<p>Music theory: I’m currently enrolled in MUSC 0560, which is effectively the 3rd-semester music theory course (2nd semester if you test into 550, which basically requires prior musical knowledge). The department is really friendly and the professors have all been great.</p>
<p>Orchestra: Paul Phillips, the conductor, is awesome. Orchestra only has 4-6 clarinets. From what I’ve heard from my clarinetist friends, they really like wind ensemble.</p>
<p>I don’t know anything about the specific instructor in clarinet through the Applied Music Program.</p>
<p>Do you know anything about the opportunities for student composers? I’m interested in studying theory and composition, and was wondering if student composers can get their works performed.</p>
<p>Also wondering how feasible it is to graduate in 3 years (or even 2) utilizing the summer session and a heavier course load.</p>
<p>It is not possible to graduate in 2 years unless you have IB credit (and even then, I don’t know if it’s possible). It’s rare to graduate in 3 years, but possible - taking 4 summer classes (doable in 2 years) counts as the equivalent of one normal semester. Brown, however, does expect payment for 8 semesters one way or another, and students must petition to graduate early - the people looking at the petition treat each case separately, and some of the criteria are breadth and depth of study, which may be harder to get in an accelerated setting. Note that most departments offer only low level courses in the summer, so you may struggle to complete requirements this way (and it’s hard to say now if any particular incoming freshman could handle 5 courses a term). I would, therefore, not count on graduating early.</p>
I assume you mean apart from chamber groups and smaller music ensembles (e.g., the Brown Band, a cappella)? Definitely doable. In recent memory, the Wind Symphony has performed a senior thesis and had a student conductor for a while. I’ve seen a number performances of students’ compositions - they’re usually final projects for classes, but it’s also possible to, say, score a play for PW.</p>
<p>Hi, I just got an offer from Brown and I’m wondering about double concentrating in Computer Engineering (ScB) and Classics (AB). I want to graduate as early as possible (I’m considering grad school) but not with separate degrees in ScB and AB as in the 5 year program. Does Brown accept A-Levels for credit? I got the top mark in the world for CIE AS Classical Studies and the top mark in my country for AS Latin. (AS is the first year qualification of the 2 year international A-Level qualification but full A-levels are not offered for Classics and Latin). </p>
<p>I’m still deciding whether to attend Brown or the top university in my country which is offering me a Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) in 3 years with the option of completing a research Masters in 4 years total (accelerated programme). Unfortunately I can’t take up Classics at my local university (I could’ve gone straight into second year if I did) as I’m already taking 5 engineering papers (maxed out, no exceptions university policy). I know I could handle a tougher workload with time to spare. I could always graduate early from my local university and apply for grad school in the US but that would mean limiting myself to an engineering postgrad degree instead of keeping my options open (either engineering or classics postgrad later) if I choose Brown. I have always wanted to master an interest to the highest level so I’m not considering which subject would more likely get me a job. Life is short and I really enjoy working under time pressure and the goal of postgrad pushing me on. </p>
<p>From Uroogla’s comments breadth and depth of study is a factor and how are the summer courses for Classics and Computer engineering? Perhaps I could increase breadth by taking intro courses in summer school and taking more classes during the semester (but is there a limit?) I’m used to taking more classes than I should.
Any thoughts highly appreciated.</p>
<p>@Charismaztex – I wanted to chime in before anyone provided you with incorrect info. People usually assume that Brown’s policies for A-levels are the same as its policies for AP credit, which is not the case. You can see details of the A-level policy here: [International</a> Certification](<a href=“International Exam Policies and Procedures | The College | Brown University”>International Exam Policies and Procedures | The College | Brown University) . Basically, the policy is generous and you get very real credits for A-levels (unlike for AP tests); this could allow you to graduate up to a year early.</p>
<p>That said, going to Brown with such a good idea of what you want to do there – and with the intention of getting out as soon as possible – is going to make you a bit of an odd duck on Brown’s campus. If anything, most international students choose American unis either because they give you more of a ‘college’ experience (read: 4 years of prolonged adolescence) or so that they can continue to explore different academic interests (see, e.g., Emma Watson). I’ll leave it to others to fill out this picture more completely for you.</p>
<p>Edit: There’s another international student here, aleph0, who took one full year of advanced standing using A-levels. You might want to get in touch with him/her.</p>
<p>Re: charismaztex: Another thing to consider is that you could amply explore both subjects without officially concentrating in both of them. I would not bet on the summer courses being particularly good in either area. I know a number of people who are effectively double-concentrating in a hard science and a humanities/social science in four years: I’ve been told that they are ‘allowed’ to put both concentrations on their r</p>
<p>Indeed, as mgcsinc said, I obtained a full year of advanced standing with A levels. However, the whole process is hardly straightforward, and one should take into account his/her specific circumstances before considering this option. </p>
<p>A lot of the course credits you can get from A levels depends on the specific subjects you took. If you want to post more details here (or PM me) I will be more than glad to help out.</p>
<p>I’m in a bit of a rush, but I’m a Classics and Math-Computer Science concentrator, so I could talk about the programs. Important is the question of…which classics track do you want to pursue? The Greek and Latin track formally has 12 requirements, but unless you’ve started Greek already, it snowballs to 16, making it near-impossible (impossible?) to fit in with an Engineering program, even in 4 full years. The Classics advisor is very good about flexibility, but he’s unlikely to reduce that number by much before taking into account A-level results (and I’m not sure how those would be handled by either department). If, on the other hand, you just want exposure to classical thought, the standard classics track is only 8 courses and gives maximal flexibility.</p>
