My college acceptance(s)

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Specter
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My college acceptance(s)

Post by Specter » Mon Nov 10, 2008 10:23 pm

Happy day for me, I got my acceptance letter to Widener University. And just lastnight I went to check my application status online and it said there is no status found for my application so I was a bit worried. Well turns out good since today I got a big envelope, opened it up to see a folder, open the folder and see an acceptance letter. :)

I'm almost done sending applications to Rutgers and University of Delaware.
I got an envelope for Fairleigh Dickinson University in the mail with a "priority application" which I might send in just to have an extra backup. I also have to see about applying to any other schools if I want to do that.
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cantab
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Re: My college acceptance(s)

Post by cantab » Tue Nov 11, 2008 12:09 am

Afraid I don't know about any of these.

I don't know the US system. In the UK you can apply for a maximum of six universities (and can be different courses at different places if you want) - I applied to Cambridge, Warwick, Bristol, Manchester, Liverpool and Birmingham. These are due in by the end of the autumn term.

You then may get called for interview, or have to do tests, or whatever, or nothing like that. Then you get given offers. Usually these are conditional offers, meaning you have to obtain certain grades at A-Level or equivalent (exams which you have yet to take). (You'd get an unconditional offer if you already had taken the exams, eg if you were a mature student) I got all six offers, some without interview. Cambridge was AAA, Liverpool ABC, others all AAB.

Once all your applications have either offered or rejected, you choose (at most) two of the offers - a 'firm offer', and an 'insurance offer' which is lower grades. So my firm was Cambridge, my insurance Warwick. When you do this, you commit to attending if you get the grades.

In August, when you get your A-Level grades, you then know if you made your firm, your insurance, or neither. In the last case there is 'clearing', which is when a list of universities with courses with places is made public and you try and find one that will accept you. I got my 3 A's and thus went to Cambridge (and am still there)
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Silence
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Re: My college acceptance(s)

Post by Silence » Tue Nov 11, 2008 12:11 am

Does Widener use rolling applications? Otherwise this is a little early in the year to hear anything from them.

I've gotten several applications, some partially filled, thanks to that tickbox on the PSAT 10th grade. And piles of other mail.

"Priority application" often means non-binding early action.

Edit: cantab, it seems colleges in the UK are more tightly bound than they are here. Are they all public schools?

Schools here generally use AP or IB standardized tests instead of A-levels.

I've heard of Delaware and Rutgers, maybe because I live fairly close to Delaware. Maybe. Of your schools I've heard of Cambridge (naturally), although it stands to reason most cities would have universities.
Last edited by Silence on Tue Nov 11, 2008 12:18 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Specter
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Re: My college acceptance(s)

Post by Specter » Wed Nov 12, 2008 8:30 pm

Yeah Widener is rolling admissions. I sent my application on october 7th, so it took about a month to hear from them.

Delaware used to do early action (non binding) but has cancelled it due to so many applicants. I'm not sure if they do rolling or regular, but i'm pretty sure its regular where they send all acceptance letters out at one time.

I just sent my Rutgers application yesterday and brought the paperwork to school that they need to send etc. like transcripts etc.
All i need to do for delaware is the essay and i'll be good.
These are the only 3 colleges I have/am applying to because I didn't find any others that appealed to me

@cantab: You can apply to as many colleges that you want in the US. In any state as well.
I don't remember if it was someone from my school or what someone else heard that i heard them say, but there was someone that applied to like 18 colleges.
My "arsenal": Customizable APH, Storm 600 pistol (still haven't finished fixing this), launcher- Model:AB1.0(Decommissioned), AB1.5, soon AB 1.1(2"rebuild) maybe ill get something else in the future
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Re: My college acceptance(s)

Post by cantab » Wed Nov 12, 2008 10:11 pm

Do you normally apply directly to the college in the US then? Over here it's all done through one central agency, UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service) - makes things easier, you only have one form to fill in, but does impose that limit (actually 5 universities, I misremembered, I didn't apply to Bristol in the end because it was too hilly!)
I think you can apply to uni in any constituent country (ie England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland), but you have to have lived in Scotland or Wales for long enough (a few years I think) to be included in their tuition fees system if you study there (Scotland have no fees, Wales £1200 a year, England up to £3000)
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Arsenal:
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Re: My college acceptance(s)

Post by Silence » Wed Nov 12, 2008 10:30 pm

Yep, you go through the admissions offices for individual universities. The Common Application helps reduce the amount of red tape for schools that have registered with them, but in some ways it's too complex because they try to do too much - their forms are a superset of the forms of any single school because they have to satisfy everybody's needs.

It sounds like your schools are public. Here, public schools have lower tuition if you've lived the appropriate state long enough. Private schools and out-of-state public schools still have high tuition, though, unless you get scholarships.

