Chances of getting into Brown?

Question

I have a 3.42 unweighted GPA and a 4.24 weighted as of tenth grade (didn't get my report card for eleventh).
Also I took my SAT last June and got a 1990 total but I am retaking it October, dumb writing section: 610 ><
Yet to take my SAT Subject Tests,

Last year I took 3 AP and 3 honor courses, recieving 4 B's and 2 A's and this year I'm taking 5 AP's and an honors courses.

and I have 100+ community service hours working with Miami-Dade County PRIDE program.

But extracurricular activities are lagging behind, I'm only in the Italian club.

So, do you think I have a good chance at getting into Brown University? And, don’t worry, Brown is not the only school that I will be applying to, I have some safety schools.

Answer 1

You are on the right track -- but it won't be easy.

Taking AP classes & having a weighted GPA over 4.0 is a great start. You want to raise your unweighted average a little bit.

About 75% of the students admitted to Brown have higher SAT scores than you do -- but the good news is that 25% do not.

Without improving -- you are qualified, but less qualified than the average student admitted. Improving on your SAT and GPA will help. You also need to make yourself stand out. Make sure that you have a killer admissions essay -- and make sure that they know that they are your first choice.

It is not a sure thing for you -- maybe not even likely. But it is a possibility. If you continue on like this, you will certainly get into some good school.

Answer 2

Admissions officers are bored of "canned" extracurriculars and while most seem to be looking for someone "authentic," this is where it gets highly ideosyncratic and subjective. Can you try contacting the admissions office early and ask them your questions outright? You have a plus in that you're not from New England--most colleges like students from different regions--anything that makes you different or "diverse" will help. Elite schools tend to hire people who come from wealthy families as employees (because the jobs are considered prestigious they don't pay very well; people who have student loans to pay off or are supporting families don't often seek these "high prestige, low-pay" jobs.) So chances are your admissions officer will be a former Brown student from a well-off family. This is not necessarily a bad thing but s/he may not understand the economic cost of getting extraordinary extracurriculars on your resume. So point this out if this is the case and hit them over the head with any obvious differences you may have. Make a case for how you will help make the campus more interesting and/or diverse. While your grades point out someone who may have healthy balance in life, you are competing with perfect scores. So write a wonderful, creative, and yep, authentic essay that draws a compelling picture of yourself as an individual.

If you don't get in take solace in that most people changing the world these days don't come from the ranks of academia, but from business. Any university with an excellent library and a few great professors can give you a fabulous education. The population is growing faster than elite schools can expand, so a lot of wonderful talent will have go elsewhere.

Good luck!

Answer 3

Yeah, I'm a Brown student, and I'd say you have quite a good chance of getting in, though one can never say for sure. I'd also say you have a very good chance of getting into Cornell. For Georgetown I really don't know. As for Berkeley, it's a toss-up if you're an out of state student, but you definitely have a decent chance there as well. Good luck! p.s. Brown *is* great!

Answer 4

Honestly, I do not beleive you have a great chance of getting into Brown unless you have some big connections. Brown is a top school and kids with 4.0's and 2400's are getting in there, and they also have incredible extracurricular activities. Im sorry to bring the reality, but you would really have to do something that sets youselft apart from the applicant pool. I hope I didnt discourage you, and by all means you should try to go to Brown. Good Luck

Answer 5

i've never heard of brown, but so far it looks like you have a pretty impressive resume. i do recommend working on the extracurricular activities though and possibly applying for an internship of some sort. around 100 hrs really isn't that much. shoot for 200 and that might get you somewhere. other than that, well done and good luck!