How can I improve my chances at brown?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>HI, I'm currently a junior in high school and I really like brown in particular, but knowing it's so selective, there's a high probability I won't get in, here is some info about me so you can size me up, please tell me what I'm lacking and what I could do to make myself more competitive. I posted in the brown board but no one resonded, so I'm trying this one.</p>

<p>Other schools I've considered are tufts, cornell, nyu, vassar, u of rochester(match), syracuse (safety), and suny geneseo(safety), but I'm mainly interested in my chances at brown and the more selective schools...</p>

<p>Old SAT: 1370 (660v, 710m)
New PSAT: 217 (67cr, 73m, 77w)... maybe by the grace of god I will be a semifinalist if ny lowers it's baseline score by a point, but if not, probably commended
New SAT: I'm shooting for 2200
Probably taking SAT 2's in Spanish and US History, no scores yet</p>

<p>Yeah, I'm from ny state, which is a very overrepresented state as you all know. That can't be a good thing...</p>

<p>Overall gpa: 98.555/100 uw taking hardest courses available at a not-so-competitive public school (<1/2 of graduates go to four year schools)
Rank: 1/190</p>

<p>APs: Junior year... US history, Senior year... Music theory, Calc AB, Bio, English, Spanish (these are the only ones offered at my school)</p>

<p>EC's:
-Tons of music stuff, spend ~10 to 12 hours a week on the trumpet... concert band pres. and brass section leader, full orchestra, local youth symphony orchestra, all county, area all state, (crosses fingers) hopefully conference all state band next year, solo festival every year, jazz ensemble, private lessons for 8 years, paid performances, etc.... I 'll probably submit a recording of me playing the hummel trumpet concerto and write an essay about my passion for the trumpet... probably get recommendation from band director... this is the closest thing I have to a hook
-Private study of piano for 9 years
-Co-pres. of peer leadership (service group)
-Co-editor of yearbook
-Treasurer of student council
-Member of nat'l honor society- I tutor spanish and math through nhs
-Member of math team
-Founder/co-pres of spanish club</p>

<p>Spent last summer taking required courses in summer school to make room in schedule</p>

<p>No sports or work experience</p>

<p>So, how can I make myself more cometitive? I'm at a disadvantage because I'm a white male from an extremely overrepresented state and my sat's are sort of low for brown and the other selective schools, how can I make them better? What can I do this summer that would impress the adcoms? I want to study psychology and maybe minor in music, but career plans are still ambiguous... Any help would be very much appreciated, thanks</p>

2

<p>please, someone respond...</p>

3

<p>I think you have a good chance at Brown; I'll be applying there next year as well. It seems to me that Brown looks more at character/personality than other schools, and your interest in music demonstrates this. In addition, you have the best possible rank and pretty good SAT scores; but as in the case of any top thirty college, no one knows for sure. Best of luck to you.</p>

4

<p>wow, someone actually responded. thanks oakley, although i think your evaluation of me was really optimistic, or maybe i have an inferiority complex, but yeah, does anyone contest oakley's resonse?</p>

5

<p>Very good chance at Brown. They don't care as much about SATs as some other Ivies and even say that hard work is far more significant to them than standardized test scores. Good ecs, obviously great rank, great GPA.</p>

<p>Very good chance at Brown due to those stats of yours - I'd be a little surprised if you didn't make it in. G'luck. :D</p>

6

<p>Nice stats! How do you have a 98.5555 GPA. Did most of your teachers give you 100 or 99. How is that possible? Some teachers don't even grade that high.</p>

7

<p>Your resume sounds impressive. Retake the SAT, shoot for 1400, and if not, it doesn't really matter. My main suggestion to you is apply ED. That phenomenally improves your chances. As of now, the only thing you can control is your essay. You MUST tell a story. Use a lot of personality. If you're funny, be funny. Don't try to write in abstract metaphors or impress them with your vocabulary and ability to describe nature scenes. Use dialogue, narration, etc.</p>

8

<p>hey--i'm applying to brown, with similar stats. there're no "sure shots" with the ivies. i figure it's a lottery, and we have as much a chance as anyone! the only thing i can think of that would improve your chances are yes, applying ED. but the deadline's passed. :( so we'll just both cross our fingers!</p>

9

<p>Ummmm, nope. According to my research you're a match at brown, which is down there with Cornell on easiness to get in as I've read. Keep in mind when I say "down there", that's Ivy League "down there"...which is "as high as it gets". I'm just saying comparatively, you're going to get in if you ED if you do the obvious raise SAT, do more EC, and keep rank.</p>

10

<p>Wow, thanks every one, i'm somewhat baffled, but I'll take it. I have a 98.555 because I take banc, music theory, applied music-trumpet. and applied music-piano, and i get a 100 in all of them, and I also have a hundred in spanish iv, which is insanely easy, and pre-calculus, which i just try really hard in, if that's explains anything. I repeat... my school is not very competitive. But cool, I'll take all of your advice ino consideration, thanks again</p>

11

<p>Very nice.. but you are taking these courses now. What is your overall unweighted GPA in all of your years (which is what colleges look at).</p>

12

<p>Brown isn't down there with Cornell. Don't disrespect.</p>