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What subjects for International Scholarships ?

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Hey,

I want to apply to MIT and Ivy League Universities and what subjects should I take at A levels and how many subjects should I take. I am currently thinking of taking Physics, Math, Chemistry, ICT, Computer Studies, Thinking Skills, Urdu & Economics. Is that enough or is that too much ?

Thanks
Hassan
 
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Hey,

I want to apply to MIT and Ivy League Universities and what subjects should I take at A levels and how many subjects should I take. I am currently thinking of taking Physics, Math, Chemistry, ICT, Computer Studies, Thinking Skills, Urdu & Economics. Is that enough or is that too much ?

Thanks
Hassan
do not take ict and computer they are considered nearly same instead chose any 1...if u are pakistani urdu is your mother language it wouldnt be considered by university like mit...never ever take more than 5 alevels until and unless your gcse or igcse grades were tremendous like more than 10 As or a*... prepare for sat 1 and score more than 2250 to get scholarship.have decent extracurriculum
 
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do not take ict and computer they are considered nearly same instead chose any 1...if u are pakistani urdu is your mother language it wouldnt be considered by university like mit...never ever take more than 5 alevels until and unless your gcse or igcse grades were tremendous like more than 10 As or a*... prepare for sat 1 and score more than 2250 to get scholarship.have decent extracurriculum
Yeah but that makes them an easy combination. I've been told that ICT is 25 % of Computing so you'll automatically get an A with minimal effort plus I want to pursue a career in IT so I think its worth it. Urdu might not be considered a foreign language but I'll get an AICE Diploma if I take one language, one science and one social science.

My GCE grades were straight 8 A's but that is because I did my GCE's in 1.5 years instead of the normal three and from a extremely pathetic institute with minimal effort. I regretted not taking extra subjects but no one in my school told me about them so it was hardly my fault.

I'm hoping to get a good SAT score, any idea what I should prepare ? Like I really have no idea about SATs so it would be great if you could share some knowledge. I am hopeful for an extra-ordinary extra curricular profile as well :)
 
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Yeah but that makes them an easy combination. I've been told that ICT is 25 % of Computing so you'll automatically get an A with minimal effort plus I want to pursue a career in IT so I think its worth it. Urdu might not be considered a foreign language but I'll get an AICE Diploma if I take one language, one science and one social science.

My GCE grades were straight 8 A's but that is because I did my GCE's in 1.5 years instead of the normal three and from a extremely pathetic institute with minimal effort. I regretted not taking extra subjects but no one in my school told me about them so it was hardly my fault.

I'm hoping to get a good SAT score, any idea what I should prepare ? Like I really have no idea about SATs so it would be great if you could share some knowledge. I am hopeful for an extra-ordinary extra curricular profile as well :)
Well , I am also hoping to apply for MIT and ivy league universities and preparing for SAT score :p How are you going to do volunteer work and extra cirricular activities, any examples?
 
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First of all, you dont get scholarship from MIT (or most ivy league). They will grant you loan. You will have to repay. One of my friends is at MIT and she is on a loan grant basis. However, good thing is that getting loan is not a concern because once you get in you will definitely get loan. The concern is getting in. MIT acceptance rate of international students last year was merely 8%. Ouch!
This doesn't mean you cant get in. all you need to have is good grades (take extra subject especially social science, apart from your core), good extra curricular, sense of leadership, and brilliant application-filling-and-personal statement-writing skills.
Give SAT obviously. You need to excel both of them. Also go for IELTS/Toefl.
 
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Well , I am also hoping to apply for MIT and ivy league universities and preparing for SAT score :p How are you going to do volunteer work and extra cirricular activities, any examples?

