<p>I have to say you are being wildly optimistic if you think you’re likely to get into Trinity College Dublin, competition is fierce. University College London’s English programme is at least as competitive as Oxford’s - it’s not uncommon for people to get into Oxford and Cambridge but not UCL. You should definitely look into the structure of each degree because the module choices will vary (at Oxford for example you have to study Old English).</p>
<p>I really think you should visit the student room and ask people there, they are in a much better position to answer your questions - I didn’t study English so there’s not much else I can say.</p>
<p>TSR has articles on English at Oxford and Cambridge which you might find useful (remove the spaces for the urls to work):</p>
<p>Trinity Dublin, like Edinburgh and St. A’s, has an unusually high acceptance rate from my school. I am not blindly assuming that I will be able to waltz into a writing program at any of the three, but please understand that I am also not being “wildly optimistic” in my planning. My College Counselor recommended that I put Trinity Dublin as a likely, and so I did. </p>
<p>Thanks again to everyone! I really cannot thank you enough for your input. </p>
<p>^Since your school is a feeder for StA and Edinburgh, I figured it was a feeder to Trinity College, plus it’s CAO so it doesn’t count as part of your 5 UCAS.
However, as mentioned above, DO read the course descriptions carefully. After StA and Edinburgh, you can only choose a total of three universities, or two programs within one university and one university, or three programs within one university (if you really like it and want to increase your odds).
Personally, I like UCL, Durham, and York as colleges; for English, from the little I know, Cambridge more than Oxford. But YMMV and I want to really emphasize this. In short: read the “prospectus” for each course and choose your top 3 for UCAS.
Then go wild with CAO.
Finally, really look into UBC, UToronto (collegiate system, too), and McGill.</p>
<p>You are being wildly optimistic, whether you accept that is neither here nor there. I’m not saying you don’t have a good chance, but be reasonable - nobody is ‘likely’ to get into any of the top English depts in the UK or Ireland.</p>
<p>These universities don’t accept students simply because they attended your school. Admission tutors may wonder with all your opportunities and advantages, why you haven’t done better at school? Don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying to be negative - but your attitude stinks.</p>
<p>nordicblue, she’s at a “feeder” school. These universities know what they’re getting, and that’s freshmen who have already taken classes at the level most American 2nd or 3rd year college students take at their state university (not to mention, wealthy and well-connected). Grades don’t really matter. I mean do you really think Prince William’s grades were looked at that closely? Because kids at PA are the equivalent of American royalty (many of them – not to say OP is, and there are quite a few scholarship kids, but still the “average” PA family isn’t “average”.) It’d take a major screw up (cheated, caught with drugs…) for a kid from PA not to be taken at one of these feeder colleges. Op’s attitude may “stink” to you but it’s realistic. </p>
<p>I don’t accept that system exists in the UK (or Ireland). Yes, some expensive private schools here in the UK do send a lot their pupils to Oxbridge and other top universities, but they’re not accepted because they went to a particular school - they are accepted because they fulfilled the entry requirements. Top private schools coach their students to interview well and to perform well in examinations; they have the best teachers and can offer great sports and other EC facilities, however if a student isn’t academically good enough or their personal statement isn’t great then they will be rejected regardless of where they went to school.</p>
<p>Oxbridge (and presumably TCD) routinely discriminate against pupils from expensive private schools if they’re faced with choosing between them and equally qualified candidates who attended poor state schools. In the US there seems to be the odd notion that the more ‘elite’ your school/college is then the harder it is to do well, UK and Irish universities take the reverse view.</p>
<p>Prince William didn’t go to a particularly good university. The only reason St A’s is considered good now is because he went there. The entry requirements were significantly lower when he applied. If it were the case that ‘royalty’ (American or otherwise) could waltz into elite schools then explain why none of the Queen’s grandchildren attended elite universities?</p>
<p>For politics, actually.
(And, for Andrew, because they can’t be toooo bad at school to be admitted somewhere and Sandhurst was the lesser of two evils.)</p>
<p>But that’s not the point.
