Brown vs. Harvard (early application)

Colleges and Universities A-Z Brown University
1

Hi guys!
I am trying to decide whether to apply to Brown or Harvard early [action, decision]. I am aware that Brown is binding and Harvard is not. Basically, I have a strong hook at Brown (not revealing for confidentiality’s sake) and along with my grades and stats, I have been told that an early application would have a very, very high chance of being accepted. On the other hand, I have a sibling legacy at Harvard, which may or may not help at all, and no other hook for the particular school. For what it’s worth, my HS usually has around 1 accepted to Harvard each year (for academics) and 3/4 academic acceptances to Brown. My stats are SAT 2360, GPA 4.48 weighted, 5 ap classes with all 5’s on the tests, and 3 subject tests with scores of 790, 800, 800. These are high stats, but obviously they won’t count for all that much at schools of Harvard/Brown’s caliber.

I am 100% undecided on major-- not even sure if I want sciences, humanities, or some combination of the two! Therefore, I want a school with strong programs in all or most fields. Also, if I do pursue a “less employable” major, like sociology or philosophy, I would ideally be at a school which would give me strong job prospects. My understanding is that Harvard would be better for this than Brown, but only marginally.

In terms of social life, I would like a city. Cambridge seems to be slightly greater than Providence, but not by much. However, Brown is known for having a more laid back and friendly set of students, which appeals to me more than a cutthroat environment. I want a vibrant arts scene, and both seem to deliver just fine.

In all honesty, prestige is a factor. Harvard does grant more layman’s prestige than Brown, but not a lot. What is more important to me is employability in relation to prestige. I know grad school programs etc will view them equally, but will a company feel the same way?

I know both schools are culturally different, but I could see different parts of my personality thriving at each and think I can fit in at either place. Harvard is winning right now: I really do believe that the Harvard name carries so much weight and power, and Cambridge is a really unique place to spend four years. What do you guys think: is the sibling legacy enough of a hook to take a risk with Harvard, or should I apply to Brown (a really really amazing school, and I am not at all trying to belittle it)? Basically, Harvard is my #1 and Brown is a close #2, but my chances are much higher at Brown. Brown would not be settling at all, but it does not quite fit what I want as much as Harvard does.

Summary because this post is huge: Harvard is #1 choice, Brown is #2. Love them both. Very strong hook at Brown which will only matter in the ED pool. Sibling legacy at Harvard. Which should I apply to early?

2

Apply early to Harvard. If you didn’t have the hook at Brown you wouldn’t even be having this debate with yourself so the answer seems pretty clear to me.

3

Thank you for your reply! I am trying to weigh the cost/benefit of either option. The cost of applying to Harvard early could be missing by #1 and #2 school (and possibly even missing all my reaches) where as the cost of applying to Brown would only be missing my #1 school. The plausible cost of applying to Brown is much lower, but the benefit is lower (for me) in turn.

4

By a Brown admissions officer in reference to your specific case?

5

I get why you’re struggling OP, I just know that if you apply early to Brown and are admitted then at the first sign of displeasure at Brown you’ll wonder if you made a mistake and start thinking about how things might be different if you had applied to Harvard first instead. What I don’t know is if you’ll shake those feelings off and enjoy yourself at Brown or if you’ll carry that chip on your shoulder the entire 4 years and potentially even beyond.

I’m also assuming this Brown specific ED only hook that you won’t mention out of anonymity is that you have a connection with a big name at Brown (it’s the only one thing that makes sense). If you truly believe that not applying ED is going to drastically reduce your chances, are you ok with not only giving up your dream school but doing so specifically to attend a school because you could guarantee your acceptance there based on a family connection you have?

6

I was thinking recruited athlete.

7

Saying “I’m a recruited athlete” is giving away too much info? That would also mean not going to Brown probably means giving up the sport (if the student is not being recruited at Harvard). I would imagine that would count for more in picking schools, no?

8

If you attend Brown as a development case, you might be setting yourself up for disappointment.

I know one Brown student who I suspect was a development/celebrity admit who had a pretty miserable first-year. And, I know of a Harvard development admit who was very unhappy. Sadly, he had transferred from a college where he had been happy and thriving.

If you forgo the development tag and apply RD to Brown, you would have the peace-of-mind of knowing the admissions committee selected you because they felt you were a good fit for your class at Brown.

9

@arwarw were those two students only development cases at those particular schools? The one person I know who was a development case would have been a development case at any school (family net worth in the billions) and thus chose Brown because it’s where they wanted to go most and absolutely loved their time at Brown.

The other person I peripherally know (a friend hooked up with them once, lol) seemed to enjoy themselves at Brown and I assume was a development case since there’s a place on campus named after the family (also might not have been Brown specific case since I know the family has a department named after them at a university in a different state).

10

The OP does not want to reveal the nature of the Brown hook for confidentiality’s sake, so I am willing to respect that and not get into a speculation derby about whether he or she is a legacy, development case , faculty child, or recruited athlete.

I would like to make the following comments though:

  1. While I have been told by coaches--in the case of athletes--and read rumors that make sense in the case of other hooks, that they are more valuable in the ED round, this does not mean that they have no value in the RD round. So any hooked candidate who feels guilty about the hook should not feel that the guilt can be expunged by applying RD instead of ED. You cannot forego the so-called "development tag"... or legacy status, or faculty relationship by applying RD.
  2. My sense, can't prove it, is that no good can result by applying to #2 choice over #1 choice for SCEA/ED.
  3. I know about legacies, development cases, recruited athletes who have been very happy at Brown as ED admits (or RD in the days before there was ED), but I do not suggest that anyone should make a decision based on the haphazard and small sample size of this personal anecdotal information.
11

No, I don’t think so.

The family (a common household name) worked through a prep school chaplain to facilitate a capital donation and Harvard admission. It was many years ago.

I’m just speculating about the Brown student. The father is distinguished in the arts (but probably not uber-rich), the kid was very excited to be there initially, but had a very rough first year all-around.

12

Obviously they are both great schools.

Because you are not 100% sure of which you’d rather attend, I would advise against applying ED: imagine if you did get into Brown ED, and you also got into Harvard or some other top schools who (by then) had become attractive… well you would be stuck with the ED commitment. Only do ED if you 100% want to go to that school.

That leaves EA at Harvard.

13

Thanks for all your advice! I am planning on visiting Brown soon, because I am beginning to think that I liked Harvard for the wrong reasons (was blinded by the name and didn’t think about the true experience). At the end of the day, it would be amazing to get into either-- if I really fall in love with brown I think I will still apply ED, but if not then RD seems best

14

Yeah, a visit would help sort this out. But frankly, I think Harvard is really where you want to be. That’s really OK. It really almost seems as if getting into Brown would be settling for less.

15

I live by one school and I’m often in the city of the other (not going to say which I live by for safety reasons). Cambridge has a lot more going on than Providence does, and Boston is very close to it, giving you that big city vibe. Providence has a lot less people, and things to do in my opinion. Though Cambridge and Providence may have similar populations, Cambridge is surrounded by 2 other large cities; the metro area of Boston has millions. From Harvard, only three subway stops will leave you in downtown Boston. Keep that in mind when deciding what type of environment you want to study in!

16

Wouldn’t it be nice to get into a school on the basis of your achievements? That stands on its own merits but it can’t feel good for everyone to assume that you are at a school because your parents have money, donated, etc. The majority of students at both these schools got in on the merits of their own achievements. How do you stack up? If you don’t, you won’t. But it seems like you do. Your objective scores seem very high. So why not do what most people not riding their parents’ coattails do. They apply to the school they really want to go to.