Overview of Brown University

Brown University is a selective Ivy League institution, located in Providence, RI. The institution has a large selection of undergraduate and graduate degree programs for students to choose from. A robust student/faculty ratio backs students, and professors take a personalized approach to the teaching and learning process. Outside of the classroom, students will find plenty of opportunities to engage with the campus community via the university’s many clubs and organizations.

Enrollment

• Total Enrollment: 10,257 (7,043 undergraduates)
• Gender Breakdown: 46 percent male/54 percent female
• 96 percent full-time

Cost of Attendance Information

• Tuition and Fees: $58,504
• Books: $1,632
• Room and Board: $15,332
• Other Expenses: $2,122
• Total Cost: $77,590

Financial Aid Information

• Percentage of New Students Receiving Aid: 60 percent
• Percentage of New Students Receiving Types of Aid
  • Grants: 45 percent
  • Loans: 25 percent

• Average Amount of Aid
  • Grants: $42,652
  • Loans: $7,251

Academic Programs Offered

• Most Popular Majors: Computer Science; Econometrics and Quantitative Economics; Entrepreneurship/Entrepreneurial Studies; Biology/Biological Sciences, General; and Engineering, General

Retention and Graduation

• First-Year Student Retention (full-time students): 95 percent
• 4-Year Graduation Rate: 85 percent
• 6-Year Graduation Rate: 95 percent

NCAA Athletic Programs

• Men’s Sports: Baseball, Basketball, Football, Golf, Ice Hockey, Lacrosse, Soccer, Swimming and Diving, Tennis, Track and Field, Wrestling
• Women’s Sports: Basketball, Hockey, Golf, Gymnastics, Lacrosse, Wrestling, Soccer, Softball, Swimming and Diving, Tennis, Track and Field

The Brown Bears play at the NCAA Division I level.

Overview of Brown University Admissions

As a charter member of the Ivy League, Brown University is exceptionally selective. This institution has a robust admissions process that involves a multitude of academic measures. A persuasive essay and glowing recommendation letters can bolster your application, along with being involved with student organizations and attempting a challenging course load. It also requires at least one supplemental essay. Your essay needs to convey your unique qualities and abilities. Students with unique talents and accomplishments can still receive strong consideration even if their GPAs are outside of the admissions offices mean range.

Admissions Data

The school had an acceptance rate of 6.6% for the 2018-2019 school year.

SAT Requirements and Scores

For the Brown class entering the university in the 2018-19 academic year, 63% provided SAT scores. Concerning national SAT score data, scores for most Brown students are in the top 7% of all test-takers.  50% of students were admitted at Brown scored between 700 and 760 on the evidence-based reading and writing part of the SAT. This reveals that 25% of students scored a 700 or lower, and the upper 25% of students scored a 760 or higher. Math scores were slightly higher.  50% scored from 720 to 790, so 25% had a 720 or less, and the upper 25% scored either 790s or 800s.

ACT Requirements and Scores

The ACT is less popular than the SAT—49% of applicants provided ACT scores. Brown’s mean ACT scores are like the ACT scores for other Ivy League schools. Applicants will need a score in the 30s to be competitive candidates. National ACT score data tells us that Brown students usually score among the upper 4% of all test-takers. For students who gained admission to Brown University in the 2018-19 academic year,  50% of students had overall scores between 29 and 34. This reveals that the upper 25% of applicants had scores of 34 or 35, and the lower 25% had scores of 29 or below.

GPA

Brown does not publish GPA data for incoming students, but 96% of students who entered Brown in the 2018-19 academic year were ranked in the top 10% of their graduating high school class.

Safety Net Schools: Easy to Gain Admission

If past admission data predicts that you would be a competitive candidate for Brown University, then it should be easy for you to gain admissions to the schools below. If Brown University is currently out of your reach, then you are sure to be a competitive candidate for the schools below.

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, New York University, Boston University, Boston College, Villanova University

Same Tier: Just As Hard to Gain Admission

If you’re a competitive candidate for Brown University, then you should have an equal chance of gaining admissions at these schools.

Princeton University, Carnegie Mellon University, Yale University, University of Pennsylvania, Dartmouth College, Northeastern University, University of Michigan

Reach Institutions: Gaining Admissions Will Be More of a Challenge

These schools are more challenging to gain admission into than Brown University. If you improve your GPA and SAT/ACT scores, then you’ll be a competitive candidate for these schools.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Chicago, Harvey Mudd College, Columbia University, Harvard College

Applying to Brown University

Application Deadline: January 1

Undergraduate Admissions Website: https://www.brown.edu/admission/undergraduate

Undergraduate Application Link(s): https://www.brown.edu/admission/undergraduate/apply

Graduate Admissions Website: https://www.brown.edu/admission/graduate

Graduate Application Link(s): https://www.brown.edu/academics/gradschool/apply