American college:wat age do u have to be?

THEZAPPA

I want to go to college in America,but what age do you have to be to get in?
im 15 but i want to go there asap.

i have been thinking about doing this for 2 years now and i have made up my mind.

i have put in a application for a SAT test for october or november.

but i dont want to live in Ireland when i am older so i will not need the leaving cert'.Do you recommend i do it anyway?

please help,
thanks,
helen.

Goodshape

THEZAPPA wrote:

Do you recommend i do it anyway?

The leaving cert? Yes. It's a lot better than the SAT and just because you currently think you won't be in Ireland ever ever again, it'll still come in handy.

Why are you so desperate to get to college (and an american one at that) at 15? What are you going to study, for one thing?

bounty_hunter

Have you actually checked with your parents/whoever you live with that this is actually financially possible (not to mention countless other issues), before you start getting your hopes up?

THEZAPPA

Goodshape wrote:

The leaving cert? Yes. It's a lot better than the SAT and just because you currently think you won't be in Ireland ever ever again, it'll still come in handy.

Why are you so desperate to get to college (and an american one at that) at 15? What are you going to study, for one thing?

i have family in America and want to live with them.
i just want to go to college,i want to study law or design.

sabriel

The costs are huge compared to Ireland though 30000 dollers at least. :eek:

THEZAPPA

bounty_hunter wrote:

Have you actually checked with your parents/whoever you live with that this is actually financially possible (not to mention countless other issues), before you start getting your hopes up?

yes and I have the money for the college and they say i can go to college there.
I think I should do the leaving and then go.but wats the point if i dont need it if im not going to be living here?

Lilly81

law or design? big difference there mate!

ah we all wanted to feck off at 15. it aint gonna happen. finish school first and get over your latest phase.

Goodshape

THEZAPPA wrote:

i think i should do the leaving and then go.but wats the point if i dont need it if im not going to be living here?

A lot can change in the next couple of years. Just think of the posabilities for the next five, ten or more. There's a high chance you may want to return at some point in your life.

bounty_hunter

Seriously, do the leaving first. Just stick with it and the time will fly past a lot faster that you think. I understand that you're positive it's not just a phase, but there's still every chance you may think better of your choice, or find something that appeals to you more in the meantime. Stay in Ireland for the next couple of years and, if you're still serious about going to America, take your time in planning exactly what you're going to do and how you're going to go about it.

That way, assuming you still have your heart set on it in a few years, you'll hopefully have spent the time wisely and sorted out exactly what you want.

nesf

Echoing the above.

Do the leaving. There are few reasons not to tbh. You will a hundred times better off heading to the US in a few years rather than now. I'd even recommend taking a year out after the leaving and doing some travelling or something. I would definitely not try and commit to college this early. You might regret it for a long time if your desires and dreams change. And to be honest, most people's do between the ages of 15 and 20. 15 is way too young to have to make that kind of decision.

Go have fun, find out who you are and then choose a career path. You have plenty time, why rush things?

TerrorFirmer

THEZAPPA wrote:

yes and i have the money for the college and they sayi can go to colege their.
i think i should do the leaving and then go.but wats the point if i dont need it if im not going to be living here?

Not trying to cause offense, but a 15 year old who cannot spell properly and who is wondering is it a good Idea to go to College in the US without doing a leaving, and is pondering two vastly, vastly different and advanced courses - needs to rethink things.

ANarcho-Munk

Do your leaving cert tbh, you might regret it later on in life.

THEZAPPA

it's not a phase though,i have been thinking about it for the past 2 years nearly 3 now.
i have been thinking about it alot,i go to America often and i love it there:I hate living in Ireland.
I have done traveling,I think ill do the SAT and stay and do the leaving and then go to America,as I am really young it would be best to go after the leaving.

But one thing is I will definately not be living in Ireland when I am older.

RandolphEsq

a lot COULD happen in the next few years and you'd probably decide to stay but,in the future if you look back you'll wonder if you shouldve gone to america. i say GO, it will be an adventure and really worth while

Rhyme

Increase your education here, work out all possible viable options in the US and make your decison slowly. This'd be a pretty big thing to uproot and start again over there.

