why brown? essay
I liked the open curriculum and complete flexibility with the courses and the relaxed atmosphere
Prestige/Name
Brown is my first choice and I want to try for PLME
@aidenmeyer27 without divulging too much, what did you write about? I feel like there isn’t much room for creativity in the “why brown” essay because it specifically asks about the open curriculum and what you hope to achieve
Hello! I am currently a gap year participant who was accepted to Brown with the Class of 2022. If any of you have questions about the admissions process, Brown in general, or specific application problems, I’d be glad to help! I am truly ecstatic to have been accepted last year and I don’t think I could have made it alone, so don’t hesitate to reach out.
@theoriginalbrown Congratulations! Like the above post, may I ask you what you wrote about in general in the “Why Brown?” prompt. I feel like everyone will be writing about the open curriculum so it will be boring. Any thoughts?
@hitrowboat I think there’s a specific “Why open curriculum” question now
Writing the Brown supplements now as an ED application. There are two separate essays regarding Brown: the “Why this major” essay, which also subtly asks you to elaborate on why Brown would be good for this major, and “Why Open Curriculum” essay that also asks you what you will contribute to Brown. I think they just got too many essays that just talked about the OC, so they blatantly ask about it now.
I feel like my essays are really good for Brown, but I’m still developing them. My LoRs will also be solid, because I know both my teachers very well. My ECs are also very good for the interest I’m developing, and I hope that because I have a strong interest in many of Brown’s programs they overlook some less palatable parts of my application.
The funny thing is, my UW GPA is below Brown’s average, but my Weighted GPA, SAT and ACT are all well above Brown’s average for the Class of 2022 (according to collegedata). As for everything else, I think it’s at least par for the course.
I want to go to Brown so badly.
@amanwithaplan Are you sure the “why this major” question was supposed to be about Brown? I literally wrote about the subject I’m applying for and why it inspires me so much. I didn’t mention Brown.
@theWriter28 You don’t have to mention brown. It asks why you love the major, not brown
Correction: Maybe mention how Brown would help you explore your major, but spent the majority of your time on the topic at hand
@MyGPAIsAnL I was advised to discuss, firstly why I came to the major I liked, but also then discuss how Brown would help me accomplish this major, so I have them in equal parts.
Hello, When I tried to upload a graded paper (pdf document) on Brown portal, it’s given “Please select the material type” error. Did anyone upload a graded paper or see this error? Thanks.
People applying ED, are you planning to do a regular alumni interview or the 2 minute video profile? I know the website says they don’t prefer one over the other, but I’m curious if you think there are significant disadvantages to doing the video. I like the idea of the admissions officers themselves hearing my words instead of getting a couple sentences from an alum. Also, what kinds of things do you think we’re supposed to talk about in the video? I have some ideas, but it’s so open-ended that I feel like I’m going to do it wrong somehow. Thanks!
@12524Ask
I do not think they would say both options are treated equally and give you the option if they did not want you to take it. I am personally doing the alumni interview. I think they want the video to show traits of your personality somehow. Good luck!
Is everybody doing the graded paper? I am concerned because I read an article saying it will be used along with the grade to determine the degree of grade inflation at the school. It also only says “encouraged” rather than “recommended,” so I am not sure whether it is a big deal to not submit.
@apmaster10 If the admissions staff, the very people who will be evaluating the applications, encourages students to submit a graded paper, why would one not do so? AOs certainly don’t want to create busy work for themselves, so this tells us these papers can be a meaningful part of the application evaluation. IME omitting an ‘encouraged’ component will result in a disadvantaged application.
Graded papers seems to have replaced the SAT writing for many school. On the other hand I still think it is hugely subjective but these schools think they know what they are doing so…
Agree! Maybe AOs see it as taking some sort of control, as opposed to letting CollegeBoard and ACT evaluators apply their unknown rubrics to essays. I also think there is value in evaluating a finished product, having had opportunities to revise, vs. an on-demand essay written after taking a hard test for 3 hours or so. More real world like in the former.
@Mwfan1921
I have decided to submit one but one thing everyone choosing to submit a graded paper should be aware of: according to articles on Ivy Coach and Forbes, admissions officers may also use these papers combined with the grade it received to make judgements about the degree to which grade inflation is present at one’s school… so the paper should truly be one that represents the student’s best writing ability, not necessarily the one with the highest grade.
Also, Princeton (which now requires a graded paper be submitted) is actually very adamant that a grade is included and the graded paper submitted is a course that was taken for credit at the student’s high school. I am aware it is a different school, but this could say something about how the papers are evaluated.
1 Like
Correction: is FROM a course that was taken for credit at a student’s high school.