Year 12 in UK - don’t want to miss any steps for applying to UK & US unis

[FriendlyLaundryMonster]

I am a well served member of mumsnet, but have just name changed! My DS is in year 12 doing 4 A Levels and has 10 GCSEs all grade 9. He has grade 8 in a musical instrument, working towards black belt in his martial art, has set up an unusual club at school and runs it, … he has many varied passions and I’m told is quite smart! Don’t want to brag, just looking for some advice on how to make sure I can support him with uni applications and choices. He is interested in MIT. He’s a self-taught computer programmer and is thinking of studying computing, maths, or maybe some combo with science. He would need a full ride to go anywhere in the States. I’m just trying to book a date for his SAT exams (deadline tomorrow!) and I’m wondering if there are any other hoops he needs to jump through at this stage and moving forward? I have no experience of the US system and not much of the current UK one. All advice welcome!

Get in touch with the Fulbright Commission. They can take you through the steps.

mitadmissions.org/apply/firstyear/international/

That explains quite a bit. They're not requiring SATs this year! But I would still suggest taking them, without having the results automatically sent anywhere, and then if they are good you can include that in the application.

The deadlines will be in January and you are still eligible for financial aid.

It sounds like your son is exactly the kind of student American universities like, is he looking at any of the California universities?

He might look at extension activities like maths challenges or computer competitions. The PS is a big part an American application.

Wow - he sounds amazing. Which a levels is he taking? Is your household income/ net assets low enough to make full rides a reasonable possibility?

Thanks everyone. I think he’s amazing 😊 He’s taking Maths, Further Maths, Physics and Chemistry. Crikey, I had no idea we’d have to apply by this January! Am feeling quite stressed now!
Needmoresleep What’s PS, is that extra curricular? He does community service and he’s also going to do a couple of Olympiads.
jayritchie I have no idea what the income brackets are, but I would think we qualify. He is on a very large bursary currently in the UK.

Does your school have experience of US applications?

PS is Personal Statement.

That’s the British/UCAS term. US Universities will use something different. US Universities often look for breadth as well as depth, eg sport, leadership, music etc. However I think this is less so with very strong mathematicians. That said super-curricular activities will do no harm. Doing well in a national programming competition (a friend of DS won a Raspberry Pi one) or being invited to things as a result of doing well in the Senior Maths Challenge etc. A friend of DDs was invited to some selective maths camp at an American Ivy, but then she was knocking on the door of the national IMO team. Another, who gained an Ivy place did very well in a National Chemistry challenge.

He might look at what is out there this summer. ( I am not an expert, as DC were nowhere near that level, but their school sent about 25 each year to the States each year, with one or two each year to MIT.)

I am not sure about applications in by January of Yr 12. I don’t think so. An American friend has just spent the half term with her Yr 13 DD looking at Colleges. And DCs school used to strongly encourage would be applicants to do as much of the application paperwork, essays etc, in the summer before Yr 13 as it is quite burdensome and has the potential to conflict with schoolwork. From memory deadlines were November for early decision and January in Yr 13 for the rest, but college websites, or perhaps the Fulbright site should tell you.

OP, PS is his personal statement, which he needs for UK universities through UCAS. He should already be writing this and his school will already be supporting him in this, don’t worry!

If you/he wants to apply to MIT, you need to do the application yourself. This website is helpful:

mitadmissions.org/apply/firstyear/international/.

Sorry, just seen he is Year 12 not 13. Your DS will start writing his personal statement this summer instead OP.

I have just read this from the MIT international applications and he might find not doing Biology, History/Social Sciences tricky but I would imagine as long as he shows in the next year, that he has done some independent work in these areas, then he may well be okay, as they say he is still welcome to apply.

However, all students need to demonstrate minimum competence in fields they will continue to study at MIT. We recommend that all international students study:
Four years of English
Mathematics, at least to the level of calculus
Two or more years of history/social studies
Biology
Chemistry
Physics
While these courses are not required, studying them will increase the chances that you will be sufficiently prepared academically to attend MIT. Students without all of the listed recommended classes are welcome to apply.

Yes sorry, January of his last year of school

The personal statement is very important for the top US universities, they get a gazillion applicants with the required grades and they rely a lot on the statements. I'd recommend reading some American sites with guidance on how to write one, I suspect there will be some subtle differences.

Definitely highlight extracurriculars, anything showing initiative, volunteer work. I'd start thinking about something your DS could do over next summer's break that would look interesting/impressive.

Basically think of it as a job interview, it's not just about ticking the right boxes, it's about showing something special and that you would fit in.