THEZAPPA

BrightEyes wrote:

a lot COULD happen in the next few years and you'd probably decide to stay but,in the future if you look back you'll wonder if you shouldve gone to america. i say GO, it will be an adventure and really worth while

thanks,but im so sure i do not want to live here,i have family in America and i go there so im sure i love the place a lot more then here,and yeh if i don't go i will seriously regret it and i know it's what i want(i have a lot of ambition).
I want to get the career i will be happy doing,not stuck somewhere i dont want to be.
I just really want to go to America,i will work my ass off to get there.

pickarooney

THEZAPPA wrote:

it's not a phase though,i have been thinking about it for the past 2 years nearly 3 now.
i have been thinking about it alot,i go to America often and i love it there:I hate living in Ireland.

In fairness, at 15 you haven't lived anywhere. Any time you've been to America it was on holidays, so of course it seems like fairytale-land. If you want to make a good go at life and have an exciting career, you'll need a good basis, and a complete schooling will help more than filling in a few multiple choice questions off the internet, seriously. Why not do your best o get a scholarship of some sort? If you really want to go to college in the US, you might as well try and get into a good one, don't you think?

*Angel*

Why do ya hate Ireland so much?

Gazza22

*Angel* wrote:

Why do ya hate Ireland so much?

She just can't see herself living here later on in life (it's her dream and should be followed if possible, though over the next few years yes, new opportunities could arise) and because Ireland is a blatant rip off

dimerocks

seems a smidgen imature.

*Angel*

gazza22 wrote:

She just can't see herself living here later on in life (it's her dream and should be followed if possible, though over the next few years yes, new opportunities could arise) and because Ireland is a blatant rip off

Well she did mention that she hates Ireland and I was just wondering why.

Scraggs

AFAIK most american colleges require students to graduate aswell as having fairly good SAT scores. Usually [i think anyway] you have to do the leaving in order to technically graduate in ireland [like its the furthest you can go kinda thing]
All the american college students i know [10+] started at 18 [3 were 17 turning 18 in sept/oct]
Hope this helps
Do research before you commit to anything
Remember you are only 15!!!

Definitely do the Leaving. If you leave school at 15-16 you will be seen as a 'drop out' and you WON'T be accepted anywhere. Do you know exactly what the requirements are for non-US students? Definitely wait until you are at least 18 and then think again. Do you even have somewhere in mind to study and a place to stay? You don't even seem to know what you want to study. I had the exact same ideas as you at 15. I wanted to do the SAT and go to college at NYU. I had it all planned, I have family there who were happy for me to live with them and everything, but I realised there was no way in hell I could ever afford the tuition fees. Have you any idea of what they are? Not being nosy but how could you have that kind of money at 15?

Do the Leaving and the SAT, and see how it goes. You don't know yet how you'll do anyway. I'm not being discouraging, but what if you don't do well enough for college there or are missing requirements? You are aware that in the States you are *obliged* to study a bunch of subjects unrelated to your major including maths? You wouldn't have to do that in Ireland, plus the tuition is free. Is it really so bad that you'd spend THOUSANDS of dollars to do the same degree somewhere else? There are loads of things to consider and you don't really seem to be giving it serious thought. If you still want to do it when you're 18, then go ahead.

I decided it was too much hassle. I'm doing my degree in Ireland. studying abroad within Europe whenever I can. When I've finished, I'll look for a job as an au pair in New York and see how it goes. Living somewhere is very different to being on holiday. If I like it, I'll think about staying. Even after finishing my degree and all I'll only be 22, and I don't think that's old. What's the rush?

THEZAPPA

dimerocks wrote:

seems a smidgen imature.

ok i have decided i will do the leaving.
but how is wanting to live in another country immature?

I have family in America and they say i can live with them.alot of you say that i only go there on holiday,which is not true i did live there for a year and i love it.
It's what I want to do,but ill just stay here till I do the leaving.
I know the requirements for the college and yes i have them,im doing the SAT soon(it's so easy)I have done a million pratise SAT tests.

Someone asked if I have the money for the college and yes i do,I have been saving and my parents are putting money in for it,instead of spending my money i save it,i don't get pocket money (and im not a daddy's girl)i get no money off him and havent seen him in years.
Plus I asked the college and their will give me finacial aid if I do get good SAT scores.

but I am going to apply for when I finish doing the leaving,as I have been thinking about it and it is best to just finish my Irish education.

