When it comes to college rivalries, Brown and Dartmouth share Ivy League prestige and centuries of history. Yet despite the many years entrenched in close competition, the rivalry remains friendly. Why? Because both schools attract top caliber students whose aim is mutual excellence; students who take learning seriously but also want a real life outside the classroom or stadium.
So, when it comes to choosing a college, which one is a better match for you? Let’s learn more about Brown vs. Dartmouth to find your best-fit in this guide.
History and basics
In terms of providing an excellent education, both Brown and Dartmouth have excelled over their lengthy tenures. Let’s review the fast facts about each of the contenders.
About Brown University
“The University” is known for its unique open-ended curriculum.
- Founded: 1764
- Type: Private research university
- Setting: Providence, Rhode Island, in an active small city environment
- Campus size: 143 acres on College Hill
- Student body: 7,272 undergraduates, 11,005 total students
View the campus in a short virtual tour video here:
About Dartmouth College
“The College” is known for the quintessential New England college experience.
- Founded: 1769
- Type: Private Ivy League institution with strong undergraduate focus plus graduate schools
- Setting: Hanover, New Hampshire, classic college town with a rural feel
- Campus size: 269-acre main campus, plus extensive regional land holdings
- Student body: 4,570 undergraduates, 6,938 total students
See the campus for yourself in a digital tour here:
Prestige and rankings
Prestige and rankings shouldn’t matter that much in your overall decision-making process. But for what it’s worth, both schools sit tied for the same spot in the 2026 national conversation.
- Brown: tied for No. 13 (National Universities) in the U.S. News & World Report 2026 Best Colleges
- Dartmouth: tied for No. 13 (National Universities) in the U.S. News & World Report 2026 Best Colleges
Quick fit signal
Looking for a vibe check?
Brown leans city-adjacent, artsy, flexible, and self-directed. Who thrives at Brown?
- Self-directed learners who enjoy designing their own path.
- Students mixing STEM, arts, and humanities.
- People energized by city life and flexible social structures.
Dartmouth leans residential, outdoorsy, tradition-forward, and tightly knit. Who thrives at Dartmouth?
- Students who value community rhythm and shared traditions.
- People who like academic structure with flexibility.
- Outdoors-oriented students who want strong alumni loyalty.
Admissions and acceptance rates
Looking at the numbers, it’s no surprise that both Brown and Dartmouth remain in the “hyper-competitive” zone when it comes to selecting the incoming class. So let’s take a closer look at the admissions and acceptance rates.
Brown acceptance rate (Class of 2029)
- 42,765 applications
- 2,418 admitted
- 5.65% acceptance rate
Brown admissions also highlights a competitive Brown/RISD Dual Degree pathway, with 748 applicants and 15 enrolled in the cited cycle.
To read more about trends in the Brown admissions rate, check out our write-up for the 2025 and 2024 cycles.
Dartmouth acceptance rate (Class of 2029)
- 28,230 applicants
- 1,702 admitted
- 6% admission rate
To read more about the recent Dartmouth admissions rates, check out this report on the 2024 cycle.
What selectivity means for your strategy
You absolutely need to take time to put the best possible application together. It won’t happen in a matter of hours before the deadline.
- Aim for academic excellence plus a clear personal arc.
- Treat both as “reach” options for almost everyone.
- Use a balanced list with targets and safeties, even with top grades.
Even among the other big fish of the Ivy League pool, both Brown and Dartmouth are no cakewalk.
Academics comparison
Both schools offer elite liberal arts plus strong STEM. What makes them different?
Open Curriculum at Brown
Brown’s signature feature is the Open Curriculum. Brown describes an approach built on student choice and academic exploration, including fewer core distribution requirements than peers.
What students tend to love:
- Freedom to shape an interdisciplinary path.
- Space for double concentrations, creative combinations, and academic pivots.
- Classroom culture with high discussion energy and strong student voice.
What students need to handle:
- More responsibility for planning.
- More self-advocacy when choosing rigor and sequencing.
- Less external structure for students who want a prescribed path.
D-Plan at Dartmouth
Dartmouth’s D-Plan sets the student experience apart through a flexible year-round calendar with terms across the year and options for off-campus plans. Dartmouth describes the D-Plan structure and its role in shaping study, research, and internship timing.
What students tend to love:
- Built-in flexibility for internships, global study, and research.
- Clear rhythm for focus periods and off terms.
- Strong alignment with outdoor seasons and campus traditions.
What students need to handle:
- Faster pacing during terms.
