Where Do I Stand in the Brown/Northwestern ED Pool?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

Hello,

I am a student from Canada and I was wondering if you can help chance me for Brown University ED. I am considering applying to Northwestern ED instead, as I truly love both schools, but I need to know where I have the best chance (if I have a chance) of acceptance.

GPA: 91.79% (3.95) - 80+ at my school is an A

I am looking to apply stem/pre-med.My science grades:

Science 10: 97
Biology 20: 99
Chemistry 20: 98
Biology 30: 94

Rigour: Taking 2/3 APs offered at my school, doing dual enrolment next semester, took 3 senior level classes in my junior year to challenge myself academically.

Test Scores: Test centres got shut down. Taking in November, after the early decision round.

Letters of Recommendation: My chemistry teacher said I was his best student in 5 years and top 20 out of 4000 students he has taught. English teacher said I was his best student in all his years of teaching (he has been teaching for 3 years). Employer from internship said I was the best intern he has ever worked with and that I stood out in several manners. I did not read the rest.

Extracurriculars:

Video Editing Freelancer -Edit for clients, started online editing business, 17k in revenue.

Math Tutor - Head of volunteer department, instruct learning disabled children, started ASD tutoring program, etc.

Private Biology Tutor

Digital Marketing Intern Wajax - Leader of intern team, etc.

Autism Spectrum Disorder Assistant Supervisor - Oversee children with Autism, fundraised and donated $3,000, 2019 Employee of the Year, etc.

Taekwondo - Black stripe, placed 3rd provincially, help new Taekwondo students.

Soccer - Participate in school and club soccer, first in division, city championship 2018 and 2019 for junior boys soccer team, 5th place in 2019 provincials.

Leader of medical club at my school.

I’m in a math club; however, my school is not funded enough to go on big trips and compete. We compete locally, and I have won a few awards from that. I also won a chemistry award.

Essays: I believe my essays are quite strong and moving. 9/10.

Other stuff: I am asian (Indian), not legacy, not applying for financial aid.

Please be honest. Thank you!

2

You likely want to post this in the Brown thread on CC, not in Canada, so others familiar with Brown like me can post.

Not applying for FA likely boosts your chances, as Brown is need-aware for international students. However, international students tend to be capped at anywhere between 10-20% of the entire student pool at T20s, so keep in mind that the competition will be fierce.

According to the College Board, your GPA is a 3.7, not a 3.9 (0.91*4.) Colleges tend to recalculate GPAs, however, removing non-academic courses such as PE and Health.

CB: https://pages.collegeboard.org/how-to-convert-gpa-4.0-scale

I’m assuming you’re applying for STEM, and admitted students in STEM tend to have scores and grades on the higher-end of the applicant pool, so keep this in mind.

Do you have any other test scores? SAT Subject Tests or AP tests? Keep in mind that test-optional means test-OPTIONAL (not no tests,) so while you won’t necessarily be disadvantaged by not submitting scores, that doesn’t mean that submitting strong scores won’t help you.

3

Top colleges look at the actual transcript for rigor and grades. (if an A equivalent drops below 90 in your province, they will understand it’s still considered a top performance.)

No, gym doesn’t count and many electives are less important than cores. As an international, not applying for aid doesn’t “boost” chances as much as not limit them. You stilll must be the right candidate, in all holistic respects. Please be sure you know your targets well enough to do a great app/supp. That is, great in their eyes.

There is fierce competition from the English-speaking countries. Top colleges try to balance their international representation. Unfortunately, it can make it tough for the volume of kids who usually apply from Canada.

And, do you have more stem activities? (Is this for stem? I don’t see that anywhere.) The tutoring and work with kids is nice, but any math club, academic decathalon, some sci club or activity other than a “medical club?” I know Canadian kids have had limitations, but If you are hoping for stem/premed, is there anything that points to math/science and health related experiences, outside classes?

4

My school does 80+ = an A

Thanks for your help!

