Strange acceptance

Colleges and Universities A-Z Brown University
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<p>This deals partly with Dartmouth, because of another student, but partly with Brown, because that’s where I’m really hoping to go.</p>

<p>Here’s my post from the Dartmouth board.</p>

<p>I appreciate any advice/thoughts:</p>

<p>I don’t get this.</p>

<p>Okay, I got to the most prestigious parochial school in the area.</p>

<p>My friend, a senior, applied and was accepted to Dartmouth ED.</p>

<p>These are his stats…
GPA: 97.5%
Rank: Top 3%
SAT: 1420</p>

<p>Also, he was only in about 3 or 4 clubs at school, with no leadership positions in any of them, plus he was on the volleyball team (but is mediocre).</p>

<p>He was the only one from my school to apply ED to Dartmouth.</p>

<p>Then, about twenty other kids applied to Dartmouth RD, many with better stats… One had a 98% GPA, 1500 SAT, EditorInChief of Yearbook, Captain of Debate, and won lots of awards for both, and he was rejected.
So was everyone else except for the valedictorian.</p>

<p>So my question…
How did this kid get in?</p>

<p>Was it because he was the only one who applied to Dartmouth from an elite Catholic school? Was Dartmouth trying to nab him Early because of his impressive grades/scores?</p>

<p>I ask this because I’m in about the same boat as him… 97% GPA (showing an upward trend… (Do freshman year grades really matter? I went from a 95F to 97S to 98J)), 1450(/1600) SAT, top 5%, and I have three leadership positions at school. I want to apply ED to Brown.
So sometimes, I say to myself that I have no chance, with so many other higher ranking kids at my school.
But if I apply ED to Brown, will they try to grab me early on, which seems to be what happened with this kid?</p>

2

<p>Hmm... well, this is probably a stupid answer on my part, but perhaps the Dartmouth acceptance considered other factors (besides being from an elite school... does that really count that much?), such as his personal statement, the interview (if there was one), and <em>potential</em> for growth (and even minority status if he's a minority, although I don't know how that factors in with more prestigious schools). Anyway, so many students apply to these prestigious schools that accepting only a small percentage of them is definitely not a science.</p>

<p>My recommendation is: If you're dead-set on Brown, apply ED because that shows conviction. Also, make sure you're personal statement is stellar and that it shows the real you. Anyway, I don't think Brown is looking for someone with a million leadership offices (I only had three and I got in). Most importantly, don't lose faith in yourself before you even apply because that could make you self-defeating and you could produce a mediocre application. Don't tell yourself that Brown will grab you early on just because you would be the first one applying from your school (after all, there are plenty of schools from which NO students get into Brown). You have to tell yourself that Brown will grab you early on because it will see the amazingness of your accomplishments and will value <em>you</em>. If you go in with a winning attitude, it'll be easier to make your application enticing.</p>

<p>Try your best but be realistic (i.e. you could be rejected or even deferred (which is worse? knowing, or not being sure?) as my friend was from Princeton... she was rejected and finally deferred, and although she was sad, she's planning on going to Amherst now, a school that will suit her much better - so it may have been for the best) and have a back-up plan.</p>

<p>So, to sum up this long-winded, probably very unhelpful reply: Have faith in yourself and your own accomplishments, try your best, and don't compare yourself to other students - let the Brown admissions officers do that.</p>

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<p>Thanks so much. That did help, really.
=)</p>