Canadian applying to American university, how?

[eveo]

I'm a Canadian based student, doing an extra year in high school (starting next year) and I want to apply to: Harvard, Caltech, MIT, and Stanford. What must I complete? Is it just SAT's or what? Has anyone on here had any experience with this?

 

[flyingpig]

Yes, without SATs, you can't apply to the States...

You need excellent grades for prerequisite.

Excellent SAT scores for prerequisites. If you have no idea what to do to "impress" them, do the IB, it basically covers everything you need for those schools, but I advise you to do more to stand out because think about it, everyone who is applying there has good grades.

 

[Vanadium 50]

I also think you need to have a good explanation of why you are taking an extra year of high school - especially why you are not taking advantage of the opportunities of college now.

 

[eveo]

I also think you need to have a good explanation of why you are taking an extra year of high school - especially why you are not taking advantage of the opportunities of college now.

changed my direction last second from computer engineering (had all the courses and whatnot already for it) to physics

so it's just SAT's?

edit: holy! I definitely don't think I'll have a 99.5% average. I can score high 80's/low 90's which is apparently pretty much a 4.0 GPA so ...
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/harvard-university/599998-canadian-students-applying-harvard.html

edit 2: for anybody even thinking about applying, make sure:

There is no single academic path we expect all students to follow, but the strongest applicants take the most rigorous secondary school curricula available to them. An ideal four-year preparatory program includes four years of English, with extensive practice in writing; four years of math; four years of science: biology, chemistry, physics, and an advanced course in one of these subjects; three years of history, including American and European history; and four years of one foreign language.

i speak 3 languages total, but I didn't take any courses and I didn't take bio, inadmissable :(

 

[iratern]

Well this year I applied to all of the schools you asked for and I got rejected. I can give you some advice based on my experience. First of all SAT's are important but they will not help above a certain level. Everyone who applies has good scores. I myself got 650 critical reading, 650 writing, 760 math, 800 physics, 790math2, 740chem. Those were all my first attempt scores. My English was bad because I went to school in Turkey for 6 years so my English suffered. (I am a Canadian and English is my first language but...)

So you should aim to get higher on the SAT's. Also you are international so its 1000x harder to get in, I know a kid who scored 2350 on the SAT reasoning test and got rejected from MIT.

OK other than the SAT's your grades are important but don't stress about a below-par grade, they will generally forgive it. Letters of recommendation are really really important, make sure you get them from teachers who know you well!

I got to go for now but I have more to say...

 

[eveo]

Okay but I won't be admitted at all no matter how nice my grades are. I need bio grade 11, bio grade 12, four years of a secondary language. everything aside from that I have so i don't fulfill nearly any requirements

 

[iratern]

Ok but first of all you've misunderstood what they mean, you don't have to have those courses, but they are strongly recommended. What's important is to show that you are a determined and ambitious individual who can tackle the level of those universities. Basically it drops down to how passionate you are in the subject you want to study.

I mean I loved physics I did the physics olympiad in Turkey and did quite well but I couldn't show how much I loved it. The essays are important and I think mine weren't strong enough.

Are you in grade 11? If you are then start doing activities that show your passion, I'm assuming you want engineering so start a robotics club at school or volunteer at such activities. I don't know but do what you love and try your best at it. And don't forget get good grades take some AP's (not that important but do them if you can), do math competitions and get good SAT's (at least 220 preferably 2300)

Ask me whatever you want, but don't forget I'm a reject so my advice will come from my shortcomings... And check each universities websites learn as much as you can about them, they all have their own cultures so show them that you will be able to fit in them.

 

[eveo]

Ok but first of all you've misunderstood what they mean, you don't have to have those courses, but they are strongly recommended. What's important is to show that you are a determined and ambitious individual who can tackle the level of those universities. Basically it drops down to how passionate you are in the subject you want to study.

I mean I loved physics I did the physics olympiad in Turkey and did quite well but I couldn't show how much I loved it. The essays are important and I think mine weren't strong enough.

Are you in grade 11? If you are then start doing activities that show your passion, I'm assuming you want engineering so start a robotics club at school or volunteer at such activities. I don't know but do what you love and try your best at it. And don't forget get good grades take some AP's (not that important but do them if you can), do math competitions and get good SAT's (at least 220 preferably 2300)

Ask me whatever you want, but don't forget I'm a reject so my advice will come from my shortcomings... And check each universities websites learn as much as you can about them, they all have their own cultures so show them that you will be able to fit in them.

grade 12, staying back a year after grad

thanks for your help, appreciated!