5

I am looking to apply stem/pre-med.

I’m in a math club; however, my school is not funded enough to go on big trips and compete. We compete locally, and I have won a few awards from that. I also won a chemistry award.

My science grades:

Science 10: 97
Biology 20: 99
Chemistry 20: 98
Biology 30: 94

6

Both schools are reaches. Apply ED to the one you love more.

FWIW I’d choose Brown for premed over NU. The quarter system makes classes condensed and the pace makes it harder.

7

Then you need to include math club and the chem award. It’s not about big trips. Without these (your original post before these were merged,) it looks like little stem engagement.

8

Do you think Brown is a reasonable reach?

9

Does reach mean I have a low chance of getting in? Or is Brown typically a reach, even for top students?

10

Brown is a reach for every student.

As an international applicant it’s even more competitive.

As for all applicants, be sure you have a balanced college list, including true safeties, but shoot your best shot for your ED school.

11

I see. Lastly, I know you are not an admissions officer at Brown; however, can you try to chance me with a percent chance of acceptance? It would help me get a sense of what to expect (deferral, rejection, acceptance).

12

Brown had a 17.5% ED acceptance rate. Taking out recruited athletes , Questbridge, and legacies, the rate was probably 9% at best. International acceptance rate is probably half that. So 4.5%, as it would be for any qualified international applicant.

Brown is far more likely to defer, so I would say you are unlikely to be outright rejected in the early round.

13

I agree with others. Your chances at Brown are not that great. Probably 5% max. While your grades are good, you don’t have anything that stands out. For internationals they are looking for big impact admits. Unfortunately it is harder for Asians to stand out.

If you would consider schools farther down the list (bottom half of T20) then your chances increase dramatically.

Also consider an ED2 option.

14

I think that your application looks good, but you don’t have a specific hook. BTW, there is no “premed” major at any top school in the US. You study whatever you love and can do well in, and you take the Bio, Chem, and Physics that you need, and do well on the MCATs, and apply. Med schools like humanities majors because they have the verbal skills necessary for communication in medicine, and because they feel that they are likely to be able to relate to patients. They also like Bioengineering majors, because they know that these are the people who may invent new medical devices. So do NOT put down that you want to major in “premed”! Write about how you want to major in [insert whatever you love studying], and that you have a possible interest in medicine.

I assume that you are applying in Canada, too. I have trouble understanding why you would be applying to top US schools, unless money is no object, and you have a compelling personal reason to be in the US. Honestly, you would be better off completing your entire education, including medical school, in Canada, for next to nothing compared to the cost in the US (think about 600K for undergrad and med school), and you can STILL do a residency and practice in the US. Graduates of Canadian med schools are viewed as about the same as graduates of US med schools, and of McGill med school as second to none, when applying for residencies in the US.

15

What about Johns Hopkins University ED or ED 2 and UChicago ED or ED 2? What are my chances there?

16

I want to go to US for a few reason. The student:faculty ratio is amazing. I want to attend a private university. I want to go to medical school in the US and doing an undergrad from there will set me up in several manners. My uncle lives in Chicago so I am considering Northwestern. Lastly, my family has always pushed me down the path of going to the US to study. Money is not an object. I appreciate your help!

17

What is considered a hook?

18

Recruited athlete, URM, legacy, donor

19

You’re behind in your understanding of what these colleges want in applicants. If you’d dug deeper, you’d have found details like acceptance rates. You don’t seem familiar with what the holistic process is, the lingo, etc. Your background doesn’t position you competitively for stem. And chances are rough for Canadians.

Rather than circle through a list of equally highly competitive colleges, you should be looking at better matches and safeties.

It is not easy to get into these colleges. Period.

And for the top tier colleges, no one gets in because “I want” this or that. You need to match what they want. That requires a better understanding of everything.

20

I’ve applied to 6 Canadian schools for safeties. I’m applying to the US but I know it’s very competitive. So in conclusion, I have next to no chance for getting to any T20?