Thank you for all your posts,even though some have you have called me immature,

THEZAPPA

fischerspooner

She's probably been watching the OC or something and thinks life is just like that for all in Americaland!!

THEZAPPA

fischerspooner wrote:

She's probably been watching the OC or something and thinks life is just like that for all in Americaland!!

actully i hate that programme,I have never watched it and never will.
Why can't I want to go to America,why put me in a catargory that all 15 year olds watch that stupid load of cr*p?

scuba steve

wat part of america are you moving to and which collegeis it out of interest? i want to move to america too some stage, after my leaving cert and maybe a couple years of working or travelling

fischerspooner

Because you're 15 so no one takes you seriously. You'll understand when you get older, lol

THEZAPPA

scuba steve wrote:

wat part of america are you moving to and which collegeis it out of interest? i want to move to america too some stage, after my leaving cert and maybe a couple years of working or travelling

I was going to go to New Orleans to my family but as there were the floods.
I want to go to Harvard and will be living in Boston.
Harvard said they will give me a place when I want it as some family members have gone there.

and if you are going to tell me I wont get in,then please keep your comment to yourself as I dont want to hear it!Thanks

stevenmu

I'd have though most colleges would want some form of high school equivelency, which would be the LC in our case, most employers certainly would, so even if you got into and through college, you'd have to go back and finish high school.

Besides, there's absolutely no point in going to college untill you're old enough to drink (or at get into drinking establishments if you choose not to drink yourself).

28064212

fischerspooner wrote:

She's probably been watching the OC or something and thinks life is just like that for all in Americaland!!

That was unwarranted. Personally I wouldn't be interested in being educated in America, particularly with regard to the whole doing Minors (don't take that out of context) things, seems kind of annoying, but to each their own. I do think you're putting too much emphasis on where you're studying as opposed to what you'd be studying. But dropping out of secondary school would be insane tbh, and if you did you probably wouldn't be eligible for college, you'd have to go into high school.

fischerspooner

the not being able to go to bars thing isn't that bad as there are always parties every weekend and older kids usually get all the beer in.

THEZAPPA

fischerspooner wrote:

Because you're 15 so no one takes you seriously. You'll understand when you get older, lol

Thanks for the info

THEZAPPA

28064212 wrote:

That was unwarranted. Personally I wouldn't be interested in being educated in America, particularly with regard to the whole doing Minors (don't take that out of context) things, seems kind of annoying, but to each their own. I do think you're putting too much emphasis on where you're studying as opposed to what you'd be studying. But dropping out of secondary school would be insane tbh, and if you did you probably wouldn't be eligible for college, you'd have to go into high school.

yeh but as I said earlier I will be finishing secondary and I am going to do my leaving as yeh it is stupid if you dont do your leaving,at least then I will have the leaving under my belt for the future.

MrPinK

Boston, and Harvard square in particular, is a fantastic place to live. If I could get a visa I'd be back there in a shot.

THEZAPPA

MrPinK wrote:

Boston, and Harvard square in particular, is a fantastic place to live. If I could get a visa I'd be back there in a shot.

Thank you,I love the place stayed there for about 2 months once and i loved it.
It's such a fantastic place,Plus the university is brilliant.

PHB

Leaving cert makes you smarter.
If you do the leaving cert, and then go to college in america, you will be near top of the class.
If you do the SAT's, you brain will stay at its normal development, and by the time you want to do a postgrad, you'll realise how much bloody work you've skipped and it'll be the worst two years of your life.

Irish system going all the way to postgrad:
Work spread out from 5th year in school until the end of your postgrad.

American system going all the way to postgrad:
Very little work until you're postgrad, and then an ungodly amoun of work crammed into two years.

THEZAPPA

PHB wrote:

Leaving cert makes you smarter.
If you do the leaving cert, and then go to college in america, you will be near top of the class.
If you do the SAT's, you brain will stay at its normal development, and by the time you want to do a postgrad, you'll realise how much bloody work you've skipped and it'll be the worst two years of your life.

Irish system going all the way to postgrad:
Work spread out from 5th year in school until the end of your postgrad.

American system going all the way to postgrad:
Very little work until you're postgrad, and then an ungodly amoun of work crammed into two years.

yeh i agree with you there,thats why I have decided on doing the leaving.
anyway its only 3 years not to long.
America can wait till then.

