Brown Acceptance Rate: 6%

Shortcut to sections offered for Brown prospective students and Brown acceptance rate:

Successful Applicant Profile

• Demographics
• Majors
• SAT/ACT scores

Entry Requirements

• Tuition
• Scholarships
• Checklist of Application Requirements
• Application Deadlines

What Should You Expect

• Student life
• Academics offered
• Athletics offered
• Notable Alumni

Brown University is a member of the distinguished Ivy League. It is among the most selective universities. The average Brown acceptance rate is 8.3%. However, for the class of 2024, it was 6%. The university’s exclusiveness makes it among the most sought-after colleges in the United States.

What is Brown’s acceptance rate?

When looking for colleges, one of the very first things that a lot of students pay attention to is the acceptance rate of each institution. It is a measure of how competitive the admissions process is at that particular educational institution. But in all seriousness, how relevant are the rates? In what ways will they influence the process by which you look for colleges and apply to them?

There are several different approaches you can use to improve your chances of being accepted. The quality of your application essay, your grade point average, your scores on the ACT or SAT, the intellectual rigor of your coursework, extracurricular activities, and volunteer work are all important factors. You might use the knowledge that the school of your dreams has a lower acceptance rate as motivation to push yourself to work harder and improve your chances of being accepted there.

A low acceptance rate has the potential to be disheartening. Why waste your time applying somewhere that will very certainly turn you down? Because there is a possibility that they will not, to begin with. There is a rationale behind why schools with a lot of competition are like that. It is in your best interest to take the risk, and if you put in the work to write an impressive application essay and get the grades, test scores, and awards you have, you just could discover that your efforts were well worth it.

In light of the foregoing, it is strongly suggested that you maintain the majority of your schools inside the match and safety categories. In the end, the process of applying to colleges requires both time and financial investment. However, you should not be frightened to reach for your goals; rather, you should ensure that you have a backup plan in place.

“What is Brown’s acceptance rate?” Brown University extended admission offers to a total of 1,651 candidates, which results in an acceptance rate of 5% overall for the current academic year.

Following in the footsteps of the class of 2025, which had an acceptance rate of only 5.4%, the acceptance rate for the class of 2026 has established a new record low for admittance. 6.9 percent of students who applied to the University in 2020 were granted admission to the class of 2024.

Applicants in the normal decision pool had an acceptance rate of 3.6 percent, which is nearly the same as the rate of 3.5 percent that was recorded the previous year. The University granted admission to 896 applicants during the early decision period in December, which corresponds to an acceptance rate of 14.6%.

The total number of students who applied to the class of 2026 via regular and early decision was 50,649. This represents an almost 9 percent increase from the applicant pool from the previous year and approximately 4,100 more students than the previous record of 46,568 applicants that was set by the class of 2025.

The current Brown University yield rate is 69%. According to this number, the vast majority of students who apply to Brown consider it to be their top choice for further education. This is demonstrated even more clearly by the fact that year after year, a growing number of students apply to colleges via the binding early decision process.

More, you can improve your chances and beat Brown acceptance rates with the right test scores and a knowledgeable admissions counselor from AdmissionSight at your side.

Brown ranks among the top national universities. The Brown acceptance rate is similar to that of other high-ranking universities, such as Harvard and Stanford.

This post will talk about admission statistics, the application process, an applicant profile, and student life at Brown. These are just the bare basics of what you should know if you are considering applying at this prestigious university.

Candidates have a great chance of securing a foothold at Brown if they have the right scores and grades. However, like every other Ivy League university, Brown follows a holistic admissions process. This means that you need to be an all-round achiever excelling in extracurricular fields as well.

But, before you get into the numbers here’s what a successful applicant looks like.

Successful Applicant Profile

On average, a total of 35,000 students apply to Brown each year. Last year was the largest pool ever with 36,794 applicants. The brown acceptance rate for the year was lowest since 2016 at 6.9%. There were 2,533 students admitted out of which 800 were early decision applicants. Almost 96% of accepted candidates were in the top 10% of their high school classes.

Where are the applicants from?

You will be joining an interesting and diverse class if you matriculate at Brown University. There are students from all over the world and the United States with a healthy gender ratio. In fact, the average class has 54% of females to 46% male students.

Brown University has students from dozens of countries with the majority being from Bangladesh, Honduras, Mongolia, Switzerland, Vietnam, Slovakia, and Saudi Arabia. Students are selected from all 50 states of the US with the top five being California, New York, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Texas.

12% of the admitted applicants are first-generation students on an average each year. There are a large number of students of colour at Brown.

55% of applicants identify as students of colour with 45% Caucasians. Admitted applicants are from multiple ethnicities as well. The majority is Asian American at 20% with Hispanics/Latino a close second at 11%. African Americans make up for 9% while Natives make up for 2%.

What are the more common programs?

Brown University is known for its perceptible undergraduate experience that is deep-rooted in its flexibility but a meticulous open curriculum. The campus is home to various schools, with the Warren Alpert Medical School being the most sought after. It offers a wide array of pre-college, master and doctoral programs.

