<p>Yes,
after all these years of being out of school I have decided to return. I enrolled at a local CC over the Summer and things are going great (straight A’s so far). In terms of extra curricular activities, I belong to a local writers club, HUGE animal advocate/volunteer, and Muay Thai coach. I have been very successful in the business world and will bring a wealth of life experiences with me to Brown.(fingers crossed) </p>
<p>I am looking to apply to Brown for Fall 2011 classes via the RUE program and I am looking for anyone with experience with RUE. The admissions department has been very helpful and have answered most if not all of my questions, but if you have anything to add please advise.
Thanks!</p>
<p>Hey! It depends on what kind of courses you are looking for at Brown. I really don’t think I am fit to give you any advices because I am only 17 years old! haha
But all I know is that elite schools like Brown loves diversity in their student bodies! So you definitely will stand out from a pile of apps from high school applicants like myself haha.</p>
<p>But thumbs up for taking the challenge to return to school!
You are definitely one of a kind! (Or maybe I am just extremely short - sighted and lacking in life experiences). <claps>
Good Luck!! I really hope you can get into Brown :)</claps></p>
<p>I think it’s wonderful that you’re applying! I always thought RUE students were awesome and I wish I had gotten to know some of them. If you get admitted and end up heading to Brown, chances are good that you’ll love the place.</p>
<p>If you have any specific questions or whatever, please feel free to PM me. I’m not quite a ‘real person’ yet - I’m 24 and in law school (I was Brown '08) - but I might have an ounce more perspective than some of the youngins on here :)</p>
<p>I’m not sure what I would tell you generally about the program that you haven’t already learned from admissions, but if you have any specific questions I’m happy to try to answer them here or through email/pm.</p>
<p>I will say a couple of things about nontraditional applications in general:</p>
<p>1) Do your research. There are a lot of nontrad programs out there, each with it’s own characteristics and advantages/disadvantages.</p>
<p>2) In addition to those schools with specific nontrad programs, reach out to schools that may interest you for other reasons. Talk to an admissions officer about how the school responds to applications form nontrads. You may be surprised by what you learn.</p>
<p>3) Cast a wide net. The fact is that you just never know how a particular admissions office is going to view your app. Stories abound of applicants getting denied from schools where they thought admittance was a lock and getting into schools where they thought admittance was a dream. To a certain extent, my own experience bears this out.</p>
<p>4) If you will be applying for financial aid, start thinking about how you’re going to pay for it all right now. Most schools treat nontrads differently for financial aid. The majority of programs are not need-blind. Some, on the other hand, have special funds set aside for nontraditional students. (See, for example, schools affiliated with the Osher Reentry Scholarship Program and the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation.)</p>
<p>5) Finally, make sure your application and letters of recommendation are top notch.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>N.B. Perhaps it goes without saying, but when I was applying I followed my own advice: I researched many schools, both with nontrad programs and without. I applied to a half dozen or so. Of those I was accepted to, I chose Brown and am very glad that I did. Of all the top-tier schools that have nontrad programs I think Brown does it best; the RUE Program offers just the right mix of integration into the traditional undergraduate community and access to specialized resources and support for students re-entering the academic world.</p>
<p>Hello everyone,
thanks for the nice responses and even better PMs.
I have a general application question. What makes a letter of recommendation top notch?</p>
<p>Honestly, I’m not sure I know the answer to this question. It’s probably fairly easy to tell the difference between a recommendation that is top notch and one that is not if you compare them side-by-side. All I can really say is that if I were an admissions officer reviewing your app I would probably look to a recommendation to provide confirmation of the following things:</p>
<p>1) That you’re serious about/committed to resuming and completing your formal education.</p>
<p>2) That you have both the intellectual ability and the work ethic necessary to succeed at a place like Brown.</p>
<p>3) That you’ll be able to handle the age/experience difference between you and the rest of the student body.</p>
<p>4) That you’ll contribute something unique to the Brown community, both in and out of the classroom.</p>
<p>5) That you’ll take something from your experience at Brown; in other words, that even though you’re older, you’re still open to the growth and change that can come from the college experience.</p>
<p>Finally, I’d like to hear what it is about you, as a person, that compels the professor to recommend you.</p>
<p>Again, I’m not sure I’m right about all or any of this. Others, especially those with experience in admissions, are encouraged to chime in.</p>
<p>I applied to Brown as a transfer student because I was too young (at 23) to apply RUE. However, I was supporting myself and had been for a couple of years (and they knew it because I was a Brown employee and my parents lived in NJ!).</p>
<p>My SATs were in the range but not like a lot of the peoples’ here on CC. The AO told me the scores did not matter that much at that point anyway. They did have me send my h.s. transcript (probably for proof of the diploma).</p>
<p>What they were really interested in were my references – letters from employers (including my supervisor at Brown), a former prof at the school I had spent one year in, places I had done volunteer work for. I also had taken a course at URI’s night school as a Brown employee (meaning they paid for it) and the grade (A) went to the Brown AO too. I had that prof write me a letter as well.</p>
<p>I also had an interview at the AO and before I even applied I was in the Fin Aid ofice figuring out how I would pay for the place. </p>
<p>Profs love RUE students; they bring a different perspective to the material and they really, really appreciate being there. And they rarely are heard to say “Why do we have to read this?” and they don’t cut classes or come in late or text during the lecture. </p>
<p>Go for it! And the best of luck to you! Greedisgood, shut up and if you are at Brown, you should transfer to ■■■■■ U and make a space for the people who really belong there.</p>