<p>I don't know any financial aid office that will give need based aid to a family in tremendous debt living in high cost area and living well. If you lost everything in a tsunami and are living in a trailer trying to rebuild on a pittance, that is one thing, but unless you had some true tear jerking catastrophe, I doubt very much is Brown will be able to help you out if you are in a 6 figure income family living at a nice address. Yes, that your brother is in college will help, but that the college costs for him are relatively low will be taken into consideration. The main driving force for aid is your family income, and there is not a whole lot that can mitagate a high income, including debt payments unless there is a really good reason. So I don't think you should apply binding early, as I do not think anyone should apply that way who has money issues up in the air.</p>
<p>I suggest that you apply to a whole bunch of colleges including Brown making sure you also apply to schools that have merit aid possibilities such as Tulane, Emory, Miami, Vanderbilt, and start searching for some schools that may fit you where your stats are waaay up there as well. Throw in a few highly selective ones as well as Brown if you are coveting any. But Brown and the other ivies only give need based aid, and I am skeptical that you will qualify for enough to make the option viable over a UC school. Of course, you should apply to the UCs or Cal States as well as financial safeties. You can apply to a number of schools early action without being bound--Tulane and Miami have that option, I know. The problem with binding ED is that if they do not come up with enough money, and I really doubt they will despite what the FA officer told you, you are going to have some problems.</p>