Yes, another chances thread to torture you guys... =)

Colleges & Universities Brown University
1

<p>Hi, please evaluate my chances for Brown PLME Early Decision</p>

<p>Standardized test score:</p>

<p>ACT: 32 Composite (36 Math, 30 Science, 27 Reading, 33 English, 12 Essay)</p>

<p>According to PLME, their ACT score range is 29-33…so I’m glad I’m in the range…</p>

<p>Extracurricular Activities: </p>

<p>-Tennis: played on the school high school team in grades 9 and 10. Played tennis at the Coldstream Country Club in South Carolina from 2004 to 2005.
-Art: participated in numerous art contests in South Carolina.
-Math:
+currently participating in the USAMTS (U.S.A. Math Talent Search) contest, lasting from October 2006 to April 2007.
+participated in almost every South Carolina Math Contest since 10th grade (Furman Mathematics Tournament, University of South Carolina Columbia Math Contest, University of South Carolina Upstate Math Contest, College of Charleston Math Contest).
+president of the school math team
+created an internet math contest (the MIMC) which had over 100 participants from across the United States in the spring of 2006.</p>

<p>-Currently participating in the Intel Science Talent Search
-Participated in the SCJAS (South Carolina Junior Academy of Science) Science Contest in 11th grade.
-presentation of research findings (effects of diet and exercise on colorectal cancer on APC-Min mice) during a summer internship at SCJAS (South Carolina Junior Academy of Science) in April, 2007.
-Worked at Palmetto Richland Hospital in the summer of 2005 and volunteered for 85+ hours.
-Volunteered at Bryan Psychiatric Hospital for an entire summer
-Currently working at the South Carolina Heart Center</p>

<p>-School Clubs: Math Club (since 10th grade, president), Young Democrats (since 10th grade, chairman) Science Club (12th grade), Intramural Quiz Bowl in 10th grade (Captain this year)</p>

<p>Awards:</p>

<p>-Accepted as one of the 49 members of the South Carolina All State Mathematics Team
-Accepted as one of the 15 members of the South Carolina ARML (American Regional Mathematics League) A Team. Competed at Penn State on June 3, 2006.
-Helped organize and accepted as one of the 10 members of the South Carolina Princeton Math Contest Team. Competing on December 16, 2007 at Princeton University.
-Team of 5 won the AHSIMC (American High School Internet Math Contest) this year.</p>

<p>-Accepted as one of the 11 South Carolina Governor’s School of Science and Mathematics SPRI (Summer Program Research Intern) program scholars. Conducted research on the effects of diet and exercise on colorectal cancer at the Public Health Department at the University of South Carolina from June 5 to July 15, 2006. Conducted an Abstract as well as a poster presentation on July 15th.</p>

<p>-Member of the National Honors Society since the 11th grade.</p>

<p>-Invited to represent South Carolina at the 2006 National Student Leadership Conference.</p>

<p>Potential Hooks: </p>

<p>-Too early to tell about my essays but I have a unique approach to them (at least in my mind)
-Competitive School in South Carolina (fact I’m from a state that no one cares or knows about might help me?)
-Going for an interview…hopefully goes well…
-I’m sending in the paper I wrote during my internship and my Abstract
-I’m sending them my art-work</p>

<p>Senior Course Load:</p>

<p>AP Calculus BC
AP Biology
AP U.S.
AP Lit
AP Physics Mechanics
Self Studying AP Physics Electricity and Magnetism</p>

2

<p>Wow, it looks like you’re really good at math. Being recognised statewide for math is definitely going to help you. You have lots of research experience also. </p>

<p>I’d suggest taking the SAT or ACT again, or maybe SAT IIs, only because usually the best candidates for PLME often are above even the score range. (32 ACT converts to about 2130 SAT). However, test scores aren’t everything, so it shouldn’t be a major major concern, but I would think having a great SAT I/II math score would bolster the fact that you’re a great mathematician. </p>

<p>Also, for the potential hook, make sure not to send too much extra stuff. You could send them your research paper, but they probably wouldn’t bother to read over the entire thing.</p>

<p>P.S. you never mentioned your GPA or anything, but having great grades would make your chances better.</p>

3

<p>GPA is kinda on a weird scale but it’s a 4.3 out of 4.8 (SC school system scale)
If it helps, all my grades have been going up each year, and my school is an ultra ultra competitive school in South Carolina. Highest GPA in our class is a 4.45, and highest GPA out of any student in the last three years is a 4.56, so…</p>

<p>4.0 GPA freshman year
4.3 GPA sophomore year
4.5 GPA junior year
4.8 GPA this year (so far and will probably stay close to that)</p>

<p>And schrizto, do you think I should just send in my Abstract then instead of my entire research paper? Maybe an entire research paper will be overdoing it… I’m sending in about 4 digital images of my artwork though.</p>

<p>And what are other people’s opinions of my chances of PLME, or is it really all dependent on my PLME essays and recommendations? I’m not checking the box for binding to Brown regardless of PLME decision…dunno if that helps or hurts :/</p>

4

<p>going for an inteview? i thought brown didn’t offer on campus interviews…</p>

5

<p>oh it doesn’t? I heard that it does…hmmm…</p>

<p>darn, now i guess i have to make my essays EXTREMELY EXTREMELY good now :(</p>

6

<p>well, on the website it says they have alumni interviews but not on-campus ones.</p>

7

<p>Some impressions of the program:</p>

<p>You could be overlooking that the Brown Program in Liberal Medical Education was setup in part to bring more “underrepresented minority groups” into the medical profession. Translation: it allows such applicants to transition into medical school and bypass the major issue faced by this same pool of applicants: namely low MCAT scores which can prevent entry into medical school for 4 year college graduates.</p>

<p>Therefore it is a near perfect way to avoid any court imposed limitations of the use of racial quotas or disguised racial quotas in medical school admission.</p>

<p>The important point is that you are comparing your 32 ACT score to the stated PLME program ACT score range of 29 to 33, however that range includes many minority admits, who but for their URM status - would likely not have gained admission.</p>

<p>That’s a range and I would wager that most non-URM admits to this program have combined ACT scores exceeding 32.</p>

<p>Brown states clearly that “applicants are assessed without regard to sex, race, religion, national origin, or handicap” yet it is clear this is not the actual substance of the program. Assessed w/o regard to race, perhaps, but clearly not “admitted” w/o regard to race.</p>

<p>By the way, even though Brown doesn’t have on-campus interviews, they have “optional but recommended” alumni interviews.</p>

8

<p>well…looking at the picture: <a href=“http://bms.brown.edu/plme/slideshow?dir=plme10Classmeeting&index=19[/url]”>http://bms.brown.edu/plme/slideshow?dir=plme10Classmeeting&index=19&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>I don’t see many “underrepresented” minorities, maybe about 7 maximum…most of the ppl are caucasian and asian (about 5 of which are indian), so…</p>

9

<p>I count as many as 23 possible URM’s and out of about 60 that what - about 40%</p>

<p>I don’t believe Brown releases racial information - so we have to partly guess</p>

<p>Hispanic is an underrepresented minority and so isn’t native american - and there could be as many as 10 to 20% or even higher in that category</p>

<p>As for non-hispanic male caucasian in the photo - best guess would be 3 to 6 or perhaps 5 to 10% and they would generally account for a large number of appliicants. What would be their be odds then: 1 out of 50 or maybe 1 in 100</p>

<p>Also lacking is (non-Indian) Asian males (e.g chinese, korean etc) - very few there - yet also they would be high in applicant numbers</p>

<p>The black male URM’s are low - that is true</p>

<p>Why are 80% of the students female?</p>