Do I stand a chance if I ED Brown?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Brown University
1

<p>Im from an indigenous tribe in Borneo, and a minority group in Malaysia. Didn’t grow up in a city, and had a different growing up experience from some of you guys here. i received a government scholarship to study abroad in a foreign country four years ago, and fortunately was exposed to the idea of US education. do help me out over here.</p>

<p>Im currently on a gap year and will be applying for the class of 2015. Im also a first generation college student.</p>

<p>Test Scores:
SAT 1
1470 (CR+M) 2080 (Total) 690-780-610 (CR/M/W)
SAT 2
Maths 2- 800 Chinese- 800 Physics - 760</p>

<p>Academics:
Cambridge GCE A Levels Grade: Maths A Geography A Physics A Economics B
Final year grade: Maths A Geography A Physics B Economics D (No GPA or school rank)
11th Grade: Maths D Geography B Physics D Economics E
10th Grade GPA 3.57 out of 4.00 (distracted by year-round business research projects)
9th Grade GPA 3.78 out of 4.00
*the most rigorous course load at a top high school in the nation</p>

<p>Archery (11th-12th Grade) School Captain
-Represented school in various National level competitions
-Best: National 1st Position in Team Standard Recurve for National Inter-school Championship
Judo (8th-10th Grade)
-Represented school at Inter-school competition
-Bronze for individual event at inter-school competition
Badminton (till 9th Grade)

  • Second place for Men’s Under 14 doubles in State competition
  • Borneo Badminton Cup (top 8 Men’s Under 14 Doubles)</p>

<p>Work Experience:

  • English translator of Malay Guidebook: Indigenous Community Building (10k words), and several articles on Borneon native communities from Malay to English, vice versa.
  • Research assistant on Indigenous Land Rights and GPS Mapping
  • 3 months outfield assignment in collaboration with Raleigh to build gravity water feed system equipped with pioneering filtration in a remote village, Borneo. Facilitated the Project Managers from cambridge university and france with a team of 16 global participants aged 17 to 24 from US, UK, Holland, Ireland and Scotland.
  • Service auditor at a consulting firm, doing clandestine inspection of service standards in high-end retail stores. Conducted interviews and phone surveys with employees to assess corporate service qualities. Data analysis of gathered project materials together with graduates and professional adults.
  • Other odd jobs such as doing sales at Singapore formula 1 grand prix, private tutoring and waitering.</p>

<p>Awards:

  • top12 for a national business competition by a university with teams from India, LA, Singapore. and another recognized national business competition. (a year-long project)
  • Research project on human geography was nominated finalist at another national competition.</p>

<p>Community work:

  • also a big part of my ECs. Had volunteered overseas at Maldives, Indonesia and Singapore at various occasions (on sponsored trips with recognized NGOs)
  • initiated a few community work as well during high school</p>

<p>Essays: Matured writing, would say they are rather good. My counselor says it speaks a lot about who i am. I also wrote an extra letter detailing my experiences during my gap year.
Recs: Pretty good i hope. And my counselor is pretty experienced and well known among the deans for some colleges.</p>

<p>Weakness:

  • probably my SAT1. my reading and writing are terrible. takin again in october, last chance!
  • dont really have much awards in the academic field, like the many science olympiad winners i’ve seen on CC.</p>

<p>Currently my plan is to apply for FULL FINANCIAL AID to Vassar via EDI - can contribute about 4-5k per year. But brown is definitely lingering in my thoughts, and I would like to know my chances of getting in (if vassar fails, or if I change my mind to ED Brown instead)</p>

2

<p>Just the sheer uniqueness of your backgrounding should give you a chance at about any college in America.</p>

3

<p>thanks for the comment. However, I would like to know how far my ECs and Academic results can get me? Because cultural background is just a small portion of Brown’s admission criteria, I suppose.</p>

4

<p>Your objective stats seem a little low, but the extracurricular activities are strong. Since you are an Asian international applicant, I would have to say you may be at a disadvantage. Good luck to you though. I need it as much as you do.</p>

5

<p>Ok, as Polyosophy said, your objective stats are just a bit low. I wouldn’t worry about that at all. You have really good ECs, and I’m assuming you wrote at least one of your essays about your background? I would think that you are a shoe-in for Brown, even with the low SAT I scores.</p>

6

<p>thanks a lot Poly and Cook. Where are u all from? And are u all applying to brown too?</p>

<p>Yeah im quite worried for my SAT I scores, im retaking it in october, hoping to pull up my writing section to 650? english is my third language, which is why the writing section is slightly challenging for me since its very intuitive. </p>

