2016-2017 Brown University (Alpert) Application Thread

Discover Your Odds of Getting into Medical School
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Easy secondary this year! I feel like they asked some more abstract/thought provoking questions in the past. Certainly not a complaint 🙂

EDIT: Actually I think I just thought the population health questions from previous years were normal MD questions.
 
al22al22 said:
3000 characters to describe my aspirations for my medical practice in 15 years... how is anyone getting anywhere close to that limit?! I feel like since they increased the limit from the other questions they expect a longer, more detailed answer right?
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Did you apply to NYU? I more or less re-used a form of my answer to their 2500 character question about which setting I hope to practice medicine in.
 
ChrisMack390 said:
Did you apply to NYU? I more or less re-used a form of my answer to their 2500 character question about which setting I hope to practice medicine in.
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No but I applied to EVMS and they had the same question but less characters.. still probably my worst essay response so far haha
 
To those of you who have received the secondary, are you able to apply to both the MD/MPA and MD-ScM or is it one or the other?
 
Secondary received 7/13! I had been holding my breath, this is my dream school.
 
faceless_doc said:
Well, a combination of lots of things:
- Match list
- Friendly, collaborative atmosphere. Highly selective interviews, so you better believe each and every student here was chosen for a specific reason to add to the social and academic community. Administration seems friendly, approachable, and above all concerned about school/life balance, encouraging you to keep and pursue your passions outside of school and medicine.
- The most developed and robust concentration program of any med school I've seen. Emphasis on multidisciplinary and systems thinking. Big on medicine-humanities collaboration, social justice, and slightly left field aspects of medicine (Alternative medicine, mindfulness meditation and contemplative studies, integrative medicine)
- IMO, the breadth of clinical and educational experiences equal those of higher ranked institutions (a super extensive focus on research community was not a deciding factor for me personally, though Brown's is growing with tons of new lab construction underway). Seems like they don't really pay much attention to USN rank-climbing, and they look for students who feel the same way.
- That match list though

Ask me again in 6 months!
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For others interested in the match list that @faceless_doc was swooning over (let's be honest, we all are).. here is the link: https://www.brown.edu/academics/medical/about-us/facts-and-figures/md-2016-match-list

I was going to type it all out but I need to save my fingers for secondaries :/
 
faceless_doc said:
Another incoming MS1 here; Brown was my top choice school. Feel free to post or PM any questions you might have about the application process, as well as school experiences (esp. later on in the cycle after I start here in less than a month--so excited!)
Best of luck to everyone!
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Does being an assassin in service of the many faced god affect your relationship with your classmates?
 
Still haven't received a secondary yet. AMCAS sent to Brown almost a week ago...should I be worried? 3.82 GPA and 512 MCAT (but with a 124 cars)
 
theNDhopeful44 said:
Still haven't received a secondary yet. AMCAS sent to Brown almost a week ago...should I be worried? 3.82 GPA and 512 MCAT (but with a 124 cars)
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There's no screening process before secondaries are sent out. So, if you apply, you'll get a secondary. Sometimes there can be a little delay though.
 
To be MD said:
Are you freaking kidding me?

Being Black, Hispanic, or Native American isn't "winning the genetic lottery"; it means that you and your ancestors have been given historically horrific treatment in the US, have been and are being discriminated against in every single part of society outside of college applications, and are not born with the privilege that White & Asian people have in the US (e.g., intelligence assumed to be the norm, not followed around the grocery store, or doubted as a future drunkard or drug addict).
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don't throw asian people in there...east asians in America have been imprisoned against their will, banned outright, and discriminated against horrifically as well.
 
Ryuichi said:
don't throw asian people in there...east asians in America have been imprisoned against their will, banned outright, and discriminated against horrifically as well.
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This is very true! But you may be missing the point. The idea is not simply about past atrocity. It is more so about how much those past atrocities have effected the well-being of certain individuals in this modern day. Rarely do you hear of East Asian Americans suffering from racism or poverty in America. In fact, East Asian Americas are some of the most financially successful and intellectually accomplished racial groups in America. I think we've all seen the statistics. This shouldn't be a battle to see which ethnic group suffered the most in the past. Rather, we should see if there are any particularly ethnic groups who are suffering NOW (in terms of poverty, lack of education, racism, etc..). And once you've located those groups, do your best to help them.
 
