<p>I was raised in a deaf and low income family (Questbridge Finalist), do you believe Brown would value this sort of diversity? to what magnitude? Does Brown value anything notably different than other similar schools?</p>
<p>All holistic evaluation colleges appreciate what students did given their circumstances. Yes I think Brown will be interested in your story. I would not call it a hook. Are you going to apply RD, I take it you didn’t do the Match? </p>
<p>I did not do the Match, applying ED instead. What would you call a hook? Or rather, what would Brown call a hook?</p>
<p>Recruited athlete, child of a U.S. Senator, child of a generous billionaire. </p>
<p>A “hook” is an attribute that meets an institutional priority. Brown wants to serve first-generation kids, so being the first in your family to go to college is a hook. Geographic diversity is a priority, so being from North Dakota is a hook. Same with athletes and $$$. Having deaf parents is not a hook. Low income might be. Questbridge provides its own benefits.</p>
<p>It seems that a “hook” is a method to sort admissions piles, but some see it as an exclusive ticket to admission (i.e. child of a Senator), so it also seems to be arbitrary. I’m not really interested in that conversation, so I probably shouldn’t have titled my post “Brown Hooks.” Instead I would like to discern how Brown would invite a student on the basis of diversity in relation to other features of the application from the essay (likely the best way of communicating diversity) to gpa and test scores.</p>
<p>@CynicalPeace I don’t understand your post #5. Are you asking a question?</p>
<p>Hooks are not a method to sort admission piles, whatever that means. </p>
<p>Brown wants diversity, of all types. Good grades and SAT scores are vital, because Brown wants to make sure its students can do the work. You could be the only left-foot playing piano player in the world but if your SATs are in the 400s, it’s not going to help. Having deaf parents makes you interesting. Whether that’s enough to get you admitted, I doubt anyone on CC knows that. </p>
<p>I think if you are interested you just apply. There is no need to try to overanalyze to this extent. You are going to be viewed as a whole, not as parts. You are a QB finalist and that is a boost. You have an unusual backstory, very interesting. No one can take part of your application in isolation and tell you anything. If you are asking if being diverse in this way makes up for gpa and sat being too low I would say no. It can happen that they feel you are qualified or maybe not. I knew a QB student last cycle who was admitted with a lower test score. But the gpa was high and the program was very rigorous IB program. Not all QB applicants have the ability to get into the top most selective colleges and that’s fine because the partner schools have a range of selectivity while all being very excellent colleges.</p>
<p>Did you visit the questbridge forum yet? Students who were matched are reporting in stats and you can see other hopefuls for this season. Also look at results from RD last year.
<a href=“**2014-2015 Questbridge College Match Results** - Questbridge Programs - College Confidential Forums”>**2014-2015 Questbridge College Match Results** - Questbridge Programs - College Confidential Forums;
<p>@arwarw I am not asking a question as much as I am trying to incite a discussion that may be interesting to others in the future. A lot of people are on this site purely for information and I believe that many prospective students of a certain diversity (minority, low income) would do well to have access to a conversation that explores this topic. </p>
<p>To others, I appreciate your intent and advice, but I gave you scant important information about myself: I ask how you would generally analyze the relative importance of certain minority attributes. I don’t care much what college confidential thinks about my admission prospects: of this I am most cognizant. Per fireandrain: “I doubt anyone on CC knows that.” I have already applied to Brown, but I want to analyze Brown, NOT my “chances”. what is wrong with further discussion on the university? Thus, is Brown especially receptive to that left foot piano player (as compared to perhaps UChicago, etc.)? I am trying to discern if you guys think Brown has anything notable about the choices it makes at the admissions table.</p>
<p>If you wanted to discuss the general topic of diversity and what Brown is looking for in its applicants, then just ask that question. Instead you asked a very specific question about your situation, having deaf low-income parents. We’re answering your question about your chances, because that’s how you phrased your question. </p>
<p>I’m sure if you searched this forum you’d see this issue has been tackled before. </p>
<p>The institutional priorities that Brown has that I am aware of are: first-generation college students; geographic diversity; ethnic and socio-economic diversity; students from Rhode Island; female STEM students; STEM students. And they have to fill spots on sports teams. I’m positive there are others that I’m not aware of. </p>
<p>I have no idea how this compares to other colleges because I have no vested interest in knowing that.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>@CynicalPeace My advice to those students is don’t get bogged down with ‘hooks’. We had a girl at my kids’ high school last year from the deep south, African American, first generation, academically qualified (she is a freshmen at another Ivy League school) who applied ED to Brown - she was deferred and subsequently rejected by Brown. </p>
<p>Forget the ‘hooks’ and focus on working diligently in school, engaging with your community and wholeheartedly pursuing your interests; and then develop a thoughtful list of colleges that spans the selectivity spectrum. </p>
<p>@arwarw Where does she go now? What were her stats? It is quite surprising that Brown would reject a qualified Black female…</p>
<p>^^^ Dartmouth. No idea on stats, except she was a NMSF. I’m not surprised - I’m sure Brown gets a good number of brilliant and talented black female applicants.</p>
<p>I appreciate your considerations. More input from others is very much invited. I learned of the decision today: I got in! 
</p>
<p>Congrats, CynicalPeace.
lb: I’ve interviewed and known of several well-qualified students of color who did not get into Brown. It is not a guarantee of admissions. </p>
<p>Would you consider a deep academic passion a hook? Especially if your ec’s are tailored towards it and are meaningful and unique?</p>
<p>Sorry to say, but no.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Where are you getting your info? What are you basing this one? There are quite a few African American females from all over the spectrum that get deferred or rejected from Brown and the other Ivy League schools.</p>
The “hook” is a flawed concept. There’s no special thing that can gain you admission. Having passion and dedication to interests of ANY kind can be a “hook”