<p>I think one thing going for you is that you have stood out in your school community. Sounds like at least some officers know of your school and have an experience with your school and since you have done so much in the community you will obviously stand out. That will be a big plus. I really wouldn’t be surprised if you got some acceptance letters from Ivies as from what I can tell they are looking for people that stand out. Your SAT’s arent super weak and they show solid ability which is good so I think you def. stand a good chance at most if not all of your schools.</p>
<p>btw. when i visited Harvard, my tour guide did neuroscience and was a member of the cognitive studies program there. do the right amount of research and talk about the right things and you could get your app read by the right people and possibly get that going to your advantage! Good Luck!!!</p>
<p>I already had my Harvard interview and interestingly enough, the interviewer wasn’t interested in my professional ambitions when he heard about my community work. He actually seemed sort of bored, then 30 minutes in (according to my best friends whose father is a Harvard grad, the interview is only supposed to last 45 mins as mandated by the Harvard Alumni Interview Association or whatever), I mentioned I did a lot of work for Haiti and raised over 7k and he perked up and we ended up talking for another hour. But I did a lot of research in their cognitive science major and it seems incredible, as does the cognitive neuroscience concentration at Brown which is what I’m primarily interested in. Thanks for your kind words and replies!</p>
<p>You have some solid EC, and although your SATs are on the weaker side, your senior year classes are very advanced so that will definitely stand out!</p>
<p>With this in mind, it is Brown, and Brown is, well, Brown. I would say that it is a mid-reach for you (because of ED).</p>
<p>We have no APs at my school, we only have Advanced Topics courses which are “at or above AP level” supposedly and aren’t designated as such because it’s not the same curriculum. Some are similar though (eg. Advanced Topics in Calculus covers mostly the material for the BC exam and some beyond) We also don’t have IB courses. My essays were pretty solid (or I think so at least), and I waived my rights for my recs, but one of my friends glanced at one and said it was exemplary. Considering I’m graduating with 19 students, the teachers and counselor(s) all know us very well and are all willing to write really great recommendations and those that are substantially long at that. I also got a letter of rec from the Surgeon I worked with this summer and the leader of the Vassar Haiti Project, both of which, according to my counselor, were very good.</p>
<p>That’s fine, if your counsellor can let the school know that you are taking the hardest course rigor offered at your school (since no AP and IB), you should be fine. Good luck man!</p>
<p>Brown is a reach, you never know really. Especially because your school does not even grade, its up for grabs. Your sat scores are average for an ivy league school, but still impressive nonetheless. Your sat subject tests is what worries me the most, but your extra activities are very good. I’d say you have a decent chance on Brown, but I wouldn’t be placing all of my hopes on it. </p>
<p>Yeah I’m not really placing my hopes on it. Obviously it’s my first choice but I want to get in, but I understand the factors involved and the near randomness of it all, so I get that my chance of being accepted is slim to none. Thanks though! Does anyone else have any other opinions? Because I’ve already applied there’s not much more I can do, but I just want to see what other people’s thoughts are.</p>
<p>you have a really chance because although you’re SAT isn’t extremely good you’re an URM and that plays an important part. Plus you have good EC’s just write a killer essay and good luck!</p>
<p>Sounds like you have a pretty good chance. Not sure about the grades, though. Like Theregulator said, they might have to rely on your SAT scores to get a sense of your performance in school, which isn’t exactly helping you. Your SAT scores are on the lower side of Brown’s, but you have solid EC’s, a rigorous course load, and your ethnicity might help you. For your other schools, you’re pretty much in to most besides Dartmouth and Harvard. Tufts is about a match, and I don’t know much about the med program.</p>
<p>Thanks for all of your replies guys! It’s definitely put me a little more at ease before decisions come out on the 13th for me. All other opinions are welcome too!</p>
<p>Brown would be a reach. But they are the most laid back out of all the Ivies, so you can’t say for sure. So I guess it wouldn’t be impossible. You have a shot. </p>