT? For some colleges, this score will matter.

Do you want additional suggestions…or just chances on the ones listed? I agree…if you are happy attending Arizona if that’s your final option, then your list is fine.

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You have a lot of great schools on your list for astronomy and astrophysics. Many are difficult to gain admission. In light of this a couple to add to your list for these majors which are also have on campus observatories are Union College (NY) and University of Massachusetts.

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They listed under GCSE results

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Is this including your UK grades and if so have you accounted for grading differences?

At face value a lot of the schools on your list will be tough admits for your major with that GPA, if it is an accurate one, but Arizona should be fine.

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Hi I meant my parents can pay the full fees in any institution I get accepted.

Certainly I will get the EA for all schools . Arizona seems great I was just wondering about Chicago or rice mostly

Many thanks

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Hi

We do have a good counselor but they are also working for the school interests not just mine. I thought a good idea to have a different perspective.

Any suggestions for other similar range places is very welcome. Chance for the reaches mostly like Chicago and rice or jhu?

Many thabks

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I don’t think the US colleges or the high schools add the GCSE, the GPA is the junior year plus whatever I do senior year. In a college tour the admissions officer said that the regional admissions person discusses with the international one to figure it out which makes it a little unusual…

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Also I have percentages not grades, but I guess if A is above 90% I have 3 As 3 Bs ( it was a transition year and it was tough)

Along with the gcse 3 years of Latin and if I do Ancient Greek next year it will be 3 years of that as well.

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The colleges are going to look at your GCSE results whether they recalculate a GPA or not.

@MYOS1634?

How did you calculate your 3.62 unweighted? If accurate, Chicago, Rice and a few schools on your list will be big reaches. But again, if you are OK with Arizona (which is excellent for your majors) applying to an overweighted proportion of reaches is ok.

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Yes, and it will be hard for you to know from the outside how this will be balanced.

I think the top schools on your list are definitely going to be reaches, as are some like Boulder where the school itself is not so competitive but your major is. There is a chance you might get an offer for ‘exploratory studies’ at Boulder which will give you the opportunity to transfer into your chosen major once there, so consider if you’d be happy with that (you should look into what the internal transfer requirements would be in terms of grades etc).

The main question and the way that many here approach it is - if you don’t get into your reaches, are you happy to go with one of your safer options like Arizona, or would you like people to suggest other target/likely schools?

Are you considering redoing one of the standardized tests?

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It varies by college, but most will absolutely view GCSE results regardless of whether it’s included as part of a recalculated GPA. And some will recalculate GPA with those marks

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@skieurope , I’m showing my age here haha but I’m not familiar with the “new” (I know it’s not so new) GCSE grading scale. Can you give an indication of how strong that set of results is? That might help somewhat with chancing.

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Keeping in mind that holistic review applies, they’re strong, but not exceptional. An international applicant to a top-tier university would present mostly 8’s and 9’s with maybe the occasional 7. A mix of 8’s and 7’s is academically competitive for schools like UMD, US, tOSU, etc, but would be on the lower end what’s on the CDS for a school like JHU. But traditionally, GSCE vs A-Levels are weighted as approx 1:2, so the 11th and 12th grade performance at a US school is looked at more closely. The challenge in this case is there are no 12th grade grades available for EA (or at most only Q1), since US high schools don’t do predicted grades.

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Hi. I would be certainly happy to attend Arizona especially if I get admitted in the Honors there, as it is so strong in astronomy.

Resting the SAT is a plan but I get stressed with the US testing style as it’s so different to the UK one

I am not sure if from 1360 I can get to 1500 within the last 3 tests to the application. ( first sat March 1270, April 1300, June 1360)

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sure 9 is like A**, 8 is like A* and a 7 is like A.

Last year 12 gcse and more only 0.1% of all year 11 takers in 2025 passed

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A full pay international is going to be in demand, given that internationals applying to American colleges are in decline. This is especially true at need aware schools. These colleges depend on this income. Rice, for example, takes a lot of internationals. Another school which takes a lot of international students is University of Rochester. They are very strong in your interest areas - especially observational Astronomy. They have their own observatory.

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You are likely to score >1400 if you take the SAT again in October. Scoring 700 on each section is indeed prettier. This would the fourth attempt, however, which is typically discouraged. You could try taking the ACT, if you can perform better on that test. A 1400+ score won’t provide much of a benefit for Chicago admissions.