Catch_22

PHB wrote:

Leaving cert makes you smarter.
If you do the leaving cert, and then go to college in america, you will be near top of the class.
If you do the SAT's, you brain will stay at its normal development, and by the time you want to do a postgrad, you'll realise how much bloody work you've skipped and it'll be the worst two years of your life.

Irish system going all the way to postgrad:
Work spread out from 5th year in school until the end of your postgrad.

American system going all the way to postgrad:
Very little work until you're postgrad, and then an ungodly amoun of work crammed into two years.

There are quite a few things wrong with that post, firsty at harvard the majority of your peers will have come from private schools, and although they will have done the sat to get in they will have been pushed a lot harder at school than just the sat, by simply having sat the leaving you will not be top of the class by any means.

nor do i agree with your defn of american education, check out the primary degrees in the likes of harvard stanford berkerly etc... it not "very little work by any means", yes there are a lot of **** colleges in the US but you wll by no means just breeze to the top in harvard.

Finally to the OP i would agree with nesf take your time theres no rush go travel properly for a bit before you go to college, and yes do finish school properly here. Its as much the age thing as anything else. Your mind and your ability to really push yourself wont materalise until about 20 or so you want to be able to avail of that to get the best nice harvard degree you can.

c22

THEZAPPA

Catch_22 wrote:

There are quite a few things wrong with that post, firsty at harvard the majority of your peers will have come from private schools, and although they will have done the sat to get in they will have been pushed a lot harder at school than just the sat, by simply having sat the leaving you will not be top of the class by any means.

nor do i agree with your defn of american education, check out the primary degrees in the likes of harvard stanford berkerly etc... it not "very little work by any means", yes there are a lot of **** colleges in the US but you wll by no means just breeze to the top in harvard.

Finally to the OP i would agree with nesf take your time theres no rush go travel properly for a bit before you go to college, and yes do finish school properly here. Its as much the age thing as anything else. Your mind and your ability to really push yourself wont materalise until about 20 or so you want to be able to avail of that to get the best nice harvard degree you can.

c22

thats really good advice,I do want to get the best Harvard degree I can and I am willing to push myself to get it.
It would be best to do the leaving as It will teach me more and give my brain time to grow and then I may know more.

but one thing is I will definately go to college in America,even if you some of you think it is a phase(I have wanted to do it for 2 nearly 3 years).

cerebus

THEZAPPA wrote:

I want to go to Harvard and will be living in Boston.
Harvard said they will give me a place when I want it as some family members have gone there.

Fair play for the ambition/dream of going to Harvard.

Be warned though, it is hard to get in - there are ~1700 students admitted every year as undergraduates, which is about 10% of the applicants. They claim that family connections don't make that much of a difference, and if you look at their admission policy it is way down the list of criteria. Of course, if you have an inside track then by all means exploit it - I'd be interested in seeing exactly what Harvard Admissions told you though.

Tuition runs at $32k a year - so a four year degree will set you back >$120k. They have pretty good financial aid packages, so start digging into those. Don't forget to factor in living expenses - probably $15-20k a year on top of tuition.

One last thing: you mentioned you were keen to study law or design... you may not be aware of this, but both the School of Design and Harvard Law School are really graduate programs - i.e. you get a basic degree, then apply to the graduate school. I guess having an undergraduate degree from Harvard already can't hurt from the point of view of admission, but you are looking at another 2-3 years on top of your undergrad. Again, tuition costs >$30k a year.

Best of luck with it...

THEZAPPA

cerebus wrote:

Fair play for the ambition/dream of going to Harvard.

Be warned though, it is hard to get in - there are ~1700 students admitted every year as undergraduates, which is about 10% of the applicants. They claim that family connections don't make that much of a difference, and if you look at their admission policy it is way down the list of criteria. Of course, if you have an inside track then by all means exploit it - I'd be interested in seeing exactly what Harvard Admissions told you though.

Tuition runs at $32k a year - so a four year degree will set you back >$120k. They have pretty good financial aid packages, so start digging into those. Don't forget to factor in living expenses - probably $15-20k a year on top of tuition.

One last thing: you mentioned you were keen to study law or design... you may not be aware of this, but both the School of Design and Harvard Law School are really graduate programs - i.e. you get a basic degree, then apply to the graduate school. I guess having an undergraduate degree from Harvard already can't hurt from the point of view of admission, but you are looking at another 2-3 years on top of your undergrad. Again, tuition costs >$30k a year.

