<p>Then I would have to say it’s your stats (GPA, rank, SATs–since you stated you were from the middle of nowhere) or it’s your why Brown essay.</p>
<p>by the way, have you entered any competitions with your research? because if you got something, it would work in your favor immensely.</p>
<p>Here’s my practical perspective:</p>
<p>Admissions decisions are pretty much completely and utterly arbitrary once it comes down to making the final cuts. Relax, enjoy the last week before decisions, and remember that no matter where you are accepted, you are going to love the college you end up attending. Don’t put any one school on a million mile high pedestal above the others, because just like there are tons of applicants who would be right for a certain school, there are also tons of schools that would be right for a particular applicant. Also, try not to worry too much about stats at this point; perseverating on them will just cause you unnecessary stress.</p>
<p>The OP seems to be under the impression that somehow Brown proclaims that they take a totally holistic approach in determining their acceptances and now in the end they have betrayed their principles by making grades and SAT scores really count. I understand that the OP may think themselve a perfect fit for Brown despite their scores, but I think they are misinformed in believing that Brown is really analyzing candidates in a purely holistic way and not first considering scores and grades.</p>
<p>We took D on an info session/tour at Brown 2 years ago and we left believing that while they are looking for unique and interesting candidates, that they are looking for those candidates among a pool of students who have stellar grades and GPA.</p>
<p>D had 2130 SAT’s, 30 ACT (if superscored a 32) and was top 5% of class with a 97.9 average (most challenging curriculum.) She was the president of her school, lead in the musical and had founded an acapella group as a freshman. In the end she did not apply because she wanted to pursue vocal performance and because she really was left with the impression from their info session that her SAT scores wouldn’t cut it.</p>
<p>So I would start by rethinking things and let go of your anger. It is possible that with your grades/ scores Brown was never a reality despite how much you want it. Maybe you wanted to believe what you wanted to believe. Hey…you did get deferred…so maybe you will get in despite slim odds. But you can’t harbor anger at all the candidates who came in with better grades, scores and all the other things that make them unique, too. And I don’t think you can overlook the stats that show the profile of a Brown student is still a student with very high grades and scores.</p>
<p>For the record, one could have said our school was blacklisted, too, from Brown. For many years, students did not get accepted. But the streak was broken by a student who was val and won Sieman’s and a boy who starred on Bdway several times. I guess it’s just a hard school to get into…</p>
<p>Brown didn’t accept anyone from my school for ten years before I got in and I don’t think they’ve let anyone in since. Blacklists are generally things kids make up as a covenient scape goat to explain the fact that it’s hard to get in and often hard to figure out why things work out the way they do.</p>
<p>I am personally offended by your comment that you’re “fortunate my parents just saved up for me.” ya, so did most or our parents, whatever amount they could. but we’re in the middle of a recession and sometimes the best plans don’t work out for everyone like they were supposed to. so please don’t brag about not needing aid and implying that your parents tried harder than everyone else’s.</p>
<p>I don’t see why you’re upset about being deferred – you say you should either have been rejected outright due to poor scores or accepted due to quality of research and character, but to me, it sounds like Brown adcoms were right to defer you. Deferral isn’t a promise of rejection – although the odds aren’t really in anyone’s favor – but an indication that the admissions committee wanted a little more time to consider your application, or perhaps a chance to weigh your credentials against those of applicants to the regular pool. You state, essentially, that Brown should disregard grades and scores in your case because of particularly strong research and dedication to one particular field – however, as other posters have made clear, of Brown’s 30,000+ applicants, there are plenty who are not only devoted to their EC’s but also have grades and scores to back it up. Even if you don’t end up admitted come Thursday, there’s really no reason to be bitter – no school can accept every applicant who might potentially succeed, but that’s why you apply to multiple schools and don’t get your heart set on any institution that accepts maybe 10% of applications. I’m in the same boat as you right now – applied ED, deferred, and anxiously awaiting my decision – but the important thing at this point isn’t to lash out against the school for not realizing how amazing you are. I’m sure that any applicant who is even close to Brown caliber will have plenty of other acceptances to choose from – don’t make it about the school, just make your experience count wherever you attend. Yes, we were all devastated after ED decisions, but I know that since that fateful December 14th, I picked myself up, brushed myself off, and learned to love my other choices. I wish you the best for next year – hey, maybe one day we’ll meet at Brown if all goes well, but if not, please don’t let one rejection dictate your attitude towards college as a whole. The next four years are going to be packed with metamorphoses and learning experiences whether you go Ivy League or local state university (or anything in between). Good luck!</p>
<p>Wow, vivala, feeling a little defensive? I don’t think there was any bragging there at all. Simply a student that is thankful that his parents are able to pay for his education. We should all be so lucky. And he certainly was not suggesting that his parents tried harder than others. The fact is that some people will be in those shoes, and some won’t. We all have to deal with the realities of life. Some of us will be accepted and some rejected. No one ever claimed that life is fair. So, let’s all wish each other good luck and hopefully we’ll meet one another in the autumn!</p>
<p>I don’t feel the need to defend what I said, but I would like to remind Panserbjorne that not everyone is fortunate enough to be in his position, and perhaps he could have phrased his statement another way. Good luck to all!</p>
<p>Btw, just wanted to add that panserbjorne is a great user name.</p>
<p>wow calm down, vivala, I am not trying to brag about it I am just saying it is a non-issue for me, and I am indeed very thankful that my parents were able to set aside enough for me to attend a place like Brown. There really is nothing wrong with that, nor would there be if it were not the case. I guess I am once again a victim of poor word choice, disappointed was the wrong word. I really don’t want to be pulled along by Brown (ie deferral, wait list, then rejection). If I don’t get in on Thursday (or when I don’t), I’d rather been rejected in December, because realizing a false hope is way worse than the shock of ill news, it is this state of limbo that is sustaining my happiness. I just didn’t get why they deferred me, because I was thinking that I would either be right out rejected(due to GPA and SAT), or accepted(due to awesome EC). The deferral was simply unexpected because I was sure I was going to be rejected. So this middle road was just very uneasy ground for me, there are so many things that can be read from it.</p>
<p>@Modestmelody: thx! As for this post, the mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heavn of hell, a hell of heavn. (not trying to be too melodramatic with the literary references) I guess that is whats going on now ;)</p>
<p>Could not agree more with HighHopes’s post!</p>
<p>The reputation exceeds the education </p>
<p>Maybe that will calm you down???</p>