Application veteran taking questions

Colleges and Universities A-Z Brown University
1

<p>Hey guys. To assuage (or aggrevate) your application anxieties, I’m here to answer questions about applications. </p>

<p>I basically applied to college 3 times (once during high school, once in a year off after high school, and once as a transfer student). Now I go to Brown and it’s great. I consider myself pretty experienced with applications and what it takes to finally “get it right.” So if you have questions, I’m glad to help you out</p>

<p>And I can answer questions about Brown too. :smiley: Good luck all</p>

2

<p>hi, i'm planning on applying as a transfer to brown. i know that applicant pool will have similar gpas (3.8-4) so i'm wondering what i can do to increase my chances of getting accepted. what was your essay about? were your recs from professors unique? just wondering because i feel like i don't know that much about transfer admissions compared to freshman admissions. thanks</p>

3

<p>hi, i applied to brown plme early decision (binding to program and school). i sent my app in on 31st october under overnight so it would reach on time. but it's the 7th now and i haven't received anything from brown yet. do i have to wait longer or something? and are there people in brown with really low sat score?</p>

4

<p>My sense is (although I am mainly in the same boat as you) that we will not hear anything for a while, unless it is about interviews, and I think that varies a lot with location and timing stuff. They have tons of applications to go through and I have heard that people don't usually get any confirmation until several weeks after the ap is received (like maybe three or more). It would have been unusual, i think, to have heard anything from them thus far.</p>

5

<p>oh ok thanks. makes sense.</p>

6

<p>theherald -- </p>

<p>first, the typical applicant gpa pool is more like 3.3 - 4.0, so you're in very good shape. The typical <em>very strong applicant</em> gpa pool is 3.7-4.0, so again, you're in very good shape. </p>

<p>My recs were excellent. I don't know what my recs from my profs at school said, but I think they were good. I also sent in two supplementary essays that were very good and very unique. One was from a boss of mine at the local university, and the other from a high school PE teacher and coach. Both were very powerful and made me stand out. </p>

<p>I sent in anything and everything I could to show every strength I have -- and not only that, but I went to great lenghts to explain those strengths and the significance of my accomplishments related to them. For instance, I went to two extremely selective rugby camps. To the non-rugby world, it looks like summer camp when in reality it's a collection of the very best 50 ruggers in the entire country. So I made sure to clarify that. I sent in a bound booklet I co-wrote for a prestigious internship I did after my freshman year, and again, explained the significance of the program and the significance of having done the program as a rising sophomore. I sent in a ceramics portfolio honed to a T. Brown doesn't ask for a midterm report, but I had a 4.0 at midterms my second semester so I made sure to draw up a midterm report form and send it in (I think this had a significant impact on my admissions decision). </p>

<p>I sent in two essays. My first one, the "transfer essay" talked about an experience I had zydeco dancing for a class, of all things (I went to Tulane in New Orleans), My basic point was that even though I was in a situation I didn't really want to be in, I was still able to find many positives. I then transitioned into how despite my positive experience atTulane, my passion for Brown remained strong and detailed my reasons for wanting to attend and why it was a better place for me than Tulane was. I cited intricate details of the neuroscience (my major) department, showing my extensive knowledge of the department and all it has to offer (i.e. do your research!!). I addressed what my interests were, and how Brown can serve all of them. I also compared my old school to Brown (this is important), and said why Brown could better suit my needs. I covered all aspects of life at Brown, and why those aspects made it a great fit for me, and why I was a great fit for Brown (not in a pretensious way -- just like, I'm intellectually curious, and brown fosters such intellectual curiosity yadda yadda)</p>

<p>I sent in an extra essay that I had written earlier about teaching young children science and how incredible it is that they are amazed at the simplest seeming things -- things we find old and boring. And that if we simply opened our eyes ourselves we too could find the beauty and awe that they do in our everyday lives. I revamped it to near perfection,and didn't want to let it go, so I submitted that too. </p>

<p>In February, I sent in an "update" on activiites that included some extra curriculars that I forgot to mention in my original application, a volunteer restoration projecet in the everglades I attended, and a miniature glass-blowing portfolio I made from a class I was taking. </p>

<p>Furthermore, I got very involved in the application process and with the admissions officers. I play rugby and got the rugby coach to lobby for me. Beacuse it's not a varsity sport (grr), I of course couldn't be recruited, but it certainly helped. Even if being an asset to the team didn't have an impact on my admissions decision, my coach could explain the significance of my rugby accomplishments. I also got in touch with my regional counselor to get my name in there and so she'd remember me. When I talked to counselors in the admiss office, I got their name and number, and next time I had a question, I talked to them specifically so I could develop a relationship. It's important, though, to have intelligent questions to ask, not just fillers to get your name out there. </p>

