Class rank?

<p>is class rank that big of a focus…i took/taking very difficult classes (in total 9 AP and 11 honors) have a good GPA, but my school is VERY competite and im not in the top 10% but i am in the top 20%. The point is if that was the only flaw in my application would i still have a good chance. (early decision/legacy)</p>

<p>If your school is like Stuyvesant in NYC or Thomas Jefferson in Virginia, then admissions will go lower than the top decile for admits. If you are a recruited athlete or have some other attribute that is heavily desired or incredibly impressive, then Brown will accept lower-ranked students. </p>

<p>But for students at typical competitive high schools, it will be very tough to get into Brown if you are not ranked in the top decile. As you’ll see here ([Brown</a> Admission: Facts & Figures](<a href=“Undergraduate Admission | Brown University”>Undergraduate Admission | Brown University)) the acceptance rate for applicants in the second decile is 2 percent.</p>

<p>And I don’t think legacy will help much. I’ve known double legacies with high SATs ranked in the top 1 percent who didn’t get in. Being a legacy does not negate a flaw in one’s application.</p>

<p>I’m sorry that I can’t be more optimistic for you. You should still apply if Brown is your first choice, but have a good list of other schools and make sure you have a safety you want to attend.</p>

<p>i know that I don’t have a great chance at all, but i just wanted to know if it was possible for some one not being recruited and not in the nations top high school. Oh and does talking to the choir department and showing my interest in it help with my chances at all either?</p>

<p>Brown has so many singing groups and a big chorus, all of which are mainly not music majors, that choral activity is not a big plus to getting in (and I’m not sure there is someone you would talk to.) There is a lot of opportunity to do singing if you do get in. (but they don’t “need” singers). Legacy may be a bit helpful if your connection is well connected /active still with Brown, otherwise not much of help, and as said above, will not boost you above other better qualified applicants. If you think your grades are going to go soaring first semester of senior year, it might be better to apply in the regular pool (and your recommendations might be better too?)</p>

<p>I disagree. While the choral group cannot actively lobby for your acceptance, any steps you take to talk to Brown shows you’ve researched the schools offerings and demonstrates genuine interest. </p>

<p>Also, fireandrain is absolutely correct about top schools and the top decile. Colleges look at your application in the context of your school. Not only was my high school extremely competitive, but we also had just over 50 in our graduating class. In that case, being in the top decile isn’t too different from being in the top 20%.</p>

<p>re choral: yes, what thefunnything says about getting to know what Brown offers, and how it applies to you is very helpful to letting admissions know that you have researched the school well and it is a good fit for you and you for Brown. You definitely can’t be a “recruited” singer, but if showed your passion for singing via having figured out “that you love all the acapella groups” or whatever, and to the degree that you had contacted a director,student leader or such, that might even be a little “hook” for you. On one of the other Brown threads there was a mention of one of the acapella groups being recently on TV. That might be a place to start your more in-depth look?</p>

<p>[Brown</a> a cappella serenades MHS - The Globe](<a href=“http://www.mhsglobe.com/article/Features/Features/Brown_a_cappella_serenades_MHS/18635]Brown”>http://www.mhsglobe.com/article/Features/Features/Brown_a_cappella_serenades_MHS/18635)
here is a starting article for you.</p>

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<p>It is very unlikely. In fact, at most high schools in this country, if you are not ranked in the top 1 percent your chance of admission decreases significantly. </p>

<p>Sorry for the brutal honesty. </p>

<p>I should add that the real authority on this is your high school guidance counselor and Naviance, if your school has it. If Brown has accepted lower-ranked, unhooked students from your high school in the past, that is much better information than what we, anonymous strangers on a website who are not in admissions, can provide.</p>

<p>As for talking to the choir conductor – I agree with BrownAlumParent. (There is a choir conductor, I just checked.) Researching the singing options at Brown can certainly help you write a compelling essay, and I think that is a great idea. But great essays, like legacy, typically won’t balance out poor grades.</p>

<p>(As I just wrote on another thread – I do miss the old days when admission to Brown was so much easier. Too many great kids are being denied.)</p>

<p>for reference to my situation my brother also applying to brown he was about in the 7% in the same school at, he was wait listed at brown, but did not have compelling essays, did not show a deep interest in brown, and demonstrated no leadership in any extracurriculars. He was put in the the final and smallest pool of wait-listed students and was eventually rejected. His SAT’s were nearly identical to mine and we obviously both had/have legacy status. Im just asking is it possible that I could get in with having just the blemish of not being in the top decile (also i have an upward trend in my grades)</p>

<p>I would say that since you can compare your stats to your brother’s and they are “no better” (grades worse) that your likelihood of acceptance is not as good as his was. That said, if you are really in love with Brown and can make the case for why you are the right fit for Brown and vice versa in your essay (which will carry far more weight than the interview BTW) then do go ahead and apply. (It would be far worse not to and always wonder?) I would do what you can to strengthen your position, including ?retake SATs? and very likely apply reg app and do everything you can to get great /better grades this coming semester. Best of luck, and pick some great other schools that you will love just as much so you have lots of options!</p>