is there a nationally known US university that just admits on test scores?

[Anonymous]

I have heard that schools are wary of kids who do not work up to their potential.

They wonder what is blocking better grades and whether that disconnect will continue or get worse in college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oxbridge does require interviews, but they are NOT like US interviews. They are basically oral exams. Tutors ask questions about the subject the student has applied to study. There is no discussion of ECs or personal background and no opportunity for the student to ask questions about the school or the program. They are merely a different (and less coachable) kind of test.

Mmm, not exactly an oral exam. They asked DD about what she had read in the subject area and what she thought about it. Also why she was interested in subject. Not as wide ranging as some, but not what I would consider an oral exam.

DP I do think it depends on subject. I know for a fact that if you're applying to study Math then they just get you to work through a series of questions until you're stumped and then they observe how you try to figure out something you DON'T know and the angles you take and the suggestions you make. So yes, that really is a kind of oral exam. Similarly for English Lit they will provide you with a poem 20 mins before they meet you online. Then they ask you to explain it. So that too, is very much like an "oral exam".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oxbridge does require interviews, but they are NOT like US interviews. They are basically oral exams. Tutors ask questions about the subject the student has applied to study. There is no discussion of ECs or personal background and no opportunity for the student to ask questions about the school or the program. They are merely a different (and less coachable) kind of test.

Mmm, not exactly an oral exam. They asked DD about what she had read in the subject area and what she thought about it. Also why she was interested in subject. Not as wide ranging as some, but not what I would consider an oral exam.

DP I do think it depends on subject. I know for a fact that if you're applying to study Math then they just get you to work through a series of questions until you're stumped and then they observe how you try to figure out something you DON'T know and the angles you take and the suggestions you make. So yes, that really is a kind of oral exam. Similarly for English Lit they will provide you with a poem 20 mins before they meet you online. Then they ask you to explain it. So that too, is very much like an "oral exam".

Mine had that (question sets) plus an interview (later in the process) where they asked about interests related to the area and what she was reading. I would not categorize that interview as an exam.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oxbridge does require interviews, but they are NOT like US interviews. They are basically oral exams. Tutors ask questions about the subject the student has applied to study. There is no discussion of ECs or personal background and no opportunity for the student to ask questions about the school or the program. They are merely a different (and less coachable) kind of test.

Mmm, not exactly an oral exam. They asked DD about what she had read in the subject area and what she thought about it. Also why she was interested in subject. Not as wide ranging as some, but not what I would consider an oral exam.

I think that sounds like the oral exams I took as PhD qualifiers: what do you know about this subject, how creatively do you think about it, how committed are you to being intellectually engaged with it? There are no questions that do not pertain to the field of study. No opportunities to discuss non-intellectual contributions the student might make. The interviews are not exams based on a set curriculum, but they are evaluations of how much you know in the field and whether you are prepared for higher level study of it. That's a test.

Most of those ("how creatively do you think.." " how committed are you... ") are not exam questions. They are interview questions. Interviews can be evaluative, you know. That's kind of the point!

[Anonymous]

The Canadian universities. Every major/program will list the minimum GPA and test scores before you can apply. And there will be a lot of variability within each school. Like the requirements to study engineering or business at McGill or U of T are going to be much higher than say education. For programs at Canadian universities, GPA and test scores are the primary consideration. And you apply directly to the program/major.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:India Institute of Technology.

Cambridge University.

Oxford University.

London School of Economics.

You might need to take different tests, though

Cambridge and Oxford are not easy to get into. You need an in depth knowledge of your major. There are additional tests and interviews by professors. DD was interviewed by 4 professors in her subject matter. She has to solve very difficult questions. Or at least show her thought process. Cambridge is a bit weary of taking Americans since they tend to chose too US schools. DD is at HYP and she has a number of friends who turned down Cambridge in the UK, including two Brits.

Why isn't Oxford weary then? Don't Americans also turn it down for HYP?

They don't need to be wary. They did just put their international fees way up though. From roughly 20k sterling to 40-70k sterling tuition per year.

Why doesn't Oxford need to be wary while Cambridge does?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is not, you have to go to Canada or UK for that.

Some of the top UK schools require interviews.

And require special exams as well as graded paper. Definitely not just exam based.

Special what?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid added Iowa since they have rolling admissions and was accepted in a matter of days.

Congrats. And Iowa State Engineering is better than UVa - both academics and career outcomes.