Which college are you in ? You have to use your talents, I for example am a great debater and a decent writer. I plan to write for some medium level news papers or magazines. I'm also a super geek and have done lots of freelance projects in web design and social media marketing. One incentive that I launched was with a professor from AKU, its a website about child health in Pakistan.
http://www.childspecialistpakistan.com/

I also plan to launch a charity search engine using a turnkey script before my university application time so that I can use it as well. I'm always on the look out for other charity or social contributions that I can make and am hopeful my college will help.
First of all, you dont get scholarship from MIT (or most ivy league). They will grant you loan. You will have to repay. One of my friends is at MIT and she is on a loan grant basis. However, good thing is that getting loan is not a concern because once you get in you will definitely get loan. The concern is getting in. MIT acceptance rate of international students last year was merely 8%. Ouch!
This doesn't mean you cant get in. all you need to have is good grades (take extra subject especially social science, apart from your core), good extra curricular, sense of leadership, and brilliant application-filling-and-personal statement-writing skills.
Give SAT obviously. You need to excel both of them. Also go for IELTS/Toefl.
Where did you get that information from ? Here is an extract from MIT's website,

We refer to the grant money offered directly by the Institute as an MIT scholarship even though we award it based solely on financial need. MIT provided 78 percent of all aid to its undergraduates in 2011-2012. Of this MIT financial aid, 93 percent took the form of scholarships, less than1 percent was loans, and about 7 percent employment. The average amount of MIT scholarship per recipient in 2011-2012 was $32,917.​
I know, 8 % ONLY ?
Is IELTS/Toefl necessary for GCE O level students as well ?
 
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First of all, you dont get scholarship from MIT (or most ivy league). They will grant you loan. You will have to repay. One of my friends is at MIT and she is on a loan grant basis. However, good thing is that getting loan is not a concern because once you get in you will definitely get loan. The concern is getting in. MIT acceptance rate of international students last year was merely 8%. Ouch!
This doesn't mean you cant get in. all you need to have is good grades (take extra subject especially social science, apart from your core), good extra curricular, sense of leadership, and brilliant application-filling-and-personal statement-writing skills.
Give SAT obviously. You need to excel both of them. Also go for IELTS/Toefl.
come on.....u don't need to do IELTS/TOEFL if u r already receiving british education....they r just for emmigration or local board students wishing to study abroad
score high in SAT
SCHOLARSHIPS AND ADMISSIONS R BASED ON UR SAT SCORE
it's really important for students wishing to study abroad
 
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First of all, you dont get scholarship from(or most ivy league). They will grant you loan. You will have to repay. One of my friends is at MIT and she is on a loan grant basis. However, good thing is that getting loan is not a concern because once you get in you will definitely get loan. The concern is getting in. MIT acceptance rate of international students last year was merely 8%. Ouch!
This doesn't mean you cant get in. all you need to have is good grades (take extra subject especially social science, apart from your core), good extra curricular, sense of leadership, and brilliant application-filling-and-personal statement-writing skills.
Give SAT obviously. You need to excel both of them. Also go for IELTS/Toefl.
Actually they provide you with financial aid for your kind information.My friend is studying free in MIT at 100% scholarship :)
 
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Which college are you in ? You have to use your talents, I for example am a great debater and a decent writer. I plan to write for some medium level news papers or magazines. I'm also a super geek and have done lots of freelance projects in web design and social media marketing. One incentive that I launched was with a professor from AKU, its a website about child health in Pakistan.
http://www.childspecialistpakistan.com/

I also plan to launch a charity search engine using a turnkey script before my university application time so that I can use it as well. I'm always on the look out for other charity or social contributions that I can make and am hopeful my college will help.

Where did you get that information from ? Here is an extract from MIT's website,

We refer to the grant money offered directly by the Institute as an MIT scholarship even though we award it based solely on financial need. MIT provided 78 percent of all aid to its undergraduates in 2011-2012. Of this MIT financial aid, 93 percent took the form of scholarships, less than1 percent was loans, and about 7 percent employment. The average amount of MIT scholarship per recipient in 2011-2012 was $32,917.​
I know, 8 % ONLY ?
Is IELTS/Toefl necessary for GCE O level students as well ?
Well, i am In Beaconhouse MArgalla Islamabad. I am using my talents like i participate in MUNs and do community services......i have heard its not enough ...There has to be something excellent or do something exceptional :)
 
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hahahahahaha Good luck mind you you will be competing with Overachievers people who take 10 A levels and get perfect scores in their SAT and get phenomenal AP scores, and amazing essay writers and no less than perfect in their IB grades and have work experience like a ****, you need a good high school, a high school that can provide such work ethic, individual work will never pay off trust me i thought i could pull it off but ended messing up, not that i didn't get excellent A levels i just couldn't get to that level unless i studied in a good high school in america, or canada i could get it, but i don't know about you you might have a 1 in a 1000 potential you need to improve yourself drastically, I doubt you can pull it off any one of you on this forum I DOUBT IT.
 
