An Interest and Chances Question...Current Brandeis students please respond

Colleges and Universities A-Z Brandeis University
1

<p>As starting this thread indicates, I love Brandeis. Aside from wondering what my chances are, I am simply inquiring how (aside from the interview) you can show genuine interest in Brandeis. I’ve already sent them 2 emails to inform them of additional awards, and affirm how much I like the college. Beyond this, is there anything I can do? I don’t want to come off as obsessive by emailing them too much though. Any comments would be great. </p>

<p>Thanks guys. </p>

<p>Here goes…</p>

<p>White
Public High School
Class rank:3/356
GPA:4.6 (weighted)/3.94 out of 4.0 (unweighted)</p>

<p>Most competitive classes</p>

<p>Junior Year: French 4 Honors, Pre-calculus honors, AP English, AP Government, AP Psychology, AP US History (I scored a 5 on all of these tests)</p>

<p>Senior year: AP French 5, AP English Literature, AP Calculus AB, Western Civilization Honors</p>

<p>SAT’s:
Reading 760
Writing 720
Math 600
Total:2080</p>

<p>SAT II’s:
US History 800
English 690</p>

<p>EC’s:</p>

<p>President of Model UN</p>

<p>President of Debate Team (Organized several inter-school debates)</p>

<p>President of Model Congress–Youngest member ever. Generally reserved to 11th and 12th graders. I was specifically asked to join in 10th grade.</p>

<p>General Editor of Literary Arts Magazine–Poems and short stories published here.</p>

<p>Vice President of Foreign Language Club–Organized many volunteer functions</p>

<p>DECA-I am founder of the marketing club, started a cafe that donates all profits to charity, and organized several other fundraisers for African orphans and cancer patients. I also won several awards: Regional 2007–1st place role play, 3rd place overall. Regional 2008–1st place overall, 2nd place role play. State 2007–3rd place (written), 3rd place (spoken), 1st place role play.</p>

<p>Very involved with my church-200+ hrs of running my food pantry, Youth Group, Senior Handbell choir, Board of Deacons, Recording Secretary. Organized food drives for Christmas and Easter for four consecutive years. Save Our Battered Sisters Volunteer for four consecutive years. Aided in the rummage sale for 4 consecutive years.</p>

<p>Peers As Leaders–a selective group of 30 seniors. I also do peer tutoring, peer mentoring, and peer mediating through this organization.</p>

<p>National Honor Society</p>

<p>French Honor Society</p>

<p>Essay–My AP English teacher told me it’s one of the greatest she’s seen in 20 years of teaching…I think it’s pretty good, but maybe not THAT good.</p>

<p>Recs–1-AP English teacher Junior Year. He told me he was writing about how I am one of his strongest students ever, and my passion for literature.
2-AP Gov’t/AP History teahcer. He said it would be great as well.</p>

<p>So…
Any thoughts on chances or interest?</p>

2

<p>The absolute best thing you can do to show interest is apply ED. Frankly, anything else you do will pale in comparison to this.</p>

3

<p>I predict you will be accepted. Did they invite you to apply early online and receive an early response?</p>

4

<p>No, MidwestMom, they didn't ask me online, but, then again, I didn't get my application in until like Jan. 10. </p>

<p>So, aside from ED, how else can you convince a school that ranks level of applicant's interest as "very important" that you love the school. With the interview only being "considered" that doesn't strike me as that essential of a way of informing Brandeis you wish to attend.</p>

<p>Any other opinions?</p>

5

<p>If you haven't done so already, try to schedule a visit to the campus and make a personal connection with someone in the admissions office. Your stats are more than sufficient to be admitted to Brandeis but you could fall victim to what's known as the "Tufts syndrome", that is, admissions officers getting the feeling that because of your stats you really want to go to an Ivy League school but would accept going to Brandeis as sort of a safety, without a lot of enthusiasm for the school.</p>

<p>So a personal connection with someone in the admissions office, even if it would be just for 10 or 15 minutes, might help avoid that. To ensure that someone in that office takes note of your visit, be sure to say that you have already applied so they know they have a file for you in which they could drop a note about your visit. Perhaps you might also call in advance to make an appointment, which could accomplish the same thing. But have a couple of good questions ready so that the admssions officer doesn't fell you're wasting his/her time.</p>

6

<p>I've been emailing Brandeis frequently, but I'll try and get an appointment, too. Thanks, dadofsam.</p>

7

<p>Listen, it does not matter how many times you email Brandeis because I emailed them everyday and basically harassed them and guess what I was accepted for ED1. According to your numbers and stats I think you have a very good chance of being accepted. The advice I will give you is find one person in the admissions office and just keep contact with that one person and everything will work out perfectly. Good luck! And I hope to see you in the fall.</p>