<p>I'm with your mom. Brown is a great school, but there are dozens of great schools. I know, Brown is first, top of the list, for you. They aren't saying Brown "would be too much", but rather that 1) you need to be in the best position to get the best possible offer from Brown; 2) you need to know that there are lots of schools out there that you could love "almost" (but not quite) as much; 3) you need to be able to compare offers - Brown might be first on the list, but might not be if it cost an extra (fill in the blank) which could be spent on other exciting aspects of your education.</p>
<p>Give your mom a kiss - even if she's wrong (which I doubt), she is helping you think these things through, and she loves you!</p>