CB has communicated CSS is still opening Oct 1, so for internationals I don’t think the FA timeline is going to be an issue.
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I don’t think that disqualifies Brown even in the slightest, but in terms of the language requirement, she could look into taking ASL. This is a popular route for kids who struggle with languages or have learning differences.
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I don’t know if she would prefer to go to Cambs or the US and I’m not sure she does.
I realise this is quite a ‘crunch’ point however.
I have no real reference to make any decisions for her even if I did desire to (which I don’t) or she would accept (which is unlikely) but she has reached out to ask me what I think so I’m doing my best to be able to ‘think’ something with at least some info.
I’m playing catchup with everything - she makes the running, she makes the decisions and she is responsible for all her successes, not me in any way whatsoever.
Never crossed my mind - Thanks for that!
I love that idea - she may or may not but it’s a great suggestion.
I think she needs to go for Harvard because the financial aid will be more generous and, oddly, due to Brown being need aware, it will be equally difficult (unless the Trust/association she’s with will help financially too).
US colleges understand the UK curriculum and its “funneling” system, although not having a Foreign Language at GCSE level may be a problem - the person acting as her guidance counselor should note in their recommendation that “due to a learning disability she had to stop foreign language at Level 3” (if top set: “3H”) “rather than pursue it at GCSE level”. Did she have 6-8 academic GCSE subjects? (Meaning Maths/Art/Science/History/Social Science/English…)
She may want to email Disability services, explain she wants to apply but is wondering about the Foreign language requirement for dyslexic students and any accommodations available. Or have her guidance counselor email explaining the issue without listing her name.
She would not be required to study French. Perhaps another language may prove easier. Sometimes students are allowed to use American Sign Language but I haven’t checked what Harvard does (you can look into it!)
Math will include “math for citizenship” classes (like, how various electoral systems work, money issues…) so they shouldn’t be a problem.
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I understand. Parenting is difficult and teenagers can experience a great deal of stress during application season. Stay here on this thread, share thinking as info comes in, and posters will help you. At some point your D could even create her own thread.
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Harvard does offers ASL and it does fulfill the language requirement. If she doesn’t want to continue French or do ASL, there are some language courses that are known to be less rugged and / or easier A’s ** cough cough ** Swedish ** cough cough **. Additionally, there are options to fulfill the quantitative requirement (or any gen ed) that are not torturous. Again, distribution requirements are not reasons to eliminate a school.
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Opening her own account…because sharing accounts is not permitted!
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From the Harvard undergrads we know, the experience is not at all cut-throat. There is massive grade inflation, so as long as students put forth reasonable effort in class, they get good grades. Competition arises from students’ ambition and motivation to take advantage of the opportunities beyond the classroom – join Hasty Pudding, write for the Crimson etc.
Given the fact that Brown is need-aware, that suggests applying early to Harvard, with all the caveats about how extraordinarily competitive for admission that remains.
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And my opinion….if she applies SCEA to Harvard, she should have a list of RD schools and those applications ready to submit once she gets the SCEA decision. I can’t think of anything worse than having to complete a bunch of applications after receiving a rejection (should that happen SCEA to Harvard).
It would also give your family the chance to look at the net costs of both schools should she be accepted.
Applying SCEA to Harvard and RD to Brown leaves the matriculation decision until later in the academic year. Kids DO change and change their minds during their last year of high school…
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Also, Amherst College (*) is need-blind for internationals like Harvard AND has no distribution requirements nor gen eds just like Brown. It’s an elite university, very much like a Cambridge College.
(* Amherst College, NOT Amherst University ie. Umass Amherst).
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While true, if OP is concerned about UK name recognition, Amherst is probably less well-known than Brown.
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Keeping in mind that OP’s daughter will likely return to the UK upon graduation - will Amherst College have sufficient name recognition back home, to make it worth it (vs a UK college)?
I kind of assume neither has name recognition in the UK 
But the resume she can build from either one should make up for that.
(Both should be able to “place” for summer internships in the UK but it’s something to ask about.)
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Am I the only one concerned about a family spending more than 25% of their 20K per year income on tuition?
Where does the 5K come from? You will need to show that you have those dollars when you apply for a student visa-- it isn’t a “you’ll get it when you get it” situation.
OP- your D sounds fantastic (but don’t over-rate the value of a recommendation from a “famous person”). But you’ve got a few hurdles-
1- getting in
2- getting a visa
3- making sure there is enough flex in the budget to account for an unscheduled visit or two home over four years… does your D want to be 3,000 miles away if a grandparent gets sick?
This sounds like a very, very tight budget here…
That’s why Harvard is the best choice: they DO pay for the flights home, too (and even add a small amount for clothes Fall freshman year so students can have MA-Winter appropriate clothing).
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No. Because I don’t think that Harvard, if she gets in, would have a CoA of $5k. The OP came up with that number. How? IDK
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AFAIK, a US ED acceptance and commitment has no bearing on applications abroad. She will not have to pull her application to Cambridge even if she has committed. Whether it’s fair or ethical is another subject and not a rabbit hole I think should be opened up here.
In OPs Financial shoes, would not apply SCEA or ED to any university in the US that isn’t need blind for internationals. Again, AFAIK, that’s Harvard, Princeton, Yale, MIT, Amherst. The latter two appear to be out.
Question to the OP: how would you pay for Cambridge? Will she get a bursary?
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Thanks for the dyslexia advice.
She got eight grade nines (top marks) and two grade eights (maths and physics) with no extra time. She then went to a highly selective school for her A levels and got assessed for dyslexia and has been awarded 25% extra timer for her A level exams after getting a prediction of AAA she also had a history of lower predictions than achievement being predicted 6s and 7’s for GCSEs she may well get 3 A* now she has the extra time as fast writing has always been an issue for her.
She has a deaf aunt and has expressed interest in British sign language before so I will suggest ASL which as far as I can tell looking it up, does count for the language requirements while studying at Harvard.
Just being able to suggest that makes me feel a lot less useless. As I said she has reached out so I want to help where I can.
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Well, I am learning something new here.
I thought Oxford was the best university in the world, but I’m being nitpicky. Harvard is no slouch, but neither is Brown. Brown is well known and people who matter will be aware of it.
Can you please clarify OP? Your D has been recruited by an organization that will fund her education should she get into Harvard or Brown? And you believe that these colleges favor applicants from this group, which you think means she has a much higher chance of getting in than other international applicants? What is the organization?
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