Schools such as PA have very detailed tracking of admissions, even without Naviance. You may wish it were not so, but they ARE feeder schools to some colleges - much less so in the US than in the UK, actually, because American colleges ALSO try to level the playing field during admissions, more so than British schools actually.
ALL students there are very, very smart and very, very hardworking. There isn’t a “not very good” student there in ordinary terms. They never got in to start with and it’s made sure all those who did make it through the selection process all fulfill the extensive admission requirements of the world’s most selective universities. So, no, they don’t get in just on the school’s name, but because a decent student from that school who wants to study at one of these universities is known to be a future student they want to have, as shown through tests and interviews. And don’t tell me it’s not the same in the UK: The expensive public schools have a lion’s share of the A-A* grades, and those are what Oxbridge wants (and Durham, and UCL…), plus the “grooming” for the interview, plus the specialized Oxford tutor, not to be confused with the specialized Cambridge tutor, etc. Wasn’t it just last July there was an outcry about discrimination in the process? Finally, top UK universities DO recognize disabilities such as OP’s and even HAVE TO make an allowance for them.</p>
<p>StA has always been considered a “good” university by Americans, because it’s old, in a pittoresque Scottish town, and is quite similar to what top American universities would expect a good university to be like. Yes in objective terms it’s not as good as Edinburgh, but in American eyes, it is.</p>
<p>I’m not sure why you want to fight OP on what her guidance counselor’s numbers/Naviance say. </p>
<p>If Op gets 3’s on her APs then it’ll be another story of course but in that case I doubt OP will persist in applying to schools that require 5’s (except StA, because of its special relationship with American applicants )</p>
<p>nordicblue - I’m really sorry that you think my attitude stinks, but my College Counselor told me that Trinity Dublin was a likely for me, and frankly I trust her more than you. Yes, admissions officers may wonder with all my opportunities why I haven’t done better. They also might take into consideration my learning disorder, or notice that despite having a difficult time in math and science, I am one of the top English students in my grade. </p>
<p>Anyways, again, whatever I did or said to put you off, I’m sorry. But no one is requiring that you post here.</p>
<p>@lacklusterlovers. first of all, early congratulations for earning a diploma in the near future from one of the most competitive prep schools in the North America. The fact that you maintain good grades at such a school with a LD is exceptional. Most of the schools on your list are likely with the exception of Oxbridge and UCL. They are the same kind of reach schools as the ivies.
And BTW, no need to apologize to any poster who has bad manners on CC. If he continues to be rude and tries to hijack this thread he will be reported. Check out the student room for more info. Good luck to you.</p>
<p>I’ve not been rude, and giving (pretty darn good advice, even if it went unacknowledged) is not ‘hijacking’ - if you disagree with me then say so but please don’t accuse me of being rude.</p>
<p>Hey all,
This is the OP again. I got my SATs back and have the 750 in critical reading and 800 in writing (as expected) but only a 630 in math. :\ I barely studied for the test the first time, though, so I know I can get my critical reading to an 800, but is it absolutely essential that I get my math scores at or above 700 in order to even be considered for an Oxford interview?</p>
<p>The website clearly says “Successful candidates would typically have SAT Reasoning Test scores of at least 700 in Critical Reading, Mathematics and the Writing Paper” - I don’t think anyone here can tell you for sure whether Oxford would consider you with 630 or not, but certainly British students absolutely have to have a C grade in GCSE maths no matter what they’re applying for. Apply and see what happens.</p>
<p>As mentioned before, that math score doesn’t really matter as long as you got a C in precalculus. And BTW that score is impressive for someone who has a math LD.</p>
<p>For certain you won’t get an interview if you don’t apply. </p>
<p>Not sure that there would be enough of a difference between a 750 and and 800 to make it worth retaking the test, but if you barely studied the first time, would you re-sit to see if you could get the math up a bit? I know people with 670/680 math scores who are happily ensconced at Oxford, so it is possible to not have the 700. </p>
<p>Remember that they will have your ELAT before they review your application- and the ELAT carries a lot of weight.</p>
<p>@collegemom3717 I’ll definitely apply, and I am taking the SAT again in June, so I will be able to re-sit the math section. Does Oxford superscore, or will I need to get the 800 in writing for a second time? </p>
<p>Hi lacklusterlovers - My daughter is exactly like you! She struggles w/ math and always has but she has always excelled in English. Much like you her SATs were very strong in Critical Reading and writing but not surprisingly her math score was low. She posted on here back in the fall inquiring about Edinburgh and was very discouraged after receiving negative feedback that she most likely wouldn’t receive an offer because of her math scores. She attends a large public American high school so college counseling especially for international universities was basically non existent so she really took to heart what people wrote here. She almost decided not to even apply but we took a trip to Scotland and were convinced that they truly do take a holistic look at the application. She applied to Edinburgh and St. Andrews and she was accepted to both universities! She only applied to those schools because she did want to be able to study other subjects and not solely English. My point of writing this is to say don’t listen to the nay-sayers. Send your application and see what happens I’m sure Oxbridge will take a holistic approach as well.