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Complete today! Applied with a 3.82, 512, and a heavy research and music background (national conference presentation and paper in prep. under my belt). This is my top choice, good luck everyone!
 
Although I'm not a Brown student or a non trad. Is is true that Brown prefers both of those students? I debated whether or not I was a good candidate considering I don't fall into either of those categories.
 
theNDhopeful44 said:
Although I'm not a Brown student or a non trad. Is is true that Brown prefers both of those students? I debated whether or not I was a good candidate considering I don't fall into either of those categories.
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If you're asking whether or not Brown accepts people that (1) aren't Brown alumni and/or (2) aren't nontrads, the answer is 100% yes.

I believe they have some sort of quirkometer to assess how pleasantly eccentric you are, but anyone (with the right stats) is encouraged to apply.

Additionally, Brown on their website (also evidenced by their demographic makeup on the MSAR) sincerely wants a diverse group of medical students, so, if you are a URM, this school is a very good place to submit an application.

Best of luck. The gods know we'll need it.
 
theNDhopeful44 said:
Although I'm not a Brown student or a non trad. Is is true that Brown prefers both of those students? I debated whether or not I was a good candidate considering I don't fall into either of those categories.
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40ish students in each class are 8-year PLME students. For the remaining 100, they typically try to balance all that Brown-iness with students from other schools--but some Brown undergrads do get in as normal AMCAS applicants. While they do also tend to like non-trads (also for some of the same balance-related reasons), there's definitely a number of more traditional students in each class. Good luck!
 
To be MD said:
If you're asking whether or not Brown accepts people that (1) aren't Brown alumni and/or (2) aren't nontrads, the answer is 100% yes.

I believe they have some sort of quirkometer to assess how pleasantly eccentric you are, but anyone (with the right stats) is encouraged to apply.

Additionally, Brown on their website (also evidenced by their demographic makeup on the MSAR) sincerely wants a diverse group of medical students, so, if you are a URM, this school is a very good place to submit an application.

Best of luck. The gods know we'll need it.
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I'm an ORM in medicine, but I think I wrote some good essays! Hopefully the complete early app will help, too. Out of my hands now.
 
Also, does anyone know what the new equivalent MCAT score median would be here? I know the old was a 33, but is the admissions committee just comparing percentiles and comparing that way? Or is there some new "number" that is the new golden standard?
 
theNDhopeful44 said:
Also, does anyone know what the new equivalent MCAT score median would be here? I know the old was a 33, but is the admissions committee just comparing percentiles and comparing that way? Or is there some new "number" that is the new golden standard?
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As stated by gyn, they do it by percentiles. There's no magic number, but a 33 (i.e., 91st percentile) on the old exam is about a 513/514 on the new MCAT. Keep in mind that those scores only go up every application cycle, so their median will probably be a 514/515 this upcoming year.
 
theNDhopeful44 said:
Will my 512 hurt me, then? @To be MD
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I think most medical schools these days do a fantastic job at assessing applicants holistically. While it would be great to have an average or above average MCAT score, if you have other unique parts of your application that make you a good fit don't worry! I am applying with a 508 and while this school is a huge reach for me, I believe it would match my career goals and values which is why I decided to apply. At the end of the day, no one has a perfect application, but I would rather the weaker part of my app be a number than an aspect of my character. Good luck everyone!
 
theNDhopeful44 said:
130/124/128/130

I've asked a few adcoms about the 124, and they've said it wouldn't be an issue.
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So your score is roughly 31/32. I dont think there is a fair equivalent way to just take the overall percentile and compare it to the percentile on the old exam because of the additional section.

130 in PS = 13
124 in CARS = 7/8
128 in BS = 11
So composite would be a 31/32

Score's good! Still be wary of the 124, it may or may not cause issues at certain schools. As for Brown, they have a good range for accepted MCAT scores. As long as the rest of your application is solid, I honestly wouldn't worry bout it too much. Good luck!!


