I just really need some HONEST feedback

Colleges and Universities A-Z Brown University
#1

<p>Please, please, please do not protect my feelings with “you’ve got a good shot!” replies–I need some honest feedback about my chances at Brown RD. I applied ED and I was deferred, which I had mixed feelings about, especially because Brown defers such a large proportion of the ED applicants. I was planning to wait out the deferral with the rest of my regular schools, but I might switch my RD Wesleyan application to EDII, thereby taking Brown out of the running if I get into Wes (it’s my second choice). But if I really just have no shot whatsoever at Brown, tell me so that I can just cut my losses… </p>

<p>SAT: 2170 (720 CR, 800 W, 650 M)</p>

<p>SATII: 750 lit, 700 US History</p>

<p>APs: AP US (5) AP Art History (5) AP English lit (5) Art portfolio (4)</p>

<p>Grades: I had mostly A-s/As in 9th and 10th grades, with a few B+s mixed in. 11th grade was 5 As and an A-, one B+ first term. The grades with which I applied ED were all As and an A-; hopefully, I’ll have straight As at the end of the semester. GPA is not calculated at my school. </p>

<p>Senior schedule: AP Euro, English, pre-calculus, advanced fine arts, French 5 literature (equivalent of AP), Holocaust studies (1/2 year), Anatomy and Physiology (1/2 year)</p>

<p>ECs: Editor-in-chief of school newspaper, lots and lots of visual arts (sent in portfolio), creative writing course at Columbia last summer, extra classes at school, 4 years varsity crew, mentoring at my school, lots of volunteering with kids</p>

<p>Hook: Dad went there undergrad. Hook is made slightly less hook-ish by the fact that he hasn’t donated a single penny, to my knowledge. </p>

<p>I’m a white girl who goes to a rigorous prep school in CT, which is the kiss of death in college admissions. I’m smart, but I’m not a genius. I have about 6 credits of history and 5 of art but only 3 science, with no AP sciences–very lopsided schedule. The ED pool from my school wasn’t too competitive and all three of us were deferred, but the RD candidates are reaaaaaaaally strong. Just give it to me straight. Thanks!</p>

#2

<ol>
<li>You have a pretty good legacy hook - I don’t think donations (or lack of them) from your dad matter a whole lot (children of large donors are developmental admits which is a whole different hook), a large amount of alumni donations comes from after their children matriculate/graduate.<br></li>
<li>Your SAT scores are pretty weak especially considering your high school education. </li>
<li>Your math performance is really sketchy, unless you can back at least decent math skills up on your transcript, the 650 SAT math + no math subject/AP’s can kill you especially if you don’t demonstrate significant academic achievement someplace else (your AP scores are really strong on the other side of that balance though)</li>
<li>EC’s are pretty good but not a big pull for a favorable decision; I don’t know how good your visual arts stuff is but if it’s outstanding and you developed that throughout your application, its a plus.</li>
</ol>

<p>I’d give you a 30-35% chance RD</p>

#3

<p>Thanks Armagnac!
The stuff about legacy makes sense. My SAT scores are actually above my school’s average (and Brown’s) but certainly not for the students who matriculate to Brown from my school. The math weakness is lifelong and inexcusable–I’ve just always hated it and sucked at it, which spurred a vicious cycle. I have really, really tried to show my passions for the humanities (i.e. adding extra courses, taking classes over summers, through my essays, etc.) About art, mine is pretty great (not even bragging, it’s just objectively very impressive) and I may send in more along with a post-deferral “I still love you, Brown!” note. It’s basically the theme of my common application and my supplements, but so much so that I was concerned I appeared one-dimensional. Judging from Brown’s ED admits, they were really loving prospective pre-med and German double majors, or applicants who planned to pursue studio art and political science. Thank you for the honest feedback–I’ve been wrestling with the Wesleyan debacle for a while.</p>

#4

<p>Then you’re all set - the rest is in the hands of the committee. Good luck!</p>

#5