Hopefully, some of you can shed light on Brown’s admission practices - how holistic are they, can good ECs overcome a subpar transcript. I’d be majoring in business economics
GPA: 3.6 but 3.7 (92) without gym or health which I almost failed due to tardies, B+/A- freshman year, A+/A sophomore year to B+ average in junior year - family & medical extenuating circumstances - just a bad year overall
SAT: 1560, 23/24 essay
SAT IIs: haven’t taken yet
PSAT: 1490
Rank: not provided
I go to a sought-after private school that sends many, many (60%) kids to top 20s with a class size of under 100. Does not offer APs, but the classes are designed to be as difficult. I’d imagine I’m in the top half rank-wise because of my GPA.
Region: Northeast
Rec #1: from the best writer in the school, the head of the English department, probably good
Rec #2: from physics teacher, have some rapport, most likely average to decent
Counselor Rec: Not too good, parents made a big fuss with her and tried switching counselors twice, hopefully she at least covers my extenuating circumstances
Business ECs:
Founder & President of incorporated tech startup with team of ~10 for three years. Crowdfunding campaign led to $10k raised. We’re working on getting some local press and competing for design awards.
Financial manager of web-based music review/analysis startup. Liaised with design company for a 5-figure deal, play an instrumental role in the development of the startup. It’s run by ivy-league college students, if that matters.
Co-President of our school’s entrepreneurship club, oversaw, mentored and helped fund a simple successful education-based startup that is used in two schools in our district
Developed a free inventory-management app for online vendors
Intern at venture capital firm - work directly with branch on researching and analyzing potential investments. Copyediting a book on venture capital written by branch head, to be published next year. Possible recommendation letter from him.
6 (?) Co-founder and President of financial literacy project for a specific community/demographic; we have created workshops that are undergoing review and curation by people in the finance industry whom my friend and I know personally, however, we haven’t accomplished anything yet. We do have a website
Remotely volunteered (more like an unpaid internship) at a non-profit that provides resources for entrepreneurs in underprivileged communities
Unpublished chemistry-related research + paper + presentation in symposium at a renowned private research center
Selective STEM program, selective CS summer program, selective business program
I am certainly not an expert, but Brown tends to look at your major closely. I think that with your major being Econ and the amazing EC s that you have, I think they will be thrilled to see that. It is also a negative that you have a low GPA but lets see. Their acceptance rate is 9%. I would give you close to 25% normal and 55% early
@jackhitch1 I appreciate you are trying to help the OP;
“I would give you close to 25% normal and 55% early”. However arbitrarily handicapping a likelihood of admissions based on uninformed stats with limited insight into the candidates essays, narrative etc is setting the OP up to fail. Keep in mind the difference between throwing out an acceptance rate of 9 when the reality is 4.8 is dramatic (approx. half the likelihood as expressed).
"Brown tends to look at your major closely. ". Also kind of a silly comment given Brown doesn’t have majors…they have concentrations as part of the open curriculum. Less focus is put on prospective areas of focus given the anticipated fluidity afforded and encouraged by the open curriculum.
OP learn more, talk to your GC and only rely on truly knowledgeable advisors. You have some great ECs and a good shot if you tailor your application. The consequences are way to real however to rely on CC advice in isolation.
A lot of kids interested in business think a resume that might qualify them for an impressive job is what the colleges want. And then go ahead and phrase in terms of accomplisments and dollars. Or, make it clear how “important” they think their hs kid’s involvement is. In contrast, tippy top adcoms want to find kids who will fit and thrive, try new things, be open to more than just their career desires. As well as meet academic bars.
A lot of that is subtly communicated by what you chose to get involved with and how it’s phrased. What OP has shown here makes him look unilateral It’s not a case of “more” and “better” being a tip. They still want the right rounding- variety, some humility and that willingness to do more than just what leads you to an eventual job. Comm service beyond just what’s career oriented. In fact, too much emphasis on post college plans or a hint you’ll only be interested in career related, on campus, is an issue.
Plus, without an idea of OP’s broader interests, he can just not be a fit at Brown, with the unique curriculum. And yes, even without specific programs or “schools” (CoE or business,) a tippy top can evaluate the major interests you do put on the Common App or any supp questions, as context for his hs choices, stats, and engagements, his review. But still the right rounding.
thanks, that’s useful. do you think it would be wise to write my common app about something that isn’t business-related to tell adcoms that yes, i really do have a personality? and maybe tie it into business?
Yes. But you still need to understand what they want to learn, in the big essay and the supps. And be able to convey that with “Show, not just tell” and the right exmples that illustrate the traits they want to see.
No need to tie it into business. In short, they are not looking for kids who are all business/all the time. So give them insight who you are, besides that. Try to understand the traits they look for, then find a way to illistrate them. Again, show, not just tell.
Have you started looking deeper into what any of your targets wactually want? That’s step one. Triaging or fine tuning what’s missing is more imprtant than the essay, which can be written later. But in all this, reocgnize the grade drop in jr year is an inherent risk.
“In fact, too much emphasis on post college plans or a hint you’ll only be interested in career related, on campus, is an issue.”
The T20-25s, especially the ivies are a pipeline to banking and consultants, with econ or business being the most popular major and about half if not more of their grads go into careers like this. They take pride in placing their grads into high paying jobs, so I think the OP’s ECs are solid, however it does seem like a lot of unrelated items, to you point.
“he can just not be a fit at Brown, with the unique curriculum.”
Agree that I think is a bigger issue, while Brown may have a lot of econ majors who want to start high paying jobs after graduation and will attend college just for that, Brown doesn’t want applicants to get that impression.