What GPA and SAT Scores Do You Need to Get Into Brown

When it comes to students who are looking to attend one of the most competitive and prestigious universities in the United States, Brown University often offers a very attractive option. Of course, Brown University is a part of the historic Ivy League. With that being said, it offers some unique options and educational styles for students who are looking to be a part of the Ivies. But what GPA and SAT scores do you need to get into Brown? Here at AdmissionSight, we make it our number one priority to help all of the high school students that we work with achieve their college admissions dreams. But we don’t just stop there.

Ideally, we’d like to help every high schooler across the world get into the school that they think is the best fit for them. That is why we have painstakingly gathered information regarding application and admission stats for some of the most popular schools in the country.

So, if you are interested in learning about what grade point average and SAT scores you will need in order to feel good about your chances of getting into Brown University, then you have come to the right place!

Let’s get started.

Brown University acceptance rate

Before we get started on the statistics regarding what GPA and SAT scores do you need to get into Brown, we thought that it would be useful for students to gain some important information about the school’s highly competitive acceptance rate.

For the class of 2021, a grand total of 32,724 students applied to Brown University. Of those total students that applied, just 2722 students were ultimately accepted.

That marks an overall Brown University acceptance rate of 8.3 percent. While that acceptance rate is quite high compared to other schools within the Ivy League, such as Brown University, Princeton University, and Yale University, it still makes Brown University one of the hardest schools to get into in the United States.

So, what can students do to make sure that they are part of that elite group that is accepted to the school? There are a few really important numbers to keep in mind. Learn the GPA and SAT scores do you need to get into Brown!

Brown average GPA

When we say the words Brown requirements, it’s important to keep in mind that it is very rare for schools to actually have concrete grade point average Brown requirements for students to apply. Of course, the holistic nature of the application process for American schools means that any student can apply to any school that they wish.

However, applying and actually getting in are – obviously – two very different things. So when it comes to a GPA requirement, what we really mean is the average grade point average of high school students that apply to Brown University and end up actually getting in. For brown, that average GPA is a weighted 4.08. From that number, we can learn two very important things.

The first important thing that we can learn from that average GPA is that the students that are applying to Brown University are truly amongst the best of the best. Remember, that 4.08 is just the average, it is not the GPA that will essentially ensure that any student gets in. It is very likely that there are many students that were accepted to Brown University last year that had GPAs well above that 4.08 average.

Moreover, the second thing that we can learn from that 4.08 average is that the vast majority of students at Brown are enrolling in advanced courses throughout their high school years. The reason we can be sure of that is because only advanced courses, such as honors, AP and IB courses, offer a weighted GPA above the straight- A 4.0.

So, not only are students excelling in the courses that they are taking in high school, but they are also excelling in courses that are considered to be at or near college level in terms of difficulty.

What is the GPA cut off for Brown?

Just like there are no GPA Brown requirements, there is also no GPA cut off. However, it is important to learn about the lowest GPA to get into Brown. Perhaps what is most important for students to consider if they are committed to getting into a school like Brown University is to take as many challenging courses as possible in high school.

In fact, we had an admissions site advise that students start enrolling in Advanced Placement courses as early as their freshman year. There are several reasons for this. First off, getting enrolled in Advanced Placement courses as early as possible gives you the chance to start boosting your GPA as early as possible in your high school years.

Beyond that, taking advanced courses early on allows students to not have to cram advanced courses later on in their junior and senior years. This improves the chances that they will not only get a lot of impressive courses on their high school curriculum, but also have the time and energy needed to earn great grades in those classes.

There is a very simple reason why taking advanced courses is so important for students who want to attend Ivy League schools or other top ten schools in the United States. Brown University and other top schools boast the hardest and most demanding school curricula across all colleges and universities.

For that reason, they have to be sure that the students that they are admitting to their school are able to deal with the rigors and demands of the courses that they will be taking. One of the best predictors for how they will perform in those classes is gauging how they performed in the most advanced courses that they took in high school.

Though strongly encouraging students to not only take very difficult courses in high school, but also earn great grades in those classes may seem cruel, there is actually a very understandable reason why they do just that.

What is the average SAT score of first year students at Brown University?

Now that you have a clear idea of what kind of grade point average students are going to have to earn in high school in order to feel good about their chances of getting into Brown University, we can go over the kind of SAT score that students will need to feel good about their chances as well.

Given the incredibly high average GPA, you probably already know where this is going.

The average SAT score for students who are accepted to Brown University comes in at an impressive 1485 on the 1600 SAT scale. Moreover, the 25th percentile score is 1420, or the 75th percentile SAT score is 1550.

What this means is that if a student earns a 1420 or below, they will be below average for students accepted to Brown University and will seriously want to consider retaking the exam. On the other hand, if a student earns a 1550 or above, they should feel really good about their chances of getting into Brown University based on that score.

At this point, it only makes sense that we go over one of the major changes to the college application process that students have faced over the last two application cycles.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, a large number of schools in the United States have made it so that taking either the SAT or ACT is optional for students that want to apply. Since the 2019-20 school year, Brown University has had a standardized test optional policy.

