The Complete Guide to

Acing Your
Academics
for US University
Applications

A CRIMSON EDUCATION PUBLICATION

Your academics are the first part
of your application admissions
officers will look at.
How will your academics stack up against
thousands of other applicants?
Pursuing an education at a leading US
university means taking rigorous
courses, completing in-depth projects,
and immersing yourself in your studies
to earn a highly sought-after degree.

So naturally, when admissions officers

are deciding who gets a place on their
campus, academics serve as the first
criteria to be admitted. The
gatekeepers at top universities want to
be sure that the students they select
are well-equipped with the knowledge
and skills to succeed in a demanding
learning environment.

But what all goes into the academic

side of your college applications, and
what are the standards for each
component? And — most importantly
— how do your academics stack up to
a typical successful applicant?

In this eBook, we’re taking a deep dive

into all the academic factors that
contribute to a winning US university
application:
We’ll do our best to
01. High school transcripts
answer all your
02. Grade Point Average (GPA) questions about the
courses, grades, and
03. Advanced Placement test scores you’ll need
(AP) curriculum to impress the
admissions team at
04. Standardized tests: the SAT
and ACT
your dream
university. Let’s dive
05. International curriculums in!
01. High School Transcript
Your high school transcript is a record + Ambition: Opting to take more
of all the classes you’ve taken in high difficult classes exhibits a sense of
school (from 9th grade onwards), the academic tenacity and shows that
final grades (weighted or unweighted) you’re ready to take on the demands
that you received, and the credits you of college-level courses.
earned for each one. Most transcripts
also include standardized test scores + Exploration: When choosing elective
from AP Exams, the SAT/ACT or others, courses, the ones you select can help
your cumulative GPA, and any demonstrate your interest and
academic honors you’ve received. commitment to a certain area of
study, like STEM or social sciences.
Essentially, your official
transcript provides an + Advancement: Your transcript shows
overview of your academic all your grades from the last four
years, so marked improvement over
performance throughout
time indicates that you’ve grown and
high school at-a-glance so become a stronger student.
that admissions officers can
evaluate your academic
However, your transcript doesn’t need
standing.
to demonstrate every one of these
Most US universities require your qualities. Admissions officers look at it
official high school transcript to be within the context of your high school,
submitted directly from your school — considering the opportunities
so it’s important to ask your guidance available to you and knowing that not
counselor or other school officials to all students have the same access to
send your transcript well in advance of varied and challenging classes!
application deadlines!

While your high school transcript

illustrates how well you performed
academically throughout high school,
it can also showcase a number of
other important qualities:

The bottom line is: your transcript should demonstrate

that in your time as a high school student, you’ve been
eager to learn and have taken advantage of all that your
school has to offer.
02: Grade Point Average (GPA)
Your Grade Point Average (GPA) is a one cumulative number that
score, generally on a scale between 0.0 serves as the first point of
and 4.0, that reflects your academic
comparison between you
performance in high school. It
converts the letters or percentages
and other applicants.
that typically represent your grades For students whose grades are
into numbers, then finds the average reported using letter-grading or
of those numbers to calculate a GPA. percentage-based systems, the chart
below can help you calculate your US
Your GPA sums up your GPA.
academic achievement into

Letter Percentage GPA

A+ 97-100 4.0

A 93-96 4.0

A- 90-92 3.7

B+ 87-89 3.7

B 83-86 3.0

B- 80-82 2.7

C+ 77-79 2.3

C 73-76 2.0

C- 70-72 1.7

D+ 67-69 1.3

D 65-66 1.0

F Below 65 0.0
Your GPA is a single number that For a more in-depth understanding of
represents four years’ worth of class what your GPA means and how your
grades, so the good news is, grades stack up for top US
admissions officers will examine your universities, you can speak with one
application far beyond this number. of Crimson’s Academic Advisors, who
That said, a comparatively low GPA can answer all your questions about
may see an admissions officer this all-important number. They can
discount your application early, even help you:
preventing it from moving through
the process. + Identify the best schools to apply to
based on your academic candidacy
As an international student,
determining your GPA can be + Recommend a tutoring path that
challenging as some countries operate increases your GPA
on a unique scaling system. Luckily, at
Crimson we have formulated some + Craft a roadmap for improving your
GPA calculators for various curricula academics in general.
which may be helpful in this process.
(You can check out our website and
look under the table titled Resources!)