Places like MIT are insanely competitive and often want a more rounded education than A levels provide. I'd suggest trying to find some external guidance/consultant type person on American uni applications to help you navigate - there's so many details. Some US schools for example use an early decision system - so you apply at the start of your last year and get accepted around Xmas time, but then you have to commit to that college/university. Am sure there are likely more things like this - the UCAS system is pretty simple by comparison tbh.

Thank you everyone. I’ve spent the morning on the SAT site, which had crashed for a period and now seems to have no slots available for the December test (anywhere in the UK). I really wish school had flagged this up a bit more.
He is very keen on bio, but couldn’t take everything for A Level! His bio teacher rates him highly (A level standard when doing GCSEs) and he may do the bio Olympiad even though it’s not one of his A Levels. So frustrating about the SAT.

Thank you all for the links. These will be really useful.

Dont get hung up about SAT,if a college says that they are optional then they are exactly that optional,and that is straight from the horses mouth-or at least two or three Ivy Dean of Admissions that did a webinar at my sons school, and confirmed that you would not be disadvantaged by not taking them,ds isnt bothering with them and nor are most of the applicants from his school and his school sends 30/40 a year..probably more this year

Where are you. US colleges used to do a bit of recruitment tour in London, often hosted by private schools with a high number of international students, but open to all who are registered, though Covid may have put paid to this. The process is complicated, so without guidance it is worth taking every opportunity. The Fulbright people should be able to help you.

A lot of people use consultants, but these can be very expensive, and often not very good.

If your DC is in a state school one option might be, if there is a nearby academic private school who sends kids to the US, to ask your school if they could be approached to give some help to him/you. Private schools are under pressure to help state schools as part of their charitable status. One problem can be school references. They need to be glowing, in a way that British people find difficult.

With SATS you can sit them any number of times, and keep the best score. This is an expensive option. I would suggest practice first so your DS is used to the format and then sit them, perhaps early next autumn. There will be masses of preparation material on the internet.

Also we noticed that often London based US national chose to go to a British University for UG maths/science, and on to the US for post grad. It is a lot cheaper and British education is much more specialised.

DS did this after graduating in econometrics and mathematical economics from the LSE. His US PhD is fully funded, and when he arrived he was technically ahead of many of his peers, and also younger. Though MIT would be fabulous, an undergraduate degree from somewhere like Oxbridge or Imperial would open the same academic doors for a very bright student.

As to the U.K. system, the timeline for applications is pretty clearly laid out on the UCAS website. He should have no difficulty figuring out what to do when here from that, plus the info on university websites.

Needmoresleep I admit I am not sure whether to encourage the US for under or postgrad. He is likely to apply to Cambridge and Imperial in the UK and was thinking of just MIT (as a long shot) in the US. But, much of the advice seems to be to apply either for the UK or US, as a lot of work would be involved to do both.

Needmoresleep On the cost side of things, perhaps it would be cheaper to attend a US uni if he qualified needs blind and received support, whereas in the Uk it would be full fees (and loans).

Needsmoresleep's posts remind me of something. Cambridge engineering used to have an exchange scheme with MIT. Apparently, in general the U.K. students tended to find the MIT course somewhat easy and the assessments not very taxing; conversely the US students typically found the Cambridge course much more challenging.

Whether that comes out as a pro or con depends on individual attitudes I guess!

We are in Ireland rather than U.K. but my DD is a freshman in Brown, one of the Ivies.
DD went to a state school in Ireland.
She did her application mainly by watching a lot of YouTube and Instagram about the application process.
The essays are a huge part of the process.
I would advise doing either SAT/ACT even if they are optional.
Most of the Ivies, MIT and Stanford means test everyone who gets a place and they get a scholarship based on their needs. If your DS gets in and needs a full ride he will get one.

Have a look at Early Action and Early Decision as there can be a higher acceptance rate when you apply this way.

OP, getting a free ride at somewhere like MIT at UG level is quite an achievement. He needs to be outstandingly good, or have something going for him like being the first in his family to go to University or be from a certain underrepresented ethnic group.

By all means have a go. However to be realistic, his chances of a paid for place are probably higher at post grad level, where he will partly be able to pay his keep by UG teaching or by being a research assistant.

In the US many applications are standalone, so if you are only applying for one place, it won't be as time consuming as if you are applying for eight or nine.

I have to admit, I'd be tempted to say UG in the UK and go to the US for postgrad. If he does UG at Cambridge or Imperial that will be a massive boost for his chances, and the application process is a bit easier for postgrad.

Hey OP,

I went to MIT feel free to PM if you want someone to chat through but the link given up thread will be the best resource.

Thanks

Thank you again everyone. Good feedback. We have much to think about.