will i have a chance?? (1 Viewer)

kewon

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Hi all
I want to go to America for college and I was wondering if stood a chance getting into the top tier ones. My academic results are quite strong and I am confident that my ATAR will be above 99 but I have limited/weak ECs. I do a lot of sports but none at a high level. Would I be able to get into like a top 20 college with this on my profile, if not I will just stay in Australia.
Thanks

im in year 12 right now
 
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brent012

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Top 20? Yes. Ivy League? Not without extra curricular stuff.

That's from what i have seen at least. You should sit the SAT's in addition to the HSC.
 

largarithmic

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Hi all
I want to go to America for college and I was wondering if stood a chance getting into the top tier ones. My academic results are quite strong and I am confident that my ATAR will be above 99 but I have limited/weak ECs. I do a lot of sports but none at a high level. Would I be able to get into like a top 20 college with this on my profile, if not I will just stay in Australia. also, would the IB be a better option for international study? and do most people do SATS and apply during year 12 or after they've finished HSC (srry for noob question).

Thanks

im in year 11 right now
There's a lot of total bullcrap that goes around the place about how to get into overseas unis. First, academic results do matter from school (ATAR above 99 is great) but not an enormous amount, and SAT scores really don't matter if they're above a certain point. So as long as you don't completely fail them, nobody is going to reject you just because you didn't score 2400. As for extracurricular activities, they are of course impressive - but in no way the crux of the application.

Essentially, US colleges have a very different concept of what constitutes university admissions than in Australia. In Australia, the idea is to take the candidates with the 'objectively' best results and scores - typified in the ATAR system. There is no such ranking system in the States, and no amount of extra-curricular activities is going to say "student X is objectively better than student Y". Instead the admissions system is much more about getting to know you as a person - hence you have an interview with an alumnus, and write 'personal' essays, and submit several references written by teachers. Of course they will look at your extracurriculars and results, but someone with amazing school results and a fantastic range of sport and music activities may very well not get in if that person displays absolutely no personality.

As for doing SATs, do them at any time - I did mine just after my HSC finished (so last november/december) but that was basically the very latest you could do them and most of my friends who did them did them much earlier (like near the beginning of year 12). Whatever suits you.
 

mirakon

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i can assure you that they look for a LOT more than just academic results. They look at extra-curricular activities (of which you should have an array, not just a focus on just one activity), often any leadership ability you have and as an overseas applicant, how much genuine interest you have in studying overseas, your motivation and whether or not studying overseas will be beneficial for you. Having said that, you do need solid academic results too, but its not dependent on just a 99.95 ATAR or anything of the sort

Source: I was offered a scholarship to attend a college in the US and a provisional scholarship to any of the Ivy League unis granted I got enough marks for entry. I'm speaking from my experience of the process, but it could be different from yours.
 
X

xeuyrawp

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Hi all
I want to go to America for college and I was wondering if stood a chance getting into the top tier ones. My academic results are quite strong and I am confident that my ATAR will be above 99 but I have limited/weak ECs. I do a lot of sports but none at a high level. Would I be able to get into like a top 20 college with this on my profile, if not I will just stay in Australia.
Thanks

im in year 12 right now
Go to collegeconfidential.com; not many people here know about US study.

Why do you want to go to America for undergrad?
 

1611134585

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i can assure you that they look for a LOT more than just academic results. They look at extra-curricular activities (of which you should have an array, not just a focus on just one activity), often any leadership ability you have and as an overseas applicant, how much genuine interest you have in studying overseas, your motivation and whether or not studying overseas will be beneficial for you. Having said that, you do need solid academic results too, but its not dependent on just a 99.95 ATAR or anything of the sort

Source: I was offered a scholarship to attend a college in the US and a provisional scholarship to any of the Ivy League unis granted I got enough marks for entry. I'm speaking from my experience of the process, but it could be different from yours.
Woah nice. What scholarship was it?
 

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