Your opinions on non-US schools

[cobrat]

And yes, more than marks are considered (especially by Oxbridge), though the key point is that the evaluation is being done by faculty, not adcoms, so they would naturally be most interested in academic potential and in any case, for a full-pay International (like an American), if you meet the requirement for marks at any UK uni outside of Oxbridge and LSE, you’re likely in.

@PurpleTitan

Any UK university?

I doubt it considering there’s a wide variation in admission standards even for US/international students. For most recent US undergrad applicants I knew of, it was easier to gain admission to St. Andrews or UCL than it was to Oxbridge or LSE.

Also, since the UK reclassified many polytechnics(a.k.a. Higher vocational institutes) as universities in the last 20-30 years, the variability in admission standards across UK universities has greatly increased.

It is well known that Prince William was interested in Cambridge but the message was passed that he was not academically competitive (Trinity College’s head performed the task).

Quite ironic considering Cambridge’s illustrious Trinity College admitted his father with far less impressive A-Level stats than Prince William.

Prince Harry didn’t bother applying anywhere, instead going the military route.

To clarify things, he didn’t enlist(Not usually done in royal/aristocratic circles). Instead, he applied and was accepted as a “non-graduate” officer cadet at RMA Sandhurst which made him part of the approximately 20% of incoming cadets who arrive with only A-Levels rather than a university degree.

Yes, the UK is one of the few societies in which its armed forces does not mandate a university degree to enter or graduate with a commission as a military officer.