I'm applying to 8 or 9 schools. I'm pretty much guaranteed to get into two of them, and they're in-state, public schools. But the others...at the highest tier, even if you're one of the better students, you still only have maybe a 25% chance of getting in since they only accept 10% of applicants, unlike a school that might accept 30% or 50%. So out of my 6 or 7 other schools, I should get into 2 or 3.

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Specter
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Re: My college acceptance(s)

Post by Specter » Wed Nov 12, 2008 11:25 pm

yeah its a pain applying to colleges in the US because of all the different requirements for every college.
For me Widener was the easiest because there was no essay, and not much extra stuff required. It was basic personal/educational info, submit, and wait.

Rutgers is a high possibility for me because i have free tuition already. My mom worked at UMDNJ when it was still part of Rutgers and got granfathered in for the free tuition. if I didn't have that I think in-state is $19,000 . not sure on out of state tuition cost

Widener is my first choice however because I really like the campus environment and their CO-OP program. (its a 4 year program as opposed to most others are 5-6 years)
I don't have the tuition cost at hand but i don't think it was that high.

Delaware's tuition is about ~$18-19,000 for in-state residents(i might be moving to delaware in a year or so) or i think ~$27,000 for out of state.
My "arsenal": Customizable APH, Storm 600 pistol (still haven't finished fixing this), launcher- Model:AB1.0(Decommissioned), AB1.5, soon AB 1.1(2"rebuild) maybe ill get something else in the future
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cantab
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Re: My college acceptance(s)

Post by cantab » Wed Nov 12, 2008 11:26 pm

Silence wrote:It sounds like your schools are public. Here, public schools have lower tuition if you've lived the appropriate state long enough. Private schools and out-of-state public schools still have high tuition, though, unless you get scholarships.
Not exactly public in the American sense. Virtually all UK universities have government funding, and are thus regulated on some aspects (what fees they charge, admissions should not be discriminatory, maybe a few others), but are essentially autonomous - government funded, but not government run.
If you live outside the EU (this includes the Isle Of Man, Jersey and Guernsey) have to pay full fees, since the UK government don't provide funding for such students. Said fees are around £15 a year depending on subject.
I'm applying to 8 or 9 schools. I'm pretty much guaranteed to get into two of them, and they're in-state, public schools. But the others...at the highest tier, even if you're one of the better students, you still only have maybe a 25% chance of getting in since they only accept 10% of applicants, unlike a school that might accept 30% or 50%. So out of my 6 or 7 other schools, I should get into 2 or 3.
What's the main thing that affects whether you get accepted. In the UK, for prestigious places it's generally the interview
I work on Windows. My toolbox is Linux.
Arsenal:
Super Soaker: XP215, 2xXP220, Liquidator, Aquashock Secret Strike M(odded), Arctic Blast M, CPS1200, CPS2100, SC Power Pak, 3l aquapack, 1.5l aquapack
Water Warriors: Jet, Sting Ray M, Shark, Argon M, Tiger Shark, PulseMaster
Others: Waterbolt, The Blaster, Storm 500, Shield Blaster 2000, generic PR gun, generic backpack piston pumper (broken), 3l garden sprayer M, 10l water carrier:

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Specter
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Re: My college acceptance(s)

Post by Specter » Thu Nov 13, 2008 2:23 am

Not all US colleges require an interview. The main thing that determines your chances of acceptance are your High School grades/Grade point average and SAT/ACT test scores.
My "arsenal": Customizable APH, Storm 600 pistol (still haven't finished fixing this), launcher- Model:AB1.0(Decommissioned), AB1.5, soon AB 1.1(2"rebuild) maybe ill get something else in the future
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Silence
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Re: My college acceptance(s)

Post by Silence » Thu Nov 13, 2008 4:30 am

US public schools are autonomous, too.

As Specter noted, the most important thing here is probably GPA. Then SAT/ACT scores. And then teacher recommendations, essays, and the interview. Interviews aren't too common...of the schools I'm applying to, only Princeton and MIT even offer interviews, I think.

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cantab
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Re: My college acceptance(s)

Post by cantab » Thu Nov 13, 2008 12:09 pm

Ah right. The problem we have in the UK is that too many people get the top grades. More students are predicted (and obtain) 3 A's at A-Level than places Cambridge and Oxford have (those being two universities that virtually never offer less than three A's). I suppose at 'lesser' universities predicted grades probably count for more. Given the interviewing colleges are Princeton and MIT it sounds like it's the same in the US.