Its a mystery to me why folks dont apply here

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oxbridge does require interviews, but they are NOT like US interviews. They are basically oral exams. Tutors ask questions about the subject the student has applied to study. There is no discussion of ECs or personal background and no opportunity for the student to ask questions about the school or the program. They are merely a different (and less coachable) kind of test.

Mmm, not exactly an oral exam. They asked DD about what she had read in the subject area and what she thought about it. Also why she was interested in subject. Not as wide ranging as some, but not what I would consider an oral exam.

I think that sounds like the oral exams I took as PhD qualifiers: what do you know about this subject, how creatively do you think about it, how committed are you to being intellectually engaged with it? There are no questions that do not pertain to the field of study. No opportunities to discuss non-intellectual contributions the student might make. The interviews are not exams based on a set curriculum, but they are evaluations of how much you know in the field and whether you are prepared for higher level study of it. That's a test.

Most of those ("how creatively do you think.." " how committed are you... ") are not exam questions. They are interview questions. Interviews can be evaluative, you know. That's kind of the point!

Yes, but interviews at non-Oxbridge schools 1) are generally for information purposes, not evaluative, and not considered as part of the admission decision, and 2) cover a lot of ground, including ECs, leadership experience, community representation, etc. Oxbridge interviews evaluate what you know and how creatively you think about the specific field you wish to study. They do not evaluate general problem solving, social/ leadership potential, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oxbridge does require interviews, but they are NOT like US interviews. They are basically oral exams. Tutors ask questions about the subject the student has applied to study. There is no discussion of ECs or personal background and no opportunity for the student to ask questions about the school or the program. They are merely a different (and less coachable) kind of test.

Mmm, not exactly an oral exam. They asked DD about what she had read in the subject area and what she thought about it. Also why she was interested in subject. Not as wide ranging as some, but not what I would consider an oral exam.

I think that sounds like the oral exams I took as PhD qualifiers: what do you know about this subject, how creatively do you think about it, how committed are you to being intellectually engaged with it? There are no questions that do not pertain to the field of study. No opportunities to discuss non-intellectual contributions the student might make. The interviews are not exams based on a set curriculum, but they are evaluations of how much you know in the field and whether you are prepared for higher level study of it. That's a test.

Most of those ("how creatively do you think.." " how committed are you... ") are not exam questions. They are interview questions. Interviews can be evaluative, you know. That's kind of the point!

Yes, but interviews at non-Oxbridge schools 1) are generally for information purposes, not evaluative, and not considered as part of the admission decision, and 2) cover a lot of ground, including ECs, leadership experience, community representation, etc. Oxbridge interviews evaluate what you know and how creatively you think about the specific field you wish to study. They do not evaluate general problem solving, social/ leadership potential, etc.

Exactly, no Yale interview is going to ask you about your belief of how to solve a Quantum mechanics problem unless you bring it up, but a Cambridge interviewer can. In fact, it’s within the bounds for them to ask about questions that haven’t ever been solved to see your creativity on the spot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Almost every school admits by scores if you are clearly above that school's 75%ile.

But some schools have 75%ile so high that you can't be clearly above it.

I so hope there is truth to this….

It's not.

[Anonymous]

With high stats there are many, many, many colleges you can go to; there is not however a guarantee of any particular college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The UK and European countries do this.

This is not our style in America.

Acty most really large state universities do this.

[Anonymous]

This kid must do something outside of test taking and homework? Maybe a co-curricular activity like newspaper? Maybe they help around the house or take care of siblings? Maybe video games? Maybe they are readers? Maybe they are really good friends? If they truly only study… one sure hopes it’s a higher GPA?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:India Institute of Technology.

Cambridge University.

Oxford University.

London School of Economics.

You might need to take different tests, though

Cambridge and Oxford are not easy to get into. You need an in depth knowledge of your major. There are additional tests and interviews by professors. DD was interviewed by 4 professors in her subject matter. She has to solve very difficult questions. Or at least show her thought process. Cambridge is a bit weary of taking Americans since they tend to chose too US schools. DD is at HYP and she has a number of friends who turned down Cambridge in the UK, including two Brits.

Why isn't Oxford weary then? Don't Americans also turn it down for HYP?

They don't need to be wary. They did just put their international fees way up though. From roughly 20k sterling to 40-70k sterling tuition per year.

Why doesn't Oxford need to be wary while Cambridge does?

They don't.