Brown is my dream school

Colleges and Universities A-Z Brown University
1

I’m a sophomore in high school with a 95.something UW average, 98.5 W (I’m in all Pre-IB courses and will be taking the IB Diploma program). I’ve started studying for the SAT’s recently, and am currently at a 2020, which will obviously get higher (goal is at least a 2300). I have very strong EC’s (started a sucessful Model UN travel team, science research, and a community service program involving helping kids with autism). The only weakness I see for myself is my class rank, I’m in the top decile, but around 70th (school doesn’t give rank to schools, just cohort, I’m in the second). However, I’m certain that I take a more rigorous courseload than some kids ahead of me. I also have a learning disability that hurts me in this regard, I struggle with math and studying, basically. For next year and the rest of this year I plan on really trying to bump myself into the top cohort, which is 100+ average. Basically, do I have any realistic shot at Brown, or any Ivy? I want to major in neuroscience. I love Brown’s academic philosophy, and I’m the type who wants to learn for learnings sake. I saw this on Brown’s neuroscience website:Education will never terminate in a discrete amount of knowledge. It is instead a continuous process, one that balances the pleasure of learning with the humility that comes from our limitations. That is why I love Brown.

Thanks!

2

Don’t be too worried about this - you still have junior year. Obviously this is the most important year for college, so as long as you do as well as you have been, you’ll be good. I would definitely try to get your UW GPA up as it seems a tad low. Your weighted will go up as you take more challenging courses junior year (provided you do well in them) but please don’t forget your unweighted! 2020 on the SAT sophomore year places you on a very positive track. By the time you take the SAT second semester of junior year (which is when I’m guessing you plan on taking it) it should only go up. Personally, junior year was VERY critical for class rank. All the weighted classes and challenging coursework seemed to break a lot of people so there were giant mix-ups in class rank like our valedictorian shooting down to #8 and our #6 shooting to salutatorian. It was crazy. That being said, that’s just what happened in my school and who knows? Maybe your classmates are extra prepared. Just do your absolute best junior year, stay involved, stay positive, and realize that Ivies aren’t everything. Remember to breathe - you’re only a sophomore, you still have plenty of time! :-c