“What’s the easiest Ivy to get into?” “Brown or Cornell, probably. Or Dartmouth.” -my friend’s conversation overheard by me
I am seriously questioning why people think Brown is comparatively easy to get into. In a lot of Chance Me threads, people will have competitive grades and test scores, and say “low reach Brown, high reach MIT” or something like that. Brown’s acceptance rate is 8.7%, which isn’t Columbia’s 6% but no cakewalk either. Why do so many think Brown is an “easy” Ivy, that they’ll have a chance in Brown if they have none at Harvard? Brown is my dream school and I’d be ecstatic to get in, but not once did I ever have the inclination that it would be significantly easier than any other Ivy to get into.
If Brown is your dream school, why should it matter what others opinions are? Stay in YOUR lane, do your thing, apply and see what happens. Do not forget to have backup schools.
I’m not saying that because I’m mad about the reputation of my dream school - rest assured (well, you wouldn’t be actually troubled anyway) that I’m not mad because of the opinions of other people. I’m just a little incredulous, why Brown has this reputation.
My guess is that it has to do with the open curriculum and pass/fail grading policy, which is seen as less rigorous, or at least easier to get through. Plus the student body is a tick more liberal and therefore considered less cerebral I guess?
Plus most high school students and Chance Me thread posters have no idea what they are talking about.
But they might also be right. So what? Even if Brown is the easiest school in the Ivy league to get into, it is still difficult for any one individual to be accepted. And if Brown is your dream school, I doubt you’d be happy at Cornell or Dartmouth.
Just remember that if these 8 schools were not in an athletic conference no one would be comparing them like this.
I’m sorry, more liberal = less cerebral? That’s a new one to me; usually we liberals are accused of being too cerebral, if anything!
I’m actually surprised that it’s perceived as easier to be accepted to Brown than to Dartmouth. The acceptance rate at Brown has been a couple of points lower than Dartmouth for years. I always attributed that to Providence being a more desirable setting (for some people) than the wilds of Hanover, as well as to the artsier reputation. Cornell has always been considered easier to get into than either, although it also seems more intensely competitive once you get there.
But the whole notion of “lesser” Ivies has always struck me as silly, anyway.
Nothing more ironic then “chance me - I’ll chance back.” If you have the ability to chance others than why can’t you chance yourself?
Your best advice: Chalk it up to the fact that what you overheard is worthless twaddle by a know-nothing high school student.
This is the best analogy I’ve ever heard: it’s akin to saying which NFL team is the easiest to get a roster spot.
Your acquaintance (and others who belittle any of these schools) is an idiot.
I think what he meant was actually “cerebral”, not just claim to be or “accused” of, based on their political “team.”
Brown is a unique school, even within the Ivies, so lower or higher is subjective based on what education experience you are looking for. The open curriculum is perfect for the kind of student who wants complete freedom to map out their course of study, and trusts their judgment to do so. My son thought he wanted to attend last year, because this is appealing, but opted for a curriculum that “forced” him to have exposure into areas that he might not have thought was worthwhile- as an 18 year old. He has good judgment and an interest in a particular area, but it is a complex world and a couple years of a directed course study was chosen so that he wouldn’t pigeon-hole his education into what he is naturally good at, or currently interested in. He is at UChicago.
If you want the freedom at this age, Brown is great, and you will be very employable regardless of what you study, so focus on the experience you want, and not the sub-rankings within this elite group of schools.
“Why do people look down upon Brown in the Ivy League?”
“People” in the Ivy league. in general, do no look down on Brown IMO.
Some people, mostly outside of the Ivy League, do so because of its ranking in US News. They think that means something. In particular they mistakenly extrapolate that to admissions selectivity.
- Some* people, both inside and outside the ivy league, have negative opinions of the open curriculum, or a perceived relative lack of prominence of its graduate programs. Not the majority though, by a longshot. (IMO).
“Nothing more ironic then “chance me - I’ll chance back.” If you have the ability to chance others than why can’t you chance yourself?”
There is some logic to that. Its hard for some people to look at themselves objectively (family members and close friends don’t help either) so it can be good to have a stranger look at you objectively as long as you keep in mind that it isn’t worth much
Not everyone does. For those who do, it is just ignorance and bias. We have a friend who teaches there. It is an incredible institution.
An “easier” grading system =/= easier school.
Brown is just as hard as any other Ivy with respect to the rigor in each course
As Conan O’brien once said:
“Brown, of course, is your lesbian sister who never leaves her room”