Brown University
Ivy League in Providence, RI known for open curriculum and flexibility. Founded in 1764, Brown has no core requirements or mandatory distribution courses, so students design their own path starting in the first semester. A pass or fail grading option, unusual among Ivies, is available for many courses to encourage academic risk-taking. The Brown and RISD Dual Degree Program lets students combine a Brown degree with one from the Rhode Island School of Design next door.
Source: College Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education. Figures reflect the most recently published class — always confirm current-cycle numbers on Brown's official admissions site before applying.
📊 What SAT/ACT Scores Do Admitted Students Have?
The middle 50% of Brown's admitted students scored within these ranges:
Source: College Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education (25th–75th percentile of admitted students). Get your own personalized chance estimate →
🎲 Will You Get Into Brown?
This estimate compares the test score you enter against Brown's real published middle-50% band (1510–1580 SAT, 34–35 ACT) and its 5.1% acceptance rate to produce a Safety, Target, or Reach label. It intentionally does not use GPA — no institution publishes real per-school GPA distribution data, so we don't invent one.
With only a 5.1% acceptance rate, Brown is a reach for almost every applicant, regardless of test scores.
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📝 Required Supplements
- Common App or Coalition
- Brown Supplement
- School Report
- Teacher Evaluation
✍️ What Should Your Brown Essay Focus On?
- Embrace the open curriculum — show intellectual curiosity across fields
- The "finding yourself" prompts want authenticity, not perfection
- Demonstrate you'll use Brown's freedom well
- Show you're self-directed and curious
🎯 What Is Brown Looking For in Applicants?
- Intellectual curiosity strong enough to design a coherent course of study without any required core
- Authenticity over strategic positioning, since Brown explicitly wants genuine interests, not resume-building
- Real enthusiasm for the Open Curriculum itself, not just relief at having fewer requirements
- Self-motivation, since there is no core curriculum forcing a student to stay on track
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