<p>And yes, i wrote my commonapp essay about my background and how i travelled distances at the age of 14 to a foreign country with no relatives nor friends under a scholarship, and a lot about my growing up as a native boy and my culture. </p>

<p>I also wrote an extra gap year letter detailing about what i have done the past 8 months, and several incidences while working night shifts at a coffee house (to save money for college and apps, and driving license) and the people i have met there.</p>

7

<p>Just so you know, Brown is need aware for international applicants, which will likely make it harder for you to get accepted.</p>

8

<p>thanks uroogla. i guess Brown is probably too competitive for me. sigh, guess i ll have to try ED-ing a different college. Unless i can push my SAT scores up to 2150+ this oct. u think so?</p>

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<p>Need aware doesn’t mean they’ll reject you just because you need. I think your background is good enough to the point where they would bring you in just for the sake of diversity. Higher SAT scores wouldn’t hurt but your scores definitely aren’t awful. I think you should go for ED.</p>

10

<p>thanks mattgriffin. I will keep that thought in mind, and try to get better scores for SAT this oct. </p>

<p>Aside from that, would you mind reading through my essays for brown?</p>

11

<p>You have had a tough time getting to where you are now, You deserve admission and I think that any school in the US will consider admitting you. :slight_smile: best of luck</p>

12

<p>

</p>

<p>Sure. Send them whenever you have them available and I will critique them promptly.</p>

13

<p>I’d love to read your essays as well, and I will of course offer my 2 cents. I think peer feedback is one of the most valuable resources for essay critique. My email is <a href="mailto:cookcfc@yahoo.com">cookcfc@yahoo.com</a>, if that would be easiest :slight_smile: </p>

<p>Also, I am applying to Brown as well, although I have not prepared my application yet since I’m applying regular admission. I’ll post my stats just in case you’re interested. </p>

<p>SAT I - Total: 2210 Breakdown: 730cr, 700m, 780w (Why math is my lowest score, I have no idea…)
SAT II - Haven’t taken yet. Will be taking them in November. Taking Spanish, Lit, and Math II.
4.5 weighted GPA (4.3 scale)
Top 10% of class
Course work this year: AP Comp. Sci, AP Calculus, AP English 12, AP US History, and independent study in German. It’s by far the hardest course load that my school could possibly offer. Apparently I am the only one to have ever taken 4 APs at a time. (We only have 4 classes a semester, although APs are yearlong). </p>

<p>ECs -
Junior year spent abroad in Chile.
Varsity Soccer: 9 (jv) 10, 12
Varsity Alpine Ski: 9, 10, 12
Varsity Tennis: 9, 10, 12
Math Team: 9, 10, 11
Student Representative on the district School Board: 12 (nominated my principal, elected by students. Only student rep. on board. Attend all meetings).
Student Council Member: 9, 10
LifeSmarts member: 9, 10, 12 (captain). 5 member team that competes in an economics challenges. 9th grade: 2nd place at states. 10th grade: 1st place at states, 4th place nationally. 12th grade: TBD
FBLA Member: 10, 11, 12 </p>

<p>Work: I work at a marina, and have done so since the summer of Freshman year. I’ve also worked weddings and dinner functions for my dad’s restaurant since I was 14. </p>

<p>Recs:
I have 2 teachers lined up that will give me great recs, as will my guidance counselor.
Also, the superintendent of the school district has offered to write a recommendation, as has the chairman of the Rotary district which includes NH and VT. </p>

<p>Other:
I speak Spanish fluently. I also speak German (proficient) and can read fluently in Portuguese.
I do waterski competitions… although I don’t think I’ll incorporate that on my application.</p>

14

<p>wow cookcfc, your stats are really amazing. I certainly believe you will be very competitive at Brown. Will you be applying RD or ED? Hope you will do well for your apps. </p>

<p>I’ll send you my essays soon. Peer evaluations definitely help.</p>

15

<p>Most chance and chance-back threads are from people with under 50 posts. Just an observation.</p>

<p>On topic, I’d say both of you have a good to decent shots. It comes down to essays, personality, and luck.</p>

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<p>I’m applying Regular Decision. Brown isn’t my first choice, and unfortunately I can’t apply ED to any school since I am still waiting on taking the Subject Tests. I missed my Junior year of high school (I was abroad in Chile), so I am a bit behind on testing.</p>

17

<p>borneoboy-your stats are very impressive.I think you’re being a bit too hard upon yourself.You unique identity would make any college take a second look at your application.I think you should ED at Brown,but only if you’re really fully sure that you want to go there,and there only and can’t vision yourself happier anywhere else.
Another Asian huh?Nice to meet ya in the virtual world!Im applying from India :)</p>