On Monday, thousands of high school seniors around the world were planning to open their Brown early decision notification at 3 p.m. EST.
But on Sunday evening, applicants received an email from Brown’s Office of College Admissions informing them that notifications would be delayed for up to 48 hours in the wake of Saturday’s mass shooting, which left two students dead and nine others hospitalized.
“We are faced with the reality of mourning the loss of members of our community taken from us by a terrible act of violence, even as we acknowledge that we’re on the eve of a very important day for our many talented applicants to Brown,” the email read.
“We appreciate your patience and your ongoing enthusiasm as our community comes together to grieve, heal and begin to find a path forward,” the message continued.
The initial email sent to applicants stressed that Brown was “fully prepared” to announce admissions decisions on Dec. 15, but chose to delay them.
Decisions will now be released on Dec. 17 at 7 p.m., according to a subsequent email sent to applicants Monday afternoon.
Melia Kalb, an early decision applicant from Loveland High School, said in an interview with The Herald that she expected admissions decision notifications to be delayed after hearing about the shooting.
“I am 100% okay with waiting as long as the admissions officers need to take that time and heal and process these events,” she said.
Chloe Dunn, a senior at The Bronx High School of Science, said she heard about the delay from a friend on a FaceTime call.
“I was really looking forward to Monday being the day that I found out,” she said. While she said she wished the decision day did not need to be pushed, she understands why it was necessary.
None of the students who talked to The Herald said that Saturday’s shooting changed their desire to attend Brown.
Lilly Gonzalez, a senior from Fort Lauderdale High School, told The Herald that safety was a “number one priority” for her mom. But both Gonzalez and her mother felt that Brown was not at fault for Saturday’s shooting.
“This is something that could happen anywhere,” she said. “I think we have to look past this and focus more on gun reform and gun control.”
Dunn said she is not afraid for her safety going forward, as she believes gun violence is more symptomatic of American culture and gun laws than an individual school’s actions. For Dunn, the incident “didn’t really reflect” on Brown and she felt the University handled the situation well.
Eva Martinez, a senior at The Bronx High School of Science, expressed a similar belief. The prevalence of gun violence in schools is “not a Brown problem,” she said. “It’s just, in my opinion, an America problem.”
Anya Kleinman, a senior at Richard Montgomery High School, told The Herald that it would not “feel right to open my decision and celebrate with the intense tragedy that struck campus.”
Kleinman said she is anxious to hear back about her admissions result, but was very touched by the email the University sent about the delayed decision notifications. “I think it really spoke to the communal nature of Brown and the commitment to community above all else,” she said.
The University’s email to applicants emphasized the “amazing strength, resilience and strong caring of our community.”
“At this difficult time, we are seeing the special character that makes Brown, ‘Brown,’” the email read.
Ava Stryker-Robbins is a sophomore and a Metro editor at The Herald.
Talia is a metro section editor covering the health and environment and community and culture beats. She is a sophomore from Bethesda, MD studying history and international and public affairs. In her free time, she enjoys exploring Providence one wrong turn at a time.
