Why did you apply to MIT if you want to go into medicine? @snazymonkie
Hi everyone! Another nervous Brown RD applicant here 
It may be a dumb question that’s already been answered, but on the scale of importance of application materials, where do essays and short answer questions fall?
Is it weird that Brown did not request my D’s IDOC?
@nevbean In my opinion, I say essays and short answer questions are VERY important. If an applicant is lower on the standardized test/extra-cirricular part of the spectrum, s/he can make up for that in his/her essays. The way an applicant responds to the prompts really gives an insight to his/her personality, character, etc. In fact, I personally believe that if I get into any of the colleges to which I applied it will be because of my essays! However, it truly just depends on the person.
@mom125fg Brown didn’t request my d’s IDOC.
How do you check to see if they were downloaded?
From the Brown IDOC Q&A:
“Not all families are requested by Brown to submit to IDOC. If no requirements appear as outstanding on Brown’s Banner self-service, we have all the necessary information to determine the students’ financial aid eligibility at this time. Once the Office of Financial Aid reviews your initial application materials for financial aid, which may include only the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and/or the CSS PROFILE, we may later request additional information through IDOC.”
How do you know the courses tab means nothing? It says “Welcome ____” all over the page which makes me presumptuous haha
Said that to me too but I was deferred ED
where are you seeing this courses tab? I don’t think I have one.
yea I don’t see it either^
I guess it gives people a way to feel connected in the time between application and decision but this is the third college thread I’ve followed up till decisions and I’m still wondering why people are checking the portal and asking if the tabs or messages mean anything. It doesn’t lol. There’s no point in speculating till decisions are out. Just wait and see, they all come out on the same day for a reason.
@kalons thank you! That makes me feel great because I honestly spent so much time on my essays and short answers and I feel like that’s a major strong point of my application.
One mork week my friends!
how are brown’s financial aid/scholarships?
@takinpelu Brown commits to “meeting full need.” Take the sum of the expected family contribution (EFC, which is approximately/kinda close to the EFC off of the FAFSA) and the student contribution (for freshmen, I believe it is $2730). Those two items, together, are the family contribution. THEN, take the full cost of attendance and subtract out the family contribution. The remaining amount is “need” which will equal the “financial aid award.” In my family, this award has three components: loans + work study + scholarship (“free” money). For my daughter, the loans are small and I think Brown is known for keeping loan amounts pretty small.
The result of all of this is that the TOTAL amount that the family, ultimately, is responsible for, is about twice the value of the EFC. This is something that can come as a surprise.
Once you are admitted and get the financial aid package (think positively!) - If there is anything “special” about your family’s finances that you don’t believe is reflected properly in the FAFSA or CSS, then it is worth bringing it to the attention of the financial aid office. And remember that most folks filed these forms using 2015 income, not 2016 income. For us, 2015 was a weird year and so we told the aid office about WHY it was weird and why the 2016 income was more appropriate to be used in determining my daughter’s financial award package.
thank you!!
did anyone get an email from Brown announcing the decision release date/time? I know some of the other Ivies sent them out, so I was just wondering if Brown did?
It’s always March 30.
since my deferral i’ve had to do some real soul searching… i’ve been living in despair, i have lost my vibes. recently i’ve been looking for some companionship in my #misery. is there any sort of group chat for deferred people? could use the support of a tight group of lads
shazam. stay alive, stay reckless