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come on.....u don't need to do IELTS/TOEFL if u r already receiving british education....they r just for emmigration or local board students wishing to study abroad
score high in SAT
SCHOLARSHIPS AND ADMISSIONS R BASED ON UR SAT SCORE
it's really important for students wishing to study abroad
Yeah, I've been practicing with some SAT questions and they seem easy. Inshallah I'm going to get 2300+ score (or atleast that's what I want :p). Do we have to give SAT subject exams or not ? Which subjects ?

Actually they provide you with financial aid for your kind information.My friend is studying free in MIT at 100% scholarship :)
Awesome :D
What grades did he get and what was his SAT score ? Did he do something special ?
Well, i am In Beaconhouse MArgalla Islamabad. I am using my talents like i participate in MUNs and do community services......i have heard its not enough ...There has to be something excellent or do something exceptional :)
Nice, I went to BMI but they were in Islamabad and I wanted to stay in Rawalpindi + there scholarships were filled so I went to Roots DHA 1 Campus. Both these collages have sent students abroad so I'm hopeful :)
hahahahahaha Good luck mind you you will be competing with Overachievers people who take 10 A levels and get perfect scores in their SAT and get phenomenal AP scores, and amazing essay writers and no less than perfect in their IB grades and have work experience like a ****, you need a good high school, a high school that can provide such work ethic, individual work will never pay off trust me i thought i could pull it off but ended messing up, not that i didn't get excellent A levels i just couldn't get to that level unless i studied in a good high school in america, or canada i could get it, but i don't know about you you might have a 1 in a 1000 potential you need to improve yourself drastically, I doubt you can pull it off any one of you on this forum I DOUBT IT.
Where did you get the 10 A plus figure dude ? I've read about people who have gone to MIT on a 100 % scholarship with 6 or 7 A grades. Who says you need perfect SAT score ? Stop making up stuff by yourself just check the median SAT score of the people who are studying in MIT and you'll see.

I agree a good high school is needed but high schools like BMI or Roots or LGS or KGS do send students abroad and to IVY leagues so I'm hopeful. Don't be too skeptical, you don't know anyone on this forum.
 
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if u want...do give SAT subject examination
try maths,eng and if u have studied sciences in o levels and had great results....it will be easy
SAT is really technical ...be very very careful while preparing and don't be over confident....American Aptitude tests r surprising too...be very cautious and broaden ur general knowledge and study hard for eng tests ... GOOD LUCK !!!!!!!!!
:):)
 
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Yeah, I've been practicing with some SAT questions and they seem easy. Inshallah I'm going to get 2300+ score (or atleast that's what I want :p). Do we have to give SAT subject exams or not ? Which subjects ?


Awesome :D
What grades did he get and what was his SAT score ? Did he do something special ?

Nice, I went to BMI but they were in Islamabad and I wanted to stay in Rawalpindi + there scholarships were filled so I went to Roots DHA 1 Campus. Both these collages have sent students abroad so I'm hopeful :)

Where did you get the 10 A plus figure dude ? I've read about people who have gone to MIT on a 100 % scholarship with 6 or 7 A grades. Who says you need perfect SAT score ? Stop making up stuff by yourself just check the median SAT score of the people who are studying in MIT and you'll see.

I agree a good high school is needed but high schools like BMI or Roots or LGS or KGS do send students abroad and to IVY leagues so I'm hopeful. Don't be too skeptical, you don't know anyone on this forum.
Yeah, they say talk is cheap, when you go to MIT then start talking. Stats. don't say anything moreover you're hoping and hyping, the people i know that when to MIT or any Ivy league uni. never intended to go there, right now you should zip it. and figure out how you will you pass you're AS levels, you have impressive GCSE's but you will lack focus in you're AS level year trust me, it's always like this once you get the idea that getting to such a prestigious uni. will be not be"so" hard you'll fail. you need to aim to be the best, and i presume that you are not american we just makes it harder, from you're comment you aim for the median SAT score, ha you aim for a perfect score like everybody else competing with you.
 
