Chance me for T20s, especially Brown (average stats, art "spike")

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

Hi! I’m wondering whether I have a shot at top US schools based on my “spike” in visual arts, but with average stats. My absolute dream school is Brown (will probably apply ED), especially the Brown|RISD dual degree, but I won’t be relying on T20 schools or anything like that - I’m mostly applying to Canadian unis. I don’t know anyone applying to the US so I’m hoping CC could help me out!

Junior, female, Canadian, East Asian (first-gen immigrant but not college), middle-class

SAT: Haven’t taken it yet, but am getting 1450-ish on practice tests. I plan to take it twice so hopefully I’ll improve!
SAT Subjects: Will probably take Math II and another subject, but I haven’t thought too much about it.
AP: No exams yet, but will take the AP English exam soon. I’m not sure how I’ll do but I’m guessing a 4. I don’t know if or whether I should take AP exams during senior year.
Grades: 92/93 avg each year. Not much of an upward trend as of right now.
Ranking: Unavailable but top avg each year is around a 95.

I’m taking the most rigorous classes available at my school except for AP math in senior year. My high school is public and has never had a student attend a top US school as far as I’m aware.

My essays and teacher recs should be good, but they won’t blow their mind or anything :[

Art ECs/awards:

  • Arts program in my high school. I've received awards for the highest mark in my class each year.
  • Student Council: Arts Representative
  • Head of Art on yearbook committee
  • Volunteer at 2 large art galleries. For one of them, I'm an active member of the youth team and volunteer consistently.
  • Personal art business/freelancing. I do art commissions for clients on a daily basis and make the same amount as someone who works part-time; I've taken a lot of effort to brand/market myself, work with clients, and everything else that comes with freelancing. I've created art for business websites, clothing designs, book covers, tattoos, etc.
  • Personal art social media accounts that I've managed for 4 years, I plan to link to these in the apps if possible. They show hundreds of my works, have 20,000 followers combined (hundreds of thousands of likes), and I've kept them professional.
  • Scholastic Art & Writing Awards: Gold Key, Silver Key, Honourable Mention
  • Member of my region's youth art committee. I work with around 5 other students and region officials to create art-related events across several cities, and advocate for youth in the arts. In my opinion, this is the best of my ECs.
  • Had art published via art contest
  • Had art sold as merchandise in art gallery
  • Participated in small art-related charity projects

For schools that have the option, I also plan on submitting an art supplement.

Non-art ECs:

  • Tutoring
  • DECA: provincial champion (qualified for internationals), might be exec next year
  • Debate team in junior and sophomore year
  • 300 volunteer hours from children's summer camps, community centers, hospital

Other:

  • I'm learning to code in my free time, hopefully I'll have a solid project done by the time I apply.
  • Trilingual
  • Music: piano, guitar, other instruments, love of musical theatre
  • Politically left, might come across in my essays

Not sure if it’s relevant, but I’m interested in concentrating in CS. I don’t know if I should indicate that on my apps as my math/science marks are mediocre and I have no science-related ECs, but I’m thinking about writing my personal statement about connecting art and STEM (this is also why the Brown|RISD dual degree appeals so much to me) and I know that unis would like more women in CS.

From what I’ve heard, Brown (and several other top schools) likes those who are self-motivated, independent, and passionate, and I’m wondering that’s shown through my art-related activities and/or if that’s enough to make them look past my stats and international status. Any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks so much!

2

bump!

3

Please don’t ask this. I promise you that no one here can tell you what your chances are for these schools. If they do they are guessing. Admissions was crazy this year and many kids who should have been admitted were denied. Just keep working hard and make sure you have realistic safeties well outside of the top 20.

4

agree with @collegemom9. especially bc you’re an international student, it’ll be difficult to get in.

5

@55rueplumet are you going to apply for financial need at Brown?

6

You seem to think your art experience is a major hook. I haven’t seen what you have produced, but I think it would be more accurate to think of it as an EC, albeit a major one. Don’t expect it to make up for weaknesses elsewhere on your application.

7

Good point.

@55rueplumet If they heard your IRL name, would the art crowd here know who you were? If so, then that would probably count as some kind of hook.

8

@collegemom9 I understand, thank you for your help.

9

@“International Dad” Yup :confused:

10

@TheSATTeacher

Sorry, but I don’t really understand the difference between a hook and an EC - I thought a hook was just a strong/unique EC? Thank you for your advice.

11

@damon30 My name isn’t known, especially since I don’t produce gallery (fine) art.

I was doing research and found one Brown|RISD student who wrote that their online art blog was one of the major reasons they were accepted into Brown and stood out from the other applicants, though, so I’m hoping that’ll have a similar impact!

12

@55rueplumet

To clarify a few things.

  1. For it to count as a hook, you don’t have to be known–just be very good.

  2. The line between a hook and an EC is not clear cut. That being said, most accepted students have strong ECs. I like to think of a hook as something that will excuse other weaknesses in the application. For instance, let’s say (for the sake of simplicity) that a normal student needs both strong ECs AND strong academics to get in. In this set-up, a hooked student won’t need as strong of academics. For instance, a recruited athlete can get into some ivy league schools with an SAT score below 1400–well below what is for all intents and purposes required for other students.

  3. FWIW, back when I applied to schools I submitted an art portfolio (wasn’t an art major) and ended up attending a US News top 5 school. I think it helped. Visual arts as an EC is a little more unusual and thus can help your application stand out a little more.

  4. If I were you, I’d work on my standardized test scores.

Best of luck!

13

A “hook” is a strong factor beyond the student’s control. In the Harvard lawsuit, they were called the “ALDC” applicants: recruited athletes, legacies, Dean’s interest list applicants and children of faculty and staff. Another hook is to be an under-represented minority (“URM”) applicant. In short, there is nothing you do to be “hooked” if don’t have the hook already.

14

@TheSATTeacher

Got it! Thanks so much for your help. I’ll work on improving my SAT scores and other stats for the next few months.

15

@damon30

Thanks for the clarification! I definitely don’t think I have a hook then, I’m just trying to show a “spike” through something I’m really passionate about instead of simply being well-rounded.