What are my Chances for Brown?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

GRADES/COURSES/SCHOOL:

School: Private UW GPA: 5.4/6.0 (UC GPA is a 4.0 UW, 4.36 W/C)

Class Rank: Top 12/120 (would be higher if GPA was weighted; should earn Cum Laude membership)

ACT: 32 (taking again, should be around 33 or 34)

Junior Courses: AP Calculus AB, AP Literature, AP US History, Physics Honors, Spanish 4 Honors, and Electives (plan on taking the Physics 1 exam despite my school not offering the course)

Location: East Coast (competitive private boarding school - 25% acceptance rate)

EXTRACURRICULARS/VOLUNTEERING:

Sports: JV Soccer and Squash (have played all three years)

Community Service: I have about 150 hours of community service

Community Project: I led a STEM Initiative in Zimbabwe, where I taught kids from under-developed schools about the sciences

Club Leader: I am the founder of the peer tutoring program at my school

Other EC’s: Tour guide

Leadership: I will likely receive at least 2 of these leadership positions my senior year: Prefect (senior living in underclass dorms), Academic Honor Committee, Head Tour Guide, Blue/White Key, or Table Foot (at formal dinner, helps organize things at one table)

INTERNSHIPS:

-I had an internship last summer at a real estate company

-I have an internship lined up for this summer where I will work with a professor at Swarthmore in computer science, with a goal of helping disabled people (my passion is to help others – this opportunity was perfect)

STUDY INTERESTS:

Major: Mechanical Engineering

Other: Business, Computer Science, STEM in general

Any advice would be helpful! Thank you! Also, please let me know how applying ED would factor into my chances, or if there are other schools that you think I would have a good chance at if Brown is out of reach.

2

Bump… not sure what happened with this, but it had to be reviewed

3

Your EC looks strong, especially the one about you going to Zimbabwe and educating students about sciences. This shows that you have leadership and you having you taking risks to go to an underdeveloped country. What really concerns me is your ACT score. I can compare this to my friend, My friend had a 4.57 weighted GPA and a 33/36 on the SAT and still did not get accepted to UC Berkeley. Keep in mind that Brown is a harder university to get into. The only con I can see is just the ACT score because most Ivy Leagues tend to be more test score picky. Other than that, you’re off to a strong profile. I think all your leadership roles will definitely get you in. Good luck my friend :slight_smile:

4

@Technefy Thank you! And yes, you are definitely right about the ACT. I am currently studying to improve it, and I will take the test again in April. If I am unable to get it up to a 33 or 34, though, I’ll keep preparing and maybe take the SAT. Good luck to you as well!

5

Your ECs are extremely impressive! I agree with Technefy on ACT scores, but I definitely think you are a strong applicant! However, Ivys are super unpredictable so if you aren’t accepted, I wouldn’t take it personally as I’m sure you will have plenty of options. Best of luck :slight_smile:

6

I would think Brown, of all the Ivies, would be very pleased with your ECs and grades–leading a STEM initiative in another country is no small beans. You already know about the scores, I would definitely take the SAT just because the two tests are somewhat different (as you prob already know) and you might find you do better with it.

Good luck!

7

I think you have a great chance to getting into Brown. Your ACT score is just fine and I don’t see an issue with it. Although the average for the school might be higher, I think that you have a pretty good chance. The only thing I see an issue with are your EC’s because they aren’t very STEM related. You do have some clubs that are related to that field but, not many and I think that is something that the ivies look for when a kid is applying to the STEM field. Don’t be nervous though, I think you are a strong and competitive candidate.

8

You’re a beast, Brown should be a pretty definite admission. One thing I would suggest is that if you want to do anything with Mechanical Engineering Cornell and MIT are probably a better bet for you if your interests are set.

9

Thank you to everyone for all of your suggestions. I have been prepping for the ACT, and I am consistently scoring highly.

Also, @ryanroos, thank you! The reason why I like Brown so much is because it offers me the versatility to focus on engineering while also learning a bunch of computer science. While this is true at other schools too, Brown isn’t too far from where I live and would be a great fit. And MIT is nearly impossible to get into, so I don’t want to set my sights on that unless I actually get in…

10

Great then Brown definitely makes more sense for you. Mit is impossible to get into lol, but with your EC’s you will have a better chance. Also do you know right now what job you would want after college?

11

Great ECS!! I would strongly suggest taking the SATs as you may be able to score comparatively higher. I would also urge you to take two SAT subject tests in the field of your intended major. I am currently a senior waiting to hear back from Brown and these are some things that seemed important from my visit and interview! Best of luck!

12

I don’t think a school would require you to have ECs related to your major. ECs all come down to passion. For example, I have ECs oriented in languages, UFC martial arts, and furthuring the development of my community, but I want to major in Petroleum Engineering. All of my teachers and former admission officers say that is absolutelt fine. Going into STEM just requires you to have a high math score/absolutely awesome math grade, same thing for sciences as well.

13

Your EC’s and grades seem absolutely amazing! You come across as very well rounded. Your ACT, even where it is currently, is within their middle 50%. It’s so hard to tell with Ivies but I’d say you’ve got as good a chance as anybody, especially with good essays/recs. Brown’s ED acceptance rate is 22% too, so that would definitely help. Good luck!!!

14

Really good chance if u apply ED and write good essays!

15

@Technefy @sarah2499 @ladygriff @softiestudies @ryanroos @erf1013 @Arnnen @bio2022 @LilH2021 @MayGodBless

Okay, sorry for tagging all of you. I just got my April ACT score back, and I earned a 34 Composite, with a 36 in English, a 35 in Science, a 32 in Reading, and a 33 in Science. Although I messed up my timing with Reading and should’ve done a lot better, and although I could’ve done better in Science even though it was always a bit iffy, I am very happy with my score. Do you guys think I should retake for a 35 or 36, which I am certainly capable of, or am I set with this score? (Keep in mind that this was my 3rd attempt, and my other attempts will have no impact on my super score.)

Also, what are your guys’ thoughts on my chances now? I am now above the middle range at nearly all the top schools (which is a 33 at most), at the 75th percentile for Brown, and at the median for only a few schools (like MIT), but no lower than the median at any school (that I’ve been able to find…).

I have also gotten into the Wolfram Summer Program for High School Students, so please let me know if you have anything thoughts on that (I might not even put it in my application – I think it is a really cool program and would be happy to do it just for personal benefit).

Thank you for your help!

EDIT: I will also be posting an updated “Chance Me” in the near future with some other additions as well, most likely around the beginning of May. I’d appreciate it if you guys could chime in on that as well and get the thread some more attention.

16

I have been told by many Admissions officers as well as ACT tutors that once you get a 34, there is no point in getting it higher because they look at a 34 the same as a 36 because they are both in the 75th percentile. Congrats though! I got the same score ;:wink: