I'm 16 and thinking ahead with how to get a place at uni. I'm aiming for Imperial college. Apart from excellent grades, what else do i need to give myself a good chance of gaining entry? I know I need extra curricular activities, (I play an instrument, do ice skating, windsurfing etc), but does that really help me compete? Should I do the Duke of edinburgh?

I got into King's College just with my grades. I did no extra-curricular activities whatsoever. Just make your personal statement (on UCAS) unique and advertise yourself. Mention all of these things you do. You already have a really good chance of getting in, because you do extra-curricular activities like playing musical instruments, etc. Concentrate on your A Levels for the time being. Good luck!!

It is simply hard work so get down to it and avoid asking such questions.

Duke Of Edinburgh would not be necessary, howevr it is looked upon very highly by employers and others.
Always worth doing.
Passing the MENSA test also impresses the hell out of people.

you need to learn a lot of words and their defentions, because to get into a college or university (mostly college) you take something called an SAT or another type of test i forgot, and they just give you words and ask you for their defenition or the opposite, they give defenitions and you figure out the word, hope this helps

Well Duke of Edinborough would be a good idea.. but it should help you a little bit but not alot..

University look mostly at your grades and personaility.. when applying to University you need to complete a UCAS form which will inlcude all your grades and a personal statement about yourself.. make your personal statment exciting and tell them all the activitites you do... they can see that your a very active individual and would want you to go to their UNI ..

But you havnt even started College yet.. so If I was you, I would have the next year thinking about what course you want to do.. its good your thinking about i early but I would just get through your first year at college first

charity/community work and leadership courses always do good.. Also.. a team sport to show you're a team player..

You seem to be doing fine, as long as you have the passion and desire and a clear goal to focus on you have the potential to go as far in life as you will let yourself, good on you great to see our youth with such drive and determination. good luck.

You should also schedule interviews at the colleges you apply to. If they like you, that should give you an edge up on the other applicants.

Good letters of reccomendation from creditable people - math teacher, english teacher, your band director or skating coach or whatever.

When I applied to Lafayette (and got in) I sent in a sample of my work (because I'm a writer) and I'm pretty sure that's what got me in. Maybe if you're really good at your instrument or your ice skating or windsurfing, you could send in a video of you doing that. My sister's a great piano player and she wanted to minor in music so she sent in a video of her playing parts of classical songs on the piano when she applied to Lehigh (she also got in).

Hope this helps =]

I'm actually younger than you are yet.. and it's not that I know everything about collage, but we did have this one program that prepared us...

Maybe try some community service hours, and the extra activities that you're in are great! If you're not already, maybe try participating in an activity that has to do with what you want to go to collage for.

Ex. If you want to be a vet, why not try volunteering at the animal shelter? And things like that.

Because sometimes they will pick a striaght B person over a straight A person because of their community service hours and activities.

Hope that helps, and good luck with collage! I hope you can get into a place that you want to get into.