University Admissions
Finding the Right Fit for You–
and Getting In
-Catherine Boalch
(catherine.boalch@americansection.org)
Where Do Our Students Go?

This year, our Terminales are applying abroad to: (much
overlap here):
–
–
–
–
–
–
14 to the US (plus 2 previous graduates)
25 to the UK
10 to Canada
4 to Ireland
3 to the Netherlands (Maastricht, Utrecht)
2 to Switzerland (hotel management)
What Do Our Students Study?









7 to engineering
3 to economics/business/management
4 to humanities/social sciences
5 to sciences
2 to law
2 to hospitality management
1 to drama school
5 to medicine (UK)
16 to interdisciplinary or undecided programs, such as US universities
Student Destinations, U.S.
Class of 2012













Bard College
Brown University
University of Chicago
Cornell University
Duke University
Northeastern University
Northwestern University
Pratt Art Institute
University of San Diego
Skidmore College
Stanford University
Tufts University
Wake Forest University
Class of 2013













Brown University
Claremont McKenna College
Dartmouth College
Mount Holyoke College
Northeastern University (2)
Northwestern University
University of Pennsylvania
New York University
Rice University
Skidmore College
Smith College
University of California Berkeley
Wellesley College
Student Destinations 2013
UK :Ireland








Trinity College Dublin
University College London (2)
University of Dundee
Imperial College London
University of Cambridge
King’s College London
University of Bristol (2)
University of York
Canada:Europe









McGill University (6)
Concordia University
Erasmus University Rotterdam (3)
University of Maastricht
Bard College Berlin (gap year)
Lycée Hoche (Prepas S)
Prepas L Les Bruyeres
University Paris Dauphine
IESEG School of Management
Comparing Country Choices
Course
USA: 4 years. Usually apply to school of arts and sciences, choose a major after 2-3 semesters. Can minor
in another field. Distribution requirements across disciplines. Can often apply directly to engineering,
business, art , music, and drama schools (portfolio reauired).
UK: 3 year BA/BS, 4-5 year Master’s or wtih year abroad. Apply directly to a course, some are combined
but in general much more focused. Examples: Management with Spanish, Zoology with Year Abroad,
History/German, European Studies, Civil Engineering with Year in Industry
Scotland: 4 years, apply directly to a course but can try several areas and switch after first year.
Canada: 3-4 year BA:BS. Apply directly to engineering, management, arts/sciences more like US model.
Admissions
US: Based on grades, SAT/ACT scores, extracurricular activities, essays, references
UK (including Scotland): Based on predicted grades on bac, personal statement, school reference
Canada: Based on bulletins: Seconde through first trimester of Terminale.
Cost
US: $14,000 to 40,000 tuition (4 years), but financial aid, merit and need-based, is available
UK: £7500 to 9,000 pounds tuition (3 years), but students can take out loans from British government
Canada: $14,000 to 38,000 tuition (3-4 years); scholarships available
Québec: French pay local rates of c. $3000 (usually 3 years)
Netherlands, Scotland (4 years), Ireland, Switzerland: 2-3,000 euros per year
How Do Our Students Research?

Vist our Wiki! boalchcounseling.pbworks.com for background information, news
articles, world rankings lists, application deadlines, admission requirements

Travel! Go to Open Days in spring, fall 2012 (in Europe), plan trips over vacation.
April a good time for US/Canada, Toussaint for UK. Attend presentations here.

Read! College guides, alumni surveys, articles, websites to get a ‘feel’ for campus
ambiance. Rankings give an idea of reputation but often based on graduate-level
research, not quality of undergraduate experience.

Consult with caution! social media can be targeted, frank, also misleading and
contradictory. Read them but keep it in perspective. Trust people you know.

Read more! Study courses carefully and think hard about what is the right fit for
you. Talk to professional in various fields. Explore summer/online courses/stages

Choose! Limit your choices to 8 non-French schools; be realistic yet aspirational.
Admissions Deadlines:
USA: ‘Early’ Deadlines Nov. 1 or 15, 2014
Regular Deadline Jan. 1 or 15, 2015
Required: Translated transcript, school report,
two teacher references, SAT/ACT, possibly SAT
subject tests, essays
UK: Deadline for Oxbridge, medicine Oct.15, 2014.
All other courses Jan. 15, 2015
Required: statement of motivation, predicted
grades, school report (includes 2-3 teacher
comments). Offers are conditional
Canada: Jan. 15 or Feb. 1 (most schools)
Online application, upload last 4 bulletins
Application Timeline for 1eres

USA : SAT/ACTs in winter or spring 2014. Plan preparation strategy starting in January– books, online,
class? Study for subject tests over the summer if necessary., usually take them in Oct. 2014

UK applicants: Attend Open Days, read extensively around chosen subject – books, magazinezs, seek out
research or work opportunities in areas of interest.

