Hi everyone, it is Luk here, been awhile since I have made a
post and it is about time I did. As you may or may not know I went to
university in the USA for my Bachelors of Science. I have had many friends ask
me how the application works or how to make their application standout. When I
was going through the process I had very little knowledge on the subject and
know how overwhelming it can be. Luckily for me, I had professional help and
was able to gain a good understanding what makes a great application. Below
includes the process and key tips for applying to a US university.
Before we begin, I want to clarify one quick thing.
Depending on where you are from different countries use different terms to
describe what year of high school you are in. For an examples Canada uses grade
10, grade 11, grade 12 (Final year) versus the USA uses for the exact same
years, Sophomore, Junior and Senior. In this guide I will use the Canadian
version.
A. Good Grades is needed
Beginning in grade 10 it is already time to begin the
application process. The most important thing to do this year is to ensure you have good grades. Admissions
staff will consider your grade 10 grades, even yearly grades, but this is the
year they really start to count.
B. Extracurricular Activities Is A Must!!!
You should also look into if not ready for your extracurricular
activities. Don’t wait to do these tell the last second or else it will show on
your application. It does have to be much, especially since you don’t want to
burn out, but a light commitment once a week over a few years will do wonders
for your application.
I would recommend join one club/sport education program beyond what is required for your standard education and do 1 hour of volunteer work a week. For only 2 hours a week which is very manageable it will provide a great deal of value to you application, you will gain new skills and perhaps enjoy doing it.
While the following link by youthconnect.ca is specific to Toronto, Canada it does give you a good idea about different volunteer ideas if you are unsure àà http://www.youthconnect.ca/htdocs/english/getinvolved/what.asp
I would recommend join one club/sport education program beyond what is required for your standard education and do 1 hour of volunteer work a week. For only 2 hours a week which is very manageable it will provide a great deal of value to you application, you will gain new skills and perhaps enjoy doing it.
While the following link by youthconnect.ca is specific to Toronto, Canada it does give you a good idea about different volunteer ideas if you are unsure àà http://www.youthconnect.ca/htdocs/english/getinvolved/what.asp
C. Start Preparing For the SAT/ACT
The next thing you need to start considering the SAT or ACT standardized
examinations. These are the examinations that are required by the majority of
the Universities in the USA. I personally took the SAT and I believe the
majority of students take the SAT. However, either is fine, the follow link
gives a good comparison between the two ààACT vs SAT: Key differences between the ACT and SAT by Study Point.
You need to start studying/ take a practice test now so you don’t feel the pressure later on. Again your grades are the most important so I would recommend studying during your winter break and summer breaks. I know it might be difficult to do so after a long semester but it will make a large difference. I would recommend buying the "The Official SAT Study Guide (Redesigned SAT)" from College Board. This book is your bible and depending how much work you put into this you may also need other resources. This blog post provides some good recommendations for SAT booksààThe 10 Best SAT Books Recommended for SAT Prep .
Here is a link to one place to sign up àà http://www.testmagic.com/sat/word-of-the-day.htm .
In general for SAT studying try to do a little each day when you have time off and even better work with a friend (hire a tutor) to motivate to work hard.
i. Purchase the SAT bible
You need to start studying/ take a practice test now so you don’t feel the pressure later on. Again your grades are the most important so I would recommend studying during your winter break and summer breaks. I know it might be difficult to do so after a long semester but it will make a large difference. I would recommend buying the "The Official SAT Study Guide (Redesigned SAT)" from College Board. This book is your bible and depending how much work you put into this you may also need other resources. This blog post provides some good recommendations for SAT booksààThe 10 Best SAT Books Recommended for SAT Prep .
ii. Retake the exam if necessary
If you are up for it, I would recommend even taking an SAT exam. The SAT
exams a broken down to three sections, Math, Writing and Reading. Each section
is scored out of a 100. The best part of the SAT is when you apply to schools
you only report the best scores of each
section! Thus you do not need to worry if you flunked a test or were
unprepared since there is no downside to taking it.
iii. Sign up for SAT word of the day
Another study tip I want to recommend is definitely to sign up for an email service SAT word of the day. The SAT exam tests your knowledge of many obscure words that is even difficult for native English speakers. Signing up for a word of the day is an easy way to learn new works earlier on without being overwhelmed, plus it is free!Here is a link to one place to sign up àà http://www.testmagic.com/sat/word-of-the-day.htm .
In general for SAT studying try to do a little each day when you have time off and even better work with a friend (hire a tutor) to motivate to work hard.
D. Selecting Schools
i. Create a list of about 20 schools
The final thing you need to start doing, and the most enjoyable, in grade 10 is start to make a list of potential schools you would like to attend. Things to consider when selecting a school include, ranking/quality, location, areas of study, campus life, employment candidacy after school and much more!One of the best websites for looking up schools is: http://www.usnews.com/rankings.
From there I would also visit each university website as well. I would recommend creating a list of about 20 schools you would consider attending; this list will shrink down significantly once you apply but it provides a good base of potential schools. Of the 20 schools:
- 5 should be safety school (schools you think you can easily get it)
- 10 medium schools (50/50 chance you will be accepted
- 5 reach schools (10% chance you will be accepted)
ii. Sign up for school mails
Finally, I have an important tip for you that is not too well known. When looking at university websites, they all will have a place to sign up for a mailing list for prospective students. While this is a good way to get additional information (through email and physical mail) the larger benefit is it helps you gain entrance to the respective university.Unknown to candidates, school admission staff when reviewing your application will consider if you were on the mailing list as a demonstration to have shown interest in the school. So while may be a small help, it does not take much effort and aid your application. For an example if you wanted to join the Yale University mailing list, a prestigious school, you would sign up in the following link: https://apps.admissions.yale.edu/register/inquiry.
This concludes what is need to be done during your Sophomore
year. This is by no means a set timeline, some people will need/prefer more
time so should start in grade 9 other will need less. I found this time line
worked well for me, giving lots of time to prepare without too much over kill. Keep
in mind to focus on school as that is your #1 priority.
Secondly, when possible
get started on SAT study. I hope that wasn’t too overwhelming, this is an
exciting journey you are about to embark on. I can honestly say I am very
jealous. Don’t see this as a chore, it does require hard work but it is also a
tremendous opportunity to go to the university of your dreams. Please see our
other blog posts as this is part 1 of 3. The other posts will focus on what to
do in grade 11 & 12 of high school. Recommend ready all early on so you can
get a sense of the total process and revisit them for further
guidance/comparing progress. See you in Grade 11!
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→【西方文化】A Guide to the Western University Party Life - Drinks & Party types!
→【西方文化】+Top 10 Western Childhood Memories! 十大西方兒時玩意！+
→【異地戀難嗎?】♡Top 10 Ways To Make A Long Distance Relationship Work!♥
→【洛磯山♡登山】中難度Kananaskis登山挑戰 From Sibbald Flat Trail to Eagle Hill
→【洛磯山♡登山】冬日行山記 Johnston Canyon Icewalk+Hiking
→【加港文化】初來報到必看!加拿大香港生活習慣十個小不同
→在香港如何申請美國簽證（上）網上預約篇
→洛杉機三日兩夜自由行分享(上) - 信不信由你博物館
→拉斯維加斯四日三夜遊記·環球賭城♡ 自由行(上)