How do my chances look at Brown?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>I'm a white female from a small public school on Long Island (yep, I know), and right now I'm looking at a major in English and a self-designed major in the philosophy and ethics of science. I'm genuinely excited about any remote chance I have at being accepted to Brown; it's really not the Ivy League label that I care about. I'm also applying to McGill, U. Penn. (Father is alumni), Tufts, SUNY Buffalo, Wells, and Barnard.</p>

<p>SATI: 1410, 730V, 680M
SATII: Molecular Bio, 710; Chemistry, 670; Math 1, 630; Writing, 720
APs: Comp., 5; Bio, 4; U.S. History, 5; Chem, 4</p>

<p>GPA: 4.112, un-weighted, un-ranked</p>

<p>E.C.'s: School musical production, 9th; NEXUS (Community service program), 9th; Mathletes, 10th; Hospital volunteer, 11th-12th; Run local Friends of the Arts org. (11th-12th); Currently starting reading group at pediatrics unit of local hospital; Summer microbiology research at SUNY Stony Brook; Intern at Congressman Tim Bishop's office; National Honor Society participant; Student Gov. participant; Community Band participant
Work experience: Subway (1 year), Banana Republic (Current), approx. 20/week each; Counselor at one-week science camp for elementary school children (2003, 2004)</p>

<p>Awards: English academic award, 9th-10th; Commended in local newspaper for internship; Principal's List, 4 years</p>

<p>I am currently taking AP Physics, AP Macroeconomics, AP Lit., Experimental English elective, Honors Pre-Calc., and a Science Research elective.</p>

2

<p>I've visited Brown, scheduled an overnight, and I am sending my Reg. Decision app early in hopes of getting an interview. Aaaand...my essay will either discuss my experience of moving from Indiana, where I lived my entire life, to New York, just before starting high school. If this ends up a little standard-sounding, I might do something more creative that conveys my love for words and writing since there are no guidelines for the Brown essay.</p>

3

<p>Brown can be unpredictable at best. Make sure your recommendations and essays are excellent.</p>

<p>As for chances at:</p>

<p>McGill...Very Good
UPenn...Okay
Tufts...Good
SUNY-Buffalo...Excellent
Wells...Excellent
Barnard...Good to Very Good</p>

<p>I'd also like to suggest:</p>

<p>Skidmore...Excellent
Lafayette...Very Good to Excellent
Union...Very Good to Excellent
Mt. Holyoke...Very Good
Smith...Very Good
URochester...Very Good
Bard...Very Good
Trinity C...Very Good
Bates...Good
Bryn Mawr...Good
Wellesley...Good</p>

<p>Noticed most of the schools on your list are on the East Coast. Some awesome schools you should check out (even if they are in other parts of the country) are:</p>

<p>Macalester...Good
Oberlin...Good
Whitman...Good to Very Good
Grinnell...Very Good
Reed...Very Good
Scripps...Very Good
Gettysburg...Excellent
Rhodes...Excellent
DePauw...Excellent
Denison U...Excellent
Lawrence U...Excellent
Beloit...Excellent</p>

<p>Anyhow, I hope this helps a little. Just my thoughts. Good luck.</p>

4

<p>Thanks a lot for your reply, blaineko. I'm actually looking for schools near or in a city, which is why I ruled out some of the schools you recommended. Maybe I'll replace U. Penn. with one of them, though...I'd have to say that I'm mostly applying there because of my dad.</p>

5

<p>hmmm...Anyone else? I ALSO forgot to mention that I've played varsity volleyball for 4 years, captain this year.</p>

6

<p>That's cool. I like cities myself, but a few on my list stood out, even though they were rural because the student body was very cosmopolitan (ie. Grinnell). Generally at UPenn, you only get a legacy push if you ED there; During the regular round, legacy status won't help.</p>

<p>If you like schools in cities or near them, I'd look, then, at these:
SUNY-Buffalo...Excellent
Rhodes...Excellent
Lafayette...Very Good to Excellent
Mt. Holyoke...Very Good
URochester...Very Good
Smith...Very Good
Trinity C...Very Good
McGill...Very Good
Reed...Very Good
Scripps...Very Good
Barnard...Good to Very Good (EDII)
Bryn Mawr...Good
Wellesley...Good
Tufts...Good
Macalester...Good
Oberlin...Good
Brown...Okay (Early)</p>

<p>The reason Smith & Mt. Holyoke are still there are because the area they are in has about 30,000 college kids, and five twons within a few minutes of eachother, and a small city (Springfield, MA) about 20 minutes away. They also are part of the Five College Consortium, which means you can take classes at Hampshire, Amherst, UMassachusetts-Amherst, Smith and Mt. Holyoke. There is even free bus service for students. Also, all parties on any campus are open to students at the other colleges.</p>

<p>Anyways, just more of my thoughts...Hope this helps a little.</p>

<p>PS--SUNY-Buffalo is your safety for financial reasons, right?</p>

7

<p>SUNY Buffalo is definitely my financial safety, and money is also the reason why I quaked at applying ED to Brown. Grinnell has always stuck out for me, so maybe I should reconsider it. I like the idea of being able to take classes at Amherst; that cross-registration perk is the main reason I'm applying to Wells and Barnard, so this is along the same lines. My reccomendations should be excellent, and I know that I'm banking on my essay, too. And Brown just looks really tasty to me. Thanks again for your thoughts!</p>

<p>oh...and I can get handy reccomendations from the Congressman and from the director of the lab where I worked over the summer. I really plan on playing up these two experiences.</p>

8

<p>That's a good idea for the recs and highlighting your lab work. I looked at Brown and Wesleyan, but I liked Grinnell better (wasn't expecting that, but Grinnellians were more open-minded, yet still liberal instead of militant). Definately apply to Brown ED if that is your clear first choice or you'll question yourself if you don't. Just remember that Brown's decisions are sometimes really random (more so than most other schools).</p>

<p>I'm applying early to Amherst in part because I can take classes at Smith, and Mt. Holyoke as well as Hampshire and UMass. I visited and went to a few parties at the other colleges too. It felt really alive and it truely felt like we could change the world. :)</p>

<p>Anyhow, I'd definately suggest adding Grinnell and one of the other women's colleges. Just a thought.</p>