Located atop College Hill in Providence, R.I., Brown University has a college-town feel with Thayer Street serving as a center of activity for shopping and dining. The Brown Bears have about 35 NCAA
Division I athletic teams and compete in the Ivy League. The Bears are well known for their men’s soccer team, which consistently ranks among the top 25 teams in the nation. All students at Brown are required to live on campus for their first six semesters, and housing options include traditional singles, doubles and suites. With around 400 student organizations on campus ranging from The Brown Jug comedy magazine to Brown Ballroom Dance, students can find a way to pursue their interests. Brown also has a small but vibrant Greek community with approximately 10 chapters, including a few co-ed Greek organizations.
Brown offers a number of a graduate studies through its Graduate School, which offers well-regarded programs in English and history, and the highly ranked Warren Alpert Medical School. The center section of the Van Wickle Gates on Brown’s campus opens only twice a year: once to let incoming students onto campus and once to let recent graduates exit after commencement. Brown hosts an annual celebratory "Spring Weekend" with athletic events, concerts and free food. Notable alumni include John D. Rockefeller Jr., John F. Kennedy Jr. and CNN founder and media mogul Ted Turner.Brown is the only major research university in the nation where undergraduates are the architects of their own course of study. The University's signature academic program for undergraduates encourages intellectual exploration and risk taking and fosters rigorous multidisciplinary study in more than 70 concentrations, ranging from Egyptology to Cognitive Neuroscience. Its unique, highly competitive program in Liberal Medical Education provides the opportunity to receive an undergraduate degree and a medical degree in an eight-year continuum. Its School of Engineering prepares students for careers that will make a difference by seeking solutions to current problems that challenge our society. Brown is frequently recognized for its global reach, many cultural events, numerous campus groups and activities, active community service programs, highly competitive athletics, and beautiful facilities located in a richly historic urban setting. Brown students are distinguished by their academic excellence, creativity, self-direction, leadership, and collaborative style of learning, while Brown's outstanding faculty is known for its singular dedication to teaching and research.
Applying
When applying to Brown University, it's important to note the application deadline is January 1, and the early decision deadline is November 1. Scores for either the ACT or SAT test are due February 1. The application fee at Brown University is $75. It is most selective, with an acceptance rate of 8.7 percent. Applying
For more information about the tests, essays, interviews and admissions process, visit the Applying to College knowledge center.
Academic Life
The student-faculty ratio at Brown University is 9:1, and the school has 68.3 percent of its classes with fewer than 20 students. The most popular majors at Brown University include: Biology/Biological Sciences, General; Economics, General; Computer Science; History, General; and Neuroscience. The average freshman retention rate, an indicator of student satisfaction, is 97.5 percent.
Student Life
Brown University has a total undergraduate enrollment of 6,548, with a gender distribution of 48.1 percent male students and 51.9 percent female students. At this school, 78 percent of the students live in college-owned, -operated, or -affiliated housing and 22 percent of students live off campus. Brown University is part of the NCAA I athletic conference.
Campus Services
Brown University offers a number of student services including nonremedial tutoring, women's center, placement service, health service, and health insurance. Brown University also offers campus safety and security services like 24-hour foot and vehicle patrols, late night transport/escort service, 24-hour emergency telephones, lighted pathways/sidewalks, student patrols, and controlled dormitory access (key, security card, etc). Of the students at Brown University, 35 percent have cars on campus. Alcohol is permitted for students of legal age at Brown University.
Cost and Financial Aid
At Brown University, 45.2 percent of full-time undergraduates receive some kind of need-based financial aid and the average need-based scholarship or grant award is $40,918.
Paying for college doesn't have to be difficult or devastating. Go to the Paying for College knowledge center to get advice on raising cash and reducing costs, or use the U.S. News 529 Finder to choose the best tax-advantaged college investment account for you.
