By Eric Tiettmeyer

What Does it Take to Get Accepted at One of the TOP COLLEGES ABROAD?

Do you have what it takes to enroll in a top-ranked university? Maybe you have dreamed of attending Harvard, Stanford or Berkeley for the prestige and pride of attending the best of the best? You'll find universities abroad that are ranked as high and even higher than these famous U.S. based institutions. We asked many of these top universities what it takes to gain admission and they responded. Currently, we've seen a trend with more emphasis on coursework like AP/IB courses, rather than your top GPA. Admissions offices are looking for students already decided upon their major, especially in the UK where programs exclude general education and you get right into your subject matter from the very beginning. Along with the below tips to get you accepted into the top world universities, you'll find that the Post-9/11 Gl Bill is approved at all of these institutions mentioned.

IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON (ranked #8 in the world)
The 8th ranked institution in the world is still accepting Masters and Ph.D. applications for fall enrollment. Most courses will be full by June. Three Advanced Placement tests with a grade of 5 is required. Imperial College London does not look at GPA, SAT or ACT's. Visit www.imperial.ac.uk for more information.

UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD (ranked #1 in the world)
According to their admissions office, the most important question for any applicant to Oxford is: "Which course (major) do I want to study?" They say that more than anything, they look for a commitment to a particular, academic subject. Go to ox.ac.uk/courses for a list of courses. A 1,470 on the new SAT (out of 1,600), or 32 out of 36 on the ACT is required. Finally, applicants need a Grade 5 in at least three Advanced Placement tests.

UNIVERSITY COLLEGE - LONDON (ranked #15 in the world)
The 22nd ranked institution in the world asks that students apply through UCAS. com by January 15th. Students applying for graduate school can apply directly through UCL's web site, and many programs have an application deadline in July.
Students without AP test scores, but with a year of college level study and an average GPA of 3.3 may apply. UCL doesn't normally accept transfer students, but those interested in this option should contact the department they are interested in. UCL has 40,000 students on campus, with 40% from outside the UK. Visit www.ucl.ac.uk for more information.

UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO CANADA
(ranked #22 in the world)
This high-ranking University to our north accepts applications a year prior to the start of the Fall semester. Programs fill up early, and will close before the posted deadlines. Expect to submit high GPA/SAT/ ACT scores, along with two SAT Subject Tests, or AP or IB courses, or a combination thereof covering two different subjects. For Graduate programs, your strong academic record, along with your most recent annual average, will consider you for the program. Visit future. utoronto.ca/undergraduate-programs to review all programs and admission requirements.

University of Edinburgh

University of Edinburgh in the UK is accepting applications through June 30th for undergraduate courses and July 31st for graduate courses. GPA is not required for undergraduate courses. Instead, the admissions offices will look at standardized test scores, such as the SAT, ACT or AP. For graduate courses, a minimum 3.25 GPA is required, and no GRE is required. Seventeen Gi Bill students are currently enrolled at UE. Visit www.ed.ac.uk for more information.