You have very strong SAT scores (where they count for you) and now you need to really focus on doing as well on your AP exams. Those are just as important! You might add the SAT II Literature to bolster your application.
My daughter ultimately decided on St. Andrews for personal reasons; but a couple of months ago she was given an unsolicited offer for a job with a tutoring company to tutor freshmen and sophomores in English - primarily in writing and analyzing literature. When the company found out she was accepted to St. Andrews they gave her (again unsolicited) a $10 per hour raise! I know in England (not sure about the rest of the UK) St. Andrews isn’t considered to be as strong as some other universities. It is well thought of in the U.S. and your school, Phillips, wouldn’t want to associate and recommend it to their students if it wasn’t, and rightfully so, well thought of here. Having St. Andrews and Edinburgh as safety schools is fantastic and I hope you won’t feel disappointed if you end up at a “safety school”. They are both excellent and well thought of and there are many, many people who wish they could get into those schools.
You WILL get into a great university. Oxbridge will be a reach but they are for all applicants! All of the universities you are applying to will provide an outstanding undergraduate education. If you don’t get into Oxbridge then do your absolute best during your undergraduate years and reapply to Oxbridge for graduate school! No matter what, smile and be happy - you’ve got a great future ahead of you!
P.S. (sorry this is so long) Once you’ve been accepted wherever in the UK you will never again have to justify low math or science scores. You are a gifted English student and that should be your focus.</p>
<p>Let me clarify above - when I said “hopefully Oxbridge will take a holistic approach as well” I did not mean extracurriculars. They don’t care about that other than to see what you’ve done outside of class that shows your passion for the English subject which you’ll tell about in your personal statement. By holistic I mean that they will be looking at all of your standardized scores and your personalized statement and and get an idea of who you are as an English student and won’t (hopefully) “throw out” your application because of a low (ish) math SAT score since you will not be studying that anyway.</p>
<p>I don’t think they will even understand “hollistic approach”! St Andrews want international students for their money so of course you will get in (has anyone ever posted on cc who was rejected?)</p>
<p>It worries me that you are not studying for tests. Oxbridge is all about studying for exams all the time. Do you really want that? You have to be really motivated and focussed.</p>
<p>Lacklusterlovers, Oxford will superscore, so if you get a 750 instead of an 800 the second time you will still be fine. Imo, it is worth having a second go, and making a serious effort on the SAT: if you can get a 630 without trying it seems possible that you could get, say 680 with an effort. Obviously, none of us knows how low the math can go before it is enough to jettison your application, but you want to do your best to minimize the reasons for a cut before you get to your strong areas (presumably the ELAT will be happier for you!). English is one of the biggest subjects, but the tutors still have to find a way to cut a lot of very talented, qualified applicants & you don’t want to make it easy for them!</p>
and Sandhurst was the lesser of two evils.)</p>
)</p>