Brown University Top Questions

Good

Best things about this school - The (in)famous Open Curriculum and undegraduate focus. It took me awhile to realize just how intellectually liberating and academically enriching Brown's take on a college education truly is. Because there are no university course requirements, except those of your concentration (major), you are essentially in charge of your own education. For instance, I've taken classes listed under the departments of engineering, economics, psychology, and biology, without filling out extra forms or going through a separate registration process like in other schools. I've also taken senior seminars as a freshman after talking to the professors, which shows just how flexible and undergraduate focused your academic experience can be at Brown. People's reactions to "Brown" - Unfortunately, Brown's perceived prestige is not tantamount to that of HYP. True, the number of people who would be immediately amazed if you tell them you went to harvard, yale, or princeton will probably exceed the number of those who recognize Brown. Nevertheless, many recognize Brown as an excellent institution with equally excellent students. Of course, when I tell people I go to Brown, there are those who will refer to Emma Watson. On Campus Life - Brown's campus is just a sight to behold, especially during the spring. The overall student size is in the goldilocks zone, not too big and not too small. On campus, there is always something to do, an activity to participate in, a workshop to attend, and a distinguished/famous person to see. Off campus, there are plenty of restaurants to explore (e.g. Thayer, Federal Hill). Downtown and the mall are just an 8-minute walk downhill. If you want to go farther, Newport beach, Boston, and NYC are just a 45-minute, 1 hour, and 3 hour bus trip away from Providence, respectively. Other stuff to consider - If there's one thing I'd change it would be the advising system. I understand that Brown wants its students to take initiative and be assertive with their academic plans. However, a more engaging and well-developed student-faculty advising system would be nice. School pride, as far as sports is concerned, is not as prevalent unfortunately. Moreover, food from the dining halls is not exactly five-star hotel worthy. Financial aid is sub-par compared to that of other Ivies and some parts of the residence halls could need a little bit of renovation and remodeling. Regardless of the aforementioned caveats, I still love Brown to death and I feel grateful and privileged to be a part of this wonderful institution. To say that Brown is bad ass would be one hell of an understatement.

Best things about this school - The (in)famous Open Curriculum and undegraduate focus. It took me awhile to realize just how intellectually liberating and academically enriching Brown's take on a collegeeducation truly is. Because there are no university course requirements, except those of your concentration (major), you are essentially in charge of your own education. For instance, I've taken classes listed under the departments of engineering, economics, psychology, and biology, without filling out extra forms or going through a separate registration process like in other schools. I've also taken senior seminars as a freshman after talking to the professors, which shows just how flexible and undergraduate focused your academic experience can be at Brown. People's reactions to "Brown" - Unfortunately, Brown's perceived prestige is not tantamount to that of HYP. True, the number of people who would be immediately amazed if you tell them you went to harvard, yale, or princeton will probably exceed the number of those who recognize Brown. Nevertheless, many recognize Brown as an excellent institution with equally excellent students. Of course, when I tell people I go to Brown, there are those who will refer to Emma Watson. On Campus Life - Brown's campus is just a sight to behold, especially during the spring. The overall student size is in the goldilocks zone, not too big and not too small. On campus, there is always something to do, an activity to participate in, a workshop to attend, and a distinguished/famous person to see. Off campus, there are plenty of restaurants to explore (e.g. Thayer, Federal Hill). Downtown and the mall are just an 8-minute walk downhill. If you want to go farther, Newport beach, Boston, and NYC are just a 45-minute, 1 hour, and 3 hour bus trip away from Providence, respectively. Other stuff to consider - If there's one thing I'd change it would be the advising system. I understand that Brown wants its students to take initiative and be assertive with their academic plans. However, a more engaging and well-developed student-faculty advising system would be nice. School pride, as far as sports is concerned, is not as prevalent unfortunately. Moreover, food from the dining halls is not exactly five-star hotel worthy. Financial aid is sub-par compared to that of other Ivies and some parts of the residence halls could need a little bit of renovation and remodeling. Regardless of the aforementioned caveats, I still love Brown to death and I feel grateful and privileged to be a part of this wonderful institution. To say that Brown is bad ass would be one hell of an understatement.

Best things about this school: - The (in)famous Open Curriculum and undegraduate focus. It took me awhile to realize just how intellectually liberating and academically enriching Brown's take on a college education truly is. Because there are no university course requirements, except those of your concentration (major), you are essentially in charge of your own education. For instance, I've taken classes listed under the departments of engineering, economics, psychology, and biology without filling out extra forms or going through a separate registration process like in other schools. I've also taken senior seminars as a freshman after talking to the professors, which shows just how flexible and undergraduate focused your academic experience can be at Brown. People's reactions to "Brown" - Unfortunately, Brown's perceived prestige is not tantamount to that of HYP. True, the number of people who would be immediately amazed if you tell them you went to harvard, yale, or princeton will probably exceed the number of those who recognize Brown. Nevertheless, many recognize Brown as an excellent institution with equally excellent students. Of course, when I tell people I go to Brown, there are those who will refer to Emma Watson. On Campus Life - Brown's campus is just a sight to behold, especially during the spring. The overall student size is in the goldilocks zone, not too big and not too small. On campus, there is always something to do, an activity to participate in, a workshop to attend, and a distinguished/famous person to see. Off campus, there are plenty of restaurants to explore (e.g. Thayer, Federal Hill). Downtown and the mall are just an 8-minute walk downhill. If you want to go farther, Newport beach, Boston, and NYC are just a 45-minute, 1 hour, and 3 hour bus trip away from Providence, respectively. Other stuff to consider - If there's one thing I'd change it would be a stronger approach to academic advising. I understand that Brown wants its students to take initiative and be assertive with their academic plans. However, an engaging and well-developed student/faculty advising system would be nice. School pride, as far as sports is concerned, is not as prevalent unfortunately. Moreover, food from the dining halls is not exactly five-star hotel worthy. Financial aid can be subpar compared to that of other Ivies and the residence halls need some major renovation and remodeling.

