<p>I really love Brown, and I’m considering applying Early Decision. The problem is, my unweighted GPA is quite low…around a 3.65. However, I go to an extremely competitive magnet school (I’m still in the top 5%) and my weighted GPA is fine (around 4.4) due to a full load of IB/AP classes. My extracurriculars are quite good, too. If I write good essays and get pretty good rec letters, am I still basically wasting my one ED chance by applying to Brown? Thanks so much!</p>
<p>Not really, actually. I was ranked 2nd or 3rd when I applied to Brown, even though I had a 3.8ish GPA and the val had a 4.00. In their annual report, they state that the student’s high school courses are more important than their actual GPA. I guess you should try to get good recommendations from your teachers to showcase that you’re a great student who loves learning despite getting some B’s on your transcript. Hope this helps! It also helps that you’re still in the top 5%.</p>
<p>Your college guidance counselor should be able to tell you where your GPA and scores place you in comparison to recent students from your school who have applied to Brown and did or did not get in. That is the best judge for you in this scenario.
Re “basically wasting my one ED chance”:
ED is not to be considered as a tool to get into a school as a chance. Instead you should be only using an ED ap to the school you most want to go to, and because it is binding if you do get in, only to a school that you are certain you will be thrilled to get in, and have no second thoughts about “but I really would rather be going to…” If you are uncertain if Brown (or any other school) is that school for you, then you would be better served to either do more exploration of your various choices to decide that, or wait and apply to multiple schools RD (and maybe one of those options EA), so you can do more comparison of choices. (visits, comparing financial aid etc.)</p>
<p>You’re right, that really wasn’t a good way to think about it…but I am sure Brown is my first choice! I’ll be doing a lot more research on more colleges in the next few months, though…</p>
<p>And thanks, I’ll talk to my counselor and see what she says. :)</p>
<p>Honestly, it just looks like your school has some grade deflation (or, not the serious inflation that other high schools have). As long as you’re in the top 5%, you’re clearly a strong candidate for Brown.</p>
<p>I mean, I know our school is by far the toughest in the county, so it does have quite a bit of grade deflation going on, but everyone from my school that has applied to Brown has basically been top 3 or 4 in the class with near-perfect GPA, so I don’t know where that leaves me 
I guess I’ll just have to apply and see, haha xD</p>
<p>If Brown is your by-far top choice, there’s no reason to avoid ED, unless your stats are well below those of the last admitted class (re Common Data Set), such that you’re wasting your application fee.</p>
<p>The only data I’ve been able to find are the SAT/ACT scores, and mine are up to par (2310). Is there anything else I should be looking for? I haven’t found any official average GPAs or anything…</p>
<p>Try <a href=“Office of Institutional Research | Brown University”>Office of Institutional Research | Brown University; Sections C9-C19.</p>
<p>Thanks so much!</p>
<p>Now I don’t think that helped much.</p>
<p>It did show which range of scores to aim for in each category, so that does help a bit xD
Although that can basically be simplified as ‘perfect in each’ hahah.</p>