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
 
neurobio23 said:
So your score is roughly 31/32. I dont think there is a fair equivalent way to just take the overall percentile and compare it to the percentile on the old exam because of the additional section.

130 in PS = 13
124 in CARS = 7/8
128 in BS = 11
So composite would be a 31/32

Score's good! Still be wary of the 124, it may or may not cause issues at certain schools. As for Brown, they have a good range for accepted MCAT scores. As long as the rest of your application is solid, I honestly wouldn't worry bout it too much. Good luck!!


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
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What are the schools where it could be a problem?
 
theNDhopeful44 said:
Will my 512 hurt me, then? @To be MD
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MSAR says the average matriculated applicant for 2015 was a 33. Depending on what conversion formulae you use, you stand around a 32-33. I don't think you have anything to worry about so long as you have good ECs and GPA. I live right next to brown, they're a very liberal school and are known for looking at things holistically. If you have a solid app then I think you have a solid chance.
 
RogueBanana said:
MSAR says the average matriculated applicant for 2015 was a 33. Depending on what conversion formulae you use, you stand around a 32-33. I don't think you have anything to worry about so long as you have good ECs and GPA. I live right next to brown, they're a very liberal school and are known for looking at things holistically. If you have a solid app then I think you have a solid chance.
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This might include plme admits, which probably don't need high mcat scores. Non plme mcat scores are probably higher
 
Aphiah said:
This is very true! But you may be missing the point. The idea is not simply about past atrocity. It is more so about how much those past atrocities have effected the well-being of certain individuals in this modern day. Rarely do you hear of East Asian Americans suffering from racism or poverty in America. In fact, East Asian Americas are some of the most financially successful and intellectually accomplished racial groups in America. I think we've all seen the statistics. This shouldn't be a battle to see which ethnic group suffered the most in the past. Rather, we should see if there are any particularly ethnic groups who are suffering NOW (in terms of poverty, lack of education, racism, etc..). And once you've located those groups, do your best to help them.
Click to expand...
Lumping all east Asians together isn't the right idea either. The average socioeconomic status of South East Asians in the US is far lower than other Asian groups.
 
Is anyone still waiting on a secondary from here? I added them about a week ago but haven't heard anything yet...
 
Hi guys! For the question asking about activities, did you all essentially write a list with an explanation following the activity name, or did you use paragraph form? (hopefully it doesn't matter too much, just being a little neurotic here 😛)
 
ishiningstar said:
Oh really, thanks! Were you verified much before you added them?
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I think it had been a week since verification when I added this school. I was back and forth between applying here but ended up doing so; I believe they give secondaries to everyone so I'm sure you'll get it soon if you're waiting 🙂
 
takemepls said:
Hi guys! For the question asking about activities, did you all essentially write a list with an explanation following the activity name, or did you use paragraph form? (hopefully it doesn't matter too much, just being a little neurotic here 😛)
Click to expand...

I personally went with paragraph form. I think the only times I used lists were for Miami, because they specifically asked for chronological order in their prompts. But in the grand scheme of things, I really doubt that would be a deciding factor in anything.
 
mysankofa said:
I think it had been a week since verification when I added this school. I was back and forth between applying here but ended up doing so; I believe they give secondaries to everyone so I'm sure you'll get it soon if you're waiting 🙂
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Ok thank you, I just added this school but not sure if it's worth applying this late especially if it will be another week or 2 .
 
NoteBlock said:
I personally went with paragraph form. I think the only times I used lists were for Miami, because they specifically asked for chronological order in their prompts. But in the grand scheme of things, I really doubt that would be a deciding factor in anything.
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So I still don't have the secondary, but what question are you guys talking about . Is this the one about the gap year. Are there more than the 3 secondary questions listed earlier in the thread?
 
You have 2000 characters to talk about your activities in the upcoming academic year and how they are preparing you for a medical career.
 
Added Brown a few days ago (AMCAS verified a longg time ago), waiting for supplementary now. OOS applicant.
 
It'll be exactly two weeks since being complete tomorrow. Would literally be a dream to go here. Traditional applicant, though, and not a Brown student. I'll keep my fingers crossed for everyone.
 
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