100% sure i won’t get in, but applied because i wanted to redeem myself for half-assing college apps during senior year.
Current college: Stony Brook University
Current major: Comp Sci
Entering as: sophomore
HS GPA Weighted: 3.7/4.0
College GPA: 3.75
ACT: 30
ECs:
-clubs, clubs, clubs
also, i included some extracurricular from my high school
Essay:
-8/10ish on every essay
-additional info essay thing: wrote about my hearing disability for pity points
Recommendation:
literally had to email my professors every day just to remind them to complete it on time (sigh, one of them finished it on the day before the deadline)… so I guess it’s probably not that great
~6.5/10 ish
by the way, when do decisions usually come out?
@Melody2015 @josh007 Thanks, I’ll definitely give it more time.
So hopefully someone will be able to answer this question. I submitted my application on Saturday Feb 28th (I had to wait for the money because my car insurance payment and other bills were due as well).
I had my transcripts sent out on Sunday March 1st and I just submitted the College report to my school’s Dean of Students to be filled out and sent in. I also won’t have my high school transcripts or secondary school report in my possession until Wednesday because that is the only time my guidance counselor has time to prepare them for me. Also, I haven’t had midterms yet so my professors haven’t been able to fill out my midterm report. I didn’t realize that all of these had to be submitted before the deadline. I thought that just referred to the CommonApp…
So in short, am I completely screwed…?? Or should I call admissions?
@bygoner, Best of Luck! Don’t count yourself out entirely; you never know what they’ll see in you. The site just says decisions will be available mid-May.
Since posting my info, I read one of my professor’s recommendations and it was very positive - to the point that I got kind of emotional about it - so that’s encouraging.
But I am full need, so that probably brings my chances from “pipe dream” to “not in a million years.” Also, I could definitely have done better on my essays.
@MsOptimistic - From my general understanding/research, colleges are strict about deadlines when that material only goes through you. Things that have to go through your current school are not necessarily expected to arrive or even be postmarked by the application deadlines. However, your best bet just to be sure would be to call admissions. Brown’s has been one of the more helpful/amiable admissions offices I’ve dealt with, so there’s that!
Guys don’t freak out lol
Basically the only things they expect you to submit by the deadline are your commonapp and the supplement. All the other stuff can be sent later, including all your transcripts etc. They are not going to read your application in the first few weeks anyway.
@jdarnielle you didn’t waive your right to read the recommendations?
@rebmob but I waived my right to see them. If you see your recommendation, you’re either performing an illegal activity (because you waived your right) or you didn’t waive your right. In the latter case, colleges take the word of your professors less seriously.
As far as your concern about what Brown looks for in recommendations goes, I wouldn’t worry too much. The letters come from professors so they are expected to show your qualities in a classroom environment. It would take your essays and activities to show how you contribute to your environment.
And your comment about @jdarnielle having an application that seems like they’ve inflated accomplishments… I don’t think that’s how it came across. besides, the process is based on trust. so if they’ve weaved it all in together in a way that sounds genuine, then it could only serve to help them.
@josh007 I did waive them, but one of the professors e-mailed me a copy unprompted (after my applications had been submitted) “in case it would be helpful.” It was a total surprise as I had not asked to see it.
@rebmob I apologize if I came off as arrogant; I assure you I am anything but (to a fault) and was just trying to present my facts. I also assure you I’m not lying or inflating anything and I’ll gladly PM details and links as proof to anyone who asks - I just didn’t name anything here because I don’t want it coming up in my organization’s google alerts or anything. My boss - who I’ve worked closely with for years - has sent each college a supplementary letter of recommendation (which I have not read), so if colleges doubt any part of my ECs they’ll have that as verification.
@jdarnielle indeed you have put together a pretty strong application. Good luck to you!
I was wait-listed when I applied to Brown as a transfer applicant last year. Do you guys think that’s gonna affect my application this time? If anything, my application’s stronger now – with more grades to show, newer recommendations, and most of all, more well-defined interests in transferring (to Brown specifically)
Kinda a follow up to @josh007’s question, I applied last year as a HS senior, was deferred, then denied. Think this will affect me in any way? (also feel my application’s much improved, especially clarity towards what I would do at Brown)
@josh007 Thank you!
And I think if your prior applications affect you and @actvalour in any way, it’ll be positively. Take it with a grain of salt, but I’ve read and heard from many, many sources that colleges look favorably upon second and third tries since it shows interest and commitment to improvement. It might not factor in at all, but I doubt it’ll have any negative impact whatsoever either.
Good luck to both of you!
Thanks! Yeah, that’s what I thought. I guess I just wanted the reassurance of hearing it from another person. I thought it was an achievement in itself – getting wait-listed as a transfer applicant. Because the chances are so ridiculously low.
Thanks, @jdarnielle, and best of luck to you! Crazy to be going through this again. Exciting though! May can’t come soon enough.
Just to clear some things up, @rebmob: the “cliche family essay topic” did not feature in any of my main essays and was included as additional information to explain - but not excuse - my high school failures. I now realize that might not have been clear in my original post. Also, I said I was published in a book - as in had a piece published among other pieces - not that I published my own book. And I didn’t say my nonprofit organization did not singlehandedly abolish all child slavery. I don’t know why these things wouldn’t add up. I came here as a kid, assimilated pretty quickly but managed to miss the “grade school is supposed to be your test-run for college” memo, had some outside factors and a teenage noncomformist disposition affect my academic performance in high school, used the internet as escapism, found and got involved with a nonprofit through the internet, graduated and went to community college where I finally got my stuff together, and was offered a job by the nonprofit just after my freshman year of college. I’ve been part of very specific communities for a long time and those experiences/connections have influenced my goals and opportunities. I guess the fact that it’s my life the only life I know does make it more difficult for me to see it as anything but normal.
That’s probably the last of my ~life story~ I’ll address in this thread since I don’t want to derail it any further (and I do apologize for already taking it this far). Again, I get that this is the internet and we’re all predisposed to skepticism, so I’ll gladly divulge more information privately to anybody who’s curious or wants to confirm I’m not making stuff up, even though I promise that I’m preeetty boring.
So. How 'bout them apps.
About financial aid affecting the admission chance: Yes, it does. Brown explicitly say they are need-aware for transfer applicants on their website. I need almost full ride, so I won’t be able to attend even if I don’t apply for fa and get in. I go to Tufts and I’m socially satisfied with the community, so I wouldn’t mind too much even if I don’t get in. My primary reason for transferring is the school not having a major I want to study…
How big of a deal does everyone think the mid-term report is for freshman transfers? I would assume its weighted relatively heavily since its a large portion of the grades they have in college.
@actvalour Hi! I’m hoping to transfer to Brown from Sarah Lawrence College as well. Are you a Freshman or a Sophomore?
@Athena95 Hi! I’m a Freshman. How about you? Feel free to message me.
I sent in my application on Feb 28th and have yet to receive any confirmation/log in information from Brown. Should i be concerned?