Brown seems like a great fit for me. It truly has everything I want in a school and I have a decent shot at getting in. The problem is, I live in Providence, practically on the Brown campus, and I really want college to be an entirely new experience for me and a time when I change, grow, and venture out of my comfort zone. I am faced with a dilemma that although I really want to apply early there and am not excited about any other schools compared to Brown, the location thing is really killing me. Can anyone please provide thoughts on what he or she would do in this situation? I am pressed for time and do not know what to do. I have looked at many schools and wrote off Brown when I first visited because of location, but it is my favorite school otherwise. Thanks
So, what is it about Brown exactly that makes it a perfect fit? If you could articulate some specific reasons/characteristics, that will help the CC community suggest other schools for you to consider.
Could you post your stats?
Here is a thread you might find helpful on colleges similar to Brown
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/brown-university/386122-schools-similar-to-brown.html
If you have a decent shot at Brown, then you have a decent shot at a lot of colleges and therefore a lot of options
Going to Brown as a townie doesn’t mean you’ll be stuck in Providence for the rest of your life, and you’d meet lots of really interesting people from around the country and world. FWIW, my Brown freshman roommate was a townie who also had grown up a block or so from campus and she really enjoyed it, as did her siblings who attended Brown (tuition-free, since their father was a professor). She and her siblings left Providence after college, but her daughter graduated from Brown this past spring,
look at rice university. it is far from rhode island and maybe a great fit that allows you to go far and spread your wings. you can always go to brown for grad school if you return to R.I.
Tough decision. Could there be a bit of comfort level with your current location that is keeping you from thinking outside of Brown? If you can get into Brown you can get into most anywhere, and there are a lot of other good schools and locations where you could be happy. Getting away from home for college is important I think, for the reasons listed by you and others. But it’s a personal decision, and either way you will be good.
If you’re accustomed to Providence, but, would still like to leave home, the next logical city to look at would be New Haven. Downtown New Haven is roughly equivalent to Thayer Street and Yale pretty much owns everything in sight.
Next, I would compare Wesleyan. Again, it’s another southern New England town/city at the footsteps of a wealthy and prestigious college. Some Wesleyan students are intimidated by the socio-economics of the area, but, for anyone who grew up in Providence it can be navigated pretty easily and there’s a quirky, flavorsome assortment of stores and restaurants to reward your efforts.
Lastly, I would consider Vassar. Probably not as urban as either Brown - or, even Wesleyan. But, there’s a similar laid-back vibe with art majors a little more visible than on the average Ivy campus.
Maybe consider Tufts? Slightly less laid-back IMO but they have many cross-applicants, and Somerville/Boston are great places to be as a student.
As a former townie, there are benefits to being local. You can show off your home town and the ‘hidden treasures’ to the new arrivals and experience it again through their eyes. I had easy access to a car. You can make a point of doing away weekends. When friends from high school were home visiting their folks, we were able to catch up easily even if our breaks didn’t match. And of course, a junior year abroad means you’ve got your ‘away experience’ - just delayed slightly. I don’t regret having been close to home - I visited my family slightly more often than those who were from out of town - but only because I wanted the car. And when I got sick, I was able to go home for the weekend to recoup.
So long as you aren’t clinging to Brown because you’re afraid of what else is out there, I’m not sure I see a problem. On the other hand, there are other of ‘Brown-ish’ schools out there, depending on what criteria you have set.
Why apply early? Apply regular decision and then you can make the decision based on where you are accepted.
I’ve known locals who have gone to Brown, and those who decided to go further afield. Both make it work. I know one person who is there now, parents live on the East Side, and I know this person is having the absolute time of their life and does not regret being so close to home one iota.
According to the Brown admissions rep we heard, ED is not a bump unless you are a recruited athlete. In other words, if you have a good chance of getting in ED, you stand a good chance at RD.
ED is really for those that are 99.9% sure that that school is for you.
Go RD and branch out to see what else is out there. Then if Brown is an option, you can decide.