Brown University
Brown University
Box 1920, Providence, RI 02912
Brown University is a private university in RI, founded in 1764 and offers Bachelor’s degrees for undergraduates and Master’s and Doctoral degrees for graduate students. The undergraduate enrollment is 6,792, and the graduate enrollment is 3,156. Brown University is a hyper-selective school, receiving 36,793 applications and accepting 5.0% of applicants. Brown University’s athletics teams compete at the club, intramural, and varsity levels. Additionally, Brown University employs 859 full-time instructional staff (95% of whom hold doctorate degrees) and has a 6:1 student to faculty ratio.
Empowerly Score®
96
University Score
- School Performance
- Extracurriculars
- Standardized Tests
- Essays
Empowerly Score®
At Empowerly, we prioritize data to customize our approach to student counseling. College admissions is becoming more selective by the year, so it’s never been more important than now to prepare in advance and give yourself the best chance for success.
Take the Empowerly QuizESSAYS
Applicants applying to Brown University will apply through the Common Application. Applicants will be required to write one personal statement based on a set of prompts within the application and will also be required to answer specific questions pertaining to the university.
Deadlines For Submitting Applications
Early Decision Application Deadline
November 1st
Regular Application Deadline
January 5th
ATTENDANCE FACTORS
- Character/Personal Qualities - Very Important
- Application Essay - Very Important
- Academics GPA - Very Important
- Rigor of Secondary School Record - Very Important
- Extracurricular Activities - Important
Average Acceptance Rate
5.00%
Empowerly Acceptance Rate
13.00%
STUDENT LIFE
Providence, RI, home of Brown University, was ranked one of the best places to live in the United States by U.S. News & World Report. The 143-acre main campus maintains a college town vibe despite being in the state’s most populous city. Student life centers around Brown’s spirit of openness, whether in academics, athletics, or social spheres. The school’s signature Open Curriculum encourages students to study any course without the limitation of course requirements. Its athletic team, The Brown Bears, competes in over 35 NCAA Division I athletic teams and the Ivy League. The college is home to over 400 student organizations, fulfilling every interest. Students can join its daily newspaper, The Brown Daily Herald, published since 1891; the Brown Debating Union, which competes nationally and internationally; or its award-winning a cappella group, The Bear Necessities.
Housing
- 72% of students live on campus
- Guaranteed housing for freshmen
- Freshmen, sophomores, and juniors are required to live on campus
Brown has built a residential learning environment to support its students’ academic success and personal growth. So that students fully benefit from its painstakingly-planned residential community, all undergraduates must live on campus for their first six semesters. First-year students are assigned roommates and live in the close-knit residence halls with 50-60 fellow students. This smaller community is the ideal way to quickly feel at home within Brown’s larger campus community. Students can gather together in dorm standard rooms, on-campus cafes, or the many recreational lounges to study and play and to find or give support at the end of the day. The university offers flexible meal plans in traditional dining halls with a new focus on fresh, sustainable foods.
Life as a Student
Life as a Brown University student is truly the picture of the classic New England college experience among its historic buildings, brick quadrangles, and newer facilities to serve its students’ needs. Students receive the hands-on, high-quality education Brown is renowned for in the classroom. 100% of Brown University’s faculty teaches undergraduate students with an impressive 6:1 student to faculty ratio. Additionally, life outside the classroom is just as hands-on as in the classroom, no matter their interests. The school is devoted to producing an all-around student experience to expand its students’ worldview through its student organizations and the bonds formed therein. The many resource centers on campus are places to study and meet and where students can discover more about themselves in a safe and supportive environment.
TOP MAJORS
Computer Science
Biology
Economics
Computational and Applied Mathematics
Entrepreneurship
History
SERVICES
Health and Safety
- 24-hour trained security on campus
- Student security patrol
- Late night ride/safe escort service available
Student Services
- Health Center
- Psychological Counseling
- Women's Center
Athletics
Varsity
Varsity
Baseball
Basketball
Cheerleading
Crew
Fencing
Football
Golf
Ice Hockey
Lacrosse
Rowing
Rugby
Sailing
Skiing (Downhill)
Soccer
Squash
Swimming and Diving
Tennis
Track and Field
Ultimate Frisbee
Volleyball
Water Polo
Wrestling
Cross-Country Running
Basketball
Cheerleading
Crew
Equestrian Sports
Fencing
Field Hockey
Golf
Gymnastics
Ice Hockey
Lacrosse
Rowing
Rugby
Sailing
Skiing (Downhill)
Soccer
Softball
Squash
Swimming and Diving
Tennis
Track and Field
Ultimate Frisbee
Volleyball
Water Polo
Cross-Country Running
Club
Club
Lacrosse
Table Tennis
Field Hockey
Lacrosse
Table Tennis
Intramural
Intramural
Badminton
Bowling
Basketball
Football
Golf
Ice Hockey
Soccer
Softball
Squash
Tennis
Ultimate Frisbee
Badminton
Bowling
Basketball
Football
Golf
Ice Hockey
Soccer
Softball
Squash
Tennis
Ultimate Frisbee
FINANCIAL AID INFORMATION
Brown University has a need-blind admission policy for all first-year applicants and Brown University is committed to meeting 100% of a family’s demonstrated financial need.
*All costs below are estimates and may differ depending on your circumstances.
- Tuition - $62,680
- Fees - $2,466
- Room - $9,368
- Meals - $6,472
- Personal - $2,700
- Total Estimated Cost of Attendance - $83,683
CORPORATE PARTNERSHIP / AFFILIATES
HISTORY
Brown University was founded as the College of Rhode Island in 1764 at its first location in Warren, Rhode Island. It was the seventh institution of higher education in Colonial America and the third college established in the New England area. Although it was initially associated with the Philadelphia Association of Baptist Churches, the College of Rhode Island charter was uniquely progressive for the era due to the statement: “Sectarian differences of opinions, shall not make any Part of the Public and Classical Instruction.” Additionally, it was the first of the Ivy League schools to accept students regardless of religious affiliation. Brown University ended up moving to Providence, RI, in 1770 in an area called College Hill, which remains its home today.
While Brown University’s earliest well-known benefactors included Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Penn, the university would ultimately be linked to the Brown family following a donation from prominent Providence businessman and alumnus, Class of 1786, Nicholas Brown, Jr. The university was renamed after him in 1804. It was the first Ivy League school to establish an engineering program in 1888; likewise noteworthy as the third-oldest civilian engineering program in the United States. Among other firsts at Brown University include granting its first master’s degrees in 1888, first doctorates in 1889, and admitting its first African-American students in 1873 and women students in 1891. In 1970, the school made dramatic changes to its undergraduate education program and launched the Brown Curriculum, eliminating all Brown undergraduates’ core requirements. Instead, it established specific departmental concentration requirements and a more open curriculum that resonated with today’s school’s undergraduate academic experience.
Today, Brown University is 5th in Best Colleges by Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 6,792 and a graduate enrollment of 2,600. The school is most selective, with an acceptance rate of 8%. Students at Brown are guaranteed a one-of-kind undergraduate experience, including its flexible yet comprehensive academic program, larger-than-life Brown Bears athletic program, innovative student extracurriculars, and long-standing traditions. Brown always looks forward to its Spring Weekend music festival, hosting historical performers from Ella Fitzgerald to Janis Joplin, held yearly since 1950. The school has proudly been associated with eight Nobel Prize winners, 32 Pulitzer Prize winners, and 37 Olympic medalists for much of its history. Notable Brown alumni include CNN founder Ted Turner, actress Emma Watson, and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller Jr.