College Thread!

[2HOT2touch]

I'm a freshman and me and a friend are searching for colleges like crazy right now. We are SO excited for college even though we have 4 years left of highschool. Everyone even the juniors tell us we are freaks for already planning this and we just need to not care and have fun.
We are having fun. Searching for colleges. And we are both going for the same things so it's easier to search together for the best ones.
We just want to be prepared.

I asked a teacher and he told us we could even take the ACT our freshman year.
Me and that friend are planning on it, even if we have no idea of the questions. We'll know what it'll be like, and what to kinda study.
I can't wait till college!!!

Right now we have our eye on Michigan.

You can take the ACT and SAT whenever you want and however many times you want. just remember your colleges will see ALL the scores no matter what. They normally just look at the highest but they do see all of them and sometimes that has an affect on whether you get in or not. But I would definately say don't worry about that kind of stuff right now, I mean it's good that you are excited and stuff, but you have four years and believe me you will change in those four years and so will what you want to do with your life including college.

 

[Babyjustrun]

I know it sounds safe, but you really don't have to go to the same place that your friends want to go to. It just creates more tension when you meet other people, ect.

I looked at Vanderbilt, and I'm still considering it for medical school.

QFE.

I'm also a freshman.
But I've been thinking about University since I was in like 6th grade. Only now, I know a lot more about it.
I know I'm not staying in my province. I've been thinking of Ryerson or the University of Ottawa. I know it sounds like I want to go to the University of Ottawa because my brother goes there, but I really fell in love with Ottawa this summer. It's so beautiful, and a big city without actually being really big.
My thing is, is I'd like to be able to get into a program/internship that pays. I know that may sound crazy (because generally internships are just for experience) but some pay. Reasoning? I don't want to be relying financially on my parents and student loans completely. Obviously I don't want my parents spending all that money on me (especially if I decide that I want to do something else, meaning all the money the spent, kind of wasted) and I'm afraid to be paying off student loans for the rest of my life.

 

[::Snow_White::]

I know it sounds safe, but you really don't have to go to the same place that your friends want to go to. It just creates more tension when you meet other people, ect.

I looked at Vanderbilt, and I'm still considering it for medical school.

Yeah, I understand what you mean.
I have no problem with going by myself. I don't want to go with the friend just to feel safer and be around people I know.
But we want to go for the exact same things and we figure that if we could just rent apartments together the cost would be less.

You can take the ACT and SAT whenever you want and however many times you want. just remember your colleges will see ALL the scores no matter what. They normally just look at the highest but they do see all of them and sometimes that has an affect on whether you get in or not. But I would definately say don't worry about that kind of stuff right now, I mean it's good that you are excited and stuff, but you have four years and believe me you will change in those four years and so will what you want to do with your life including college.

Ooh. Thanks for the ACT/SAT advice, I hadn't thought of that.
And yes, I understand that what I want to do will change. From 8th to 9th grade I changed my mind, so I have no doubt that my senior year I will feel different. =)

It's just we are more searching out colleges and prices and what we can do our freshman-senior years that will help us with whatever we are going to college for.

 

[DisneyGirl421]

I'm a junior but I'm so into the college searching thing. Right now my list is as follows: Ursinus, Gettysburg, Susquehannah, U of Delaware, Boston U, Boston C, William and Mary, Vanderbilt, American, Michigan.

I think that's it.

YAY someone on the DIS is looking at Gettysburg! If you have any questions or if you ever come to visit, ask me/tell me!

Anywho, don't freak out about the college applications, they really aren't that bad.
The hardest part is waiting... seriously that was what I freaked out over!

 

[Mickey1122]

Most of the harder-to-get-into schools usually only admit a couple from each school. Good luck to you and your friend!

Anyone else taking several AP classes?? I hate the AP Program with a passion..so much work!

 

[wishspirit]

Ok so you can take the ACT or SAT whenever you like? Do most people take them in the last year of high school? There must be so much choice about where to go! What made you chose the college you wanted?

Our system is so different. We take exams in whatever you want in the last two years of secondary school, years 12 and 13, (which are non compulsory, you can leave school at 16 if you want with just the first lot of standardised tests called GCSE's but they wont get you far). Most people do 4 topics in year 12 (i did History, Psychology, Sociology and Drama) and 3 in the second (i droped Sociology). Do you guys have to take all your subjects till you leave highschool?
We take exams in January and June of these two years, which you can retake if you want to during different exam periods or retake the year if need be, in august you get an overall grade which tells you where you will go in September.

You apply to universities online via a system called UCAS, choosing 6 unis (4 if you are doing medicine and only one out of Oxford or Cambridge if you want to go there). You chose a subject you want to study then the website shows you all the unis that do that subject then you can look around. You then apply to 6, some higher or lower than your predicted grades. They then look at your personal statement (than you write), your schools recomendation (that your tutor writes) and your predicted grades. They then decide if they are going to offer you a place and what grades they would like from you to get in (for example my first choice and the uni i am in now asked for 2 A's and a B at A level). You then chose which one you would really like to go to and your backup. You then sit your exams, wait till August then on results day you find out where you will go in september! Its scary alright! If you dont get the grades you can re-sit but you will be a year behind your mates, or you can take a gap year if you like.

Thats how our system works, yours seems really scary!
Good luck to all of you!

