What are the chances?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Brown University
1

<p>Hi,</p>

<p>This is my first post and wondering what my kid’s chances are of getting accepted to Brown. Brown and Stanford are his first choices. He is extremely strong academically, but there are some big holes in his resume.</p>

<p>First some good:
SAT 1: 2400
SAT 2 – Chem: 800
SAT 2 – Math2: 800
4.8 weighted GPA – basically a straight A+ student
He has a ton of AP courses – he will have 16 by the time he graduates, some of which he pursued on his own and took the AP exams – 5s on all (Bio, Chem, CalcBC, Euro, APUSH, USGov, EconMicro, EconMacro, PhysicsC, Vergil, LatinLit, EngLit, CompSciAB, etc., etc.).
Lots of Advanced Topics courses, post AP.
He hasn’t taken his SAT 2 in Latin yet, but by the time he graduates, he will have 7 years of Latin. He’ll be in Advanced Topics in Math (he’s finished diff equations and mv calculus)
He’s involved in lots of clubs at school, but not in leadership positions because that just isn’t his thing.
He’s won lots of academic type competitions (history, Latin, math, science), some at a national level.</p>

<p>Yes, this is all great. Everyone says that he will get into these schools. But, here is the bad:</p>

<p>No debate, no music (except piano, but not competition level, he does it for fun), no art, no theater, no athletics (he likes yoga and running, but not cc or track/field), not much community service, no real leadership.</p>

<p>He seriously loves to learn, so I just leave him alone and let him study. He hasn’t done resume-building at all, except to pursue what he enjoys.</p>

<p>His major could be ANYTHING. He loves Classics, but he wants to go into Bio.</p>

<p>Being this academically lopsided, does he have a chance? Or, is it really the luck of the draw? He’s a junior this year … will graduate in 5/2010.</p>

<p>Thank you!!</p>

2

<p>A school solely composed of leaders would be very...aggravating...I think they need some kids who can drive themselves, but aren't so concerned about driving others.</p>

<p>no debate, no problem.</p>

<p>I, too, am an avid pianist; I have never had one recital (i guess i still have to see if i get accepted.) nonetheless, I think brown understands that passions can be pursued quietly and independently.</p>

<p>he should just keep doing what he's doing and I think he should be good. But then again that's just my opinion, but then again i'm pretty sure it's right.</p>

3

<p>I think your kid has a very good chance of being admitted by his first choice schools.
He is amamzing. Although he does not have many ECs, he is academically comeptitive. He has his own talents. Just keep working hard and devoting to the things he really love, he will be admitted.</p>

4

<p>Thank you Hembeck! I really appreciate your response. Sounds like you two might be similar. He loves to play piano, but it is a personal thing. I think I'm stressing out starting very early in the process. I just don't want him to be heartbroken if he doesn't get into one of his top choices. Gotta build up the list of second and third choice schools. I hear of too many kids with top grades and scores that don't make the cut ...</p>

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<p>Thank you Violaina! You two are giving me some hope. Thank you so much!!</p>

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<p>i'm not sure how anyone could beat your kid academically...i know i couldn't! :P</p>

<p>best of luck to him!</p>

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<p>someone from my school was pretty incredible like that too (though not quite as good), with no ec's. he only got into penn (to which he goes) and duke (and safeties). rejected at princeton, yale, and more. waitlisted at harvard. it was pretty tragic because he was a genius (but he was thankful for penn and duke).
i didn't know him, so i can't attest to how good his app was structured. but i think if your son makes it clear that his sole passion is academics, he will be fine.</p>

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<p>also, he should make the love learning thing incredibly explicit because that's what brown's about!</p>

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<p>Thanks Smeagz and Sunemp. Those are the stories I'm talking about, that I keep hearing :( Thank you for the advice. That is really good advice and I'll pass it on to him.</p>

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<p>I'm curious... why Brown and Stanford? Those seem to be pretty distinct schools in terms of academic nature, student body, weather, social scene, etc.</p>

<p>I have a classmate who's a lot like your son. He's only applying to top-tier ivies and a local state school because he needs an intense financial aid package to avoid that pesky debt. Genius, clearly... but lacks a certain activism that I think most relatively good schools are looking for.</p>

<p>Your son, though, seems like a badass. I don't think it's necessary to "resume-build" if he has interests he pursues independently. On the other hand, I think it's important he makes it clear in his application that he can play an active role in the college community.</p>

<p>Best of luck!</p>

11

<p>your son's as good as it gets academically
but, he seems to just do his own thing which would make him a good fit for Brown
definitely not just another applicant</p>

