About

See what students say:

Academics

Interdisciplinary-focused Brown University, in Providence, Rhode Island, is dedicated to undergraduate freedom, meaning students must take responsibility for designing their own courses of study via the Open Curriculum. Students sing the praises of the academic flexibility at this Ivy League institution and the accompanying emphasis on social action. “We would not be...strong students and teachers without a proper system in place to encourage that,” says one undergrad. Those who roam these hallowed halls are “constantly questioning what could make the world and our school a better place.” Every person “has their own interests and pursues it without any push from others,” which is why Brown can be a “very intense” place to go to school—not because students are competing academically with each other, but “because there are so many people doing so much and fighting so hard for it.”

Brown’s faculty “are at the top of their fields and are working on research that pushes those fields forward.” The “engaging, personal, and incredibly dedicated” professors are “the heart and soul of our strongest departments.” They “care so much about what they do and connect with students on a very human level.” Undergraduates come first here, and Brown encourages students to “explore their academic interests independently in order to experience everything that academics have to offer.” As one enrollee explains it, “No other school I had looked at allowed students to...build their own academic journey without any general requirements.” Graduates tend to “not just go to the normative career options,” and “career and internship placement has become a top priority of the new university administration.”

Student Body

This “knowledgeable and inspiring” community is made up of people who are “very intelligent, care about global issues, and possess one or two quirks.” The school “has a way of molding people into their best selves,” and the most common trait is “a true zeal for whatever it is that we care most about.” Although this is a liberal campus, there are “a handful of conservatives,” and “the entire body has a general chilled-out vibe.” As one student puts it, “I’ve never experienced so many people willing to have a conversation about topics that usually make people uncomfortable.” There is “a prevailing intolerance of intolerance on campus,” and the culture of activism “bespeaks an idealism and a strong moral code that drives a lot of the work students do on campus.”

Campus Life

Students describe a nice balance between work and play at Brown—academia rules during a week that is “filled with countless hours of study,” but it’s also an “exciting” and “very happy place with many activities and events going on all the time.” Some go to parties or “downtown for the weekend,” while others make the most of the constant “lectures, movie screenings, improv shows, dance performances, [and] a cappella showcases.” Many here also do “intellectual activities or athletics over breaks,” and “community clubs and special interest clubs (such as international student groups)” are extremely popular. Students also often go to the lounges in the dorms to watch movies with friends. And, “beautiful” as the campus is, students can easily walk one minute to Thayer Street and “enjoy restaurants and excellent dining” or walk 20 minutes to Providence Place Mall. Boston and New York are very close, but “Providence is busy enough that Brown never completely empties out.”

Contact & Visit

Campus Visits Contact

Address
Office of College Admission
Box 1876
Providence, RI 02912

Phone
4018632378

Email
visit@brown.edu

Experience College Life

Most Popular Places On Campus
The College Green (Main Green)
Nelson Fitness Center
Libraries - including the John Hay Library, Orwig Music Library, Rockefeller Library, Sciences Library
Stephen Robert '62 Campus Center
Granoff Center for the Creative Arts
*The Blue Room, our Campus Center cafe, is known for its great muffins and other delicious options: hot breakfast, lunch and dinner, plus sandwiches, salads, bagels, pastries and fairly traded coffee to go. *The Haffenreffer Museum of Anthropology is the University?s museum of cultural history. *Our 80,000sf School of Engineering building has space for faculty and undergraduate research, areas for collaborative work, and an advanced imaging suite. *The new Lindemann Performing Arts Center opened its doors in fall 2023 and supports performance, teaching, and research for music, theater, and dance. Anchoring a planned campus arts district, the center pushes the boundaries of innovation in performance space to inspire new forms of art-making and artistic collaboration.

Most Popular Places Off Campus
Providence's East Side: Shops and restaurants on Thayer Street and Wickenden Street
Performing Arts: Trinity Repertory Theater, Providence Performing Arts Center, and regional theater companies
Museums, Libraries and Galleries: Bell Gallery, Rhode Island School of Design, AS220, the Providence Athenaeum
WaterFire: an award-winning fire sculpture installation on the three rivers of downtown Providence
Providence Place Mall
*The ?Ocean State?: boasts over 400 miles of coastline and many public beaches. *Newport, RI: majestic mansions on the ocean, shopping and restaurants, and sailing lifestyle. *Historic sites: Benefit Street reveals the famous "Mile of History." Slater Mill Complex is a museum and educational complex, and known as the birthplace of American Industrial Revolution.

Campus Tours

Campus Visiting Center
Monday - Friday
8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
4018632378

Campus Tours
Appointment Required: Yes
Dates: Year-round
Times: Varies
Average Length: 1 hour

On Campus Interview

Campus Interviews
No

Information Sessions
Available

Times
Recorded Information Session: https://admission.brown.edu/visit/information-session

Faculty and Coach Visits

Dates/Times Available
Year-round

Arrangements
Contact Coach Directly

Advance Notice
Other

Contact Email Address for Visit
https://brownbears.com/sports/2018/4/27/compliance-psa

Class Visits

Dates/Times Available
Varies

Arrangements
The Office of College Admission may be able to facilitate the opportunity for prospective students to attend courses at Brown during visits to campus, depending on the time of year. The most up-to-date offerings will be noted online at https://admission.brown.edu/visit.

Overnight Dorm Stays

Overnight Dorm Stays
Not Available

Arrangements
Other

Limitations
Not offered

Transportation

Types of Transportation Available to Campus
https://www.brown.edu/about/visit; There are many paths to Brown. Kennedy Plaza is close to campus and is the bus service hub for the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA), which serves the City of Providence and the state of Rhode Island. Greyhound Lines also provides bus service to Providence. The Providence Train Station, home to Amtrak and Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority (MBTA) service, are both downtown and just a short walk or taxi ride away from campus. T.F. Green airport, http://www.pvdairport.com/, in Warwick is approximately 10 miles from Brown's campus. Public transportation and shared ride services are available to the campus and downtown Providence. Boston Logan International Airport, http://www.massport.com/logan-airport/, is about an hour drive from campus. Multiple ride-hailing services also operate in and around the city.

Driving Instructions to Campus
https://www.brown.edu/about/visit Please consult the current schedule of roadway improvements: http://www.dot.ri.gov/travel/traveladvisories.php Accessible street parking is available throughout the campus. For details, please consult: https://www.brown.edu/campus-life/support/accessibility-services/getting-around-campus

Local Accommodations
Providence offers a number of hotels, inns, and bed and breakfasts in a variety of price ranges and within walking distance to campus: http://www.goprovidence.com https://www.brown.edu/about/visit/accommodations

Admissions

Applicants: 51,316
Acceptance Rate: 5%






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