Brown’s educational experience is excellent and lives up to its Ivy League reputation. With about 6000 undergraduates, Brown’s size strikes the perfect balance between a small college with informal classes and professors who know your name and a large school with a wide variety of options and opportunities. The famed Open Curriculum allows for a good deal of exploration and vastly reduces the number of classes that you must suffer through just because they are required. It is not a perfect system, as there are some concentrations (majors) that have a lot of requirements or have mandatory intro-level classes that nobody likes, but compared to the restrictive distribution requirements at other colleges it is quite flexible. The lack of grade modifiers (+/-) and D’s means that I can usually focus on learning from my classes instead of making sure I get enough percentage points to have a good GPA. Finally, I’ve found that even courses that have a reputation for being easy still end up teaching me new and interesting things, simply because the average quality of Brown classes is so high.
Do you enjoy the experience at your school?
I don’t usually put much stock in college rankings, but there's a reason Brown is consistently rated #1 for “happiest students.” The best part about Brown is how friendly and accepting the people are. No matter what your interests, you can find a group of friends that shares them, and no matter how lost you are as a freshman, you can find someone to help you out. There is a wide variety of extracurricular and social activities, so that even if you don’t like the traditional wild frat party you can find something fun to do with your free time. Other students in my classes are helpful and cooperative, and since there is little pressure to have perfect grades no one is very competitive. I find a similarly easygoing attitude in social activities, where there is very little pressure to conform because there is so much diversity (both cultural and personality). Although it’s true that (despite the ranking) not everyone at Brown is happy all the time, I find that even when I’m not all that happy I still feel glad that I’m going to Brown because the people around me are so nice.
Do you feel you’re getting value for the money you’re spending on college?
On paper, Brown is incredibly expensive, like any other Ivy League school. Also like any other Ivy League school, many students end up paying less than the “sticker price” because Brown’s financial aid meets most of a student’s demonstrated need with scholarships and grants, not loans. However, I feel that in comparison to the other Ivy Leagues (and to other elite colleges that have need-based-only financial aid), Brown’s Financial Aid Office is on the stingy side, and has a reputation for expecting students to pay more than they can really afford. Most Brown students, myself included, put up with the high cost because they know they’re getting a world-class education and love the community too much to live anywhere else. And it’s true that even with a traditionally “unmarketable” concentration like History or English, any Brown graduate has good career options simply because they have a Brown degree. Nevertheless, I feel it’s worth noting that Brown can end up being quite expensive even for a student who gets financial aid.
Do you have any tips for prospective students?
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.
Which types of students will excel at your college?
- Open-minded
- Curious
- Independent
- Self-motivated
- Friendly and social
- Flexible
- Interested in the learning experience, not career preparation
Brown’s educational experience is excellent and lives up to its Ivy League reputation. With about 6000 undergraduates, Brown’s size strikes the perfect balance between a small college with informal classes and professors who know your name and a large school with a wide variety of options and opportunities. The famed Open Curriculum allows for a good deal of exploration and vastly reduces the number of classes that you must suffer through just because they are required. It is not a perfect system, as there are some concentrations (majors) that have a lot of requirements or have mandatory intro-level classes that nobody likes, but compared to the restrictive distribution requirements at other colleges it is quite flexible. The lack of grade modifiers (+/-) and D’s means that I can usually focus on learning from my classes instead of making sure I get enough percentage points to have a good GPA. Finally, I’ve found that even courses that have a reputation for being easy still end up teaching me new and interesting things, simply because the average quality of Brown classes is so high.
I don’t usually put much stock in college rankings, but there's a reason Brown is consistently rated #1 for “happiest students.” The best part about Brown is how friendly and accepting the people are. No matter what your interests, you can find a group of friends that shares them, and no matter how lost you are as a freshman, you can find someone to help you out. There is a wide variety of extracurricular and social activities, so that even if you don’t like the traditional wild frat party you can find something fun to do with your free time. Other students in my classes are helpful and cooperative, and since there is little pressure to have perfect grades no one is very competitive. I find a similarly easygoing attitude in social activities, where there is very little pressure to conform because there is so much diversity (both cultural and personality). Although it’s true that (despite the ranking) not everyone at Brown is happy all the time, I find that even when I’m not all that happy I still feel glad that I’m going to Brown because the people around me are so nice.
On paper, Brown is incredibly expensive, like any other Ivy League school. Also like any other Ivy League school, many students end up paying less than the “sticker price” because Brown’s financial aid meets most of a student’s demonstrated need with scholarships and grants, not loans. However, I feel that in comparison to the other Ivy Leagues (and to other elite colleges that have need-based-only financial aid), Brown’s Financial Aid Office is on the stingy side, and has a reputation for expecting students to pay more than they can really afford. Most Brown students, myself included, put up with the high cost because they know they’re getting a world-class education and love the community too much to live anywhere else. And it’s true that even with a traditionally “unmarketable” concentration like History or English, any Brown graduate has good career options simply because they have a Brown degree. Nevertheless, I feel it’s worth noting that Brown can end up being quite expensive even for a student who gets financial aid.
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.
- Open-minded - Curious - Independent - Self-motivated - Friendly and social - Flexible - Interested in the learning experience, not career preparation