<p>Actually, I do comment on them every now and then, although I’ll never actually chance someone other than to say it’s about 11%, like everyone else who applies.</p>
<p>I say things like this:</p>
<p>Brown14, what Brown is looking for is a student who is challenging themselves academically and shows joy and enthusiasm for an extracurricular, or someone who brings a different perspective to campus. If there are students applying from your HS who have tougher schedules than you – if your guidance counselor can’t check off the box “most difficult schedule” – then that will hurt your chances for acceptance. I notice that you are not taking AP Calc, for example. </p>
<p>Being a guy will help you. And I can’t tell from your list if you’ve done anything special with your ECs. Take the journalism component – have you written any killer stories? Improved your paper significantly? Worked on your local newspaper, and written something impressive? What matters is not the title you hold, or the number of hours, but what you’ve done, what you’ve accomplished. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of newspaper editors applying – you need to do something with that job that will make them sit up and take notice of you.</p>
<p>Summer@Brown will not help you get accepted, BTW. </p>
<p>One way to show interest is to answer the short answers in a very specific way, that demonstrate you have done significant research into Brown and give detailed and personal evidence that is unique to you. Ask yourself, how will Brown be a better place if I go there?</p>