And GL with MIT!
I work on Windows. My toolbox is Linux.
Arsenal:
Super Soaker: XP215, 2xXP220, Liquidator, Aquashock Secret Strike M(odded), Arctic Blast M, CPS1200, CPS2100, SC Power Pak, 3l aquapack, 1.5l aquapack
Water Warriors: Jet, Sting Ray M, Shark, Argon M, Tiger Shark, PulseMaster
Others: Waterbolt, The Blaster, Storm 500, Shield Blaster 2000, generic PR gun, generic backpack piston pumper (broken), 3l garden sprayer M, 10l water carrier:

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Specter
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Re: My college acceptance(s)

Post by Specter » Thu Nov 13, 2008 11:01 pm

Yeah out of the 3 colleges I'm applying to Udel is the only one that has an interview. but i'm not sure if it's required.
My "arsenal": Customizable APH, Storm 600 pistol (still haven't finished fixing this), launcher- Model:AB1.0(Decommissioned), AB1.5, soon AB 1.1(2"rebuild) maybe ill get something else in the future
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Silence
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Re: My college acceptance(s)

Post by Silence » Fri Nov 14, 2008 4:02 am

Interviews are rarely required, but they're always a good bet. For example, MIT applicants who interview have a 15% chance of getting in, whereas those who don't only have a 5% chance of getting in. On average.

Hopefully that should help me, and thanks for the encouragement, cantab. I've also done early admission (applying two months early to eliminate or narrow down schools you apply to later on, if you get in) out of necessity, since they take a 1/3 of their applicants through early action. I guess if I don't make the cut, it won't be for mistakes made in the application process. :cool:

I guess it makes sense why interviews are important for the upper tier in Britain. Do they also make you guys write essays? What about teacher recommendations? And what's selectivity like for Cambridge, and how does it vary per college (if you apply to individual colleges)? Lots of questions now...

Most schools here have a single application, but some make you apply to individual colleges. Of those I'm applying to, Cornell, UVA (University of Virginia), and Virginia Tech make you apply to the schools directly. Which is a good thing since I'm doing engineering - Cornell has 10% acceptance for their College of Arts and Sciences, but only 28% for Engineering. I don't know the numbers for UVA, but it's probably a similar ratio with higher acceptance, since the school is only known for liberal arts and has a terrible reputation for engineering. Virginia Tech is the other way around, with 70% acceptance for liberal arts, but they're fairly easy across the board and I'd have bigger worries if I couldn't make the cut there.

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Re: My college acceptance(s)

Post by cantab » Fri Nov 14, 2008 11:29 am

Silence wrote:I guess it makes sense why interviews are important for the upper tier in Britain. Do they also make you guys write essays? What about teacher recommendations? And what's selectivity like for Cambridge, and how does it vary per college (if you apply to individual colleges)? Lots of questions now...
I was never asked for essays, but then again I was applying for science. But I think there are few subjects that ask for work (Art often wants a portfolio) for applying. Cambridge gave me a simple test, thinking skills assessment or something, it was basically logic and reading comprehension, nothing too hard. And everywhere gets the same 'personal statement'.
Teacher recommendations I believe do matter, but don't know so much about it. And of course it's teachers who are the ones predicting your grades-in general they should do that accurately, since if they predict too high you risk getting offers you fail to meet.

About 25% of applicants to Cambridge get in.

The collegiate system here is a bit unusual (shared only with Oxford). Colleges handle residence, some teaching (the supervisions, which are one supervisor with one to three students), and various other things. They also tend to be one's social hub, with college Ents, sports teams, and societies, not to mention bars (out drinking age being 18). Most teaching (lectures and for sciences practicals) is handled by departments and faculties. All the colleges and departments are located reasonably close to each other.

So, all colleges accept students for the vast majority of subjects (some small colleges don't offer some minority subjects), though there are variations in numbers due to reputation (and Homerton is STILL full of PGCE students!) Some colleges are more competitive than others - King's is probably the most competitive due to its fame. However, there's the pool system to even this out - if colleges decide than an applicant is good, but they have better, that applicant can be pooled. Other colleges (or even the original one!) can then call students from the pool for interview, and offer places. Thus this helps even out disparities in the applications :p lace ratio between college.
I work on Windows. My toolbox is Linux.
Arsenal:
Super Soaker: XP215, 2xXP220, Liquidator, Aquashock Secret Strike M(odded), Arctic Blast M, CPS1200, CPS2100, SC Power Pak, 3l aquapack, 1.5l aquapack
Water Warriors: Jet, Sting Ray M, Shark, Argon M, Tiger Shark, PulseMaster
Others: Waterbolt, The Blaster, Storm 500, Shield Blaster 2000, generic PR gun, generic backpack piston pumper (broken), 3l garden sprayer M, 10l water carrier:

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Silence
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Re: My college acceptance(s)

Post by Silence » Sat Nov 15, 2008 5:08 pm

Hmm, I guess I was confused about the college system. Here, departments are part of colleges or schools, so the latter are specialized for certain fields. So it's organized more by academics than by recreation.

Of course, a college could also be just a smaller university or slang for any university.

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