- More planning for off-term housing, work, or travel.
- Less “everyone together, same schedule” feeling compared with a standard two-semester model.
Strengths and campus learning culture
Brown’s freedom rewards initiative but punishes passivity. Dartmouth’s structure supports momentum but can feel limited to students who dislike shared pacing. Both have real tradeoffs.
Brown often draws students toward…
- Interdisciplinary work blending CS, design, public policy, and the humanities.
- Research pathways tied to a large research university ecosystem.
- Creative communities in writing, music, theater, and visual arts, supported by a city arts scene.
Dartmouth often draws students toward…
- Undergraduate-centered teaching with small-school intensity inside an Ivy brand.
- Strong pipelines into finance and consulting, plus strong STEM and health pathways.
- Field-based learning, outdoor leadership, and tight faculty access.
The student verdict: vibe and social scene
Families often search “Brown vs Dartmouth reddit” because the vibe feels hard to measure from brochures. So what’s the deal?
Brown social life themes
- Greek life exists but functions differently, with non-residential structures described by Brown Residential Life.
- Social life often spreads across student groups, arts spaces, cafes, and the Providence scene.
- Students often describe a more individualistic “build your own circle” culture.
Dartmouth social life themes
- Greek life plays a large role. Dartmouth admissions content reports roughly 60% student Greek affiliation.
- A residential campus pushes social life inward, with tight friend groups and recurring traditions.
- Outdoors culture shows up weekly: skiing, hiking, and cold-weather grit.
Sports and spirit
Both schools compete in Ivy athletics and carry pride, with different flavors.
- Brown: Ivy athletics plus strong student organization life, with a city-adjacent identity. Traditions with a creative twist, including iconic campus symbols like the Van Wickle Gates lore.
- Dartmouth: Strong school identity around “Big Green,” traditions, and outdoors. Many social events orbit campus and residential life.
Outcomes: careers, salaries, and alumni paths
Outcomes follow student goals and campus pipelines.
Brown outcomes
Brown reports high rates of employment or graduate and professional school placement for recent graduates. In fact, Brown University’s 2023 Career Outcomes Report for the Class of 2022 shows that 97% of graduates were employed, attending graduate/professional school, or engaged in full-time service/fellowships within six months of graduation.
One major reason? It’s an academic launching pad. Brown’s R1 research university scale often supports pathways into graduate study, research labs, public service, and creative industries. Top fields for Brown graduates continuing their education include medicine, law, and various PhD programs.
Dartmouth outcomes
Dartmouth’s career outcomes materials report strong placement across finance, consulting, tech, and related fields, with compensation figures reported in class outcome releases. According to the Dartmouth College 2023 Career Outcomes Report for the Class of 2022, the median starting salary was $90,000, and the median signing bonus was $15,000.
Another strength is their student bond. The Dartmouth College Center for Career Design highlights a strong alumni network, with over 80,000 active alumni globally. Alumni support is often cited as a key factor in networking and securing roles, particularly in competitive fields like finance and consulting.
Questions to help you decide between Brown vs. Dartmouth
Use these prompts as a decision checklist.
1) Structure vs freedom
- Do you want a school-built framework for pacing and terms, or do you want maximum freedom to design an academic path?
2) Social center of gravity
- Do you want a residential community where most social life happens on campus, or a campus where social life spreads into a city?
3) Weather and daily energy
- Does winter motivate you, or drain you?
- Do you want a walkable city routine, or a rural campus routine?
4) Career pipeline fit
- Do you want a campus where finance and consulting recruiting feels central, or a campus where creative, research, and interdisciplinary pathways feel central?
5) How you build belonging
- Do you thrive when a community feels small and tightly connected?
- Do you thrive when community comes from chosen clubs, projects, and scenes?
Choose the school that matches your life
Choosing the right college is more about finding a “best fit” for who you are, rather than just picking the most famous school. To find that fit, you should start by thinking about your own priorities — like your intended major, how far you want to be from home, and what kind of social “vibe” makes you feel comfortable.
Start with facts, then shift to lived experience. Tour in person if possible. If travel is out of your reach, schedule virtual visits, attend student panels, and ask direct questions about advising, housing, internships, and social life.
If you want a guided approach, consider Empowerly. Our unique Brown and Dartmouth resources, plus broader Ivy League strategy guidance, offer a structured way to align academics, activities, and essays with each school’s priorities. To learn more about our programs, book a free consultation on our website and we’ll walk you through the process and answer any questions you have.
