Brown University
A signature feature of Brown University is its Open Curriculum, which eliminates traditional general education requirements and gives students remarkable freedom to design their own academic path. They don’t offer traditional majors. Students choose a “concentration” which can feel like a major, but they don’t have any required courses. As a result, relationships with faculty members play an especially important role, helping students thoughtfully shape their academic experience. An Ivy League institution, Brown is known for academic excellence and a collaborative culture. It has a reputation for placing less emphasis on grades and competition than many of its peer institutions. On a recent visit to Brown’s campus, we learned that each semester starts with a two week “shopping period” when students are encouraged to visit as many classes as they want, even for partial sessions, in order to “try” before they “buy” their courses. Our tour guide confessed to popping in and out of almost thirty classes one semester before feeling confident that he knew what he wanted. Shopping for a class with a friend—that he wouldn’t likely have attended on his own—ultimately helped him find his concentration when he met the professor who is now his advisor! Brunonians can also choose to take some of their courses pass/fall, which further encourages exploration without the fear of failure.
Brown’s campus is located in the College Hill neighborhood of Providence, Rhode Island, and adjacent to the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) campus. There are about 7000 undergraduates, which falls right in the middle of the Ivy League for student population. They offer a medical school, an engineering school, and four other graduate schools, in addition to the undergraduate college. All Brown faculty teach some undergraduates, and classes are small to medium-sized. There are about a hundred classes with enrollment of more than 100 students, but never more than 400.
Admission at Brown is both holistic and contextual—they’re reviewing more than just numbers and trying to get to know candidates as whole people. When analyzing transcripts, they use tools like your high school’s profile to understand how much you’ve challenged yourself in the context of what your school offers, and how well you’ve performed relative to your peers. Brown no longer offers admissions interviews, but applicants can submit optional video introductions. They offer Early Decision and Regular Decision rounds and due to high demand, admission is very selective.
Brown students can also enroll in classes at the Rhode Island school of Design for more variety, and there is a five-year dual degree program (BRDD) available for students interested in concentrating in an art subject at RISD and a second field that’s only offered at Brown. Double-concentrations combining arts with science or engineering are common choices. Students must be admitted to each school first, and submit a third application for consideration for the dual degree program. Brown also offers the Program in Liberal Medical Education (PLME) which is their version of a BS/MD degree. It’s very selective, and prospective students must indicate their interest on the Common Application. If admitted, you can choose any undergraduate concentration, bypass the MCAT and attend Brown Medical School, as long as you meet the program’s expectations.
The Brown Promise assures prospective students that admission is need-blind and the full financial need of admitted students will be met. Financial aid is need-based only, and they do not include loans in their financial aid offers. *Fun Fact—None of the eight Ivy League institutions offers athletic scholarships.
Who would thrive at Brown?
Brown was described by students as feeling more collaborative than competitive, and they felt less stress to seek perfect grades than their peers at other elite schools. Brown students are active outside the classroom participating in athletics, pre-professional clubs and the most a cappella groups per capita on any college campus. While the campus has a reputation for being artsy, progressive and a bit unconventional, students actually come from diverse backgrounds and pursue a wide range of interests from medicine to entrepreneurship to the arts. What they all have in common is intellect, the independence to direct their own studies and the curiosity to take advantage of the open curriculum.
Notable Alumni:
Arts & Entertainment:
Emma Watson, actor, known for the Harry Potter movies
John Krasinski, actor, known for “The Office”
Daveed Diggs, Broadway actor, known for “Hamilton”
Tracee Ellis Ross, actor, known for “Black-ish”
Ira Glass, NPR personality, known for “This American Life”
Lisa Loeb, singer-songwriter, known for “Stay”
Laura Linney, actor, known for “Ozark”
Julie Bowen, actor, known for “Modern Family”
Yaya DaCosta, actor and model, known for “Chicago Med”
Business & Other Industries:
John D. Rockefeller Jr., financier and philanthropist, known for medical research, conservation, and building Rockefeller Center
Lois Lowry, Newbery Award-winning author, known for “The Giver”, and “Number the Stars”
Jessica Meir, Swedish & American Astronaut, Spacecraft Commander for NASA’s SpaceX Crew-12 mission, currently living and working aboard the International Space Station (2026)
Jeffrey Eugenides, Pulitzer Prize-winning author, known for “Middlesex” and “The Virgin Suicides”
Horace Mann, abolitionist and Congress member, known as “The Father of American Education”
Ted Turner, media mogul and philanthropist, known for founding CNN and Turner Broadcasting, former owner of the Atlanta Braves
John F. Kennedy Jr., businessman, attorney, journalist, philanthropist, born during his father’s presidency, he grew up in the public eye
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