Questions About Brown

Colleges and Universities A-Z Brown University
1

<p>I want to go to a small school with a liberal arts background, and I was pretty much set on Dartmouth, but it seems that the folks on the Dartmouth board play up the drinking and the Greek life to a level that makes me very uncomfortable. If those things really play that big of a role on campus, then I don’t want to apply to Dartmouth. That brings be to Brown. Brown has been in the back of my head since I first read about it. But, I have some questions. I asked my counselor these same questions and she basically put down Brown disgustingly. So, here they are:</p>

<li>How are the sciences at Brown? Specifically, the premed and engineering?<br></li>
<li>I have many interests, but I know I want to be a doctor, preferably a physician-engineer (if I can get in the program) and I also know about Brown’s open curriculum. Is it possible to simply take classes that fulfill your premed requirements while fulfilling your other interests? How would that come together as a major?<br></li>
<li>How’s the social life at Brown? What does it revolve around? How’s the drinking? Do you get shunned if you don’t drink (I’m Muslim, but that’s not the reason, it’s just I don’t like to drink)?</li>
<li>What kind of ACT and SAT score gives you even a chance (I know there are other things, but as rough an answer as possible)?<br></li>
<li>Do you guys have any advice for visiting?</li>
</ol>

<p>Thanks
tux</p>

2

<p>I'll let modestmelody or dcircle answer your questions. I just wanted to say, moreover that your guidance counselor is a fool and should be fired.</p>

3

<ol>
<li> We have the oldest engineering program in the Ivy League and third oldest in the country. The department is quite hands on and team oriented, and many of our students (50% or so) go directly to graduate school. We also have one of the strongest premedical programs in the country, and biology is our most popular concentration. Despite Brown's reputation as being primarily for the arts, 45% of students concentrate in the sciences here at Brown. We are a very serious research university that offers a tremendous amount of access to undergraduates on a level that puts to shame most other schools. There are other places like Brown, but none that are better, simply on the same tier in terms of access.
2)Concentrations are the only requirement at Brown. Something like BME (biomedical engineering) is a 25 course concentration with 4 of those courses being your choice of social sciences or humanities as ABET requires some distribution for a certified engineering degree. Premed is a designation that simply means you're also fulfilling required courses that med schools want you to take. Looking briefly at the BME requirements shows me that all of your premed requirements can be taken within that concentration (if you include english in those 4 humanties/social sciences) so it would not be a problem. Doing an average course load of 4 per semester, that leaves you 7 additional courses to take whatever you want (or one per semester). But also realize concentrations are not rigid and there is much choice within your concentration. BME requirements:
<a href="http://www.engin.brown.edu/undergrad/bioengin/degree.htm%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.engin.brown.edu/undergrad/bioengin/degree.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li>
<li>Brown's social life is less revolved around the large party and fraternity atmosphere than Dartmouth but this is still a university and there is plenty of drinking and smoking weed. However, there is no pressure to smoke or drink, many people choose not to, and you'll find plenty to do not taking part in any of those activities in your time here. I can't speak more to Darmouth scene other than that I know it revolves largely around, but not exclusively, frat parties. Slipper1234 who attended/attends Dartmouth but also loves Brown a good deal will come along and answer, I hope.</li>
<li> I have no idea about any of that stuff, but I'd say on the old SAT, don't bother unless you have a 1350 and you really have a low shot not being over a 1400 (so that's approx 2020 and 2100 on the new one, I guess). Anything above that and you're fair game.</li>
<li>Come on the Physical Sciences tour, it's awesome and I'm one of the two tour guides for the summer. We leave at 1230 (as of July 2) and end at 2 and will take you all around the engineering, physics, chemistry, and CS departments and talk all about physical sciences here at Brown. 2 oclock starts an info session and 3 oclock there is a general campus tour.</li>
</ol>

<p>I was typing as Brunonian responded...lol</p>

4

<p>Is it possible to visit on July 4th, as it is the only time I have available before August 25th? My vacation plans are really screwing up with my visits.</p>

5

<p>I'm not sure whether we're doing the tour on the fourth, that's a great question. I'll get back to you. I'll certainly be here and would be more than willing to take you around provided the building is open... somethings may be locked. This is my first summer at Brown so I'm not sure how things look that day...</p>

6

<p>modest, we will be coming with D end of aug, who is very interested in the physical science tour. Is there a tour of dorms as well on the campus tour? Is there the opportunity to sit in on any summer classes or are they not in session at that time?</p>

7

<p>There won't be summer classes in session by then, so that would not be a possibility. Though we didn't have a dorm setup for tours when I was looking at Brown, I've heard they FINALLY setup a demo room so I do believe that is now part of the campus tour.</p>