Best of luck with it...

Thanks,
its actually $44,464 a year for Harvard,but I have the money and they will be giving me finacial aid,you have to live on campus for the first year.

yeh I know I am keen on law or design after the undergraduate degree,most likely law but I love designing.
It costs alot but it would be well worth it,im not worried about where im living as I will be living with family.

Thanks,
helen

cerebus

THEZAPPA wrote:

Thanks,
its actually $44,464 a year for Harvard,but I have the money and they will be giving me finacial aid,you have to live on campus for the first year.

I got my info from here - tuition + the two health/student service fees worked out at $32k. Your number factors in their on-campus housing costs I guess...?

What kind of financial assistance are they offering, if you don't mind me asking?

THEZAPPA

cerebus wrote:

I got my info from here - tuition + the two health/student service fees worked out at $32k. Your number factors in their on-campus housing costs I guess...?

What kind of financial assistance are they offering, if you don't mind me asking?

yeh the $44k is for living on-campus.Even for me your link comes up $44k.

no I dont mind you asking,they are offering to give me $30k

Blisterman

It's a good thing you're waiting to finish your leaving cert. I can't imagine college being much fun if you're way younger than everyone else.

THEZAPPA

Blisterman wrote:

It's a good thing you're waiting to finish your leaving cert. I can't imagine college being much fun if you're way younger than everyone else.

yeh I agree with you there.

Can I ask how you're eligible for financial aid, not even being American? My careers tutor at school (who admittedly was crap) told me I'd have no chance. I have a British passport and I'm not even eligible for assistance in the UK.

Nobody here can stop you doing whatever you want but you had to expect criticism by asking a question like this. You've claimed that you're mature enough to make this decision and have researched everything, yet you don't even know how old you need to be to enter college or where you sit the SAT tests which are 2 really basic things. I had done more research than that by the time I was 15 and in the end I didn't even go.

No-one is trying to put you down to be mean but are you sure you are good enough to get into Harvard? The brightest students in the world go there and it has been mentioned that only around 10% of applicants are successful. Are you an excellent student, meaning you'll get all A1's in the Leaving and almost full marks in the SAT? Maybe you don't put any effort into writing on here but your spelling and grammar are pretty poor. One of my mates from the north got 5 As at A Level, straight A GCSEs, flew through the SAT and still got turned away from Harvard and Cambridge. It isn't a matter of applying and getting in, it's almost a lottery. Even if you are a total genius and have the money there are no guarantees. Have you thought about what you would do if you didn't get in? Will you be applying to Irish colleges through CAO as a backup?

GOAT_BOY

so where does a 15 year old get 150k? :rolleyes:

By all means, go to america, become a quarter back, date the chearleader, drive the pick up truck and in the evenings you can spend your time at the drive in and diner going crazah!

Dude!! :cool:

THEZAPPA

GOAT_BOY wrote:

so where does a 15 year old get 150k? :rolleyes:

By all means, go to america, become a quarter back, date the chearleader, drive the pick up truck and in the evenings you can spend your time at the drive in and diner going crazah!

Dude!! :cool:

why would I date a cheerleader im not a guy?

ANarcho-Munk

I'm just being curious here, not trying to be mean. But why do you say that you hate Ireland?

I've been to a few different countries myself but i have to say that i just really prefer it here in ireland to anywhere else (even if it is a rip-off )

I'd probably picture myself being in America working in a ****ty job for maybe a year or two after I finish college but i doubt i'd want to stay there for too many years.....

THEZAPPA

ANarcho-Munk wrote:

I'm just being curious here, not trying to be mean. But why do you say that you hate Ireland?

I've been to a few different countries myself but i have to say that i just really prefer it here in ireland to anywhere else (even if it is a rip-off )

I'd probably picture myself being in America working in a ****ty job for maybe a year or two after I finish college but i doubt i'd want to stay there for too many years.....

I have my reasons,its like you dont want to live in America or anywhere.
Thats how I feel about Ireland.
Can I not hate it here does everyone have to love this place?
I respect that you like it here, please respect that I don't,no one here knows what I have been through in Ireland and I dont want to say,all you need to know is I dont like it.