 

[2HOT2touch]

Snow white- I wouldn't worry about the costs right now, because by the time you are in college they are going to be WAAAAAAYYYYY higher. but its nice to think about the kind of college you want to go to.

Wishspirit- so basically based on your grades you are automatically in a college/university? wow thats crazy. Here you apply and then you get letters back from all the colleges and the ones you get into you have to choose which one you liked best. there is not automatic unless you apply early decision which is when you basically sign a contract and if the college accepts you you dont have a choice you HAVE to go there. But yea you take the sat and the act whenever you want, but like I said the colleges can see all the scores and that isn't always a good thing unless you went up considerably everytime you took them. You normally start taking the SAT or ACT in the middle of your junior year(11 grade) and you take it 2 or 3 times that year and then you are normally encouraged to take it at least one more time your senior year( 12 grade) the last year of high school.

 

[Axel]

I'm a junior, so the college fever has gotten to me. I've taken the PSAT twice now (I don't know my score for the second one yet). I'm taking the AP US History exam in the spring along with the SAT and two SAT II Subject Tests. Ugh.

Right now I'm looking at Carleton, which is an absolutely amazing school with a strong focus on liberal arts and a great french department, and I'm really considering the Universite de Montreal. My best friend is considering McGill and that's right down the road from UdeM, so we were thinking of renting an apartment in the middle and splitting the rent. She wants to major in something from the dentistry field and I want to major in french (so going to a college taught in french would be a plus).

 

[Babyjustrun]

I'm a junior, so the college fever has gotten to me. I've taken the PSAT twice now (I don't know my score for the second one yet). I'm taking the AP US History exam in the spring along with the SAT and two SAT II Subject Tests. Ugh.

Right now I'm looking at Carleton, which is an absolutely amazing school with a strong focus on liberal arts and a great french department, and I'm really considering the Universite de Montreal. My best friend is considering McGill and that's right down the road from UdeM, so we were thinking of renting an apartment in the middle and splitting the rent. She wants to major in something from the dentistry field and I want to major in french (so going to a college taught in french would be a plus).

When you say Carleton, do you mean the one in Ottawa, or just another one I've never heard of?
If you're interested in french, I'd also like to mention the Université de Moncton. It's an all French school. But rather far away from places like Montreal.

 

[Axel]

When you say Carleton, do you mean the one in Ottawa, or just another one I've never heard of?
If you're interested in french, I'd also like to mention the Université de Moncton. It's an all French school. But rather far away from places like Montreal.

I mean the one in Minnesota. I looked up UdeMoncton. Their website is kinda hard for me to navigate (My french is good enough to understand what everything is, I'm just having issues getting around- I like the UdeMontreal has a link for an english version of the site). I like that it's in New Brunswick, which is closer to home than Carleton, but further than Montreal. I'm still not sure where I'd like to go. I'd really love to attend school in Quebec. Carleton is really expensive (roughly 54,000USD/year). UdeMontreal is really cheap compared to that because I'd only pay the tuition of a Canadia citizen if I got in because I'd be studying french.

 

[Babyjustrun]

I mean the one in Minnesota. I looked up UdeMoncton. Their website is kinda hard for me to navigate (My french is good enough to understand what everything is, I'm just having issues getting around- I like the UdeMontreal has a link for an english version of the site). I like that it's in New Brunswick, which is closer to home than Carleton, but further than Montreal. I'm still not sure where I'd like to go. I'd really love to attend school in Quebec. Carleton is really expensive (roughly 54,000USD/year). UdeMontreal is really cheap compared to that because I'd only pay the tuition of a Canadia citizen if I got in because I'd be studying french.

That's ridiculously expensive.
I could never afford to go to school in the states.

Yeah, I get what you mean by the site. I actually find it's impossible to actually find information on the school in general, a lot of it's about community events :S

 

[Axel]

That's ridiculously expensive.
I could never afford to go to school in the states.

Yeah, I get what you mean by the site. I actually find it's impossible to actually find information on the school in general, a lot of it's about community events :S

It may be ridiculously expensive (more expensive than Princeton, and that's an Ivy League school!), but for people that they find to be in need, they give 100% financial aid (basically a scholarship) for the amount that would drop it to an affordable price. They have a huge endowment (not as big as Harvard's, but close). By the time I'm looking to apply, I'll have nearly 80,000USD put towards college (based on what I've got saved and what my dad's social security and what I get for being a dependent of a person on social security under the age of 18 added up for the next two years). So my first year and a half paid for. I've got a pretty good shot at getting a scholarship (even if it isn't a full one) because of my subject area. I might even take arabic and the US government is dying for people to learn that.

 

[2HOT2touch]

I GOT IN!!!!!! I got in to my first choice school, BSC!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[wishspirit]

in our system you chose ur top 6 unis, then ur top 2 one as ur firm choice and one as the insurance. On results day in August the whole of the UK A2level and AS Level students get their results (it is a stressful time for all), if you get the grades for your topic (which you have done at least 4 exams for and coursework). If your grades are what you needed to get into ur first choice you go there, if they arent good enough for ur first u go to ur second, if they arent good enough for your second you ether re-sit in january or go through 'clearing' to see what places are free at other universities, which are posted on the same day. You can also call up and negotiate with your university.

Your system sounds complicated - there are so many questions!
Congrats on ur place btw!

 

[xCourxCorex]

I GOT IN!!!!!! I got in to my first choice school, BSC!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Congrats!!