8

<p>How large are class sizes at Brown? It's nothing like Cornell-style, right, with ridiculously huge classes?</p>

9

<p>somewhere between 1450 - 1500 </p>

<p>lol modestmelody did I call it or what :)</p>

10

<p>I think he/she means actual course sizes.</p>

<p>The answer is, of course, varied. If you're talking about chemistry in particular, Gen Chem and Orgo will have 200 students in a section, since almost all science concentrators need Ch33 and all premeds need Ch35 and 36, but after that the size falls off tremendously. My Inorganic class, Ch50 had about 25 studetns and that's the largest it's been in years and Advanced Organic, CH145, had 11 students. Average chem class past orgo is about 10 students.</p>

11

<p>I've been in a class with 500 people, and still felt like the professor lecturing was just talking directly to me. Actually, I've had two of those. Large classes are the minority here, but even those are usually pretty enjoyable. I'd take a huge lecture with an engaging and knowledgable professor over a small discussion class filled with students who don't know what they're talking about any day.</p>

12

<p>Oh, ok. I want to visit, but honestly, I don't know how I can fit this in. I have to also visit Cornell and UPenn, and those two schools offer tours and info sessions on weekends. According to Brown's website, Brown doesn't, but the school has sort of that same vibe, same qualities that attracted me to Dartmouth, minus the huge Greek scene.</p>

13

<p>I have to say that I visited both Dartmouth and Brown. I love Brown and that was my first choice all along. However, I also love Dartmouth very much and I consider it pretty much one of the most elitist ivies. I think that the whole frat thing about Dartmouth is way overrated. The students certainly do not feel any pressure to participate in activities that they do not enjoy. My only gripe with Dartmouth is that it was way too rural and isolated for me.</p>

<p>I consider Brown and Dartmouth the top ivies for undergrad and you can't go wrong with either. </p>

<p>OP, your counselor is an ignorant, stupid idiot.</p>

14

<p>Tux-- I'm here on the weekend and if you were on a pinch, I'd gladly show you around, not that it would be so bad to visit in August. That last week before school starts is probably the most popular week for college visits all summer.</p>

15

<p>I think that's what I will do. I'll do UPenn before I leave, and I'll do Brown and Dartmouth when I come back. </p>

<p>Thanks for all your help, modest. You mind if I shoot you a PM if I have any other questions?</p>

16

<p>Feel free, but it may be best to IM me. I am at work in lab right now so I'll only be around intermittently at best.</p>

17

<p>I just wanted to add that my son is there for an internship program until Aug 6 and is a tour guide during the regular school year, so I am sure he would be willing to show anyone around on a weekend if that is the only time you could visit. Also, to the OP, my son's own doctor attended Brown and was a Classics major-he just took the required med school requirements but was able to pursue his interest which was far removed from Science-so it is definitely doable.</p>

18

<p>So, after talking with modestmelody on AIM, I'm almost sold on Brown. However, I just got my test scores back, and honestly, I'm not all that thrilled. I'm looking for a little bit of advice here.</p>

<p>ACT: 29 (personally the real deal was so much harder than any practice test I had taken, and a 28 in science, I thought I had nailed that, anyway)
SAT II Bio: 630 --> 660 (I put so much time into this, this is absurd, I might have this rescored cause if the chem works out in my favor)
SAT II Math II C: 720 (this I expected, due to time issues)
SAT II Chemistry: 680 (waiting on rescore of May one which I'm almost sure I did better on) --> 730
SAT II Math I: 680 (ran out of time back in Nov)
SAT: 720M, 700WR, 580CR (bubbling mistake)</p>

<p>How are my subject tests? What would you do for these? I have my AP tests as well. Could I make up for some of that there?</p>

<p>What should I do for the SAT and ACT? [Honestly, right now, I think I have a better chance at the SAT than I do at the ACT. The ACT was just to try it out, you know. I was planning on taking the SAT again anyway.] What score should I aim for to be in the running for those schools?</p>

<p>For some reason, I'm just not good at these tests.</p>

<p>[As for other things that may weigh out these things on my application, I have around 300 total volunteer hours between my mosque and the local hospital. I'm also interested in publications, even though I don't want to make a career out of that, so my extracurriculars are heavily focused around that. I've been editor of the school newspaper for two years, section head for my yearbook, i'm doing the index senior year for the yearbook, and i'm one of the editors of the yearbook as well. I'll probably have three rock-solid recommendations and I think I'm a good writer, so I think my essays will be good. My high school unweighted GPA is a 3.89/3.9. Weighted, it will probably be a 4.27. I've taken the toughest classes offered at school. I will be taking four more APs next year. My rank is somewhere in the top-15 students, that's top 4% or so.]</p>