Is there anything you would have done differently in your application process?

Looking back, would I do something different? Yes, I would. I would apply only to Brown. There are some things that I would definitely improve in my application process. There is something that I did...

This is not typical for me. I always do things on time. If there is a deadline, I do it five days before the deadline and three days before the deadline. However, when I was applying to universities with my best friend, who is the complete opposite of me, they would submit their application three seconds before the deadline. And I somehow, you know, started my personal statement and everything very, very early with my early decision university, which was Cornell University. I started extremely early, and my best friend was making fun of me that I was starting that early.

Then, when I submitted the Cornell application, I had my personal statement ready, my activities ready, and everything ready. I decided to take a week of break before going to the other universities. Somehow, that week turned into two or maybe even three, possibly three, something like between two to three weeks. And then I just started working on my other universities too late.

Yeah, so I started doing things somehow the very last month, and I remember it was the day of the deadline. Three universities' applications were due on January 1st, but only one of the universities was ready to review and then submit. For the other two universities, I had to do that day or maybe the day before; I'm not sure.

Then, for about five days straight, I was writing applications for two to four universities per day on the very last day. That was something extremely stressful. It was also the New Year holiday in Armenia, which is a time when you're supposed to spend with your family, but I was locked in my room working day and night, drinking energy drinks to somehow survive the night while writing the essays. It was extremely stressful, and that is something that I wouldn't do again.

However, for most universities, I had very little time to write the applications. In the beginning, I was also kind of trying to focus on one university at a time so I could devote a little more time to some universities. Anyway, it was just a mistake that I made.

But at the same time, I'm not sure if it was a mistake. Like, would I write better applications with more time? I'm not sure. If I would, because when you're in a rush, I possibly made some mistakes in my applications being in a rush, but I'm not sure if I would write better applications if I had a day or two more, you know? For example, after I didn't get into Cornell, Columbia was my next top choice university. Actually, there were two or three universities that I took a week to prepare their applications to, and the main one that I really spent a lot of time on was Columbia. My application to Columbia was perfect. It couldn't be any better. I got waitlisted, but Brown was also one of the universities I didn't attend at the very last moment. However, I did Brown within two days. So, usually, I would just read the essays and then check them once, and then submit them. For Brown, I wrote the essays, and then I checked them the next day.

I also had two people, one of them a Brown student, review my essays. Anyway, what I'm trying to say is not necessarily having more time for applications would help because, eventually, I had much less time for Brown, and it worked out. I had much, much more time for Columbia. I was working with a professional who was an expert in checking the essays for US universities for Columbia, and I got waitlisted. But yeah, this has been a learning experience, and I would also make sure to stress out less, but I feel like considering the importance of everything, all these college applications, getting into a good college, and stuff, I didn't stress out too much, like the right amount. But I wish I didn't overthink and overstress. I stressed out the perfect amount for this kind of big thing that is happening in my life, but I still wish I would stress out a little less, and yeah, that's it. Because eventually, stressing out is not helpful.

So, start early, really dive into the process, research the universities better, and know the vibes of the universities, like Cornell, that I applied to with an early decision. I'm so happy I didn't get in; it definitely wasn't my place; it really wasn't my place. Columbia, well, Columbia, I loved it because I just loved the campus and the fact that it was in New York City. However, once I started researching the university in-depth, I already had a very good application to Columbia. However, a month later, after applying to all the universities, I started realizing that with my strong application to Columbia, I really didn't want to study there. It's not my place. The core curriculum that, I wrote a huge essay about how amazing it is, I'm going to hate it.

Then the same applies to the University of Chicago. It was my early decision to attend university. I also took lots of time to apply to the University of Chicago. I had great chances to get in there. Somehow, I did, and I really don't know how my application to Chicago was so good, with the video and everything. Somehow I didn't get in.

So, UChicago was my university of choice. I loved it because, I don't know, I somehow felt that vibe was perfect for me. The campus was super gorgeous, and you know, I have some kind of history with UChicago. So I thought this was my place. And then, while submitting my application and doing more in-depth research about the university while doing the application, you know, I realized that this is so much not my place.

Whatever university that prioritizes academics too much, such as UChicago, Cornell, or Columbia - wasn't my place, and the universities I was building the best applications for and taking a lot of time to prepare better applications for – those.

What advice would you give to international students who are considering studying at Brown or other top universities?

Start early, do your research, and then actually doing that research is really hard. Everybody tells you to do your research, but it's very difficult. You never know where to start or how to properly research universities. There was no guidance for me when researching universities. I really didn't know how to do it effectively. I didn't know if I was doing the research correctly. I was completely using my intuition.

That's the reason why my research about the universities I wanted to get into was inadequate. My advice is to ask someone who got into their desired university to assist you in properly researching schools. This is what I would suggest because doing thorough university research is hard - you can get lost, confused, and discouraged. Ask someone with experience to guide you and let you know if you're on the right track with your research approach, like if you're looking at the right factors or not.

So, to summarize my advice - start early and do in-depth research on universities, but get help from someone experienced because researching universities properly is really challenging. Everybody says to research, but it's actually very difficult without support. Be authentic in your applications and highlight your strengths while de-emphasizing weaknesses. That's my main guidance for prospective international students applying to top schools like Brown.