Most Deerfield students who choose to go to a university outside of the US are headed either to the United Kingdom or to Canada; however, the College Advising Office is able to support students’ college searches anywhere in the world.
Because each country has a distinct educational system, a college search outside the US requires particular attention to detail about required testing, deadlines and applications, as the process we use in the US isn’t always applicable outside of the US.
While a few British Universities accept the Common Application (University of St. Andrews, University of Warwick, University of Glasgow, Durham University), most require students to apply using the Universities & Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) forms. The UCAS application is available online. It is important to review each individual university application form and deadline. While some schools in the British system (St. Andrews) use a “rolling admissions” process, we recommend students submit application materials as early as possible.
British Universities typically assess students based on their standardized testing. U.S. applicants should expect to submit the SAT or ACT and three or more AP exam scores depending on to which university and program they make an application.
Students applying to specific courses of study may have to take a written or verbal exam or submit written work for evaluation. For details about testing required: Oxford Testing Information & Cambridge Testing Information
Canada is home to some of the world’s more renowned universities, universities which enjoy the added benefit of having lower tuition costs than many colleges and universities in the United States. While these institutions may have limited or no financial aid for non-Canadian citizens, they are often still a more affordable option than colleges in the US.
Most Canadian universities require students to apply using their own school-specific application, available from each university’s website. Most Canadian universities are also quite clear about minimum standardized test scores and prerequisite coursework. Please note that meeting or exceeding those minimums does not guarantee admission, but this information is helpful in determining whether or not it would be appropriate for a student to submit an application for admission. For reference, the following are links to the admissions requirements for US high school students to some Canadian universities that have been popular with Deerfield students in the past.
Each year, a growing number of young people decide to take time away from the traditional academic path that takes students directly from high school to college.
For some students, this means applying to college during their senior year, selecting among their acceptances by saving their space with a deposit, and requesting deferral of their matriculation (which colleges are generally happy to grant as long as the request is made by late spring). For others this means applying to college during their time away after graduation. The term “Gap Year” is commonly used to describe both experiences.
As Stanford’s Dean of Admissions, Richard Shaw, notes in this article, it’s important to know that time off generally does not improve chances of admission to any particular school, but is often a great way to explore interests. Shaw cautions, “Most of the gap years are designated after admissions . . . I don’t want students to take a year off before applying because they want to enhance their chances of getting in. If that’s the purpose of the year off, that’s unfortunate. Because I’d rather have them taking a year off because it’s something they truly in their heart feel they want to do.”
A gap year (which is typically a year but can be shorter or longer), is a great opportunity for students to reflect, explore, solidify, and deepen interests, work, volunteer, travel, or take on independent projects.
By taking this time, students have the opportunity to take a break from the demands of their high school and college experiences, and reflect thoughtfully on their goals and aspirations. From the Middlebury website on gap years: “[A]s earning admission to a top college has more and more become an end in itself, and not just a means to an end, we can easily lose sight of the primary goal of our education: to discover what it is we truly care about and want to pursue further, and thereby come as close as possible to realizing our own potential.”
According to the Gap Year Association’s Research:
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