At Ivy League universities, which are

among the most competitive schools
in the US, the average admit has a
perfect (or even higher than perfect)
GPA! The average weighted GPA for
students accepted to each of the Ivies
are as follows:

+ Yale University: 4.19

+ Princeton University: 3.9
+ Brown University: 4.08
+ Columbia University: 4.16
+ University of Pennsylvania: 3.93
+ Dartmouth College: 4.06
+ Cornell University: 4.04
03: Advanced Placement
(AP) Curriculum
The Advanced Placement (AP) Many high schools offer Honors courses
curriculum consists of a variety of in addition to their standard curriculum,
rigorous, college-level courses and which can be similar in difficulty to AP
assessments administered by the courses. Similar to Honors, AP courses
College Board (the same organization carry more weight in your GPA; but
that administers the SAT exam). AP because AP courses conclude with a
courses are taught in many high standardized exam (in May of each year),
schools, especially in the US, and their this allows AP credits to transfer as
corresponding exams have replaced college credits at many universities.
the SAT Subject Tests, which were
discontinued this year. AP Exams
AP exams are scored out of 5 and in
AP courses are not required on your general, universities will offer credits for
high school transcript, nor are AP the courses in which a student scores 3
exams — but they can boost your GPA (sometimes 4) or higher. However,
and strengthen your transcript in a big beyond the potential to receive college
way. Opting to take AP classes (and credits, the scores earned on AP exams
doing well on the exams) shows that provide an assessment of your interest
you’re intelligent, driven, disciplined and aptitude in a specific subject as well
and prepared for college-level as your ability to learn at a higher level
coursework. than what is expected in typical high
school classes.
Scoring well on your AP
exams improves your The College Board describes
university admissions profile AP scores as recommendations
and increases your chances rather than grades.
of being accepted to top A score of 1 would indicate that the
universities. High scores can College Board does not recommend a
also translate to college student as qualified to receive credit
credit at the university you for the class, while a 5 indicates that
end up attending. they do recommend that student as
qualified to receive credit.

College Course Grade

AP Exam Score Recommendarion
Equivalent

5 Extremely well qualified A+ or A

4 Very well qualified A-, B+, or B

3 Qualified B-, C+, or C

2 Possibly qualified ---

1 No recommendarion ---
AP Courses
It is important to note that if you do submit transcripts demonstrating
well in an AP course — receiving high their ability to keep up with a college-
grades throughout the school year — level course based on the grades they
but don’t score particularly well on the receive in the class.
final AP exam, your transcript will still
reflect positively on your academic There are many benefits of
performance. While a strong score is taking AP courses beyond the
beneficial to a student’s profile, it is not opportunity to present high
the end-all-be-all and it is equally (or exam scores on your university
even more) important that students applications.

Boost your candidacy for Stand out amongst your peers

college applications Showcasing your academic ability
Earning top scores in an AP course is will help you stand out from your
the best way to demonstrate your peers, whom you are directly
academic ability to colleges. compared to in admissions.

Get a head start in high school Give yourself an edge in college

Study college-level material early AP TM courses allow students to earn
and gain exposure to the academic college credit and pursue more
expectations of college. advanced courses.

Take a deep-dive into Challenge yourself

areas of passion AP classes are rigorous and
Explore areas of interest, such as demanding, offering intellectual
Psychology or Computer Science, stimulation that you won't get
and provide a clear indication of elsewhere.
your academic passions.
Choosing Your APs Crimson Global Academy offers APs
After learning about how AP courses based on ability not age or grade.)
and exams can benefit your university
The specific AP courses/exams you
application, most students have two
should take depends on your
pressing questions:
genuine interests as well as the
01. How many APs should I take? subjects you tend to excel in.
02. Which APs should I take? There are 38 different AP exams
offered globally, ranging in a variety of
The recommended number of AP areas like Psychology, Art, Humanities,
courses/exams to take varies widely Science, Math, History, and Languages.
based on the kind of universities It’s difficult to say which AP courses
you’re hoping to apply to. and exams are the most difficult
For students aiming for the Ivy League because each student has unique
and other Top 20 universities in the US, strengths and weaknesses — but one
a good target is to take (and pass) 10- way to gauge how challenging a
14 AP classes throughout your high course or exam will be is to look at
school career — or 3-4 each year. Keep how common it is for students to
in mind that this course load is not score a 5 on a particular exam.
realistic for every student and it’s
important to take a quality over
Below are two lists of the courses
quantity approach. It is more valuable
where the highest and lowest
to perform well in fewer AP courses
percentage of all AP test-takers
than to earn mediocre grades in many.
earned a 5 in the May 2020 AP exams.
(For US students who attend schools
Based on these lists, some may
who do not offer AP classes in grades 9
consider these to be, respectively, the
or 10, Crimson’s online high school
hardest and easiest AP courses.

