Postgraduate at University of Edinburgh - admissions chances for American?

International Students
1

Hi everyone, I’m an American student looking to get into the University of Edinburgh postgraduate program for Landscape Architecture. I will be graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Art History, and a minor in Business Administration. I currently have a 3.18 GPA but will likely have around a 3.3 when I graduate. I will also risk saying that my letter of recommendation will probably be really favorable for me, and I will likely job shadow at at least two LA firms here in the US. I’ve heard that American students get in easier because they “fund” the university… is that true? My question is: if you’re an American student only slightly over the GPA requirement, will they let you in? My business classes have brought down my GPA - my “major” GPA is a 3.83 (only art history classes). The program favors those with ecological degrees such as geography, ecology, or a landscape architecture bachelors, obviously. What do you think my admissions chances are?

I emailed the admissions office and was told that out of 356 applicants, 55 were offered positions.

Thank you for your time!

2

I am intrigued that you feel that you are taking a risk in saying that your recs will ‘probably’ be favorable!

Your PS (essay) will be crucial: it is very different than a US essay. It is a mature discussion of your interest in the subject, which demonstrates (through your activities in and out of class) why you are a good fit for the course, and the course is a good fit for you. Do your homework on the course, so that you have a good understanding of what it entails.

3

Thanks for your comment! The reason I feel that my PS will be favorable is that I will be requesting it from a teacher that I will have taken three courses with, the last course being a one-on-one study. The professor in question received her PhD from Cambridge, so I feel that a close relationship with an alumna of such a venerable institution will be quite favorable towards my application.

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Your PS isn’t the teacher’s reference (although the latter is useful too), it’s your own Personal Statement. You write it yourself.