**Brown Class of 2020 RD applicant thread**

@IfnousWHO Congrats!!! I hope you don’t mind me asking, but what state and/or region do you live in?

From some quick research, don’t worry if you haven’t received a likely letter. Brown doesn’t send them to too many people… I think they’re only for highly sought-after candidates (other than athletes). Looks like it’ll be a few more weeks for the rest of us!

@collegebound1915
I am in Florida
(east coast central region of FL)

Anyone other than @epoque and I applying to Brown in conjunction with UChicago? If so, which do you prefer? In the close to impossible scenario in which I get into both, I wanna be able to know what the majority choose and what the pros and cons of each are :’)

@McKilla99 I didn’t apply to Chicago, but I would imagine that Brown is more relaxed, while Chicago is more intense.

@McKilla99 I think Chicago is definitely more intense than Brown. I’m having a really hard time saying who I prefer most, but I lean towards Chicago. I’m also applying to both. Best of luck!

Applied* haha

@omalette @McKilla99 I too applied to both! If I was fortunate enough to get into both, I would choose brown. My brother went there and it’s always sort of been a dream to follow in his footsteps. Also, I fear for my social life at U-Chicago.

Alum here – I have never understood how the same person can like both UChicago and Brown. Their educational philosophy is totally different. I just don’t see how someone who wants a core would also be happy with the open curriculum, and vice versa.

The one person I know who had to make this decision went to Brown. This was about 10 years ago.

Yes, but people like colleges for different reasons. Someone who likes UChicago perhaps doesn’t really care about open vs core curriculum.

There are a few schools I applied to that are very different from each other, but they each have something that stands out that drew me to that school.

@mjstewart1224 @fireandrain I agree with both of what your saying. A few of the places I applied had completely different atmospheres, philosophies, etc. But I still felt drawn to them for some reason or another. Other times I applied someplace before really getting to know it, and because of that ended up realizing later it wasn’t a perfect fit.

I think I’m leaning towards UChicago. Before any Brown alumni attack me, I just feel like UChicago is more “intellectual” than Brown. Although I do like the idea of an open curriculum and the laid back nature of Brown. It’ll be very very difficult to choose between the two. GAAAH. I applied as an engineering major to both unis - the molecular engineering program at UChicago and MatSe at Brown.

@fireandrain did you know any engineering majors at Brown? Was their experience chill or as intense as you’d expect from an engineering based curriculum?

my best friend got a likely letter yesterday!! she is in Beijing.
btw anyone in Hong Kong got a LL yet?? although i know not everyone is supposed to get one I’m still kinda worried that I haven’t got one

@Yankxy expecting a likely letter is foolhardy and will only end in disappointment unless you’ve won a Nobel Prize or climbed the seven tallest peaks by the time you turned 16.

@Yankxy @McKilla99 is right. This is an Ivy League school you applied to. Unless you’re COMPLETELY extraordinary, don’t expect to get one. Most people don’t, so don’t stress.

@McKilla99 I’ve known many engineering majors at Brown. Although most of them graduated a few decades ago.

Engineering is one of the more difficult majors at Brown. If you hope to get straight As, it will be intense. If you are happy with some Bs and Cs, it will be more chill. My impression is that it gets more fun when you move into higher level classes. And if you are doing ScB engineering, your ability to take full advantage of the open curriculum is limited because there are so many requirements.

I know nothing about UChicago engineering, but I would look closely at the schedule you would need to meet both engin requirements and the core.

I understand what you are all saying about how one can like colleges that are dissimilar. From my point of view, it seems that both Brown and UChi/Columbia are so driven by their curriculum – the curriculum is such a huge determinant in what your experience will be – that it would seem easy to decide between the two. You either like one system, or the other.

Wooohoo! Almost 30 days left! Almost…almost. I feel like I’m slowly losing my sanity waiting for decisions.

Yeah, 36 :-SS I honestly don’t know how I’m going to survive.

5 MONTHS OF MY LIFE THEY HAVE STOLEN FOR THIS ABSURD PROCESS.

I just want it to be over.

What are you guys doing, to pass the time?
I’m reading the Brown tumblr page, and ■■■■, Brown is better than I thought. In my mind, I’ve already sorted myself to one of the freshman dorms :)) . If I don’t get in, I don’t know, what I’ll do with myself.
Here’s the link to the page- ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■