<p>Additionally, they drastically changed the financial situation for transfers, and there was a lot of misinformation circulating and ambiguity in the system. So I ended up talking (on the phone!! he called me!!) to the director of transfer admissions about my many financial aid questions. I think he was impressed with me, which I think iced the deal. This was a lucky twist of fate. </p>

<p>I also TYPED all of my applications using adobe acrobat (bootleg..heheh..). This sounds trivial but it makes a HUGE difference in your application. Presentation is HUGE. I also didn't restrict myself to the confines of the application form. If there wasn't enough room to list my EC, I attatched a sheet listing the rest of them. If there wasn't enough room to explain what each meant, I attatched an addendum with footnotes explaining each activities significance. That's not to say I blatantly disgregarded instructions -- I'm certainly not recommending that! But if they don't say <em>not</em> to, I say you're free to do so. Don't be afraid to show <em>every side of yourself.</em> Only when I showed and explained all of my talents and accomplishments in their fullest did I succeed in my applications. </p>

<p>I really tried to make my applications emmaculate -- no stone left unturned. mind you this meant spending my birthday staying up all night finishing my apps instead of having fun and basically locking myself in my room all of february, but it was, on so many levels, worth it. Edit your essays 10 dozen times. Get as much advice on yuor essays as you can, but don't let people change your voice. If you know in your heart it's good, it's good. </p>

<p>Does that make sense? Is that helpful? Please let me know if you have questions and the best of luck to you. Where do you go now? </p>

<p>p.s. you know the brown paper is called the herald, right?</p>

7

<p>Whoaaaaaaaah, you were really determined. You just made me feel very guilty about my lack of effort, thanksalot.</p>

8

<p>Oh, for the record, my application "history" is as follows</p>

<p>Senior year:
applied: Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Brown, Pomona, Colo State Ft. Collins Honors, U oregon Honors, Tulane Honors
Accepted: Colo state Honors, U Oregon Honors, Tulane (but not honors)</p>

<p>Accepted at Tulane due to pressure from my parents and deffered a year. Second guessed my decision during my year off and at the VERY last minute applied to schools again</p>

<p>Applied: Wash U in St. Louis, Pomona, Tulane Honors, Brown U
Accepted: Tulane Honors
Waitlisted: Wash U, Brown (torture. TORTURE) was eventually rejected. </p>

<p>Decided I wanted to try to transfer to Brown going into Tulane. I of course wanted to give tulane a shot but in my heart knew brown was the place for me. </p>

<p>Applied: Swarthmore, Penn, Yale, Tufts, Wash U St. Louis, Vassar, Oberlin, U Puget Sound, Brown U,
Accepted: U Puget sound, Penn, Swarthmore, Vassar, BROWN U!!
Deffered (never heard back...think my transcript got lost...but not that i care cuz I had my brownypoo:)) Wash U St. Louis</p>

<p>Anyways, that's all she wrote!!</p>

9

<p>Hahah, yeah, well, 3rd times the charm! If you want it bad enough, then do everything in your power to make it happen. That doesn't mean it will. And it's no detriment to your abilities, intelligence, and talents if it doesn't work. But at least you can look in the mirror and say "I did everything I can do" </p>

<p>After 2 years of bungling my applications, an opportunity to just do my best was all I really wanted. </p>

<p>Oh, about my zydeco dancing essay. My point abou tthat was that it was unique. I figure I was the only kid who applied that wrote about zydeco dancing! Try to find a unique topic and put an interesting spin on it. That's what's really going to make you stand out. Your essay is where they see who you really are -- where they see your voice and the way in which you interpret the world. So the more intriguing your essay is, the more intriguing YOU are.</p>

10

<p>A couple of questions:</p>

<ol>
<li><p>How did you get teachers' and counselor's rec recs and stuff on your year off?</p></li>
<li><p>Socially (and I guess academically), how was the transition starting as a second-year from Tulane?</p></li>
</ol>

11

<p>What did you learn about the financial situation for transfers?</p>

12

<p>"Applied: Swarthmore, Penn, Yale, Tufts, Wash U St. Louis, Vassar, Oberlin, U Puget Sound, Brown U,
Accepted: U Puget sound, Penn, Swarthmore, Vassar, BROWN U!!
Deffered (never heard back...think my transcript got lost...but not that i care cuz I had my brownypoo) Wash U St. Louis"</p>

<p>Did you not get accepted to Oberlin?</p>

13

<p>what did you put for the "who interested you in brown" question, and how long was you're answer? just wondering, because i don't relaly have anything much to say for that one.</p>

