not your typical brown applicant

heraclitus
Wed, 20 Jun 2007 23:37:18 +0000

I posted on here awhile back, but I just want to know my chances at Brown, my dream school—they look much more at personality and potential than most other top schools

i go to a very competitive public school in the northeast that sends tons of kids to the ivies every year (maybe 40 out of 400…i know its a lot)…no important legacy to speak of…school does not rank

ACADEMICS
First 3 years- 3.55 academic GPA with a huge upward trend (hoping for 3.65 after first semester senior year)—this is weighted, my school doesn’t weight very much though, so my UW isn’t very different
FRESH- 5.5 academic credits- 3.067 GPA, 2 honors, highest english
SOPH- 5 academic credits- 3.467 GPA, highest english
JR- 7.5 academic credits- 3.977 GPA, 2 AP, advanced english
SR-signed up for 6 academic credits including 4 APs, advanced english
If French is taken out of the GPA picture, it jumps by about .2 to a 3.75 academic after 3 years.

ACT Composite- 33 (hoping for 34 on retake)
SAT Reasoning Test- 2200 (750 M, 740 CR, 710 W) (hoping for 750 M, 780 CR, 770 W on retake)
SAT II’s- Math IIC- 750, US History- 700, going to take one more in the fall

AP Courses taken
JR- AP Gov–realistic 5 on test
AP Econ–realistic 5 on micro and 4/5 on macro test
SR- signed up for AP Calc AB, AP English Lit, AP Physics C, AP Stat

National Merit Commended Scholar—will not be a semifinalist

Basically, my GPA is so low because I don’t really try in school. It’s kind of a problem that I’ve been working on (as shown by the upward trend), it’s just I developed bad study habits in middle school for a variety of reasons after being a ‘wonderkid’ when I was younger.

I’ve taken 4 French courses, 4 science courses (1 AP, 1 honors), 5 math courses (2 APs, 1 honors), 4.5 SS courses (2 AP), 7.5 English courses (1 AP, others highest possible)

EXTRACURRICULARS
Volunteering-
Senior Center–been called the “best volunteer ever” by the person who runs all the programs–done this for two years on occasional weekends, lots of hours
Public Library–I taught a chess workshop to kindergarten and first graders for a year (I was a chess champion when I was younger)
Local Beach Playground–worked in rebuilding the playground area at my local beach over one summer
ABC Foundation–volunteered by waitering for two years during fund raisers for a local organization that brings students from lower income families across America to my high school

Jobs-
Basketball referee for Parks and Rec (9,10,11,12)
Babysitting (9,10,11,12)
Teaching tennis (11 summer,12 will do)

Sports-
Tennis- JV as Freshman, Varsity (10,11,12)–team has won 7 of the last 8 state titals
Basketball Association Rec League (9,10,11,12)
For fun, I play volleyball and golf, and I’m pretty good at both

Summers-
Took an accelerated English course over one summer
Attended Johns Hopkins Camp one summer
Attended Camp Encore-Coda for piano and guitar
Attended local volleyball camps
Took a trip to China with my dad and brother
Attended Kent Writing Camp for two years

Music-
Jazz piano (will send CD to schools)—this will hopefully help my app a lot
Guitar—not nearly as good as piano

Arts-
Photographer (will send pics)
Cartoonist (will send)
Photoshop editor (will send a portfolio)—this is by far my strongest art

In school-
Jazz Band (11,12)–winner of many awards
Badminton Team (9,10)
Creator and President of the Sports Analysis Club (10,11,12)
School newspaper–won the Columbia gold medal for excellence every year I’ve worked their–Staff Writer (9,10,11,12), Cartoons Editor (10,11,12)—my section got specifically mentioned by Columbia in our recent ‘Gold medal with merit’ award

Other-
Will enter the Scholastic Arts and Writing Awards next year for 3 pieces–a personal narrative, a humor piece and a journalism article
Working on a fantasy novel (100+ pages complete)—hoping to finish and publish this summer
Just began work on a second historical fiction novel about the Praetorian Guard

Hoping to organize and run a basketball tournament that raised money for MS research this summer

RECOMMENDATIONS-
Guidance Counselor—I’m one of her favorite kids
Senior Center Advisor—Ditto
Piano teacher since I was 10
English Teacher who loves me and thinks I’m brilliant
Economics teacher who loves me and thinks I’m brilliant

I like to think of myself as a very good writer, so I hope my essays will be unique and insightful

Thats about it…its pretty thorough i think…if i left anything out please let me know

So, do you guys think I can get into Brown? Any tips to help me on my journey?

Also, what are your thoughts on the following schools for me, or any others that you can come up with?
UVA, Duke, William and Mary, Macalester, Northwestern, Pomona, Hamilton, Wesleyan, Amherst, Williams, Middlebury, Georgetown,

As you can see, I’m all over the place.

Thanks for reading this!