<p>I have heard that Brown is a lot bigger on legacy admits than UPenn. It might be a better shot applying there ED with a rec letter from your uncle.</p>
<p>Penn also has a larger endowment and is thus less dependent on alumni donors, meaning that no amount of money can really guarantee you admission.</p>
<p>Really? I had always thought that Penn was bigger on legacies than Brown, not that either of them are compared to places like Notre Dame. </p>
<p>As for the endowment, 3 million is more then "being dependent." That's going above and beyond, or at least so I thought.</p>
<p>Mooseman - that makes sense. Another question - Why Stats and not Calc BC or at least AB? Does your school offer AP Calc at all? You're applying to schools where you have stiff competition!</p>
<p>Well, actually, there is a story behind that. Going into my freshman year everyone at my school was supposed to take a placement test, allowing freshman to either take Algebra I CP or Honors, or Geomety CP or Honors. Those that did well enough on the test were allowed to take Geometry, thus allowing them to be able to take AP Calc as a senior. However, when we were supposed to have that test, I was in the hospital with pneumonia, thus not able to take it. To make a long story short, they put me in Algebra I Honors against my discretion, so now I am only in Precalc instead of AP Calc. So, I decided to double up on math and take AP Stats as well. </p>
<p>So that's my story. I would love to be taking AP Calc, but was not given the opportunity.</p>
<p>Wow - isn't it amazing how certain events can change the course of your life? I'm glad you recovered, it must have been a bad case to have been hospitalized. </p>
<p>I would leave out National Leadership Conference invitation out of your app.</p>
<p>^agreed. I think a lot of people get invited to that ... I know I did and so did all of my friends, so unless you went, it's really not that impressive compared to all of your other achievements.</p>
<p>Your school is asked by this company to recommend students with a certain GPA to be invited to this conference (I think it's a 3.7). So... the admissions counselors all know what your GPA is, and that it not a big deal to be invited. Some kids have positive experiences doing it, but it is well known as an expensive summer opportunity and not that selective. Just putting the invitation down, and not even participating in it waters down the rest of your resume, as Brown<em>or</em>Bust said.
National</a> Student Leadership Conference and Ivy Admission - Ask The Dean</p>
<p>Edit: It's not a 3.7 minimum GPA - just a "B"...From the NSLC website:
[quote]
Who is eligible to attend the NSLC?
The NSLC seeks outstanding high school students from around the world who demonstrate academic excellence and leadership ability. Students must be attending 9th, 10th, 11th or 12th grade and maintaining at least a "B" average at the time of enrollment.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Well it looks as though the Nat'l Leadership Conference will be dropped. Thanks for the tip.</p>
<p>Tahoe-I appreciate the concern. I get pneumonia a lot, usually every fall, and it's magnified by my allergies and asthma. So yeah, that spells hospital admittance.</p>
<p>Mooseman - I guess the asthma and allergies don't mix with hockey too much. It's impressive that you were captain. Any chance of being a hockey recruit? </p>
<p>Regarding development admissions - your connections will only get your application read, but you have to be academically qualified to be admitted. I know families at 3 different ivies with named buildings/deans/scholarships, etc. and at least one child in each family did not get into the respective institutions.</p>
<p>Well I sure as hell hope that I am qualified then!</p>
<p>I know a kid whose grandfather was on the chancellor's board at UCLA and was rejected by UCLA. He had 2210 and 3.86 and was ranked 5/280, so pretty solid stats as well. Connections can only take u so far, but millions does sound impressive, Senator Frist rings a bell.</p>
<p>Brown and Penn are very dissimilar schools, so I would take a better look at each and see if you fall in love with one of them. Let's be honest- either school will appreciate what your cousins have to say. </p>
<p>If it helps, I had two friends with cases like yours (perhaps even better off), and the one who applied ED to Brown got in and the one who applied ED to Penn was deferred...</p>
<p>Really? Better off and didn't get into Penn? Wow, that's a little bit ridiculous I think. I guess it really is just a crapshoot.</p>