Holistic admissions?

<p>How holistic is Brown? I have a great rank, unique extra-curricular activities, stellar essays, but my SAT isn’t the greatest.
how holistic does Brown look at an applicant? </p>

<p>How holistic is it also in comparison to peer institutions: Dartmouth and Cornell?</p>

<p>Here is Brown’s description of its evaluation process. I think it would be fair to describe this process as “holistic”.</p>

<p>Rather than relying solely on a set of quantifiable criteria like grades and test scores, our admission process challenges us to discover how each applicant would contribute to—and benefit from—the lively academic, social, and extracurricular activity here at Brown. We will consider how your unique talents, accomplishments, energy, curiosity, perspective, and identity might weave into the ever-changing tapestry that is Brown University. Throughout our long history of encouraging diversity, we have learned that it is this dynamic mix of individuals that makes for the most fascinating and productive undergraduate community.</p>

<p><a href=“Applying to Brown | Undergraduate Admission | Brown University”>Undergraduate Admission | Brown University;

<p>Two observations:</p>

<ol>
<li><p>I think it is difficult or impossible to identify degrees of holisticness. A process is either holistic or it is not.</p></li>
<li><p>If #1 above is wrong, then a person would have to be affiliated with the Office of Admission at Brown to answer about the degree of holisticness for Brown. A person would have to be affiliated with the Admissions Offices at Brown, Dartmouth and Cornell to compare all three schools. I do not qualify to answer based on these criteria so will defer to others.</p></li>
</ol>

<p><a href=“http://www.brown.edu/admission/undergraduate/explore/admission-facts”>http://www.brown.edu/admission/undergraduate/explore/admission-facts&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>You don’t say what your SATs are. By “not the greatest” do you mean 500s? 600s? low 700s? There are kids who think that a 750 in all three sections is “not the greatest.”</p>

<p>As you can see by the charts in the above link, SATs below 700 are a disadvantage. It’s tough to get into Brown no matter how high your SATs are. Most students with SATs above 750 get rejected. I think that’s the same at Dartmouth and Cornell, too. </p>

<p>If you have something Brown wants, you’ll get in despite your SAT scores. Holistic admissions comes into play when Brown is deciding among qualified applicants. Unless you have extenuating circumstances (i.e., English is your second language, first-generation college student), a “low” SAT often makes a student “unqualified.” How low is low? That I can’t answer. </p>

<p>Wait so international students (whose first language isn’t English) have a better chance of getting in if they have a “not so great” SAT score?</p>

<p>andy: Where on earth did you get that idea? Oh, because I said ESL students have extenuating circumstances? </p>

<p>The answer to your question is no.</p>

<p>If you have a “low” (whatever that means) SAT score, Brown does not automatically reject you. It looks to see if there are extenuating circumstances. Someone who learned English 3 years ago probably has lower SAT scores than a native speaker. So that student might be accepted despite her “low” scores. Same with an inner-city first-generation student. I wasn’t even talking about international students, I meant someone who lives in the US. You may think 650 is a low score. But for a refugee from Burma who has been speaking English for a few years, a 650 is pretty impressive.</p>

<p>That’s how holistic admissions work. A kid whose parents are doctors and lawyers, who lives in an affluent suburb, who goes to a high school where SAT prep starts freshmen year – his 650 SAT is viewed differently than that refugee from Burma.</p>

<p>Oh thanks!! @fireandrain‌ </p>

<p>If you are white, you will probably get cut automatically at the first round of cuts for scores. Top schools look at the high scores first and then they examine those people on the holistic level, even though they will not say it. It matters just how low your scores are. If you are going to apply to Brown, the early decision process usually goes off scores especially. Don’t apply early if your scores are terrible.</p>

<p>@Whuffy: Sorry, but you clearly don’t really understand the admissions process. From your other posts, you’re a high school junior. I would advise you not to spread misinformation on these forums, and to only say things when you know they’re true.</p>

<p>I graduated from Brown in May, and I can say that I had many friends there who would not have been admitted if Brown used the method that you describe. Sorry, but you’re wrong. </p>