Applications to American universities are rising in popularity, so what do students need to know. We talk to Crimson Education to find out
No one ever said applying to university was easy, but for UK students looking Stateside, the application process is so different that it’s important to prepare ahead. Crimson Education helps students do just that. The company was founded just over a decade ago by three New Zealanders who had aced the applications. In fact, CEO Jamie Beaton, who co-founded the company while still at Harvard, had applied for 25 of the world’s best in his quest for an elite education. He was accepted by a good number of them, including Yale, Princeton, Columbia, Stanford and Cambridge.
Today the company supports students around the world to gain entry to top-tier universities. The local team in the UK supporting US applicants is led by Country Manager Rebecca Pretorius. She says this really is a “different playing field” for UK students used to a system with a single application point and narrower criteria for applications. Crucially, there’s also a different approach to selection.
“One of the positives, thinking as a parent, is that US universities are looking holistically – young people are more than just the sum of their marks,” she says. It’s this Liberal Arts approach that is proving appealing to many UK students right now. “Whereas for the UK top universities they are looking for a scholar, in the US they are looking for an impactful student – there’s a real focus on their impact and their intellectual curiosity, personality and initiative,” says Rebecca Pretorius.
“US universities are looking holistically – young people are more than just the sum of their marks”
The structure of degrees in the US supports all-rounders. Degree courses take place over four years, and students typically don’t have to narrow down to a major (main subject) until well into the second year. This is great news for all-rounders and those who want to keep options open, since it offers time and space to explore interests, find direction and sharpen broader skills and knowledge.
It’s an approach also helpful when it comes to the jobs market, says Rebecca Pretorius – and there’s no doubt that a US degree can open lots of doors. “Networking opportunities in the US are vast. Your difference can help you get a job. Any graduate from an Ivy League university would be employed by an investment bank, for instance, which you wouldn’t see anywhere else. I’m not talking about a maths student, but someone who studied what we’d call a BA in the UK”.
Good job prospects for graduates are a definite plus, but heading to an American university is an expensive investment – you could be looking at around $80,000 a year at some top universities, plus travel and living costs associated with studying so far from home. Also note that athletic and merit scholarships aren’t a feature of Ivy League colleges and a lot of other top universities – the focus is on meeting financial need and widening access.

Time investment
Another consideration is the time investment required for applications. A lot of supporting material will be required, so the earlier students start doing their homework, the better. That’s where Crimson comes in, and why it has a Rise programme for students aged 11+, alongside its 14-18 programme for applicants.
There’s a good reason for this early start. “Students are going to be submitting their academics – their grades – across their high-school career, not just predicted final scores,” says Rebecca Pretorius. If that sounds terrifying, she has reassurance. A student who has had a rough spell academically and then picks themself back up is showing evidence of a trajectory of growth, in both maturity and learning. In other words, it’s OK not to be a grade-A student across your whole senior school career, although grades will be a vital part of the judgement process.
Perhaps most critically, universities are looking for evidence of lots of activities beyond school. That could be tests or programmes taken out of school (music, for instance) but also commitments such as volunteering, community social action, and so on. With applications requiring evidence of activities and awards, plus academics (grades), recommendations and a personal statement, this is a holistic assessment. “So that’s where you hear that term ‘spikiness’ about US applications. It’s about developing the steps in one or more area,” says Rebecca Pretorius. “It speaks about going beyond the classroom.”
These extra qualities are also required when it comes to impressing admissions officers with your understanding of why you’ve applied. While Common or Coalition Applications are quite widely accepted, a lot of US colleges require a direct (and bespoke) application. So, if you were to apply for ten universities, that could, in theory, mean 40 pieces of writing – which is why you need to start early.
While those final grades are critical, there are definitely plenty of other opportunities to sell your merits as an applicant. “The more you can give them in a really succinct, clear way, and with a clear narrative, the easier it is for them to get to know you in the few minutes that they are looking at your application,” says Rebecca Pretorius.
Crimson runs free webinars and events, as well as hosting a blog with information and insights about getting started, processes involved and different fields and universities. It offers one-to-one support and mentoring via its local teams of academic advisors.
Crimson Education crimsoneducation.org
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