<p>Should I even bother applying with a 28 ACT? I believe i have a competitive application, however I’m not a URM or anything… Is a 28 just going to be automatically looked over?</p>
<p>In today’s competitive pool, only extremely desired candidates (e.g. recruited athlete, foreign dignitary’s kid) can expect any traction with a ACT 28.</p>
<p>I thought Brown was one of the more holistic admissions processes of the top schools?</p>
<p>Last data set indicates that 25% of applicants with 25-29 were accepted, which is a lot higher than I would have expected. So it is possible if you have an otherwise outstanding application. I don’t know what ‘more’ holistic really means. But don’t underestimate 9% selectivity.</p>
<p>Better to try and know rather than don’t try and always wonder. That said its your choice to go where you will lead the pack, be in the middle, or follow the pack. If your act doesn’t accurately reflect your achievements don’t put so much weight on it yourself.</p>
<p>[Admission</a> Facts | Undergraduate Admission](<a href=“Undergraduate Admission | Brown University”>Undergraduate Admission | Brown University)</p>
<p>Statistically, you have a 7% chance of getting in with a 28 act. But I concur with T26E4; you have no real traction, but you still have a tangible chance.</p>
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<p>They are all holistic. None of them accept solely based on grades and SATs. Calling Brown “more holistic” is really splitting hairs. </p>
<p>Brown accepted 112 students with an ACT score of 28. So clearly a 28 was “good enough” for those 112 students. We don’t know anything else about them. Were they Native Americans from Alaska? Star football players? Daughter of Oscar-winning actress? Dyslexic math whizzes? Brown will not automatically put your application into the reject pile, but you’ve got to be pretty compelling to be accepted. It’s up to you if you want to spend the money on a 9.2% chance. People buy lottery tickets with much worse odds.</p>
<p>Yes, do apply. Don’t get discouraged because of your test score. If you have something compelling to offer, then I’m sure they’ll over look it.</p>
<p>all of my college decisions so far have been so discouraging…</p>
<p>Still apply! 
You never know what might happen.</p>
<p>GPA is more important that standardized test scores, so as long as your GPA is better than your ACT…you still have a shot!</p>
<p>dukebabe, you need to do two things.</p>
<p>First, you need to make sure you are applying to at least one, preferably two, safeties that you would LOVE to go to. And a bunch of sold match schools. I know it’s hard to set your sights lower. But you need to do that. So far you’ve had negative news from reach schools, so while it’s OK to apply to more reach schools RD, and you should do that, you need to readjust your efforts a bit. And show those safety and match schools a lot of love.</p>
<p>Second, you need to rethink your application. Have someone who is critical and objective look at it. Make sure you tell a compelling story. I looked at your old posts – you started a business, you’re interested in business – you need to sell yourself. Market yourself so that you become a candidate that the school wants, needs, to have on campus. </p>
<p>I think it’s really sad that a great applicant gets hurt by a relatively low standardized test score. Back when selective colleges had acceptance rates in the 25-35% zone, these schools took candidates with “lower” scores. But as their applicant numbers grew, they became much more test sensitive because they could. That’s the reality of the situation, and you need to face that.</p>
<p>To dukebaby18, Please apply! My daughter is one of those 112 students mentioned by fireandrain. She just finished the first 1/2 of her junior year today and is thriving at Brown. Thankfully the admissions believed in her despite her ACT scores. She is proof they look beyond those numbers. While I of course see her as amazing, she had none of the “hooks” fireandrain imagined. What she does have is an amazing work ethic, a creative imagination and desire to make a difference in the world. Good luck.</p>
<p>GO FOR IT. You have absolutely nothing to lose!! And I love this post by the way^^^
Congrats to your daughter. I had a lower SAT than the average at Penn, and I am happy to say that I am doing very well in the nursing school. I thought I had ZERO chances of getting in, but I went for it and put my heart and soul into my application, especially the essays. You’ll never know if you don’t apply!</p>
<p>Brown defiantly takes the most holistic approach to applications out of all the ivies. You can make up for bad test scores or even a bad gpa(not both) by having the rest of your application be stellar. This is true for pretty much all schools but even more so for brown. So yes you still have a shot just make sure the rest of your application makes you stand out.</p>
<p>I applied with a 2000 SAT (A 29-30 on the ACT) and I got accepted. My hook was that I went to a low performing school in Providence that had a 1050 average SAT on all three sections. I think lower test scores can hurt you but they are never a dealbreaker.</p>