12

<p>what if he added community service? :)</p>

13

<p>I peek in to CC a few times a year (several years). There is always some brainiac kid who chose to apply only to the MOST selective schools and then is heartbroken come April 1 -- even though there are literally a thousand schools that would roll out the red carpet for the same brainiac. Please, please convince your kid to include some "alternative paths" in his school shopping (terminology is important. People tend to sneer at "Safeties").
Consider Colorado College -- or Evergreen College -- or Whitman -- or a school in a location that speaks to his heart (St. Johns in Santa Fe? Something in Honolulu?).<br>
Deep Springs? New College?<br>
Please tell him that it is dumb, dumb, dumb to think that any application anywhere is a shoo-in (well, unless he's the Prince of Wales and you are ready and willing to buy the school a new library or stadium . . . ) -- not only is there lots of competition, "fashions" change. What the school is seeking can veer a bit. Last three years they took XXX students with your kids' exact list and this year they are looking for something a bit different.
Good luck!</p>

14

<p>A junior? In my opinion, there is plenty of time for resume building. He can do a lot of volunteering. If he wants to major in Biology, he can definitely volunteer at the hospital. Helping patients can be pretty fun and will pass the time very quickly. There are a lot of clubs and charities you can help out - equally effective as any other extra curricular.
Having some ambition for community service shows qualities while it may not necessarily show "leadership" qualities - can you imagine a school with all leader aspects?
Anyway, that might be a little farfetched, but i think your son should set a general type of extra curriculars (sports, theater, student government, community service) and show how it trends throughout his Junior year, summer and early senior. I think he has plenty of time.</p>

15

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<p>Stanford, because his grandfather went there and it is 20 mins from home, so he could come home for weekends, laundry, etc. And, it is academically rigorous. He seriously wants the most academic school he can find, and this one is in our backyard, plus it has an extremely good bio department and they are doing cool things in the archeology department. He's into plant bio; not so much medical stuff. </p>

<p>Brown, because it is an excellent liberal arts school that also has an incredible bio department. And, his best friend's parents both went there. So, he hears a lot about it.</p>

<p>When I look at the Brown web site, it seems to have my kid's name written all over it. Stanford, not so much. But, I want him close ;) We are going out to visit Brown in February and we'll spend a few days there, sitting in on classes and all that and see if Brown is really what he wants. I also want to make sure he can handle the cold of an East Coast school!</p>

16

<p>I know this sounds really lame, but he doesn't have time. He spends his Saturdays tutoring middle school kids at a continuation-type of middle school (I know that is community service, but it doesn't count towards his hours because it is through National Honor Society -- don't ask my why it doesn't count) and the rest of the time he is studying or doing research.</p>

17

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<p>Yes, this is exactly what I hear about. By the time he applies, I'm sure he will have identified other schools he will be happy with. I was just wondering how far-fetched it is for him to get into Brown or Stanford. I hear about so many kids with high scores and top grades who get rejected from all their top schools. I wondered how much his lack of community service, leadership, and other extra curriculars will hurt him. He does have lots of other stuff, but it is all academic extra curriculars (chem club, junior classical league, geo, FBLA, JETS (jr engineering technical society -- they took 1st place nationally in his division last year), sciencebowl, quizbowl). I thought it might just look like academic overkill. But, that is who he is ...</p>

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<p>Yeah, he knows nothing is guaranteed at all. I know he can get into most of the UCs, so that is 3rd choice backup and he is ok with that too. And, we can't afford a stadium, so that isn't happening! So, he has no aspirations of any shoo-in. He isn't even thinking of Harvard because he says he has maybe 1% chance of being accepted.</p>

19

<p>UChicago is notable for being intellectual even by academically rigorous standards. I also get the feeling (and it's only a feeling based on their propaganda and the CC forum here) that they're not necessarily looking for the most well packaged kids, ie, people who are extremely lopsided would stand a good chance. They also have some very nice scholarships (a few, but they're full ride).</p>

<p>It's been mentioned here before by other people, but UChicago and Brown are essentially trying to reach the same goal, but through differnent methods (strong core vs. no core). But both strive for critical thought, a love of learning, etc.</p>

<p>Even if he doesnt apply, thier postcards and propaganda are very fun!</p>

20

<p><your son's as good as it gets academically
<but, he seems to just do his own thing which would make him a good fit for Brown
<definitely not just another applicant</p>

<p>That is what I am hoping. That doing his own thing won't hurt his chances and will actually make him a good fit. I see these other parents at his school that have a "formula" for success and I have never done that with him (or my other kid who is the polar opposite -- football player, wrestler, academic, but in a normal way).</p>