% of Students % of Students
AP Exam AP Exam
that Earned a 5 that Earned a 5

Seminar 6.4% Chinese Language 55.4 %

(Total Group)**
Art & Design 3D 7.2%
Japanese Language 53.7 %
Physics 1 & Research Both 8.8% (Total Group)**

World History 9.2% Calculus BC 44.6 %

English Literature 9.3% Physics C Mechanics 41.6 %

Biology 9.5% Physics C E&M 40.4 %

Chemistry 10.6% Spanish Language 30.5 %

(Total Group)**
Computer Science
Principles 10.9% Computer Science A 25.6 %

Italian Language Government & Politics 24.4 %

(Standard) 11.1% Comparative

German Language Music Theory 24.2 %

(Standard) & Human Both 11.8%
Geography Chinese Language 23.9 %
(Standard Group)**
Enrolling in APs For students who don’t have APs
readily available to them, Crimson
Now that you know all what AP Global Academy — the world’s leading
courses and exams are, how they serve online high school — offers 10 AP
your academic profile for potential courses taught by qualified teachers in
universities, how many APs to take small, online classrooms. To learn
and which ones to consider, you’re more about the AP courses on offer
probably wondering: how can I enroll? and find out if CGA is a good fit for you,
schedule a free consultation with a
Not every high school offers a variety CGA Academic Advisor.
of AP courses, and some offer none at
all. However, finding a way to enroll in And for students who do have access
APs even when they aren’t available at to AP courses through their high
your high school reflects even more school, or those who wish to self-study
positively on your university for AP exams, Crimson also offers
application as it showcases your online tutoring from graduates of top
dedication to taking challenging US universities in every AP subject. To
courses and exploring your academic learn more about our tutoring
interests. programs and how they can improve
your odds of acing your AP exams, visit
our website.

04: Standardized Tests

THE SAT AND ACT

The SAT and ACT are standardized Fundamentally, the SAT and ACT have
exams designed to test your readiness several similarities. Both exams cover
for college and serve as a common basic subjects like reading, writing and
data point that college admissions mathematics; neither penalizes
officers use to compare applicants. students for wrong answers; and both
Both exams are equally respected and contain passage-based reading and
recognized by most universities and writing questions.
although they play similar roles in your
college applications, they are distinctly
The SAT was originally a more
different in terms of scoring, length,
psychological test that assesses
and the sections they’re broken into.
aptitude for learning, and the ACT, a
The SAT and ACT are equally placement test used as an indicator
challenging and deciding which one for academic preparation and
to take often boils down to your achievement.
strengths and weaknesses in
different testing formats.
 ACT SAT

Number of Question 215 154

Length of Assessment 3 hours 35 minutes 3 hours 15 minutes

Scoring Scale 1-36 400-1600

Selections Math (Calculator and Math, Reading,

non-Calculator), Writing, and
Reading and writing Optional Essay

Test Dates Four times per year - Six times per year -
March, May, October February, April, June,
and December July, September and
October.

SAT vs. ACT: Key Differences

While the SAT and ACT are functionally very similar, there are some basic differences
that may make one more suitable for you than the other.

01 02 03
Timing Style Science
Because the ACT has more The questions on the ACT The ACT has a science section
questions than the SAT, you tend to be more while the SAT does not. However,
have less time to answer straightforward, while those no specific area of study is
each question. on the SAT can be more needed as the exam tests more
complex and require more general skills in data and
time to ponder. graphical analysis.

04 05 06
Math Reading Writing
The math section of the ACT Critical thinking is more The ACT includes an optional
includes more concepts from important on the SAT, where essay section that asks
trigonometry and geometry, while evidence-based reading students to answer a prompt
the SAT’s math questions focus questions are more about a personal opinion,
largely on algebra. Also, math common. while the SAT eliminated their
counts for 25% of your total ACT optional essay this year.
score while it accounts for 50% of
your total SAT score.

When choosing which test to take, considering these differences may help you
determine which test you’re more likely to perform well on. In general, students who
enjoy writing, literature, and verbal communication tend to prefer the ACT. Those more
mathematically-minded prefer the SAT.
Taking the SAT or ACT
If you’re still not sure which is the taking both exams is still an option. If
better option for you, practice both! you have the desire and ability to
You can find free practice tests online thoroughly prepare for both the SAT
— like Crimson’s free SAT mini test — and ACT, you can do so and submit
which will allow you to compare scores the higher score with your university
and consider the different styles of applications.
questions to see which one feels easier
for you. Regardless of which exam you choose,
you should aim to take the SAT or ACT
Additionally, there’s nothing wrong in your late 10th, 11th, or early 12th year
with taking both tests! While the same of high school. Earlier is better, that
quality over quantity principle from way you have time to retake the test if
the APs section of this eBook also you didn’t perform as well as you
applies to your standardized tests, hoped.

