Just finished my application essays and sent out my recommendations! 
I couldn’t find a 2025 thread so I figured i’d make it. Let me know if there already is one and I missed it lol
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Just applied as well, are you thinking about doing the StandOut interviews when it comes avaliable? And what is your chances and background if you don’t mind me asking!
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Hey man! Yeah I’ll probably do it, the thing with me is I tell such a different story on paper that I just go into all interviews with my own personality and it usually just works for me. I’ve gone from barely graduating high school with a 1.4 GPA to going back to school 6 years later and earning a 3.670 GPA in college. I then transferred from my local community college in Washington State to Columbia in NYC where I retained my GPA. I’m also a first generation college student. Unfortunately my mother passed away from covid and I had to move back to Seattle before I could finish at Columbia. I started to suffer from anxiety/depression etc. I decided to make a big change and I took the last year away from my entire life doing a work and holiday visa in Queensland, Australia where I lived and worked in the Whitsunday Islands from November 2023 to November 2024. All of this is in my application so I’m really just re-telling my story but over video to another person. I feel no need to over-exaggerate nor do I think I’m missing anything in my profile that would impact me negatively in any way. I’m just gonna go in and talk about myself and be personable. I also have an application in at Brown and they allow you to submit a video with your application and I have a great video that I actually recorded on Hayman Island in Queensland, and Brown is my #1 choice so I’m not fretting to hard on the Yale interview.
Hey there! I sent my application by the deadline. How’s everyone doing? Did you guys interview yet?
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Sorry for the late reply but yeah I have somewhat a similar story as well, and I think doing the StandOut Interview would be good as well even though they say it won’t impact you negatively if you don’t, and if that’s the case, why not do it to improve your chances. Your thoughts about not over exaggerating makes sense, having everything you really want to say in your profile, and I’ll probably do the same as well if I get the oppurtunity for a interview. I also applied for Brown as well but I’m not too confident on my
Video Introduction that I submitted, but can’t regret anything now lol. What made you want Brown to be your priority choice over Yale? I would prefer Yale myself, but I’d be grateful just to get into either Uni’s.
I believe the StandOut Interviews doesn’t get sent out until early to mid-April, and the Virtual Interview around late April to early May. So I don’t think anyone has got a interview yet.
I think Yale is far too insistent on itself lol. Like it’s a great school but it seems like they believe they’re better than every other ivy but I would only say that’s true for certain majors/schools (especially law), and you can be successful at any ivy so the hoops they make people jump through just seem extra to me (stand-out interviews for instance). I would be so happy to get in but I likely wouldn’t go if I got into both unis. I love Brown because of its open curriculum(I don’t understand how everyone isn’t in love with this?!), its dedication to diversity and inclusion, as well as its location.
I didn’t know that Brown had open curriculum, that’s actually very exciting. I can see your point of view, my knowledge of Yale’s enviroment comes from surfing forums, podcast, youtube, and interacting directly with admission and current/former students, I didn’t get that impression, but maybe it was just a small sample size. I do agree that you can strive and do well at any Ivy school, or an university for that matter. Brown’s diversity and inclusion is very attractive to me, and I do think Yale is slowly expanding on that front. What about it’s location makes appealing, all I know that it’s in the capital of Rhode Island, but that’s the most of my knowledge. I’m from the south, so I don’t know much about east coast states, especially northeast. Oh and that New Haven is closer to NYC, and Providence is closer to Boston.
I had a friend at Columbia who moved from the south to NYC and he had a great time so glad to see you getting out of your comfort zone a bit. Yeah I just feel Brown is more my speed and I align with them a little more. The open curriculum is great as well as the option to P/F any class (which I don’t plan on doing as I have plans for law school but that’s still amazing of an ivy to allow.), just so many things about it I am in love with. Yes, technically Connecticut is closer to NYC but it’s not a day trip haha. I lived in Long Island and commuted to the upper east side for school and even that was a 1 hour journey lol. You can fly to NYC from either Connecticut or Rhode Island for less than $200 round trip year-round for sure so I’m not too worried about that and I’ve already lived the NYC lifestyle lol. What matters most to me is a good next chapter and the ability to pay for it.
Yeah I’m glad to know that both schools offer really great financial aid programs that cover all, if not, most of your tuition and housing. Otherwise I wouldn’t even dream about apply for out of state schools. I believe that New Haven is a small town, college town, while Providence is more like a mid size city, which is would probably rather prefer because it usually means its more diverse as well. I agree, the next big step in life and the ability to finance it is something I prioritize as well. Just hoping everything goes well.
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Thanks for the reply! Did you guys see that the decision date for this year is May 9th? Thats what it shows on my portal. Lmk if you see a different date on yours! Good luck everyone <3
We’ll be fine! No worries mate! Just gotta get through this waiting stage haha
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Wait lol when I check my portal I don’t see anything abut dates. Where exactly do you see this if you don’t mind me asking
Click the decision release dates button on the right menu
Oh! I had to turn my phone sideways lol. May 9th as well!
I was freaking out about the date lol because the previous years was around the 20th and the website says mid to late May. Happy to know that the 9th is showing for everyone. Are you in college right now? Also wonder if they ask for midterm report
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Currently I’m on a break, I took the last two years off due to family stuff so no mid-terms or other grades to report haha
Oh wow, yeah it’s changed. I’ve clicked on it before and it would always say “TBD”, but I guess they finally entered a date.
Just shows what happens when we calm down and don’t obsess haha
I applied late so Im still in the obsessing phase lol we got this guys. Just the fact that we believe in our potential enough to apply is already a win tbh