<p>I’m a rising senior at a Philadelphia public HS (supposedly the best public HS in the city). I’m interested in the Brown/RISD dual degree program because I don’t want to be limited to an art college, which doesn’t stress academics as much as my other reach schools, but I’d love to have access to RISD’s resources and classes. </p>
<p>I was wondering about my chances of acceptance into the five year program (you have to be accepted into both schools, and then apply for the dual degree program). I was also hoping someone could tell me about college life when you’re a part of the program. Is it overly stressful, how much free time do you have, how big a support system do dual degree students have? Only about 20 applicants are accepted per year, I believe. </p>
<p>Credentials?</p>
<p>My GPA is a 3.8, low As and Bs cumulative junior year, 2110 on my SAT, 31 on my ACT (should I give the SAT another go? Would it help to take SAT IIs or subject tests?) I am a member of my school’s mock trial team (2nd best in the city, 3rd in the state) and a part of the stage crew, as well as other small clubs. I’ve taken part in numerous art classes and programs with elements of service, including a summer at UPenn art program and a Fabric Workshop and Museum apprenticeship. I volunteer every spring at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. This summer I’m also doing a two week rowing program in hopes of being selected for the team this fall season (mostly to join a sport, but would this make me appear more well rounded to colleges???). I’m a Hispanic female - that boosts my chances, right?</p>
<p>If you are in the dual program, your first year is spent as a RISD student. You live in a RISD dorm, take all RISD classes, and for the most part do not interact with Brown students. The first year at RISD is a bear. There is a tremendous amount of work - you are in class a lot, and have a lot of projects to do. </p>
<p>Your second year, you are at Brown. You have the option of living in a freshmen dorm, and being part of a freshmen unit. Or, you can decide to live in an upperclassmen dorm.</p>
<p>I’m not sure what happens in the next few years, since the first group of students just completed their second year. </p>
<p>The program is very new, and kinks are still being worked out. (For example, when second-year students wanted to take part in the RISD January term, it wasn’t clear where they could live since Brown dorms are closed then.)</p>
<p>I have no insight into how the students are chosen for the program. Yes, you need to get into both Brown and RISD. I assume the two admissions offices get together with all the students who manage that feat, but I don’t know how many students there are who get into both schools and how many they turn down for the dual program. I do think they are looking for students who have a good idea of how they want to meld the art classes at RISD with the academic ones at Brown. For example, an illustrator who wants to write children’s books and so majors in literary arts at Brown.</p>
<p>There are a lot of required classes. RISD has distribution requirements. To meet the RISD major requirements and Brown’s concentration requirements uses up a lot of your classes. One of the dual degree students I know mapped out the entire five years, and has very little space for electives. So if one of your main reasons to attend Brown is to take a wide range of courses, you might want to ask how feasible that really is.</p>
<p>Thank you for that tip to combine the academics at Brown with the arts at RISD. I wonder what percentage of applicants get in – do you know how many apply after getting into both schools?</p>
<p>You don’t “apply after getting into both schools” – you apply to both schools and the program at the same time. The only figures I’ve seen are the number of students in the program, not how many applied. There have been fewer than 20 students in the program each year.</p>
<p>your chances are nil because everyone’s chances are nil. you’re applying to a selective program for those accepted to the most prestigious art school in the country and one of the most prestigious universities. even many accepted to both schools don’t get in the program. </p>
<p>apply anyways, as always, but don’t count on it.</p>