What type of student thrives at Brown?

Students who thrive at Brown University are intellectually curious, self-motivated, creative thinkers who embrace independence and want to design their own learning path through the Open Curriculum, balancing deep focus with broad exploration, and who are passionate about contributing to a diverse, collaborative community. They are comfortable with ambiguity, value social justice, and are eager to be entrepreneurial problem-solvers rather than just question-raisers, supported by a strong network but ultimately driving their own intellectual growth.

What type of student goes to Brown University?

We are a community that celebrates deep intellectual curiosity, creativity and individuality. And Brown has long enjoyed a reputation for students who are at the same time happy and fulfilled.

Which Ivy has the happiest students?

Depends on the social environment your student is looking for. Brown and Yale tend to have the happiest students, if you trust the surveys. And Yale, Dartmouth and Princeton are reputed to have the strongest school spirit.

What does Brown look for in its applicants?

The most important consideration in the admission process is your high school performance and preparedness. When it comes to assessing performance, we look beyond your grades to also consider how well you have mastered certain skills associated with learning.

Does Brown like well-rounded students?

Brown is looking for applicants who have excelled in all areas academically, but this admissions philosophy does not extend to extracurricular commitments.

This is How To Get Into Brown in 2025 🐻

Where do top 1% send kids to college?

The "top 1%" of students, often defined by family income, tend to go to highly selective, elite universities like Dartmouth, Yale, Penn, Brown, Princeton, and Stanford, MIT, and Harvard, with some Ivy League schools having a higher concentration of these students than the bottom 60% of income earners. Rankings vary, but MIT, Princeton, Harvard, Stanford, and UC Berkeley consistently appear at the top for overall academic standing, attracting top talent across all income levels. 

Is Brown harder than Harvard?

With a 6.6% acceptance rate, Brown admits 2% more candidates than Harvard, which is the most challenging school to get into. Out of 38,674 applicants, that equates to around 2,552 admissions. Although Brown may accept more applicants than non-Ivy League schools, they maintain a rigorous standard.

Is it harder to get into Yale or Brown?

Yale is generally considered slightly harder to get into than Brown based on recent acceptance rates, with Yale often having a lower percentage, but both are extremely competitive Ivies, meaning the difference is minimal and the process is highly subjective, with many factors beyond just statistics. For example, Yale's Class of 2028 acceptance rate was around 3.7%, while Brown's was about 5.2%, but both are among the most difficult schools to gain admission to. 

What is the #1 hardest school to get into?

There isn't one single #1 hardest school, as it changes slightly by year and criteria, but Harvard University, Stanford University, MIT, and Caltech consistently rank among the top with extremely low acceptance rates (often 3-4%) and intense competition for spots, though other top global universities like Oxford and Tsinghua are also incredibly selective. Harvard is frequently cited as the hardest due to its high volume of applications and focus on global leadership potential, while Caltech is known for its extreme difficulty in STEM. 

What are Brown alumni called?

The following is a partial list of notable Brown University alumni, known as Brunonians. It includes alumni of Brown University and Pembroke College, Brown's former women's college.

Which ivy has the prettiest people?

1. Dartmouth College. Dartmouth's students are physically active, intelligent, and motivated. The healthy lifestyle is built into campus culture, making for a good-looking student body that photographs well in glossy marketing brochures (especially those hunky male lacrosse players!).

What is the #1 party school in the US?

According to recent rankings, the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) is frequently named the #1 party school in the U.S. for 2025-2026 by sources like Niche, recognized for its lively beach culture and social scene, followed by schools like Florida State University (FSU) and Tulane University. Rankings vary by publication, but UCSB consistently ranks high due to its active campus life, bars, Greek life, and overall party culture, notes Niche. 

Where do the 1% go to college?

The 1% of the wealthiest Americans disproportionately attend highly selective, elite universities, particularly Ivy League schools (Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Dartmouth, Brown, Penn, Columbia) and other top institutions like MIT, Stanford, Duke, and UChicago, where they make up a large percentage of the student body, often outnumbering students from the bottom 60% of income earners combined. Liberal arts colleges and prestigious public universities also attract many wealthy students, with specific examples including WashU St. Louis, UVA, UCLA, UC Berkeley, Vanderbilt, and Johns Hopkins.
 