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Which college are you in ? You have to use your talents, I for example am a great debater and a decent writer. I plan to write for some medium level news papers or magazines. I'm also a super geek and have done lots of freelance projects in web design and social media marketing. One incentive that I launched was with a professor from AKU, its a website about child health in Pakistan.
http://www.childspecialistpakistan.com/

I also plan to launch a charity search engine using a turnkey script before my university application time so that I can use it as well. I'm always on the look out for other charity or social contributions that I can make and am hopeful my college will help.

Where did you get that information from ? Here is an extract from MIT's website,

We refer to the grant money offered directly by the Institute as an MIT scholarship even though we award it based solely on financial need. MIT provided 78 percent of all aid to its undergraduates in 2011-2012. Of this MIT financial aid, 93 percent took the form of scholarships, less than1 percent was loans, and about 7 percent employment. The average amount of MIT scholarship per recipient in 2011-2012 was $32,917.​
I know, 8 % ONLY ?
Is IELTS/Toefl necessary for GCE O level students as well ?

That is for US citizen mostly. Thats the whole problem. Most of their loans and scholarships are reserved for US citizens. Browse through their loan and scholarship packages for further detail.
let me make one point clear. IELTS/Toefl are english assessment tests. The problem with O level english (O level english has little value. Never rely on it) and SAT is that they dont fully assess your english. If you look at SAT theres no speaking and listening test in it. It is more or less checking your grammar and examination giving ability.



come on.....u don't need to do IELTS/TOEFL if u r already receiving british education....they r just for emmigration or local board students wishing to study abroad
score high in SAT
SCHOLARSHIPS AND ADMISSIONS R BASED ON UR SAT SCORE
it's really important for students wishing to study abroad

Receiving british education doesnt mean you are good in english.
IELTS is not only for immigration it is also for academic. As a matter of fact there are 2 types of IELTS general training and academics. General training is for jobs and immigration.
Keep in mind one thing more subjects you take, more assessment test you have, the better your chances in getting into international uni.
Scholarship is not just based on your SAT. It is your overall performance.
 

Nibz

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The truth is, applicants with 7-8 straight As and perfect SAT scores are denied admission to these top-notch Universities for unknown reasons. And students with only a few As do get in. US universities are never about numbers, NEVER. Not the top ones, at least. This is what I know!
 
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That is for US citizen mostly. Thats the whole problem. Most of their loans and scholarships are reserved for US citizens. Browse through their loan and scholarship packages for further detail.
let me make one point clear. IELTS/Toefl are english assessment tests. The problem with O level english (O level english has little value. Never rely on it) and SAT is that they dont fully assess your english. If you look at SAT theres no speaking and listening test in it. It is more or less checking your grammar and examination giving ability.


I guess you don't have a lot of experience with admissions in the universities of United States. IELTS/TOEFEL are only required in certain circumstances and students usually make through without giving it. But SAT is mandatory for all. I know people in Harvard, Dartmouth, Princeton and many other colleges of USA who never appeared in either of these English assessments. Universities in countries like Canada, Malaysia, Hong Kong e.t.c require these tests and you could be exempted from it if you have a good grade in O'levels English.
As far as the scholarships at MIT are concerned, they are need based for international students. People from Pakistan hardly go to IVY's and such prestigious universities without a financial aid package. US universities, in contrast to UK universities, are pretty generous when it comes to awarding such financial awards.
 