The same can be said for the 2021-22 school year. However, Brown University advises students on its official website that students applying in the 2022-23 admission cycles or later should fully plan to have to submit either an SAT or ACT score as part of their complete application.

However, even if the test optional policy does extend past this most recent application cycle, there are a lot of reasons why students should do whatever they can in order to take the standardized test of their choice. The most prominent reason being but getting into Brown University is, simply, incredibly hard.

Students want to give themselves every opportunity to prove that they have what it takes to gain admission and succeed at Brown University. While taking a standardized test may seem as something of a burden, students see it as an opportunity to further convince the admissions officers at Brown that they are Brown University material. Of course, a stellar standardized test score it’s just one part of the equation of proving that fact, but it is a very important part.

How to improve your chances of getting into Brown?

So now that you have a much better idea of the answer to the question of What GPA and Brown SAT scores do you need to get into Brown?

For high schoolers who are interested in attending prestigious and competitive universities, one of the best things that they can do for themselves as they go through high school and prepare for the actual application process is learn as much as possible about what they can do to improve their chances overall.

Of course, there is no way to guarantee that a student gets into any school that they apply to. The holistic admission process can be hard to understand and is impossible to master. But, as always, knowledge is power. That’s why we at AdmissionSight thought it would be a good idea to wrap up this piece by going over some of the best ways that students can improve their chances of getting into Brown University.

Start preparing as early as possible

Typically, those who prepare, succeed. Learning about the GPA and SAT scores you need to get into Brown is not enough. Typically, those who prepare, succeed. It can be said in regards to just about anything, and it can especially be said in regards to the college application process. Preparing to succeed applies to two different important aspects of the overall application process.

First, preparing means mapping out your high school curriculum and the activities that you do outside of class in order to improve your chances of getting into the school of your dreams. We already went over the importance of taking Advanced Placement and honor courses throughout high school.

In order to improve their chances further, some students even enroll in courses at their local community college or four-year programs. These are all great ways to prove to admissions officers that you have what it takes to excel in their schools’ rigorous curriculum.

The other way that students can prepare as early as possible is by getting started on the actual applications sooner rather than later.

Of course, they don’t want to start the application process before the applications for that cycle are actually available, but procrastinating is also certainly not a good idea. Giving yourself as much time to fill out and send in college applications also gives you the time that you need to fill it out correctly and thoughtfully.

Speak with alumni

One really important factor is that prestigious schools like Brown University look for their students that will be a positive force on campus and within the university even after they graduate. One great way to display that in yourself is to try to get involved in this school before you even apply.

One way to do this is by reaching out to Brown University alumni to see if you can pick their brain about the school. This will not only offer you an accurate depiction of what it’s like to apply, but you can also learn more about what it’s like to actually attend this school. Finally it is possible that the alumni that you speak with may be willing to vouch on your behalf when you finally decide to apply to the school.

Take advantage of the video portfolio submission option

One challenge that students often face is figuring out how to separate themselves from the rest of the students that apply to the schools that they are applying to. Brown gives students that apply one break option to submit a two-minute video portfolio on top of their application.

These videos are meant to give the admissions officers at Brown University more information about the student. While it is not a required aspect of the application, it is certainly something that students would be wise to take advantage of.

In your video submission, it is smart to talk about what you’re passionate about, what your goals are, and why you think attending Brown would help you further develop those passions and achieve those goals. You also should not be afraid to show your unique and special side.

Take advantage of your legacy at Brown

Another important thing to keep in mind is that Brown absolutely considers legacy students. In fact, the school itself reports that roughly 10 to 12 percent of students can be labeled as “legacy” students.

This basically means that students at the school have an immediate relative that also attended the university. If you have a parent or grandparent who graduated from Brown University, you should absolutely take time within your application to mention that fact in order to give yourself a slight advantage.

The Ivy League is an incredibly tight-knit, old fashioned institution. And they value the shared history that they have with legacy students.

Craft fantastic essays

This is the final tip that we will go over, and it may very well be the most important. Students should take a lot of time and thought when they are crafting their personal essays that they will send along with their application to Brown University.

Though GPA and standardized test scores are obviously important, it is obviously these personal essays that help set students apart. After all, the GPA and standardized test scores are just numbers and are seen more as prerequisites than golden tickets.

These personal essays, however, are a way to show the admissions officers at Brown University who you are beyond just those numbers. You can show what your passions are, what your dreams are, and why you would make a fantastic addition to the Brown University community.

Taking the necessary time to come up with fantastic answers and topics to these essays, as well as editing them to make sure that they are as strongly written as possible, can be a very impactful factor when it comes to your application at Brown.

Will you get into Brown University?

As you likely know, the answer to this question is – at this point – unknowable. Of course there are certainly students in the past that have deserved to get into Brown University that did not. And you want to do everything in your power to make sure that you do not join that list.

One of the best ways that a student can make sure that they get into the schools of their dreams is to work with an admissions consultant like AdmissionSight. After all, there is a reason why 75 percent of the students that we work with end up getting into an Ivy League school or a top ten school elsewhere in the United states. If you’re interested in learning more about how we can improve your chances of getting into Brown University contact us today to set up a free consultation.