Request references/ teacher comments from 1ère French teachers in early May (US, UK, or unsure)
.

Document your extracurricular activities
–
–
–
Supporting references from a coach or peer such as your soccer team captain, your MUN advisor
Video clips of school plays, sports, VOX concerts, etc …Useful for US
Work on portfolio if applying to art schools

Verify online presence– ‘normal’ email address, no embarrassing photos on Facebook, etc …

Make master list of potential schools, admissions requirements, deadlines. YOU. Not your parents. YOU.

Meet with me in May – July to review your options and plan your Terminale fall.

For Oxbridge, US ED/EA, deadlines can be 6 - 8 weeks after start of Terminale so be organized abnd come
to school with a rough draft of your essay or personal statement!
What Our Students Say: USA
«I
wanted to go to the US because I’m American and had never lived there; I figured college
would be the right time. I wanted an urban environment coupled with a campus feel. Boston
University offers the perfect mix in that regard. What I love about this school is that one can
do anything. But you have to go out and grab it.»
« I have taken amazing classes. My coursework is more challenging than the lycée but I was well
prepared. My teachers are very accessible outside the classes. Worcester is not the best city
but it has a personality, for sure. I fit at Clark University in every way. I love the diversity of
political and religious opinions. It’s the time of your life; enjoy it and never say no!»
« My parents wanted me to go to college in the States and I was sure I didn’t want to stay in
Frnce. I I liked the idea of a small liberal arts college with excellent academics. The fact that
Vassar was only an hour and a half from New York City was also attractive. Classes are very
engaging due to the excellent professors and small size. Assignments have more depth than at
the lycée but I have more free time and I’m concentrating on subjects I really love. I joined a
student activism group and a Jane Austen book club. I’m greatly enjoying both of them. »
What Our Students Say: UK
«I didn’t want to stay in France for my studies and I heard great things about England. The US
was too expensive and I wanted an English-speaking country. Bristol is one of the top ten
universities and has a very good economics program. It’s quite demanding but it’s what I
wanted. A lot of students are international. England is very different. It takes a while to get
used to it. You have to realize that it’s not France and embrace it »
«The environment at Exeter is very friendly and the weather is the best in all England! My course
is not challenging at all compared to the lycée and there are some modules that are useless but
I am overall very pleased. I find myself with a lot of free time and I’ve joined many clubs and
societies. It does take people a while to get used to you if you’re foreign but English people
are very nice.»
« I liked Warwick’s openness and campus atmosphere and the fact that there is a significant
amount of international students. I’m happy with the social life but unhappy with the course
which I haven’t found stimulating and much more numbers-focused than I was expecting. We
have several hours of lectures per week though the lecture halls have several hundred students
so contact is limited. There’s very little supervision. The incredibly high number of French
students makes me feel like I never left the lycée»
What Our Students Say: Canada

«I chose to come to Canada because it was a place I had visited and I liked that I
can keep up both my French and my English. I am very happy with the engineering
department at Carleton and with my social life here; making friends was easy.
Ottawa is a nice city that is not too busy. One may not be used to walking in 20 cm
of snow or eating dinner at 5 p.m. but one quickly gets used to that. »
« I really like that McGill has a campus in the city. McGill was also appealing because
you have more flexibility in your studies than in France. The professors and classes
in the management program are interesting and challenging. Class content is
covered briefly but you need to undstand it perfectly and apply it. Classes are large
but professors are accessible. It is easy to make friends in the first year thanks to the
residence system. International students do stick together. The social life is fun. Ir
iq very competitive and thus a lot of pressure on students. You have to work hard
and be motivated and interested in what you are studying. »
« The cold was hard to adapt to and living so far away from home. The coursework is
challenging-- I have become addicted to coffee since starting at McGill. »