<p>I’m currently a sophomore at NYU and I need to get out of here. I went to Brown for two summer programs: once when I was 13 and another time when I was 15. I really fell in love with the place to say the least. As I’m finishing up my application essays for Brown, I’ve been wondering how badly I want to go. I’ve decided NOT to apply for financial aid because it’ll give me a better chance. (I’m not saying that’s how it should be, but that’s the way it is.) </p>
<p>Current school: NYU (Class of 2014)
Entering as: Junior
High school GPA: 3.41 UW w/ strong course load (12 AP’s)
College GPA: ~3.90 w/ 46 credits (However, I do have one “W” on my transcript…)
ACT: 32 (Should I retake??) No SAT II scores worth mentioning.</p>
<p>Top college EC’s: </p>
<p>1) SUNY/EPA environmental sciences internship-research (10 weeks)
2) Badminton club (Intramural)
3) Islamic Center/PAKsa
4) Work-Study jobs (18 hours/week)</p>
<p>Top high school EC’s: </p>
<p>1) Medical Club President (2 years VP, 2 years President)
2) Co-founder of Students for Improving Healthcare (3 years)
3) Student Government VP (4 years)
4) Varsity Wrestling, NY Journeymen (5 years)
5) Travel Soccer private team (8+ years)
6) State community service awarded by congressmen for hospital/mosque volunteering</p>
<p>I also won a prestigious scholarship which gives me a grant and interest-free loan of 20K a year. I’m a Pakistani male from New York.</p>
<p>I think you have a good chance…I mean your stats look good. Their rates change every year: one year they accept nearly everybody, one year only few.
But assuming a reasonable number of applicants, I think you have a good chance.
Do you have an SAT score? And if you think you can get a higher score on the ACT, then retake it. But only if you are abolutely sure.
Good luck! 
(PS I get ur username reference 
)</p>
<p>amorvita - Hey! Thanks, and yeah hopefully this year they accept a reasonable amount of people. And no, I do not have an SAT score, I only took the ACT. If I take the SAT then I need to also submit two SAT II scores, and that would be such a hassle. I am gonna retake the ACT, and I’m not sure if I’ll get higher, but I’ve only recently started studying. Thanks!</p>
<p>Any more opinions?</p>
<p>I don’t know if retaking the ACT etc is worth it, but I guess it doesn’t hurt. Now that you will have a year and a half of college in your resume, that will be counting much more. Are your classes on a “comparable” challenge level to what you would have been taking at Brown? Particularly in your area of concentration. Are you premed, as your HS activities might have indicated, or changed course? If you are premed, your grades in the “premed” courses will need to be excellent. I would make sure you have superb reference letters from some of your college profs. (If any of them have academic ties to Brown, that would not hurt too, as they might give a reflection of how they feel you would do in Brown’s environment.) Your early exposure to Brown I would play down, that’s long ago and not very reflective of how you would fit as a college student!</p>
<p>BrownAlumParent - I’m in the liberal studies program at NYU, so the majority of my classes for the first two years have been chosen for me. They are a majority of liberal arts classes with a ton of reading, and if anything those classes have helped me pick an economics major and middle eastern studies minor. Part of the reason why I have so many medical EC’s is because my (Pakistani) parents wanted me to become a doctor…what a shock right? So basically I’ve been following in their footsteps the whole time. </p>
<p>Going through college I have had more freedom to do what I like as opposed to what my parents would like of me. Part of the reason why I’m applying to Brown is that I’m taking more control over my life and what type of college I’d like to be a student in.</p>
<p>Also what do you mean “comparable” level? The classes I’ve taken at NYU are mostly all general education requirements picked for me. (liberal arts) I have taken the following “hard science” classes: Micro, Macro, Life Science, and History of the Universe. (These are all gen eds except for micro and macro. I earned an A in all these classes.) </p>
<p>Also my recommendations directly correlate with my interests. I have one from my macroeconomics teacher and another one from my Middle eastern literature professor. Not applying for financial aid will help me right?</p>
<p>Hmm it would be a hassle, I guess. But remember, you are competing with other students, so you want to shine as much as possible.
You are doing well. I would be surprised if they don’t accept you. But it is Brown I guess…</p>
<p>Amorvita - Yeah the competition is gonna be intense I imagine. It’s not like I’m a shoe in just because I’m not applying for financial aid. </p>
<p>Does anyone have any more opinions?</p>