Admissions

Brown is a great school but can be a little intimidating if you don't have an idea of what you want to concentrate in. While freshman year is an excellent chance to explore classes and organizations to find out what you are really passionate about, make sure to consult your advisors and peers and professors for some direction. If you're planning on coming to Brown, be prepared to work hard but also have a lot of fun. Any ivy league can be extremely stressful, but take advantage of the resources available, and Brown can be an amazing experience for you.

Definitely be at the top of your game, but don't stress. Be yourself. Brown wants diverse, intelligent, unique, and curious students. You don't have to be well-rounded. You don't have to be in sports. They want you as you. Not a cookie-cutter version of what people think colleges want: overachieving, musical and sporty geniuses who are involved in every single club and volunteer 24/7. Just be the very best you you can be.

College applications are unpredictable. I honestly do not understand how the whole system works, and probably never will. Show your enthusiasm for learning, cross your fingers, and take a deep breath: good luck!

The best things that a prospective student can do is come to Brown with an open mind and get involved around campus. If you come to Brown eager for new experiences, there is no telling where the institution may take you in life. The opportunities here at Brown are truly boundless, but they only present themselves to those who are ready to seek them out and accept them.

Don't be afraid to let go a little of who you are now in order to become someone even better. The future is always a bit scary, but it should be more exciting than anything else. Brown is one of the best places in the world to explore any and all walks of life.

Prepare to expand your mind. Openness to new ideas and to a new approach on learning are key to succeeding.

If you want to get in to Brown, don’t worry about having perfect grades and a long list of accomplishments and accolades. While a good academic record is pretty much a prerequisite, the qualities that most often distinguish Brown students are their depth of character and passionate interest in some pursuit, even a non-academic one. Focusing on your unique personal qualities and experiences, and the commitment you show to one or two of your interests, may be the best way to write a successful application.

Be yourself. Brown cares more about the student holistically than the other Ivies. They really evaluate you as the student, applicant, and then what numbers you bring to the school. Mention that funny experience you had when you first tried to bake a cake or the most embarrassing thing that's ever happened to you in a supplement. They've received thousands of the self-inflating essays that students have stretched to make themselves seem like the best insert-quality-that-they-think-the-colleges-are-looking-for student. In the end though, through personal experience and much comparing of essays, I've found the kids at Brown wrote about things as mundane as breaking bones, trying foreign foods, and taking math tests.

Also, be confident. Don't try to change yourself for a school . Chances are you won't like it there if you have to pretend to be someone else.