Honestly?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Brown University
1

<p>Please chance me? LAST chance thread (hopefully) ever…</p>

<p>GPA: 4.5208
Rank: 2/500ish
SAT I: 700 Math, 740 CR, 790 Writing, retaking in November
SAT II: 700 Lit, 730 US History, 690 Math I (should I submit the last one?)
APs: World History 5 (semi-self studied), Macro 3</p>

<p>ECs: Founder - Millville Students for a Democratic Society, Congressional Awards Gold Medal (400 hrs. community service at local hospital’s ER, local art studios), President of Go Green Club, Mock Trial (lawyer past 2 yrs), Senior Class Secretary, Model Congress (Committee Chair), Student Council, NHS, Academic Team, German and Latin National Honor Societies, 7 yrs. of art lessons, Spring Musical/Fall Play (Student Publicist), JV Tennis (3 yrs.)</p>

<p>Events: HOBY, UN Student Conference on Human Rights (drafting committee), Robert Wood Johnson Mini-Med School (semi-selective), NJ Governor’s School for Int’l Studies, Canvassed for Obama, NYLF on Medicine</p>

<p>Essays: Should be a strong point
Recs: Saw 1 that was great, others should be pretty good</p>

<p>Other: Female, White, Southern New Jersey, relatively poor public school (rarely sends to top schools)
Major: Development Studies
Applying ED</p>

2

<p>Hello,</p>

<p>I don’t usually reply to chance threads but I was compelled to for yours as I also grew up and graduated from a public HS in Southern NJ (the real South Jersey, GSP Exit 10 :slight_smile: ).</p>

<p>Your GPA and class rank are excellent. Test scores are in the mix, if they’re higher for RD that would help. I would probably submit just your Lit and US History SAT II’s so that all scores (SAT I + II) will be 700+. It may not be a big deal but you want to be thought of as a 700+ test scorer all around when they glance through that part of your application.</p>

<p>Emphasize your strong and unique ECs, particularly the ones where it showed your initiative in making the most out of the limited resources available to you at your public school. Essays should follow this train of thought in revealing your character and motivation behind the activities you engaged in and learned from the most. I would be careful not to over-emphasize political ideology even though some politically orientated ECs lean that way unless you can relate to it on a very personal level.</p>

<p>NJ is somewhat over-represented at Brown and there is also the problem that in Southern Jersey there are well-to-do powerhouse schools like Cherry Hill. But don’t be intimidated as admissions is familiar with this part of Southern Jersey and will make adjustments in their evaluation of you. Be sure again to emphasize what you have done with what is available and how you strove to push beyond such limitations. Applying ED is good coming from a less well known area/school and should be packaged with convincing reasons on why you applied ED.</p>

<p>Your chances are better than the average but just understand it is very difficult for anyone. Were I to apply today an admissions officer would probably utilized my application as birdcage liner for the next week. Good luck!</p>

3

<p>I just realized someone responded to this. Haha, it’s nice to see someone from the REAL South Jersey. If you don’t mind me asking, what high school?</p>

<p>I see what you’re saying about the political idealogies. My essay focused more on the process of how I got involved in politics, not so much on what I believe. My supplement essay was a little more in that vein, but nothing explaining too explicity my belief system. I tried to emphasize the fact that it was a process. </p>

<p>Thanks for the input!</p>