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It also compares A levels with SAT I and SAT II by format, timing, credit, and scoring patterns. 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Cal. Inst. of Technology  \n3. Stanford  \n5. MIT  \n6. Harvard  \n7. Princeton  \n10. = Berkeley (UC)  \n10. = Chicago  \n12. Yale  \n13. University of Pennsylvania  \n14. Los Angeles (UC)  \n16. Columbia  \n17. John Hopkins  \n18. Duke  \n19. Cornell  \n20. Northwestern  \nEurope  \n1. University of Oxford  \n4. University of Cambridge  \n8. Imperial College, London  \n9. ETH Zurich  \n15. University College, London  \nU.K. vs U.S. universities  \n| Factors | U.K. universities | U.S. universities |\n| --- | --- | --- |\n| Contact hours | 3-19 hours per week depending on subject | 12-16 hours per week regardless of subject |\n| Subject choices | Students choose subjects at time of their application | Students choose subjects (majors) in 2nd or 3rd year |\n| Funding | Some ‘hardship’ funds but few high-value undergraduate scholarships | Undergraduate scholarships tend to be more numerous, generous and varied |\n\nUCAS & The Common Application  \n| Factors | UCAS | Common Application |\n| --- | --- | --- |\n| Information required | Basic academic and personal | Detailed academic, personal and family information. |\n| Extracurricular activities | Of interest, although not central to the application unless relating to area of study. | Highly relevant; colleges are looking for‘well-rounded’ students – the next President! |\n| Personal statement | Subject specific and academic; you need to demonstrate your passion for the subject, i.e.‘Why are you applying for this particular course?’ | General and personal; a key area is to discuss an issue of personal concern; a typical question is:\u003Cbr>‘What would you do if you could not fail?’ |\n\nA levels & SATs  \n\n| Factors | A levels | SAT I | SAT II |\n| --- | --- | --- | --- |\n| Length | 1 to 2 hours per examination | 3 hours per examination + 50 minutes for essay | 1 hour per subject; 3 subjects per sitting |\n| Format | Arts subjects essay-based; other subjects involve problem sets | Multiple choice (except 11-12 gridin questions & one essay) | All multiple choice |\n| Credit | Credit given for methodology and the working shown | No credit is given for the working shown | No credit is given for the working shown |\n| Scoring | ‘Top grades’ achieved by about 25% of students who score an A or A* | 25% score 1200 or above (out of 1600) . Of about 1.7 m, only 300 achieve perfection | 1%-8% of students gain a ‘perfect’score, depending on subject |\n\nApplying to U.S. universities  \nApplications, tests & college counselling  \n1845 private 4-year institutions  \nWhere? What?  \n?  \n629 public 4-year institutions  \nChoosing  \nWhen?  \n596 private 2-year institutions  \n1070 public 2-year institutions  \nJuly-August: Choosing universities  \nJulySeptember:  \nPrepare for the SAT  \n1  \n2  \nJuly-October: Fill out the CommonApp  \nA possible U.S. application timeline  \n34  \n5  \n7  \n6  \n1st January: Submit applications  \nNovember: Write supplements  \nOctober-November: Take the SAT  \nOctober: Ask for references  \nFactors to consider  \nPublic or private  \nLarge or small  \nRegion  \n??  \n?  \n?  \n?  \nRural or urban  \n?  \nStudent population & culture  \nProgramme & majors","cbCaidU2tfOApcmL","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaidU2tfOApcmL","pdf",8829688,26,"English","# U.K. & U.S. University Preparation\n## Comparisons Between the Two Systems\n## Top 20 Universities (THE)\n## U.K. vs U.S. University Factors\n## UCAS & The Common Application\n## A Levels & SATs\n## Applying to U.S. Universities\n## Applications, Tests & College Counselling\n## A Possible U.S. Application Timeline\n## Factors to Consider","[{\"question\":\"What are the main differences in contact hours between U.K. and U.S. universities?\",\"answer\":\"U.K. universities typically offer 3–19 contact hours per week depending on the subject, while U.S. universities usually provide 12–16 hours per week regardless of subject.\"},{\"question\":\"How do UCAS and the Common Application differ in personal statements?\",\"answer\":\"UCAS personal statements are subject-specific and academic, requiring you to show passion and explain “Why are you applying for this particular course?”. The Common Application is more general and personal, often asking how you would handle a concern, such as “What would you do if you could not fail?”\"},{\"question\":\"How do A levels compare with SAT I and SAT II in exam format and timing?\",\"answer\":\"A levels examinations last 1–2 hours and include essay-based arts subjects, while other subjects use problem sets. SAT I lasts 3 hours per examination plus 50 minutes for an essay, and most questions are multiple choice. SAT II is 1 hour per subject with 3 subjects per sitting and is all multiple choice.\"}]","U.K. vs U.S. University Preparation - University Admissions Comparisons - Rankings, Systems, and Testing | PDF",1789740124,66]