The university offers 79 majors and the opportunity for students to pursue a wide range of subjects. The top ten intended majors include engineering, computer science, political science, economics, biology, biochemistry and molecular biology, international and public affairs, English, neuroscience, and applied math.

What is the average SAT/ACT score of admitted students?

The brown acceptance rate is among the lowest in the country at 6.9%. This means that there are only 7 students admitted for every 100 applications.

Calling the admissions committee selective is an understatement. This makes it vital to meet their SAT/ACT and GPA requirements to ensure that your application is considered.

It is very important to get the right test scores and grades if you want to pass their first round of filters. You also need to prove your academic preparation to get into a distinguished university like Brown. Your chances of getting in college are minimal if you don’t meet their expectations.

For admitted students in 2019 who took ACT score:

• 25th percentile score: 29
• 75th percentile score: 34

For admitted students in 2019 who took SAT score:

• 25th percentile score: 1410
• 75th percentile score: 1560

Brown University does not ask for an optional SAT essay. It doesn’t even require the applicant to take SAT subject tests.

However, it is recommended that applicants take the SAT essay and two SAT subject tests to help give an edge to their application. Brown follows the SAT superscore policy. This means that it accepts the College Board’s Score Choice and will choose the highest SAT score if you took the test multiple times.

Brown accepts ACT scores as well. According to National ACT data selected Brown candidates were among the top 4 per cent of the test takers. However, SAT/ACT scores are not the only thing that the university looks for. You also need the right high school grades to be considered for a Brown education.

Nearly all selected candidates are in the top 10% of their graduating class. Most students had all their grades in the “A” range. You would need a minimum of 4.0 GPA to leave a mark on the admissions committee and since Brown acceptance rate is quite low. The ultimate admissions decision also takes into account extracurricular activities, coursework difficulty, personal statements, and letters of recommendation.

Entry Requirements

Brown University is an elite private university that is highly scrupulous in its admissions process. The university is located in Providence, Rhode Island and is a mid-size institution. It has a total enrollment of 6,766 undergraduate students.

The brown acceptance rate is just 6.9%. You need to make sure that your application and all supporting documents are error-free. There are many strong candidates who get their entire application rejected because of simple errors.

But, before you get into the admissions requirements, take a look at the tuition figures of Brown University and the financial aid options available.

How much will it cost to attend?

Brown’s annual tuition fee is astronomical at $77,490. However, this figure is for both spring and fall semester and comprises the complete cost of attendance. The figure includes everything from your tuition and books to your room and boarding with a little set aside for personal expenses.

Brown does pride itself on offering generous financial aid packages that are completely debt-free. This means an average student would have to pay much less to seek an education at this institution. The university claims that 100% of student need is met each year.

Here’s a breakdown of the cost of attendance:

• Tuition: $57,112
• Fees: $1,292
• Room: $9,420
• Board: $5,912
• Books: $1,632
• Personal: $2,122

Financial aid is among Brown’s strongest suits and their highest priorities. The university commits itself to help each student get an equal chance to study here.

What financial aid opportunities are available?

Brown University actively seeks students from all socioeconomic and financial backgrounds. They have a need-blind approach to admissions, which means that the admission decision is not affected by the applicant’s ability or inability to pay the cost of attendance or tuition. In fact, 62% of students that were selected through the Early Admissions pool had applied for financial aid.

Brown University is renowned for meeting 100% of each student’s demonstrated financial need. The Brown Promise Initiative has allowed for packaged loans to be eliminated completely from the undergraduate financial aid awards. This means that the university’s generous financial aid is without debt.

The college is committed to ensuring that no talented student is deprived of an Ivy League education because of financial troubles. However, the university does encourage all students to explore other sources of aid, including scholarships funds from state and private institutions.

It is important to note that private scholarships shall not be included towards reducing the amount of Brown’s financial aid unless the funds exceed that portion of your package which is represented by summer earning and work-study.

On average, there is a $0 parent contribution for families that have an annual income of or less than $60,000. And, 100% of graduating students from Brown University that receive student financial aid are debt-free. You can calculate your college costs and determine your eligibility for need-based scholarships from Brown University by using their Quick College Cost Estimator.

What are the application requirements for Brown?

Brown University like every other school requires an application supported by bare essentials, like GPA and school transcript, SAT scores, letters of recommendations, interviews, essays, and other core information. You need to submit the Common Application online to get the process started.

Checklist for Brown University Admission Application

• Common Application
• Supplementary Questions
• Application fee of $75 or a waiver
• SAT and ACT score along with writing score
• High school transcripts
• Mid-year school report
• Letter of recommendation from a guidance counsellor
• Two letters of recommendation from teachers

Brown University offers applicants the chance to sit for an optional interview. This can be a sagacious way to demonstrate your unique capabilities and other achievements if you are falling behind on test scores.

Brown has a helpful online system to complete the Common Application process. It will guide you through the process of submitting all supporting credentials necessary for first-year applicants.

What are timelines for Brown application?

You should consider applying through Early Decision plan if you know that Brown is your first choice for a college. However, you need to note that you would be required to withdraw all other applications, whether regular, early, or rolling if you get selected for Brown University.

