Updated February 11, 2025

Brown University – Acceptance Rate and Statistics

What is attending Brown like?

Brown’s campus sits in Providence, Rhode Island, where students are required to live on campus for at least six semesters (or three years of school). The Ivy League school is well-known for its Open Curriculum approach to education, where students don’t have a core curriculum or any distribution requirements for degrees. Instead of a set number of classes in each subject (like science, English, history, and math), students must instead:

  • Complete a concentration (Brown’s name for a college major) and its requirements
  • Complete at least 30 courses
  • Be enrolled for at least eight semesters
  • Demonstrate competence in writing

Other than those measures, students have the flexibility to take the classes they want and explore their interests, of which Brown students have many — they’re known for being unique, involved, and creative.

Brown is famous for its open curriculum, which allows students to explore various courses.

Brown University 2023-2024 Admissions Data

Brown University Admissions Statistics

Unsurprisingly, Brown is a tough school to get into, with an acceptance rate of just 5.2%. But as an early applicant, you’ll have a slight advantage, with an acceptance rate of 16.8%. Note that if you apply early decision, you’ll be required to attend, so make sure Brown’s the right place for you before pressing “apply”.

2023-2024 Brown University (Class of 2028) Acceptance Rate

Admission CycleNumber of applicantsNumber admittedAcceptance rate
Early Decision6,24489816.8%
Regular Decision42,6371,6233.8%
All Applicants48,8812,5215.2%

Brown Acceptance Rate History

YearNumber of applicantsNumber admittedAcceptance rate
2023-2024 (Class of 2028)48,8812,5215.2%
2022-2023 (Class of 2027)50,6492,5625.1%
2021-2022 (Class of 2026)46,5682,5685.5%
2020-2021 (Class of 2025)36,7932,8227.7%
2019-2020 (Class of 2024)38,6742,7337.1%

Brown Class of 2028 Middle 50% score range of admitted students (25th and 75th percentiles)*

SAT Math760-800
SAT ERW740-770
ACT Math32-35
ACT Reading34-36
ACT English35-36
ACT Science33-36
ACT Composite34-35

*What does this mean? The middle 50% score range refers to students from the 25th to the 75th percentile of admitted students. So if 100 students were admitted and we ranked their SAT scores from lowest to highest, we’d be looking at 50 students’ stats (from student 25 through student 75).

What is Brown looking for?

According to Brown’s admissions site, the admissions team considers “how your unique talents, accomplishments, energy, curiosity, perspective and identity might weave into the ever-changing tapestry that is Brown University.” Although they do not list specific values or criteria that make for a strong candidate, the admissions office writes that the most important admissions consideration is your “high school performance and preparedness.” They also mention looking for these qualities in teacher recommendations: 

  • Curiosity
  • Problem-solving abilities
  • Openness to different points of view
  • Ability to express yourself orally and in writing
  • Work ethic

Lastly, they consider your “depth and breadth of academic learning” and whether you’ve challenged yourself with courses and extracurricular educational opportunities. 

You’ll want to showcase these components in your application, through your essay, academic profile, or activities.

Other colleges you may be interested in:

College NameNumber of applicants (Class of 2028)Number admitted (Class of 2028)Acceptance rate (Class of 2028)
Columbia University60,2482,3193.9%
Yale University57,4652,1463.7%
Rice University32,4731,1633.6%

PrepMaven can help you in the admissions process

Wondering how to get into Brown University? PrepMaven can help you along the way. Whether you’re looking to boost your test scores, write a killer personal statement, or improve your GPA, we can be a helpful resource. With tutors who are graduates of top universities, valedictorians, National Merit Finalists, and National AP Scholars, we’re here to help you no matter what step you’re at in the admissions process.

Give us a call at 609-945-2264 or fill out our website form to learn how our flexible packages can work for you.

Alexis

Alexis is a tutor, writer, and producer. She graduated from Columbia University with a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature. As a tutor, she loves to help students explore their unique stories and share their personal journeys through impactful essay writing.

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