Hopefully this is the last chance me thread I ever do lol. Middlebury and Brown are both my top schools.
I plan on being a medieval studies major and a studio art minor, however only Brown has medieval studies, which is why I’m leaning more towards Brown. Middlebury has classical studies, which is what I originally planned on majoring in, but it is no longer my first choice. However, I visited Midd and fell in love with everything about it, so I’m not ready to give up on it.
If it is not clear, I’m a junior in high school and I’m applying ED to either school this fall.
Stats:
- 4.0
- SAT: 1350 (lol yeah it sucks)
- I’ve taken 5 APs already (AP studio art, AP art history, APUSH, AP lit, AP world) and I plan on doing 4 more next year, all art + humanities again. I don’t plan on sending in ap test scores bc $$
- All my other classes in high school have been honors classes, aside from math, which I despise and hope to never, ever touch again after high school.
- ranked in the top 10%
Extracurriculars
- national art honor society
- tennis (only JV)
- theatre
- stem club
- I worked a job last summer at a local hiking place
Demographic:
White
Female
Rhode Island ( I don’t know if this would help or hinder my chance at Brown. I’ve never heard of anyone from my school whose gone to Brown or even been accepted, but I also go to a not so great public school)
Lower middle class
Single parent household
My Hook:
I don’t know if medieval studies/classical studies might help me stand out because from what I know, they are not very common. I don’t have tons of experience in medieval studies, apart from my own reading and some college level coursework I’ve done outside of school for fun. Next year, I am taking AP Euro, French, and Latin to prep myself a bit more for college, though I don’t know if that helps immensely. I am also writing/illustrating a book about medieval history this summer, which I hope to self publish. I don’t know if that’s too important, but it brings together both my interest in medieval history and art.
My extracurriculars are lacking because I didn’t have a lot of opportunity to do anything. I live in a single parent household and we don’t have a lot of money, so I am either supporting my family or taking care of my younger siblings.
Anyway feel free to totally diss my chances at getting into either college lol
- I also want to mention this isn’t everything I’ve ever done in high school, just a few of the things that I thought of first
I think Brown is too much of a reach for you with that SAT and your EC’s and demographics- I wouldn’t waste your ED on it. Sorry.
Middlebury is a reach too but applying ED there might give you the edge you need. It’s the most beautiful campus I have ever seen, and they really push the foreign travel and cultural immersion thing, which might fit your medieval aspirations. I don’t think it is much of a drop-off from Brown.
I can’t really add too much advice because I’m in the same grade as you, and thus, I’m not really experienced. However, noticing that you love Brown, I just wanted to wish you the best of luck. I hope you get into Brown or Middlebury. In terms of choosing either of the school for ED, I just want to say that as cliche as it may be to say, picking your favorite school of the two is the best choice.
Have a nice day.
Regarding Middlebury, note that the absence there of a medieval studies major/minor may not be particularly significant with respect to curricular opportunities. Hamilton, for example, creates its Medieval and Renaissance Studies minor from courses across its art, literature, languages, history, and music departments (https://www.hamilton.edu/academics/departments/Home?dept=Medieval%20and%20Renaissance%20Studies). I think you would be able to design a similar course of study at Middlebury irrespective of your actual major.
This level of college will expect some stem rigor. And want to see your intellectual curiosity and discipline goes beyond your own interests. Esp Brown eith its curriculum. Agree your ECs are on the light side. Many low SES kids do have more, including comm service. Scores need to be about 750/750.
Medieval in itself is not a tip. Nor classics. for gals. But between B and RISD, fine opps to study medieval art.
@lookingforward like ok… not really helpful but go off I guess it’s middlebury for me
@merc81 thank you! I’ll definitely look into that for middlebury
You are not going to much feedback if you have a poor attitude.
Is the 4.0 GPA weighted or unweighted? Will you graduate HS with 4 years in each of the core academic areas (E, M, SS, FL, S)? If not, let us know where you will be short.
Both Brown and Middlebury are reaches, SAT on the low side (are you retaking?), and medieval/classical studies is not a hook. Let us know what you are looking for in a school, what spoke to you at Midd, and posters can suggest some other ideas.
Ultimately, you should build a balanced college list of a couple of reaches, 4-6 matches, and 1 or 2 highly likelies that are affordable (per the NPC) that you would be happy to attend. Good luck.
@Mwfan1921 this is actually helpful, thank you. Yes I am retaking - trying to get a 1400- and I’m aware that brown is a big reach for me (so is middlebury, but just slightly less so I think). Ultimately I’ll just try to do my best to finish off on a good senior year (I’ll have 4 years in every single subject, if that helps) and cross my fingers I get in. If not, I’ve already found plenty of other colleges I like that aren’t as hard to get into.