Brown University

Summary

Brown University is a private institution that was founded in 1764. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 6,244, its setting is urban, and the campus size is 146 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. Brown University's ranking in the 2011 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, 15. Its tuition and fees are $40,820 (2010-11).

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 more than 200 student organizations on campus ranging from the Brown Space Club 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.

School mission (as provided by the school):

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... Read More

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 11.2 percent.
For more information about the tests, essays, interviews, and admissions process, visit the Applying to College knowledge center.

Selectivity	most selective
Fall 2009 acceptance rate	11%
Application deadline	January 1
SAT/ACT scores must be received by	February 1

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Academic Life

The student-faculty ratio at Brown University is 9:1, and the school has 69.6 percent of its classes with fewer than 20 students. The most popular majors at Brown University include: Biology; Economics; Entrepreneurial and small business operations; History; and International relations and affairs. The average freshman retention rate, an indicator of student satisfaction, is 97.2 percent.

Class sizes
Student-faculty ratio	9:1
4-year graduation rate	86% - High
Five most popular majors for 2009 graduates
Biology 9% Economics 9% Entrepreneurial and small business operations 5% History 5% International relations and affairs 6%

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Student Life

Brown University has a total undergraduate enrollment of 6,244, with a gender distribution of 47.2 percent male students and 52.8 percent female students. 79.0 percent of the students live in college-owned, -operated, or -affiliated housing and 21.0 percent of students live off campus. Brown University is part of the NCAA I athletic conference.

See what students are saying about life at Brown University.

Total enrollment	8,574
Student gender distribution
Undergraduate men who are members of a fraternity
Undergraduate women who are members of a sorority
Collegiate athletic association	NCAA I

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Campus Info & 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). 10 percent of students have cars on campus. Alcohol is permitted for students of legal age at Brown University.

Students who have cars on campus	10% - Low
Health insurance offered	Yes
Students required to own/lease a computer	No

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Paying for School

At Brown University, 43.6 percent of full-time undergraduates receive some kind of need-based financial aid and the average need-based scholarship or grant award is $31,474.
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.

Tuition and fees	$40,820 (2010-11)
Room and board	$10,540 (2010-11) - High
Financial aid statistics

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Student Reviews Ratings data provided by Unigo

The open curriculum and the vibrant, varied, interesting people you meet here are definitely Brown's biggest draws. Brown is a great size, and the focus is really on undergraduate education, not grad students. Also, our President, Ruth Simmons, is THE BEST.

Anonymous Sophomore

The best thing about Brown is that everyone is an individual and individuality is totally okay. I love that I can be interested in Ancient Greek and Biology. Socially everyone is accepted. The group of friends I have met are all distinctly unique people but we all get along really well, and these are people I might not have associated with in high school, but Brown fosters friendships like these. The school itself is just the right size. I meet new people all the time, but it's just small enough that I always see people I know, and I can always find a table of friends to sit with at lunch or dinner (most people don't go to breakfast). Thayer St. is quaint...it's not quite Harvard Square, but it's got most of the essentails and a lot of good, not too expensive places to eat (Brown Dining Services is only so-so). Everyone loves our president Ruth Simmons, in fact, she even has somewhat of a cult following at Brown. They sell t-shirts with her picture on them, and most people have one (myself included). Most importantly, everyone is happy at Brown. I can't stress this enough, I don't know a soul who's unhappy here.

Gregory Freshman

Oh god... I could go on and on. I think the best thing about Brown is how much everyone is genuinely happy to be at Brown. I really don't see what could make someone unhappy at Brown... there are no rules, you can do practically anything you want, you can take any class you want (pre-requsites might as well not even exist), and if you don't get what you want, yell loud enough and you WILL get it. Makes us sound a little spoiled... hmm.. that may actually be a valid analysis. Anway, point is, the school definitely doesn't give you a reason to be unhappy. As for me, the school size is just right. There are between 5-6 thouand students, enough to ensure that you will always know someone but will never know everyone. The campus itself is big enough not to feel clausterphobic, but small enough that you can get from one end to the other in about 20 minutes. Be careful though... College Hill is a bubble in disguise, I only realized in May that I had left campus (plus Thayer St.) only a totaly of three times the entire semseter!

Dani Freshman