ACCEPT BROWN OR APPLY EARLY TO PRINCETON??? HAVE TO DECIDE ON SUNDAY
I’ve gotten a lot of help on here so far but the new factor is that this post I actually have an offer somewhere, specifically to Brown, and it’s time sensitive, so I’m coming back for more help.
Princeton- runs in my family/have been surrounded by that tiger pride forever. Great, long relationship with the coach. Can be on the team immediately if I get in. Sibling there. Better team by far. And I don’t really care if I’m the worst on the team; if anything, it’s less pressure, and I won’t feel bad if I don’t pan out as a successful addition to the program because I won’t have been a supported recruit. But I have to actually GET IN (???)
Brown- GUARANTEED ADMISSION, “happiest Ivy”, I like it enough but my heart’s not in it like it’s in Princeton
Question: if you don’t get in to Princeton, how much will you regret not taking the Brown offer? A little? A lot? Not at all?
(I try to look at big decisions from the perspective of: in 5 years, which will I regret not doing more?)
Congrats on your offer. Objectively, set the name aside for a minute, who did you like the team? Will you be exited to be part of it?
If you are not satisfied with anything but an Ivy, you may very well face this reality. In RD, your Princeton connection may very much work against you at other schools.
Are you the type who enjoys grinding academically? Is this really were you will be happiest? Princeton is the right school for a certain type of student. Brown students are as bright and engaged, but they are more relaxed in how they approach their work and academic goals, since much of the experience is about finding out what really makes you tic.
You’ve had a lot of input in the past so you know most of the angles.
Perhaps spend an evening imagining you’ve declined the Brown offer and see how you feel.
I don’t think Princeton is a likely/safe admit but only you have a sense what risks you’re willing to take for a small chance at the perfect over a guaranteed chance at the good (which seems to be how you’re viewing it).
It is a tough decision, and so much has to do with your risk tolerance.
Here is a very small factor to consider. Your family sounds quite tied to Princeton in an ongoing way. Let’s say you do apply early and reject the Brown option, and Princeton does not accept you. How do you feel about reunions, graduation for your sibling, all the orange and black, etc.? It’s one thing if a dream school rejects you; it’s another if you have to be around that dream school going forward coupled with the fact that you gave up Brown only to be rejected by Princeton.
As you are aware, legacy doesn’t have the influence it used to have and the acceptance rate is minuscule. If indeed you are a legacy (you just say tiger pride, and your brother is there). It’s a high reach for everyone, even you. If you aren’t being recruited, I don’t think your relationship with the coach is going to hold much, if any, weight.
You say you like Brown well enough. Would you like it better if Princeton wasn’t already stuck in your head as your top choice?
There’s a saying about a bird in hand is worth more than a bird in the bush. If you liked the team and think you can be happy at Brown, go for it.
FWIW, I don’t know if your sibling is an athlete, but, from the parents perspective, its quite fun to visit one kid and get to see the other too because the schools are playing each other.
Given that you previously had a long thread about concerns regarding your graded writing sample for Princeton and didn’t think you had anything that would meet their criteria…I’d say yes to Brown and not risk it.
This isn’t life or death for you. You’re not some FirstGen from the South Bronx, West Philly or East LA. You’re a rich kid from a good family that has had and will continue to have all of the best opportunities in life. Forty years from now it’s not gonna matter a lick whether you got into Princeton or Brown, or wherever you go. You’ll be fine.
So apply to Princeton. You know you’ll regret not doing it, so do it. You have nothing to lose.
This isn’t a choice between sure thing at Brown vs take your chances at princeton. Its a choice between Brown vs (princeton OR wherever you wind up if you turn down Brown and don’t get in to princeton.) You need to figure out what your backup plan is before you can evaluate this choice.
This is excellent advice. When we were in a similar position we had a worse case scenario plan to PG, but OP already reclassified so that may not be a great plan. More importantly, we had multiple athletic safeties that checked most of the boxes and DS would be happy to attend.
Brown- I like it enough but my heart’s not in it like it’s in Princeton.
In the end, you’ll be successful in life or not because of who you are. But @IndySceptic isn’t wrong. Fair or not, you start with a big head start. Brown or Binghamton, Princeton or Pitt - other than ego, it likely isn’t going to impact your life all that much.
If you take advantage of the pedestal you start on and go because of your skill sets and hustle, you’ll be great. If you falter, the school name isn’t saving you.
In some ways, you’re like people I work with that own car dealerships.
Their kids start so far ahead because they are gifted multimillion dollar businesses. But they can run them into the ground if they lack talent or initiative.
You clearly want Princeton. If you miss out on Brown, other than ego or emotional security which it seems you have a lot of tied to a name, you really don’t have much at risk.
Hate to put it that way but @IndySceptic makes a good point.
When you come from money, there’s nothing wrong with that but you are starting ahead in most, if not all facets of life. My kids are no different. I worked hard to put them in that situation and both are hungry enough that so far they are running with the opportunities their upbringing provided….as I did too.
The kids pretty good at track, but not like a New Balance or Nike Nationals killer. Not ever been a qualifier for either from what I’m guessing. Other than that, she’s got good stats, but I’m more compelled by the kid in another post with better stats from a single family household trying to decide how to structure their Questbridge ap so they have a chance to go to any good college at all. Yet somehow OP’s managed a commit opportunity at Brown (!) and folks are trying to sell her on the notion that walking away from it, a place she’s clearly not that excited by, is somehow “risky.” I’m at a loss as to what risky means. She’ll be fine.
A lot of pixels spent on a kid who’s preferences are clear. There is no risk. If she doesn’t get into Princeton, she’ll get into the next fancy school. She ain’t going to Community College.