UK parent 'Early Decision' advice Brown vs Harvard

Parents Forum
81

I thought the Obama daughters went to Harvard and Michigan?

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82

Correct.

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83

The younger daughter at Michigan transferred to USC

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84

Ah, didnā€™t know that!

85

Not sure why OPā€™s daughter wouldnā€™t take Cambridge if offered.

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86

This is a good reason.

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87

The list for need blind and meeting full need for all international students is:

  • Amherst College.
  • Bowdoin College.
  • Dartmouth College.
  • Harvard University.
  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
  • Princeton University.
  • Yale University.
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88

I was going to say the same about foreign language. I donā€™t know about Harvard specifically, but some schools will make exceptions even to the strictest foreign language requirements if there is a documented learning difference or processing disorder. It sounds like she may qualify, and clarifying Harvardā€™s policy could ease one of her major concerns with applying there.

89

While you say you have no ability to pay, these colleges WILL want the financials from both parents (and any spouses if parents have remarried) via the Profile and the non-custodial parent Profile. Just an FYI.

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90

Which actually underscores a fundamental point in this thread: itā€™s so much more about the best fit for your daughter than things like how well-known Harvard is vis-a-vis Brown in the UK elsewhere. Where she/you think she will thrive is the key criterion, IMO.

We just went through this with our daughter. She made her final decision out of some great choices based on fit. She had thoroughly researched each of her finalist schools and had visited them before applying and then again for admitted studentsā€™ days. That made a huge difference to her.

You are right to be considering the odds of all this ED vs. SCEA vs. EA vs. RD stuff. It boggled my mind, and I am still not sure how it all works. But my daughter sure did, and it worked out for her. Many of the posters are far more knowledgeable about this than I am, and you are getting great advice here about ED to Brown vs. SCEA to Harvard.

One other thing: my daughter also considered UK/EU institutions and applied to a few as well. One real problem that I see with UK/EU higher education contrasted with the US is that I think that there is far more freedom within US universities to explore many subjects and even change your mind about your major well into your college years. Thatā€™s a REAL plus of the US system.

Of course, the ridiculous fees charged in the US for these ā€œtop schoolsā€ is a REAL minus!

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91

Her bad though my bad on this context.
I hadnā€™t really taken alumin into account as she hasnā€™t.

92

What does she expect to do with her degree? Grad school? Work in the UK? In the US?

93

Oddly her finances work out much better for the US, yes there are bursaries of between 3 and 11k pa in the UK but itā€™s all generally financed on a student loan, as I said, typically 100k before a Penney starts to be paid back. The top schools in the US are mind blowingly generous in comparison.

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94

Thereā€™s a question.
I think I can say she doesnā€™t know.
(Which might be a point for brown)
She has been involved in politics in the UK but now seems quite frustrated by it. She got the highest mark in Art the school has ever recorded but then had to choose three subjects so art had to go (her choice) as she said she needed academic subjects that appeal to the top UK unis like religious studies (which is actually ethics and philosophy) human Geography and psychology. You see why I like Brown ā€¦ She is an artist and polymathā€¦ But those are my thoughts not necessarily hers.

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95

But only if you get accepted. Brown and Harvard are not easy admits for an international student.

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96

I have friends who went to Harvard undergrad and they say itā€™s not that cutthroat at all. I donā€™t have any friends who went to Brown undergrad so I canā€™t offer any insight there.

Both are well reputed schools here in the US. Iā€™d go with the one that offers the best program in what she is looking to study. If sheā€™s only narrowed it down to as far as humanities/social science, then both will be very strong there and will help her narrow down her interests.

How do you know the costs already?

Wait, I think I get it. :rofl:

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97

It doesnā€™t really matter. The beauty of the systems here is that you have room for lots of passion project classes and you can even find those to fulfill distribution requirements.

Real example: lab science credit needed = class where you build/repair a vintage motorcycle

98

Politics everywhere is frustrating right now. If that is an area of interest (UK politics) a degree from the US is unlikely to be helpful.

99

No worries. Alumni of schools are interesting to look at, but thatā€™s about it. What fits Malia and Sasha Obama or Emma Watson can obviously never be a true proxy for the way your daughter/you feel about a school.

If your family can travel and see these (and other) schools in person, that will greatly help. The nice thing about New England is that you can visit many great schools if you plan properly (visiting no more than 2 schools a day).

Actually seeing a school can make a huge difference. When my daughter started her tours as a HS junior, she had a particular school that was number 1 in her mind. But she had never seen the school. After seeing the school and the campus (or the lack thereof), she removed that school from her candidates list and didnā€™t apply.

If time, finances etc donā€™t permit an in-person visit, have your daughter do as much desk research on the internet as possible. There are online tours etc, so there are workarounds if an in-person visit isnā€™t possible.

Fit, Fit, Fit (and money) are the family mantra we used this admissions season.

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100

Wow I had no idea that it was that broad. Thanks. I donā€™t think she realised it was that broad under the definitions of subjects.