<p>For starters, I am applying to PLME Regular Decision. Now this may be a stupid question, but if I am to get rejected from PLME is it still possible for me to be accepted to Brown? As in, is it PLME or bust?</p>
<p>That sounds convoluted to me when I read it, so if people don’t understand I’ll try to reword :)</p>
<p>I believe this is the case (and I fervently hope it is so, because I’m in the same position).</p>
<p>From what I’ve gathered, you’re considered for the PLME only once you’ve been accepted to Brown, or something to that effect.</p>
<p>^^^ this is correct. The PLME admissions committee isn’t going to waste its time evaluating students who won’t be admitted to Brown. They get a list of students who will be accepted to Brown who also applied to PLME, and make their decisions off that list.</p>
<p>bruno, thank you for the insight! So with that, how do PLME interviews work? Do they only select students to interview if they’ve already been accepted to Brown?</p>
<p>Brown PLME doesn’t have any interviews for admission into the program. However, you may have a Brown University alumnus interview which I hear carries very little weight in the actual admissions process.</p>
<p><em>facepalm</em> I should have known that. I’ve applied to three BA/MD programs and am getting them all mixed up. Thank you!</p>
<p>Unlike the ED applicants, if you are applying to PLME RD, you are also applying to the regular undergrad. Many of these applicants will be admitted to the standard undergrad and not to the PLME program. You cannot be admitted to PLME without first passing the undergrad “okay” review for admission and then your “folder” is sent on to the PLME committee(s). So there will also be some students whose folders will never be seen by the PLME committee as they are not strong candidates for regular undergrad admission. Being offered an interview for Brown has nothing to do with whether your application has gone on to PLME, as Brown tries to offer all ungrad applicants an interview (limited by time and interviewers, not by quality of applicant.) If possible, sometimes the interview arranging person (who is not part of the admissions office) will try to have PLME applicants interviewed by someone with a related background. The alumni interview does go into your “folder” and the PLME committee will see it if it is done by the time they are reviewing the folder.</p>
<p>To clarify one point above, ED applicants applying to PLME are technically also applying to Brown’s regular undergrad and go through the same process as RD applicants. It’s just that if they check PLME but not regular undergrad binding, then they will only get a rejected or deferred undergrad status, if rejected from PLME. In theory if they get deferred PLME, it would mean that they are accepted as regular undergrad, as they in theory have the “credentials” to get in, having made it to the PLME committee. However, I have seen Brown wait-list or even reject those candidates in the regular round for Brown totally. I guess in cases where they had some feeling that the student was only interested in Brown if in the PLME program? I’m only guessing at the reasoning.</p>
<p>^
or before seeing the RD pool they thought “hey, this kid is great, let’s offer them an acceptance” but then after seeing the RD pool they said “ehhh, I like all these people more.”</p>
<p>My guess is it’s mainly a yield protection strategy like you said though.</p>