You can also apply through Regular Decision. Most first-year applicants prefer Regular Decision since it gives them enough time to complete their application and place more notable achievements in the application essay.

Deadlines for freshmen starting fall 2021

Early Decision Applicants

• Application deadline – November 1st, 2020
• SAT/ACT test – October 2020
• Financial aid – November 1st, 2020

Regular Decision Candidates

• Application deadline – January 5th, 2021
• SAT/ACT test – December
• Financial aid – February 1st, 2021

Decision notification

In general, Early Action applicants receive their decisions by mid-December. Regular Decision applicants are usually communicated of the decision by the end of March. Admitted students, in this case, are expected to send in their replies by May 1st.

All admitted students who wish to enrol at Brown University are required to submit their official test scores by June 1st.

What to Expect

Brown has a historic campus founded in 1764 and spanning 143 acres on College Hill in Providence. The Rhode Island School of Art and Design is right next to the campus with Boston a quick train ride away. There are 235 buildings on the campus that are collectively known as the Brown University.

Brown is among the largest landowners in Providence even though the campus covers only about 140 acres. However, the campus has marvellous 18th-century buildings with a European organic landscape.

What do students think of life at Brown?

Brown has a college town feel. Thayer Street serves as the centre of dining, shopping, and other activities. All freshmen are required to live on campus for the first six semesters. However, a very small percentage of juniors are sometimes given permission to live off-campus. Housing opportunities comprise of suites, triples, doubles, and singles.

All Brown freshmen are housed in units. This involves communities of 40 first-year students with several peer counsellors. Residence halls are featured in 49 buildings that were built between 1822 and 2012. There is a small yet vibrant Greek community at Brown. They have dozens of chapters including several co-ed organizations.

A month ago, a senior student posted a testimony about Brown University on the college-ranking site Niche expressing that:

“The academics and professors are at the top of their game, as expected. The deans are very considerate and work hard to make sure that any issues that arise for a student are taken care of with kindness. The mental health administrations in place try their best but do not always succeed.

With all that is happening concerning COVID-19, too much focus on the endowment and not enough on the workers and compensation is an issue that, yes, we students care about. The campus is gorgeous, food is generally okay, and the dorms—well, they’re dorms.”

There are more than 400 student organizations in Brown. Campus activities range from satirical newspapers to Ballroom dancing. There are several opportunities for students to pursue their interests here.

Few of the more popular Brown student groups include Brown Gilbert & Sullivan Society, The Brown Daily Herald, Brown Television, Brown Political Review, Brown Journal of World Affairs, Brown University Band, Brown Opera Productions, Mock Trial, Students for Sensible Drug Policy, and Brown Debating Union among many others.

There is an annual celebratory “Spring Weekend” held at Brown with several concerts and options for free food. You can get more information about the campus life at Brown University and their admissions process by calling the undergraduate admission office at 401-863-1000.

What academics are offered?

There are dozens of majors on offer at Brown University. All students are required to complete 30 courses in 120 semester hours to graduate from this university.

This includes their classes in major and liberal arts. Brown has a spectacular student-faculty ratio of 6:1. In addition, there are fewer than 20 students in 70% of all classes.

Brown University has a noteworthy retention rate as well, which is a great indicator of student satisfaction. 98% of students go on to complete their graduation from this college. Some of the more popular majors include Development Studies, French and Francophone Studies, Hispanic Literature and Culture, and Modern Culture and Media.

Each academic year commences from September 6th and ends around May 19th.

What athletic options are available?

There are more than 35 athletic teams in the Brown Bears that are part of NCAA Division I. They compete in most Ivy League sports, including Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Crew, Football, Golf, Ice Hockey, Water Polo, Soccer, Squash, Swimming & Diving, Tennis, Track & Field, and Wrestling.

Who are some famous Brown alumni?

Brown University has produced several notable business tycoons, politicians, entertainers, media figures, musicians, and other leaders.

Few noteworthy alum mentions are:

• Ted Turner, founder of CNN
• US Senator Maggie Hassan
• Son of former President John F. Kennedy – John F. Kennedy Jr.
• Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Virgin Suicides and Middlesex – Jeffery Eugenides
• Humour writer for The New Yorker – SJ Perelman
• Janet Yellen – Chairman of the Federal Reserve
• Lisa Loeb – Alternative singer-songwriter
• Harry Potter actress Emma Watson
• Academy Award-nominated actress Laura Linney
• Television stars Julie Bowen (Modern Family) and John Krasinski (The Office)

These are just a few of the people that studied at Brown University. Do you see your name on the list? A responsible and reliable admissions guidance counsellor from AdmissionSight can help you. Like all Ivy League colleges, Brown University has a holistic approach to admissions. Their evaluation criteria go beyond numerical data.

Brown University encourages applicants to portray their work if they have artistic talents. You can make use of SlideRoom via Common Application or submit SoundCloud, Vimeo, and YouTube links with your application. The admissions committee will look up to 15 minutes of recorded work and 15 images of art.