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The truth is, applicants with 7-8 straight As and perfect SAT scores are denied admission to these top-notch Universities for unknown reasons. And students with only a few As do get in. US universities are never about numbers, NEVER. Not the top ones, at least. This is what I know!
That's Right. I guess those guys can see potential, example most Nobel Prize winners (especially Physiology/medicine) came from average to good universities, Body language, personality and a gifted common sense will not help you with school work, but rather university work BUT i'm not saying you should piss around thinking you're gonna get in, this procedure takes time and a BIG PART of being accepted is getting EXCELLENT grades, but the "Click" that will get you in is you're potential some students can't take test for their lives but they have an amazing thirst for knowledge and writing it down may not be their way of conveying it, they don't look for memorizing machines, they look for talent and future Nobel winners that is why acceptance rate is low moreover you need a phenomenal amount of desire and motivation, you might be a bloody genius but you still can't get good grades not because you are lazy, or their is something wrong with you but you have a diffrent way of expressing you're abilities :)
 
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Yeah, I've been practicing with some SAT questions and they seem easy. Inshallah I'm going to get 2300+ score (or atleast that's what I want :p). Do we have to give SAT subject exams or not ? Which subjects ?


Awesome :D
What grades did he get and what was his SAT score ? Did he do something special ?

Nice, I went to BMI but they were in Islamabad and I wanted to stay in Rawalpindi + there scholarships were filled so I went to Roots DHA 1 Campus. Both these collages have sent students abroad so I'm hopeful :)

Where did you get the 10 A plus figure dude ? I've read about people who have gone to MIT on a 100 % scholarship with 6 or 7 A grades. Who says you need perfect SAT score ? Stop making up stuff by yourself just check the median SAT score of the people who are studying in MIT and you'll see.

I agree a good high school is needed but high schools like BMI or Roots or LGS or KGS do send students abroad and to IVY leagues so I'm hopeful. Don't be too skeptical, you don't know anyone on this forum.
Dude they say that at least 1800 score in SAT is required for applying for admission :)
ANd yeah you are pretty much right , They donot just consider your grades and SAT score only . your personality is the most important thing including your personal essay :p
 
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I guess you don't have a lot of experience with admissions in the universities of United States. IELTS/TOEFEL are only required in certain circumstances and students usually make through without giving it. But SAT is mandatory for all. I know people in Harvard, Dartmouth, Princeton and many other colleges of USA who never appeared in either of these English assessments. Universities in countries like Canada, Malaysia, Hong Kong e.t.c require these tests and you could be exempted from it if you have a good grade in O'levels English.
As far as the scholarships at MIT are concerned, they are need based for international students. People from Pakistan hardly go to IVY's and such prestigious universities without a financial aid package. US universities, in contrast to UK universities, are pretty generous when it comes to awarding such financial awards.
Hamid answer this:
There are two student with exact same ability and achievement level. The ONLY difference between them is that one of them has a good IELTS score while other didnt take the test. Who will the uni prefer?
Why do you guys have to stick to requirements? Try to be 10 steps ahead of requirement. So what if university doesnt require IELST. It is not going to create a bad impression, rather create a good impression, if you take it.
For eg if a uni has 2100 SAT requirement how much will you aim to achieve? Exact 2100. NO! You try to get as much as possible. Especially more than 2100. So dont keep yourself restricted to the requirement. Try to do more. Thats what uni appreciates. They will get dozens of student who meet the requirement but in the end of the day they will chose those who have something "extra". "extra" doesn't nessecarily means IELTS, it can be extra carricuar, subjects, awesome interview, etc.
By the way, we are having a discussion here so its better we dont get personal.
 
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Hamid answer this:
There are two student with exact same ability and achievement level. The ONLY difference between them is that one of them has a good IELTS score while other didnt take the test. Who will the uni prefer?
Why do you guys have to stick to requirements? Try to be 10 steps ahead of requirement. So what if university doesnt require IELST. It is not going to create a bad impression, rather create a good impression, if you take it.
For eg if a uni has 2100 SAT requirement how much will you aim to achieve? Exact 2100. NO! You try to get as much as possible. Especially more than 2100. So dont keep yourself restricted to the requirement. Try to do more. Thats what uni appreciates. They will get dozens of student who meet the requirement but in the end of the day they will chose those who have something "extra". "extra" doesn't nessecarily means IELTS, it can be extra carricuar, subjects, awesome interview, etc.
By the way, we are having a discussion here so its better we dont get personal.
That's exactly what I'm trying to say, :)
 
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