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!

He sounds like he has a chance at MIT but remember that the majority of their applicants will have similar achievements to him. He sounds almost identical to my DD who did not get in. It’s something of a crapshoot - they accept 1 in 20 applicants IIRC. It might be worth doing Early Decision to increase his chances.

He needs to show that an aptitude for building things - systems that he’s created, robotics, etc. The fact that he’s self taught at programming, and has set up and run a club at school will both help. But then DD did all these things, and did not get in. She also represented her school at state level sports, ran the school choir, played in the band, organised Spirit Week in Junior Year, was on student senate, was a student rep on various school boards and won a National Merit scholarship. The problem is that most MIT applicants have done much the same. Just trying to set your expectations.

SATs were only temporarily optional because of Covid. MIT will require them. He should get an 800 in the Math part and also score very highly in Reading and Writing.

DD and her boyfriend are both at US colleges like MIT that offer full need-based aid. They both get big scholarships. IIRC a family income below $65k gets you a full ride. It may have changed since I looked a couple of years ago but they have financial aid calculators on the college websites.

I’m happy to answer any more questions you have. I’m in the US but have been through the college app process twice in the last 3 years.

PS I don’t want to put your son off applying. He sounds like a great candidate.

It’s $75 to submit via the Common App, plus he’ll need to take the SAT.

Other than that it’s really an investment of time and energy. What’s to lose?

@ZZTopGuitarSolo
Do you think it is more difficult to get in as a US student in a decent high school with other students applying?
My DD would have had good grades, good ACT, good essay but very average extracurricular but I think being in a regular Irish state school made her a bit different and helped her application.

I would probably stick to UK ones including Oxbridge, Durham, Bristol etc (and London if he likes the different feel there) simply because UK employers know them and he will only be 18 and UK ones concentrate and specialise better at a younger age (and then he can go abroad when more mature for post grad and by then may be fewer covid travel issues too).

If UK only then enhance the CV in year 12 - lower sixth- my twins were lucky there were AS levels in those days so could get 4 top grades in those. Also the better schools have children prepare their draft personal statement in the final summer term of year 12/lower sixth ready to submit it it early in first term of upper sixth. year 13. For Oxbridge that is even more important as you apply very early in first term of year 13.

[quote ChimneyPot]@ZZTopGuitarSolo
Do you think it is more difficult to get in as a US student in a decent high school with other students applying?
My DD would have had good grades, good ACT, good essay but very average extracurricular but I think being in a regular Irish state school made her a bit different and helped her application.[/quote]
Yes I think this is true. They do look at where you are applying from, and anything that makes you either more interesting or demonstrates grit is valued.

@FriendlyLaundryMonster

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).

DD's boyfriend is on a full ride. He gets tuition, accommodation, meal plan, utilities, internet and health insurance covered. I think it come to about $82k a year.

He also earns money from paid internships - so far this hasn't affected his scholarship but he's keeping an eye on it.

He does have to pay for his own transport to/from his college town to come home during vacations. College accommodation often closes completely over the big holidays although they'll often make exceptions for international students.

ZZTopGuitarSolo Wow, your dd sounds amazing! Well done to her. DS has done more than I listed, but I don’t want to be too specific here. I had a look at the calculator on the college board or MIT page (I can’t remember which), but it’s geared up to US applicants, so you can’t enter tax codes or information if you’re not from the US.
Good news is that he now has an SAT date in December, so we’ll see how he does. Thanks so much for all the info from everyone; it will be really useful. I think we will encourage him to look at Oxbridge seriously. There seems such a difference between the Oxford and Cambridge prospectuses and websites. Oxford comes across as quite modern and fun, Cambridge as quite dry!

DD had a lot of fun at Cambridge (engineering, her pals included all sorts).
He'd be foolish not to consider oxbridge seriously, but also the many other excellent U.K. unis.

Absolutely, he’ll be considering lots of options!