<p>1) On Brown’s website, it says “[Common App Brown Supplement] form provides information that we find helpful in considering your application to Brown in particular. It must be submitted before we can start an application file for you.” What if my teachers sent in their recs before I even started the supplement?..I will try to get it in asap, but would my teacher recs be misplaced since I have not sent in my supplement and thus they supposedly have not started an application file for me? </p>
<p>2) For the required essay, “What is an academic experience, project, class or book that has influenced or inspired you?” can I write about a project that was essentially community service? And does it matter if I was only a participant and not someone who headed it? Or does it have be some sort of academic project?</p>
<p>3) On the common app, there’s a green arrow for payment…does everyone have this? Is it just a common app error? I’m low income, so I’m wondering if it means anything…like maybe if my fee is waived. I have a NACAC fee waiver but I don’t think Brown accepts them…I guess I’ll have to pay?</p>
<p>Sorry for the long questions. My appreciation and thanks to anyone who can provide some answers, suggestions, and/or comments.</p>
<p>I sent off my transcripts and recs before I did the supplement. Nothing I could do. I hadn't finished them and we went on holiday break. I'm sure they'll keep a file. I'd love for someone to verify this, though!</p>
<p>Edit -- No, you don't have to lead whatever. It's still an experience if you participate!</p>
<p>You just reminded me that my school sent in my transcript before I sent in my supplement. They wouldn't just throw away such an important document, right =O? So regarding that, I think it should be alright o.o Thanks for your answer =)</p>
<p>As soon as they begin to get documents with your name on them, they open a file for you and put other stuff into it as it arrives. It's fine. I don't know the answers to your other questions, sorry.</p>
<p>I'll second franglish -- as soon as they get anything with your name on it (even your SAT scores) they start a file for you.</p>
<p>I don't know how application fee waivers work, but if you feel you would qualify for one you should pursue it. Look on the Brown website for more information.</p>
<p>Is a community service project" academic"? As I define it, only if it has an academic quality -- like tutoring. Or if you can directly relate it to an academic interest -- a recycling effort which connects to an interest in studying environmental science. To me, it's borderline -- although I am not an admissions officer and my opinion is just that, my opinion. </p>
<p>There are several threads on CC where this essay is discussed, so I suggest you look at them. The adjective "academic" is inserted in the essay topic for a reason. It narrows down the request. My gut feeling is that Brown hopes to learn from this essay something about your enthusiasm for learning, for knowledge. Can you can convey that by writing about community service?</p>
<p>Thanks to all those who posted so far. Regarding the essay, I guess my problem with the essay question is that it is somewhat ambiguous. On one hand, "What is an academic experience, project, class or book that has influenced or inspired you?" can refer to "academic experience, academic project, academic class or academic book" (academic book sounds a bit weird...). On the other hand, it can also mean "academic experience, any project, any class or any book." It pretty much depends on how you interpret it in my opinion. That project that I was a part of, though essentially community service, included academic aspects, such as short classes on US government and history. I actually already wrote out a draft, but I focused mainly on the community service aspects since they were much more meaningful and inspiring. If Brown wants me to write it on a solely academic project (ie research, Intel, etc), I don't think I can write it, let alone one that conveys inspiration/passion. All in all, I just don't want to be thrown aside in admissions just because I couldn't answer their simple question, but at the moment, I can't think of what else to write that will show more about me than this project. So yeah, a little dilemma...</p>
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All in all, I just don't want to be thrown aside in admissions just because I couldn't answer their simple question,
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<p>Hmm, interesting attitude. This is Brown's application, used to determine who gets admitted, and plenty of students have no problem answering it. If you don't like "their simple question," then don't apply. </p>
<p>I see no ambiguity in the essay question. You can write about anything you like in the common ap essay; this one very purposefully uses the adjective "academic." Since you are a student applying to a university, it seems quite logical that the words "class" and "book" are academic -- or having something to do with learning, education, etc. </p>
<p>If you can't find something that involves learning that has inspired you, then you should question whether you should be applying to Brown. It doesn't have to be an Intel project. Again, I urge that you look at the other threads on this essay.</p>
<p>Lol, please don't take what I write literally since I don't think my word choices/sentences structures through 100%....its just to give you an idea of what I mean. </p>
<p>To you, there is no ambiguity, and that is certainly magnificent and I hope I was able to see it as clearly as you do. But for me, in which my personality is to just question even the most simplest things, there grows a problem, not a huge one; I can certainly adjust myself to get the job done. It is definitely not that I can't find something that involves learning that has inspired me (everything involves learning, really...but in the sense of academic learning...), but it is just that it will turn out too cliche when I write it honestly and sincerely. For example: "I learned," "I enjoyed," "gained new insight and new knowledge to help me in my future," "achieved an understanding that will someday allow me to benefit the world," "I learned, and that is the simple yet significant gift that I have received over the years," or the like -- all are certainly good ideas and most likely honest takes that a fellow student will feel strongly writing about. For today (for maybe my feelings will change tomorrow), I feel that my inspiring academic experience will not be as powerful an essay as my semi-academic community service essay. </p>
<p>On another note, I feel books need not be termed academic. Textbooks, of course, but pleasure readings? I wouldn't deem them explicitly academic. </p>
<p>Most likely, this is a personal problem of my perception of the question. My apologies if it does not coincide with yours. Nonetheless, I really appreciate your candid comments and suggestions for they are really helpful and I am sure that they will eventually help me fix my problem =) And I will certainly look at some other threads. (Someone's writing their Brown essay on homosexuality? I'm wondering how they'll connect that to academics if they are indeed talking about this essay)</p>
<p>Franglish and fireandrain already covered this, but just to give you even more assurance (from an applicant)--my teachers sent in their recs before I submitted my app/supplement and everything was fine.</p>
<p>A green arrow for payment indicates that you're all set for payment. You should double-check with Brown, but I'm pretty sure you're okay. Either way, you'll know when it's time to send in your app (it won't let you unless the supplement and the payment are already sent or waived). </p>
<p>I second what fireandrain said in her first post. If you really want to say something about community service, you can do that in the "Please elaborate on an extracurricular activity" section (which is what I did) or under Additional Info. I also think this essay should be about academics--though not necessarily something like research or Intel--because you should be able to show that part of you in an essay too. </p>
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I feel that my inspiring academic experience will not be as powerful an essay as my semi-academic community service essay.
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But if you feel really strongly about this, then just go for it. It's your application, after all, and you should do what you want to do. Go with your instinct! But don't forget you have that core Common App essay, too, to be powerful and inspirational and full of passion. Ideally I think one should be able to show passion for learning, too. Just my opinion.</p>
<p>And I don't think the people who wrote/are writing their essays on homosexuality were doing so for this "academic experience" one. In fact someone said explicitly it was his Common App essay.</p>
<p>And I think the green arrow may be just an error since I don't think Brown would just waive my fee like that. Errors with these icons occurred during early apps, too. Lol, but I guess I'll find out when I submit.</p>
<p>Regarding the essay, over the next few days, I will try to think of an effective yet not too cliche way to convey my genuine passion for learning in an academic atmosphere. If I can't think of a good way, I think my only option would be to take a risk with my community service project essay, and perhaps change it a bit so I can focus more so on the academic aspects that was part of the project.</p>
<p>Ah, writing the homosexuality essay for the common app essay would make much more sense, even though I think one person wrote "for my Brown essay," so I thought it might have referred to this one.</p>
<p>Much thanks to everyone for the sincere and helpful inputs. And since it still hasn't pass midnight where I live, Merry Christmas! to those who celebrate it.</p>