<p>The summer classics courses are limited to the intro language courses. I’m not positive about the engineering side, but there likely won’t be relevant CS courses offered either, unless CS32 counts. You are limited to 5 courses a semester and 2 courses a summer by Brown regulations.</p>
<p>Re mgcsinc: For me, I need specific hard-to-reach goals (ie. grad school) and time pressure to motivate me. I’d prefer to spend the extra time exploring after I’ve done the hard yards of my degree. I’m definitely staying for 4 years, I just want to have the opportunity to graduate available to me as soon as possible ie. fulfilled degree requirements etc.; the question is how much can I get done in this time? If I consider grad school for Classics, I have to learn French and German so I could spend extra time on both of these as well as some intro summer courses on other areas.</p>
<p>Re poubelle: Do you know if grad schools prefer full, separate degree in the subject as opposed to one degree with 2 concentrations? Some grad schools just say “competence in certain areas…” (By the way, I’m thinking of grad requirements etc. early as I have learned my lesson this admission round ie. thinking of which schools to apply and planning early, heck I started and finished my Brown essay on the day the common app was due!)</p>
<p>Re aleph0: I took CIE A-Level Maths, Chemistry, and Physics and AS Latin and AS Classics.</p>
<p>Re Uroogla: Yes, I am thinking of the Latin and Greek track. I’ve done 5 years of Latin but no Greek so I could take the summer school intro courses.</p>
<p>Let me warn you now…to start Greek in college and be ready for the required survey course by graduation (early or not) is incredibly uncommon. Almost everyone in the survey classes are grad students or had multiple years before coming to Brown.</p>
<p>To complete both a Computer Engineering ScB and the Greek and Latin concentration, even with those A-Levels you listed, does not appear possible in 3 years, since it still would require on the order of 35 courses (34 is the maximum number you can take in 3 years including summer study). Engineering is nearly impossible to pair with anything else because it requires a huge number of courses.</p>
<p>Hmm this conversation intrigues me, I have 4 A’s in AS-level, and will be giving A2 soon, with predicted results of A*. This does give me credit at Brown, as far as I know, but what other opportunities may arise? Will I be able to pursue two concentrations with this ? Or will I be able to graduate early and go off to med school much earlier than most? Any ideas on the two Q’s?</p>
<p>@charismaztex: If you’re planning on staying for the full four years, then the question of advanced standing is completely irrelevant. There is no such thing as being “ready to graduate” at Brown, but then staying longer; you have to choose whether or not to take advanced standing. Otherwise, you can only get credit for the purposes of being excused from concentrations obligations, although this is probably perfectly fine for your purposes.</p>
<p>All of that aside, I want to caution you about your approach. Exploring the curriculum – shopping for classes, taking big famous classes with your friends, etc. – is an important part of the Brown experience, and shouldn’t just be relegated to your final year. The concept of the “hard years of [your] degree” is, to me, kinda un-Brown.</p>
<p>Have any of you Brown students experienced the name recognition factor for Brown? As in, in some casual conversation it comes where you go to college and you say Brown and you get a kind of blank look back?</p>
<p>I was at home over winter break and was doing some shopping at a local big-name supermarket while wearing my Brown sweatshirt. The guy at the counter looked at it and said “Brown? Never heard of it. Must be some kind of community college.” I told him it’s in Rhode Island, he looked blank, and I paid and left.</p>
<p>@charismaztex: As far as I know, at least in the United States and in humanities in the UK, it’s not even necessarily desirable to have an undergrad degree in a subject to pursue graduate work. It certainly doesn’t hurt, of course, but as long as you have a substantial background and interest, you should be all set. There is nothing wrong with exploring your options, changing your mind, etc. and letting postgrad admissions committees know this in your personal statement. They’ll only care that you’re motivated, genuinely enthusiastic about the material, and have a decent enough grasp to succeed in graduate school (so if you’re looking to go into Engineering, for example, it would probably be more crucial for you to have majored in it or a similar subject than if you went into Classics).</p>
<p>I understand your concern completely - I was much the same way before entering college - but, if you’ll allow me to be so blunt, you’ll get over it. Start out studying Engineering by all means, but take whatever other classes you can on the side and don’t be afraid to decide that you want to study Classics or Economics or Biology instead of Engineering. In your case, I think that an A.B. with one science and one humanities subject could be the perfect compromise - but no need to make these decisions now. And, of course, no need to have a degree in every subject that impassions you.</p>
<p>@poubelle: In most humanities fields, that’s sound advice. Unfortunately, the number of advanced Latin and Greek courses one has taken is one of the primary things that grad committees look at for Classics - the programs are so immensely competitive that the reqs for the undergrad degree are a minimum for consideration for admission into most programs.</p>
<p>@Uroogla: I’m also thinking of separate degrees (ScB and AB) in 4 years instead of the 5 usual. 3 years is probably too short a time to stay anyway, I just wanted to make the most out of 4. If I get credit with A-levels and have the opportunity to get separate degrees in shorter time I’d go for it even if it wouldn’t seem to make a difference between doing that and getting one degree with two listed concentrations. Actually it looks like it does make a difference from your above comment. Could you tell me more about the survey classes? What are some recommended texts for Greek before I start in college? </p>
<p>@Poubelle: I’m perfectly fine with one degree listing 2 concentrations as long as it get me where I want to go. Yes, I have consider what Uroogla said above. But if I get advanced standing I’d rather get 2 separate degrees if I have the opportunity to do so even if it wouldn’t make much of a difference on paper.</p>
<p>@mgcsinc: I’m going to be doing computer engineering too so I get to experience the past and the modern :)</p>