Chance me at Brown, also Stanford EA

Colleges & Universities A-Z Brown University
1

<p>Non-URM
Non-Legacy
Non-Athlete
Rising Senior</p>

<p>State: Illinois</p>

<p>School: Semi-competitive
Rank: 4/202
GPA: 4.458/~4.5
Transcript: Hardest courses.</p>

<p>SAT I:</p>

<p>CR: 800
M: 760
W: 800</p>

<p>C: 2360</p>

<p>SAT II:</p>

<p>Literature: 760
World History: 750</p>

<p>Will take Math II in September. Should be my highest score based on SparkNotes practice tests averaging 760.</p>

<p>AP’s:</p>

<p>My school has not offered me any AP’s, but I self-studied 8, receiving 4 4’s, 3 5’s, and I cancelled the 8th. </p>

<p>EC’s:</p>

<ol>
<li><p>Founded, running a charity that’s donated a bunch of bookcases and several thousand children books to local organizations that care for children. (3-4)</p></li>
<li><p>Playing ukulele at various local events, lessons, etc. (1-4)</p></li>
<li><p>Scholastic Bowl: 2 team captain, 2 lead scorer, 3 varsity letters. (2-4)</p></li>
<li><p>Writing teacher study guides for educational video company. PAID JOB. (1-4) </p></li>
<li><p>Volunteering at local library. (1-4)</p></li>
<li><p>Working 15 hours a week at a local gym/fitness club. (3-4)</p></li>
<li><p>Ping-Pong Club. (2-4)</p></li>
</ol>

<p>Awards: </p>

<ol>
<li>National Merit Semi-Finalist</li>
<li>AP Scholar with Distinction
3-6. Various school awards like HOBY, etc.</li>
</ol>

<p>Essays:</p>

<p>I think these will be the compelling part of my application. My Common App EC essay is about my #1 EC, and main Common App essay is pretty cool. </p>

<p>Recs:</p>

<p>1: He knows me well (he’s my scholastic bowl coach)
2: Very good
Counselor: Excellent (possibly best ever), as well. <3 my counselor.</p>

<hr>

<p>I’d appreciated a chance to Brown, as well as Stanford EA. I want to study Philosophy and also perfect my Spanish. I’m also looking for other top Philosophy programs… It’s hard to find rankings for that online for some reason. So, if you’re familiar with any… Also, give me as much constructive criticism as possible, specifically about things that I can change by November. I’d also appreciate if it some of the experts on this site like Silverturtle would give me some advice. I read a lot of your guys’ and you do a good job. I’ve learned a lot on CC.</p>

2

<p>It’s not wise to assume that simply because your recommenders adore you that they will write you the greatest recommendations ever. There’s a good chance that they could be just as trite as the recommendations of 29,999 other applicants.</p>

3

<p>^ It’s hard to explain, but I actually do feel confident about that. Maybe you have to be familiar with my school situation. If you want, you can ignore it though and assume that they’ll be average.</p>

4

<p>You are definitely a very impressive applicant who shows tremendous initiative. Knowing what your essays are about would help us to chance you though. The one thing I really see as hurting you is that although you have taken APs despite your school not offering any, schools like Brown and Stanford are typically more wary of taking students from schools that don’t offer APs and IL isn’t exactly an underrepresented area (I’m from IL and there are tons of us going this year). The reason I say this is that if a school doesn’t offer APs, the rigor of its other courses is put into question. Nevertheless, make sure your counselor mentions your AP situation.</p>

5

<p>^^Really, so we’re penalized for not being offered AP’s? But, yeah, my counselor will definitely mention that, as I’m the only person who has ever done it, according to her. And why would knowing what my other essay is about help you chance me?</p>

6

<p>

</p>

<p>I can’t speak for Stanford, but Brown looks at your transcript in context with the high school you attended. Applicants are not penalized if the high school does not offer APs. Some top-notch high schools (like Scarsdale outside of NYC and some prep schools) don’t offer APs and their students get into all the top colleges.</p>

<p>What Brown wants to see is a student who maximizes his/her academic experience within the school, and supplements it successfully if needed. When I interview a student who tells me he is “bored” in high school and yet did nothing to give himself an academic challenge – that’s what looks bad. I can’t chance HIGHreachNoob, but I can say that self-studying APs in this situation is the type of initiative Brown looks for.</p>

7

<p>I’m not saying necessarily that APs is always a good indicator of a school’s rigor, but from my knowledge of schools in Illinois, not having APs generally means that the curriculum is not as rigorous and the classes not as competitive as powerhouses such as Stevenson, New Trier, Prep, etc. Brown in general tries to stay away from quotas as much as they can, but inevitable smaller schools like yours will lose out to powerhouses like the above. Since Brown knows much about the academic rigor of these schools and less about yours, accepting people from these schools is a safer bet. </p>

<p>I still think you stand a good chance. I’m just saying that you should be wary. Many strong applicants from smaller, less well known public schools end up disappointed because ivy leagues aren’t as familiar with their school. </p>

<p>As far as knowing about your other essay, this makes a huge difference. Your essay can tie your profile together!</p>

8

<p>^^
Ah, yeah, I figured as much. FWIW, I’m not at a public school. Advice on an essay?</p>

9

<p>If you don’t mind my asking which school do you go to?</p>

10

<p>floatingriver, Brown accepts students from many high schools, including those that are not ones like New Trier and Stuyvesant and Thomas Jefferson. Since diversity is so important, admissions will not reject a kid because the high school he or she attends is not in the Newsweek top 100. In fact, it is the kids who attend inner-city and rural schools who are disadvantaged who are frequently looked at very favorably. </p>

<p>The main reason I am commenting here is that I don’t want future applicants to read this thread and think, “Gee, I didn’t go to (brand-name high school) so I don’t have a chance.”</p>

11

<p>^^It’s a parochial school in the HOI. Thanks for all the responses</p>