Is Brown as good as Yale?

Neither Brown nor Yale is objectively "better"; they are both elite Ivy League schools, but they offer different experiences, with Yale often ranked slightly higher overall and Brown known for its flexible "Open Curriculum," fostering a more independent and collaborative vibe, while Yale offers more structure and traditional prestige, though student satisfaction and specific program strength (like PLME at Brown, Law at Yale) vary. Your choice depends on whether you prefer Brown's self-directed exploration (Open Curriculum) or Yale's more traditional, resource-rich environment with a strong overall reputation.
 

Is Duke or Brown harder to get into?

Which school is easier to get into? If you're looking at acceptance rate alone, then Brown University is more difficult to get into. However, each college is looking to fill its incoming class with a variety of students with different strengths, backgrounds, etc.

Is Brown better than Stanford?

Neither Stanford nor Brown is objectively "better," as the best choice depends on your academic focus and desired environment; Stanford excels in tech/business with higher rankings and vast resources, while Brown shines in humanities/liberal arts, offering unique interdisciplinary study through its Open Curriculum, making it ideal for exploratory students, though both are elite research universities.
 

Is brown or dartmouth harder to get into?

It's extremely close, with recent data showing Brown slightly harder to get into by acceptance rate (around 5-5.6%) versus Dartmouth (around 5.4-6%), but both are exceptionally selective Ivies, making the difference minimal and dependent on the specific year and applicant pool; Brown's Open Curriculum attracts self-directed students, while Dartmouth offers a traditional college experience with a strong undergraduate focus. 

Which ivy is the easiest academically?

Here is a list:

1. Cornell University. Cornell is the easiest and youngest Ivy League school. ...
2. Dartmouth University. The second most accessible Ivy League school to get into is Dartmouth, established in 1769 and based in Hanover, New Hampshire. ...
3. Brown University. ...
4. University of Pennsylvania.

What college is 100% acceptance rate?

Yes, many colleges have a 100% acceptance rate, often through open admissions policies, meaning they accept all applicants who meet basic requirements, including many community colleges, specialized career schools, and some online or regional universities like Broward College, Empire State University (SUNY), University of Maryland Global Campus, and Utah Valley University, though availability and specific programs vary. These institutions guarantee admission for qualified applicants, focusing on accessibility, with some examples including Delta State University, Montana State University Billings, and the Academy of Art University. 

Is Brown as prestigious as Harvard?

Harvard generally holds a higher global reputation and ranking, especially in business, law, and medicine, while Brown offers a distinct advantage for undergraduates seeking flexibility and a less competitive, more collaborative environment through its Open Curriculum, making "better" subjective and dependent on a student's goals, with Harvard potentially opening more doors worldwide due to its stronger name recognition. Both provide excellent education, but Harvard leans toward graduate powerhouse status and research, whereas Brown emphasizes undergraduate focus and exploration. 

What are the big 3 Ivies?

The "Big Three" of the Ivy League refers to Harvard University, Yale University, and Princeton University, historically considered the most dominant in academics and sports, originating from fierce college football rivalries in the late 19th century. While all Ivies are elite, these three often top rankings and are known for their extreme selectivity, with Columbia sometimes joining them at the very top in recent years.
 

Why is Brown so prestigious?

Brown University's prestige stems from its status as an Ivy League institution, coupled with its unique, student-driven Open Curriculum that fosters intellectual freedom, interdisciplinary exploration, and independent thinking, attracting curious students and renowned faculty, leading to strong rankings for academics, research, and producing impactful leaders. Its supportive, collaborative culture and focus on hands-on learning, research (UTRAs), and global opportunities further solidify its reputation. 

Why did Bill Gates quit Harvard?

In 1975, the MITS Altair 8800 was released based on the Intel 8080 CPU, and Gates and Allen saw the opportunity to start their own computer software company. Gates dropped out of Harvard that same year. His parents were supportive of him after seeing how much he wanted to start his own company.