SAT and ACT Scoring

Much like your GPA and AP exam For the highly competitive Ivy League
scores, your SAT or ACT scores also universities, it is not uncommon for
serve as an objective early qualifier for students to submit near-perfect SAT
admission to top universities. Many US and ACT scores. The average
institutions have published their standardized test scores for students
admitted students’ average SAT and accepted to each of the Ivies are as
ACT scores to help prospective follows:
applicants understand what the
baseline requirement may be for their
application to pass the first round of
reviews with admissions officers.

Average SAT Scores Average ACT Scores

+ Harvard University: 1540 + Harvard University: 34
+ Yale University: 1540 + Yale University: 33
+ Princeton University: 1520 + Princeton University: 33
+ Brown University: 1500 + Brown University: 32
+ Columbia University: 1530 + Columbia University: 34
+ University of Pennsylvania: 1510 + University of Pennsylvania: 32
+ Dartmouth College: 1500 + Dartmouth College: 32
+ Cornell University: 1480 + Cornell University: 32
You probably already know that for Are you curious what SAT or ACT
the 2021-22 application cycle, many scores you would need to be admitted
universities have extended the test- to your dream school? Check out our
optional admissions policies that US College Admissions Calculator,
began last year in light of COVID-19 which will generate a list of
limitations. However, taking the SAT or universities for you based on your
ACT is still highly recommended for estimated exam scores and intended
students hoping to stand out from the area of study!
crowd with stellar academics. Keep in
mind: you will not be assessed on any
optional test scores missing from your
application, but you will be assessed
(likely positively) on test scores that are
included.

05: International Curriculums

There are different curriculums taught The International Baccalaureate or IB
in high schools around the world, so is an international organization and it
choosing the one that best suits your aims for its students to be globally
academic goals is critical. A number of aware, using international resources
factors can help you decide which and content. A-levels are developed by
curriculum is right for you, including the British government using
the course load, assessment structure, predominantly British content but
learning objectives and more. adapted for the international market,
and AP courses are often taken in
A-Levels, IB and APs are considered
addition to a foundational curriculum
the most academically rigorous
to boost your application specifically
options available for high school
for US universities.
students. The end result for all of
them is an independent document
certifying that a level of achievement
higher than a high school diploma
has been reached.

International GCSEs
and A-Levels
The General Certificate of Secondary + GCSE subjects are structured as first
Education (GCSE) comprises the introductions to the specific topic
courses taught in years 9, 10 or 11 areas they cover, and students
(depending on whether or not your typically sit 8-10 subjects over the
schooling system ends at grade 12 or course of two years.
13) as a precursor to the A-Levels (short
for Advanced Levels) which are usually + The A-Levels are further broken down
taken in grades 11 and 12 (or 12 and 13). into two parts: the AS-Level and A2-
Level, of which students typically
take 3-5 each.
 The International GCSEs and A-Levels The International GCSEs are 100%
are the most commonly studied externally assessed through a set of
curriculum around the world. They are examinations at the end of your
based on the UK high school study. The same is true for most AS
education system and are adapted for and A Level subjects besides arts
a global student base. Subjects are courses like Drama, Music or
designed to follow a logical, structured Photography. If you are interested in
syllabus, with all the learning goals a taking this curriculum, you can seek
student should expect to master over more information from our online
the course of their qualification clearly high school, Crimson Global
laid out. Academy.

The International
Baccalaureate (IB)
Programme
The IB Programme is an
internationally recognized curriculum
that aims to foster internationally-
minded and well-rounded students.
Around 5,000 schools around the
world offer the programme, which is
structured as follows.

All IB students complete three core

requirements:

+ Theory of Knowledge (ToK), in which

students are prompted to reflect on
the nature of knowledge and how we
know what we claim to know

+ Extended Essay (EE), an independent

research project culminating in a
4,000-word research paper

+ Creativity, Activity and Service (CAS),

which involves students in a range of
extracurricular activities alongside
their academic studies

Students then choose courses from

the following subject groups:

Studies in Language and Literature

Language Acquisition
Individuals and Societies
Sciences
Mathematics
The Arts
The IB Programme is International
unique in that final Curriculums and
scores are a combination US Universities
of internal and external
Whether you take the A-Levels or IBs,
assessment.
or any other of many respected
Internal assessments are graded by international curricula, your academic
your teachers and often take the form performance throughout high school
of long-term projects such as papers, will still be reflected in the transcript
reports and presentations, making up you submit to US universities, and your
around 15-25% of your final IB score for GPA will still be calculated using
that subject. converted grades from these curricula.

The rest of the IB is externally Need help deciding which curriculum

assessed, mostly in the form of final is best for you, or understanding how
examinations which are cumulative, international grades and test scores
meaning that all topics are assessed in translate on your US university
one exam at the end of your second applications? Crimson can help!
year of study. Schedule a free consultation with one
of our expert Academic Advisors, who
can answer all your questions and help
get you started on the path to success.
Make your dream
possible with

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