CIE or HSC

1

I am currently a year 10 student in NZ sitting igcse this year. I was wondering if

  1. is CIE more recognised when applying to universities aboard (especially in the US)?

  2. would it be worth it for me to take igcse or try to get used to the australian curriculum as soon as possible?

  3. if i want to apply to ivy league schools can I just sit CIE or HSC or do I have to sit SAT/ACT as well?

2

Hey Amy! Welcome to the Community!

  1. Yes, CIE is more recognized than NCEA (if that is your comparison). However, US admissions values different subjects very differently so choosing the right IGCSE subjects and the subsequent A Levels is very important. For example, A Level Further Mathematics is substantially more valuable than A Level Business Studies.
  2. There is no need to sit the Australian curriculum assuming you use Crimson as we get the most students with CIE backgrounds into overseas universities every single year since 2013.
  3. You need to sit the SAT/ACT as well as potentially SAT Subject Tests and potentially AP exams and may look at additional academic assessments. You may also consider NZQA Scholarship exams.

Send an email to j.beaton@crimsoneducation.org and cc f.jiang@crimsoneducation.org with your IGCSE subjects you are taking this year, your CV (with current activities) and any majors you may be interested in so I can see if your candidacy is likely to be competitive for Ivy League schools.