| Others questioned my son's decision to turn down Yale and attend Brown because of the "prestige" factor. My son chose Brown because it's an environment where you do what you want, despite what others think. I realize it's the perfect place for him, since that's the way he has always lived his life. He took ownership of his education early on. This isn't a kid who took classes because someone told him to or because they would look good on a college application. Same goes for clubs, volunteering etc. He was heavily involved in things that mattered "to him." In some ways, he was a pain in the ... because convential wisdom didn't apply. He never did things because WE told him he should (or his teachers or GC). He follows his own plan. Brown not only allows that but encourages it, applauds it.
BUT, that doesn't mean he chooses the "easy" way, far from it. He had 6AP classes senior year (because he was interested in these things and upset he couldn't also fit in AP European History), yet says Brown is demanding and he's never seen kids study so hard. Even when he had a pass/fail class, he still worked hard and got a pass* or whatever it's called. Kids there don't just want to pass; they work hard because they're interested in the subject matter. I suppose he could have chosen easier classes or put forth minimal effort to "pass", but that's not how he functions. His lowest grades in HS were in those "easy" classes that didn't inspire him. I suspect he's typical of other Brown students. BTW, he loves Brown. | 
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