Brown Waitlist Acceptance Rate: Stats and Tips

For the Class of 2028, Brown University admitted only 118 students from the waitlist. Looking back over the past decade, we can see some patterns in how many students are typically admitted this way.

However, Brown does not release a complete waitlist breakdown. This means you won’t find the exact numbers for how many students were offered a spot on the waitlist and how many chose to remain on it.

As a result, the Brown waitlist acceptance rate can only be estimated using past data, yield rates, and comparisons with peer Ivy League schools. In this blog, we’ll break down the acceptance rates, review the yield statistics, and share smart strategies to improve your chances of admission.

• What Is Brown’s Waitlist Acceptance Rate?
• Brown’s Yield Rate
• Brown Waitlist Acceptance Rate vs Ivy League Schools
• Is It Worth Staying on Brown’s Waitlist?
• What to Do If You’re Waitlisted by Brown 
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Takeaways

What Is Brown’s Waitlist Acceptance Rate?

The university does not officially publish a full breakdown of the Brown waitlist acceptance rate. However, we do know how many waitlisted students have been offered admission over the past decade. Let’s take a look at the available numbers:

As you can see, the numbers show just how unpredictable the process can be.

For example, for the Class of 2024, Brown admitted 194 students from the waitlist—one of the highest counts in recent years. But just two years later, for the Class of 2026, only 15 students were taken off the list.

More recently, the Class of 2028 saw 118 admits, showing that the waitlist is far from consistent. Even in Brown’s stronger years, like the Class of 2019 with 192 admits, these figures remain a small fraction compared to the tens of thousands of applicants each cycle. On average, Brown admits about 100 students per year from the waitlist, but the actual number can swing dramatically depending on the year.

This means that while being waitlisted at Brown keeps the door slightly open, your odds of getting off the waitlist remain slim. You should be ready with strong backup plans while still holding out hope for an offer.

Brown’s Yield Rate

While Brown’s waitlist acceptance rate shows how selective the university is, the yield rate tells us how many admitted students actually choose to enroll. In other words, it reflects just how desirable Brown is. The more students who enroll, the fewer spots are available for waitlisted students.

Here’s a look at Brown’s yield rate over the past decade:

Brown’s yield rate has shown steady growth over the past decade, averaging around 61.4%. The lowest point came with the Class of 2020 at 55.8%, followed closely by the Class of 2019 at 56.2%. Since then, the numbers have climbed, reaching 67% for the Class of 2026 and holding strong at 65.2% for the Class of 2028.

The takeaway? For students on the waitlist, a higher yield rate means fewer spots are likely to open up, since more admitted students are choosing to enroll.

In short, while Brown’s rising yield rate underscores how desirable the university is, it also makes the Brown waitlist acceptance rate even more competitive. If you’re waitlisted, it’s important to stay hopeful but also be ready with a strong backup plan.

Brown Waitlist Acceptance Rate vs Other Ivy League Schools

As stated before, we can estimate Brown’s waitlist acceptance rate by examining waitlist data from its Ivy League peers. Since not every Ivy has released numbers for the Class of 2029, we’ll focus on the available waitlist acceptance figures from the Class of 2028 to get a clearer picture:

Looking at the Class of 2028 data, it’s clear that Brown admitted more students from the waitlist than most of its Ivy League peers. Brown offered spots to 118 students, which is far higher than Yale’s 23 admits or Dartmouth’s 29 admits, and even above Princeton’s 40 and UPenn’s 66. Only Cornell, with 388 admits, admitted more students than Brown.

When you zoom out over the past decade, Brown has admitted an average of about 100 students per year from the waitlist. This places it ahead of most of its Ivy League peers in terms of raw numbers, though the yearly totals fluctuate significantly.

Across the Ivy League, the average waitlist acceptance rate for the Class of 2028 comes out to roughly 3.5%. Using this as a benchmark, Brown’s estimated acceptance rate for that year—with 118 admits—likely falls in a similar range, though the exact percentage is not published.

The bottom line? If you’re on Brown’s waitlist, your chances are relatively better than at places like Yale, Dartmouth, or Princeton. Still, even with Brown’s comparatively higher numbers, admission from the waitlist remains a long shot. The process is unpredictable, so while it’s worth staying hopeful, it’s just as important to have strong backup options in place.

Is It Worth Staying on Brown’s Waitlist?

Staying on Brown’s waitlist can be worthwhile if the university is truly your top choice, but it’s important to keep your expectations realistic. Over the past decade, Brown has admitted an average of about 100 students per year from the waitlist, though the numbers vary widely: from as few as 15 admits for the Class of 2026 to as many as 194 for the Class of 2024.

This unpredictability is closely tied to Brown’s rising yield rate. For the Class of 2028, the yield stood at 65.2%, meaning most admitted students chose to enroll. When yield is high, fewer seats open up for waitlisted applicants, and your odds shrink even further.

For context, Brown admitted 118 students off the waitlist for the Class of 2028, compared to just 73 for the Class of 2027. These shifts highlight how much the process depends on each year’s enrollment patterns.