14

<p>OMG ClaySoul I just read this thread, and I'm in the exact same situation you were. I got into Tulane Honors, which I'm going to this fall, but I didn't get into Brown, Yale, Duke, or Columbia. I really would like to transfer to Brown, if I can, but do you think they'd still be willing to take a transfer student from Tulane? Also, do you think they still have my application? Will they take the highest SAT scores from each section, and if so, should i take the SAT again? (my math was a lowly 680, but my writing was a 790 and my CR was a 730) And was your financial aid award satisfactory? I know about how Brown's not need-blind for transfers and all...</p>

<p>Oh and one more thing...should I take sophomore status at Tulane, with AP credits, so I may apply transfer this december?</p>

<p>thank you!!!!</p>

15

<p>claysoul hasnt posted since november. look at the dates before you resurrect old threads.</p>

16

<p>You should give Tulane a chance first--just because she transferred doesn't mean you should go in with the mindset of wanting to go somewhere else</p>

17

<p>Ohnes is right. Tulane has a lot to offer. But furthermore, consider this. If you go into Tulane with the mindset of just wanting to get the heck out of there, you're not going to enjoy yourself, make friends, have fun, and expand your mind. All of which you CAN do at Tulane. You only get 4 years of college. Don't throw one away!</p>

<p>Tulane wasn't right for me but I tried my hardest to make the most of the year while I was there. You really don't have a choice.</p>

18

<p>claysoul, in your opinion, how is/was the transfer experience at brown/did you feel out of place? have you made new friends or is it just with transfers? oh & housing too.. & generally, what are the classes & school environment like (for example, food or recreation & all that) for you compared to tulane? lol! whoa, okay i know that was a hella lotta questions but i would appreciate your sharing of your year-long experience @ Brown!! :P</p>

19

<p>I'd be glad to. </p>

<p>First, it's important that I note that I haven't spent much time there yet. I got sick mid November and had to take a medical leave. But hopefully I'll be back in the fall (AND SEE YOU THERE!!). I CANNOT WAIT TO GET BACK "HOME" (for real, Brown feels like my home now) </p>

<p>My time at Brown was great. I'm obsessed with that school. I think I kept the bookstore in business buying Brown memorabilia just so I could keep reminding myself I ACTUALLY GO TO THIS AMAZING PLACE! </p>

<p>The transfer process was hard, but I think that's true at many schools. I think it's especially hard at a place that doesn't coddle you like Brown. But I met a lot of very nice transfers (and other students) during a very nicely organized orientation, and made friends. I never really got an opportunity to cement a lot of friendships because I left so soon. However, I feel that if I stayed, things would really have been great. Everyone at Brown is fantastic. People are so nice and smart and fun. </p>

<p>My situation was a little unusual. Most transfers room with and near other transfers, and the transfers tend to hang out together. However, I requested a single because of medical conditions, so I ended up in a different building where I think I was the only transfer. But most of my neighbors were great. They invited me to hang out with them and were very friendly. </p>

<p>I met the people I clicked the most with coincidentally. I was in my room doing some ridiculously hard genetics homework when I heard a girl in the bathroom talking about genetics homework. I rushed in and said "did someone just say GENETICS?!?!" and she was like yeah, omg, I CANNOT figure out number 3! I was like I got 3, but 4 is killing me! So we talked about the homework together, and she invited me to go to a concert Brown was holding with her friends, and then later to chicken finger fridays at the VDUB (their weekly ritual at a campus cafeteria). That's just how brown people are! They want to be your friend. </p>

<p>I also play rugby, and so I had the support and friendship of the team. As a transfer, this was probably one of the most beneficial and important things. If you are a girl, PLAY (I'll downright make you :). My coach was also my advisor (she helped me gain admission), which was very nice. There isn't a better, more close knit, more fun, more exciting club on campus. If you're a guy play too, cuz rugby is cool :). </p>

<p>I hardly met any snobby people at Brown. Everyone was just awesome. I clicked with people a lot better than at Tulane, where I actually found a lot of snobby people. There were probably a lot of filthy rich people (myself definitley not included) but you really absolutely couldn't tell. </p>

<p>I have to go now but I'll write some more when I get back!! I hope that was helpful</p>

20

<p>aww claysoul i am so sorry you didn't get to finish your year at brown!! but YEAH! it would be so awesome to see you there next year!! :D i am so glad that it was everything you thought it would be though. do they encourage transfers to hang out together? i mean like, do they like have a house/dorm just for transfers? or do they just kind of try and room transfers together or something? lol. i love the example you gave of your genetics buddy! :) that sounds awesome! are classes what you thought they would be? i mean i dunno i dream of the open curriculum & like really awesome professors that you can just talk & chill with. hehe. but on a more serious note, do you know the avg. or extent of financial aid given to transfers in your class? that's my main concern :(
hope you have been getting better and more awesome "brown spirit" on your sabbatical!</p>