<p>People who apply to Brown as a “backup” for HYP are completely and utterly misguided. In fact, I think anyone who applies to more than a couple Ivies is making a mistake. Aside from being a member of the league, every Ivy is unique, with it’s own feel and and set of strengths. If you apply to all (or many) of them, it’s obvious you’re only interested in the name. How shallow…</p>
<p>^that’s me, shallow. just like the rest of the masses of high achieving students in this country who do the same. point blank- we’re smart, so we want to get the best possible education. it just so happens that a lot of the ivies are the best academic schools. and when it comes down to it, I’m going to go to college because I want to learn and I want to have a foundation for my career. when academics are tied (which largely, they are among the top schools) THEN it comes down to the character of the school, the location, etc. but until I actually get into one of those schools, I don’t have to worry about the rest because academics is my top priority</p>
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actually it’s not that great haha. the weather is crappy, the city itself isnt that much fun (its an ugly city) and when it comes to college admissions, philly suburbs are pretty darn competitive. but I can’t complain- WAY worse in cali, especially if you’re asian.</p>
<p>Applying to 6 or 7 reach schools just seems utterly ridiculous to most people, with good reason. Even if you were applying to so many reaches, you should at least have a coherent list and solid reasons for applying to each. Sounds to me like you feel entitled and are only interested in prestige and thought Brown would be your cakewalk into the Ivies. That’s precisely the student we should strive to reject.</p>
<p>FWIW, Philadelphia is definitely NOT as bad as Stupefy portrays it to be! I’ve lived in the inner city of Philly and in the suburbs and I definitely prefer the city life–so much more to do and see (a lot of culture, diversity, and happiness…many of the reasons why I fell in love with Brown!). Plus the four seasons are gorgeous! Just wanted to clear that up…</p>
<p>Do colleges see the other colleges an applicant is applying to? If they do, does that help/hinder the applicant?</p>
<p>i know the ivies communicate about their applicants</p>
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they’re only “reach” in that no one is guaranteed admission, but I feel like I’m qualified enough. anyway, I do have “solid reasons” for applying to each, it just so happens that for brown my reasons are least solid. the other 5 I could easily write long essays explaining why I would want to attend that college in particular. so i admit it, brown is an add on. I’m applying last minute and i might not want to go. wow sue me. sue me and everyone else. you can have whatever opinion you want to have, I just want to let you know that a lot of people (especially applicants) would disagree with you. I’m not the one in the wrong here, so please don’t take that over-righteous, holier than thou tone with me.</p>
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you’re right, I was exaggerating. and I live in the suburbs, so I probably dont get the city life that you did. its just that I’ve lived here all my life and I want to get away. and yes, the four seasons are wonderful! we’re finally getting a cold winter again this year 
brrr</p>
<p>^It was 68 here today, ugh</p>
<p>we just had a big blizzard! almost a foot yet it came on the weekend, so only a 2hr delay on monday boo haha</p>
<p>ok. so, stupefy, I don’t at all blame you. If I was rejected/deferred from Brown, I was going to apply to the rest of the ivies besides harvard and UPenn. I wanted the best education possible. Of course, I had my safety and math schools, but I really wanted to get the education best for ME. The thing that is very demeaning, though, is that you’re considering Brown education to be much worse than any other ivy and you have a pompous attitude towards the school. Brown has a very low acceptance rate and they decline valedictorians/SATs of 2400/ ACTs of 36 every year. Essays and teacher recs are weighed VERY heavily. If youre having trouble writing your essays, good luck getting in. Waiting to the last minute writing your essays, good luck getting in. The liberal education at Brown is looked down upon for reasons I don’t comprehend. I will learn a lot from Brown and excited to attend. I think it would be wise if you would stop offending people on this board by implying that it’s a lesser ivy.</p>
<p>“Applying to 6 or 7 reach schools just seems utterly ridiculous to most people, with good reason. Even if you were applying to so many reaches, you should at least have a coherent list and solid reasons for applying to each. Sounds to me like you feel entitled and are only interested in prestige and thought Brown would be your cakewalk into the Ivies. That’s precisely the student we should strive to reject.” --MM</p>
<p>My thoughts EXACTLY.</p>
<p>I have 6 semi-reach schools I’m applying to but I’ve researched and visited all but one and that one is all the way out in california (pomona) does that mean I’m making a stupid move applying to 6 reach schools? (that question is rhetorical). </p>
<p>You can’t judge Stupefy for doing something you don’t agree with. Maybe she doesn’t know a lot about Brown now but during the next few months she plans to research it, or after she is accepted, if she is accepted. I love Brown and would probably choose it over any school in the country. Someone shouldn’t be verbally assaulted for applying to a place that they don’t love or don’t know that much about. You can say you disagree with it sure, but you don’t go after the person and that’s what you guys have done.</p>
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<p>after visiting both campuses, i honestly loved both yale and brown for different reasons, and because of this i submitted applications for both. yes, they are quite different, but why must they be mutually exclusive? brown is not a backup reach for me, but i like its offerings for different reasons than i like yale’s. why must one have only ONE type of fit? i think i could be happy and find my niche on both campuses, as different as they are.</p>
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Thank you, that was my rebuttal :)</p>
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First of all, verbal assault is very strong. I started out saying it’s a pet peeve and something I disagree with and the conversation only heightened as additional responses poured in.</p>
<p>Second of all, precisely what I disagree with is the notion of applying for the sake of it and figuring things out later. That’s a waste of time and resources for everyone involved.</p>
<p>I’m not judging him/her, just saying that I wouldn’t admit a student if that was the impression I got as an adcom and I would not recommend them if that was the impression I got as an alumni interviewer, and with, IMO, very good reason-- there are more than enough brilliant people who are applying to Brown because it’s Brown and what they could add to our community and what they can draw from the Brown community. So I wouldn’t feel the need to give someone a chance to figure out whether Brown works for them because enough people exist who already know it works for them.</p>
<p>But that’s not even the half of it, you need to understand Stupefy in context. On and off for some time he/she has been posting critically about Brown (though genuinely wanting to learn about somethings) but from a position of assumed inferiority which has just been confirmed. If Brown is so inferior and all of your posts are putting the place down, and you’re just applying for the heck of it, does that not sound like someone who is grubbing for perceived prestige which is, just good enough, at Brown to be, acceptable, relative to the places someone really wants to go?</p>
<p>With 25k applicants in previous years and potentially 30k applicants this year, Brown can do without the prestige grubbers.</p>
<p>^unfortunately the admissions process isn’t about who wants brown the most, but who is qualified and attractive as an applicant. everyone can write a convincing response to the essay question “Why brown” but how is the adcom to differentiate between who really wants it and who is a good writer and researcher? (I would say, half are the former and half are the latter)</p>
<p>@modest- this is offtopic but just curious. you graduated last year right? did you find a job or are you in grad school? one of my friends’ older sister (anecdotal evidence I know) graduated from brown undergrad and couldn’t find a job 
she said her employer looked down on brown</p>
<p>I’m liking how tense you people are. Nerd fight!</p>