That said, every year, some students do make it in. If Brown is your dream school, staying on the waitlist can still be worthwhile—especially if you strengthen your application with updates and letters of continued interest.

Just be sure to commit to another college as a secure backup, since admission from Brown’s waitlist remains a long shot.

What to Do If You’re Waitlisted by Brown

Students do get admitted from Brown’s waitlist every year. Being placed on the waitlist actually means the admissions committee saw great potential in your application. Let’s understand exactly what you need to do to improve your chances:

1. Accept your spot via the Brown applicant portal

You must affirm your place on Brown’s waitlist by logging into your Brown Applicant Portal and selecting the option to “commit” to the waitlist. Only students who take this step will be considered for admission if space becomes available. This option generally becomes available by March 30, and it is crucial to act quickly.

2. Secure your backup college admission.

Even if Brown is your top choice, you must make a college choice by the reply deadline at another school where you have been admitted—usually May 1. Spaces from Brown’s waitlist only open if fewer students than expected choose to enroll, so having a backup is absolutely essential.

3. Submit (optional) updates or letter of continued interest (LOCI).

You may submit a letter of continued interest if you have meaningful achievements, awards, or updates that were not included in your original application.

This is where you can significantly impact your chances. If you plan to submit a letter of continued interest, here is how you can write one:

Dear Brown Admissions Committee,

Thank you very much for continuing to consider my application for admission to Brown University. I remain deeply committed to attending Brown and would enthusiastically accept an offer if extended. 

Since submitting my application, I have continued to grow both academically and personally, and I am excited to share several updates that reflect my dedication and fit for Brown.

This semester, I maintained top grades in my AP courses, especially AP Biology and AP Literature, and was honored to receive my school’s Senior Scholar Award for academic excellence. I also placed as a finalist at the state Science Olympiad and recently won first prize in my local creative writing competition.

Outside of academics, I was elected President of the Environmental Action Club, where I launched a campus-wide composting initiative that reduced waste by 40%. I also completed an internship with the Smithson Molecular Biology Lab, where I contributed to a published paper on gene editing techniques.

Brown stands out as my absolute first choice because of its Open Curriculum and the robust undergraduate research opportunities available through programs like the Undergraduate Teaching and Research Awards (UTRA). 

I am especially eager to work with Professor David Rand, whose research on evolutionary genomics inspires my own passion for interdisciplinary science. The opportunity to collaborate with Professor Rand’s lab, as well as to engage with the broader Brown research community, matches my aspiration to make meaningful contributions to both my field and campus.

If admitted, I would accept my place at Brown immediately and be deeply honored to join such a vibrant, inquisitive, and supportive learning environment. 

Thank you again for your time and consideration. I have uploaded this letter through the Brown Applicant Portal in accordance with official guidelines.

Sincerely,

[Your Full Name]

[Your Brown Application ID or Common App ID]

[Your Email Address]

You can upload your LOCI directly to the Brown Applicant Portal as the University does not accept updates by email. Brown does not require or expect additional materials, but optional updates are welcomed if they are truly significant and relevant. You may also arrange for recommenders to send a new letter directly to [email protected], but only if their perspective or information is new and relevant.

4. Maintain your grades.

Keep up your strong academic performance. Brown may ask for your updated transcript, and good final grades can make a difference. There’s no need to schedule interviews or visit the campus, as Brown doesn’t offer in-person meetings to students on the waitlist.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Does Brown rank students on the waitlist?

No, Brown University does not rank students on the waitlist. If spaces become available after May 1, the admissions committee reviews and reconsiders all candidates who have opted to remain on the waitlist, evaluating them holistically rather than in any numerical order

2. What is the Brown waitlist decision date?

There is no single decision date for the Brown University waitlist. Brown generally begins making offers to waitlisted students by mid-May, after the May 1 response deadline, and may continue releasing waitlist decisions through mid-summer, depending on how many spaces become available. Admitted students usually have one to two weeks to respond to an offer.

3. How do I send my LOCI for Brown?

To send your Letter of Continued Interest (LOCI) to Brown University, upload your letter directly through the Brown Applicant Portal. Use the designated document upload feature on the portal. Brown does not accept updates or LOCIs by email, so submitting your materials through the portal is the only official method to share any significant updates.

Takeaways

• Brown’s waitlist acceptance rate is unpredictable. Admissions swing widely from year to year (from just 15 for the Class of 2026 to 194 for the Class of 2024. The Class of 2028 saw 118 admits, showing that movement does happen, but it varies greatly.
• A higher yield rate (65.2% for the Class of 2028) means fewer seats open up, so waitlist chances shrink as yield rises.
• If you’re waitlisted, confirm your spot on the Applicant Portal, keep your grades strong, and send a concise letter of continued interest (plus new recommendations only if they add real value).
• Don’t rely on the waitlist. Commit to a backup school by May 1 while awaiting Brown’s decision.
• Since Brown’s waitlist acceptance rate is unpredictable, working with a seasoned college admissions consultant can give you the edge you need and create a realistic strategy to improve your odds of admission.