Best things about this school: - The (in)famous Open Curriculum and undegraduate focus. It took me awhile to realize just how intellectually liberating and academically enriching Brown's take on a college education truly is. Because there are no university course requirements, except those of your concentration (major), you are essentially in charge of your own education. For instance, I've taken classes listed under the departments of engineering, economics, psychology, and biology, even though many colleges don't allow you to take classes outside of your "school" or department. I've also taken senior seminars as a freshman after talking to the professors, which shows just how flexible and undergraduate focused your academic experience can be at Brown. People's reactions to "Brown" - Unfortunately, Brown's perceived prestige is not tantamount to that of HYP. True, the number of people who would be immediately amazed if you tell them you went to harvard, yale, or princeton will probably exceed the number of those who recognize Brown. Nevertheless, many recognize Brown as an excellent institution with equally excellent students. Of course, when I tell people I go to Brown, there are those who will refer to Emma Watson. On Campus Life - Brown's campus is just a sight to behold, especially during the spring. The overall student size is in the goldilocks zone, not too big and not too small. On campus, there is always something to do, an activity to participate in, a workshop to attend, and a distinguished/famous person to see. Off campus, there are plenty of restaurants to explore (e.g. Thayer, Federal Hill). Downtown and the mall are just an 8-minute walk downhill. If you want to go farther, Newport beach, Boston, and NYC are just a 45-minute, 1 hour, and 3 hour bus trip away from Providence, respectively. Other stuff to consider - If there's one thing I'd change it would be a stronger approach to academic advising. I understand that Brown wants its students to take initiative and be assertive with their academic plans. However, an engaging and well-developed student/faculty advising system would be nice. School pride, as far as sports is concerned, is not as prevalent unfortunately. Moreover, food from the dining halls is not exactly five-star hotel worthy. Financial aid can be subpar compared to that of other Ivies and the residence halls need some major renovation and remodeling.

Best things about this school: - The (in)famous Open Curriculum and undegraduate focus. It took me awhile to realize just how intellectually liberating and academically enriching Brown's take on a liberal-arts education was. Because there are no university course requirements, except those of your concentration (major), you are essentially in charge of your own education. For instance, I've taken classes listed under the departments of engineering, economics, psychology, and biology, even though many colleges don't allow you to take classes outside of your "school" or department. I've also taken senior seminars as a freshman after talking to the professors, which shows just how flexible and undergraduate focused your academic experience can be at Brown. People's reactions to "Brown" - Unfortunately, Brown's perceived prestige is not tantamount to that of HYP. True, the number of people who would be immediately amazed if you tell them you went to harvard, yale, or princeton will probably exceed the number of those who recognize Brown. Nevertheless, many recognize Brown as an excellent institution with equally excellent students. Of course, when I tell people I go to Brown, there are those who will refer to Emma Watson. On Campus Life - Brown's campus is just a sight to behold, especially during the spring. The overall student size is in the goldilocks zone, not too big and not too small. On campus, there is always something to do, an activity to participate in, a workshop to attend, and a distinguished/famous person to see. Off campus, there are plenty of restaurants to explore (e.g. Thayer, Federal Hill). Downtown and the mall are just an 8-minute walk downhill. If you want to go farther, Newport beach, Boston, and NYC are just a 45-minute, 1 hour, and 3 hour bus trip away from Providence, respectively. Other stuff to consider - If there's one thing I'd change it would be a stronger approach to academic advising. I understand that Brown wants its students to take initiative and be assertive with their academic plans. However, an engaging and well-developed student/faculty advising system would be nice. School pride, as far as sports is concerned, is not as prevalent unfortunately. Moreover, food from the dining halls is not exactly five-star hotel worthy. Financial aid can be subpar compared to that of other Ivies and the residence halls need some major renovation and remodeling.

Best things about this school: - The infamous Open Curriculum and undegraduate focus. It took me awhile to realize just how intellectually liberating and academically enriching Brown's take on a liberal-arts education was. Because there are no university course requirements, except those of your concentration (major), you are essentially in charge of your own education. For instance, I've taken classes listed under the departments of engineering, economics, psychology, and biology, even though many colleges don't allow you to take classes outside of your "school" or department. I've also taken senior seminars as a freshman after talking to the professors, which shows just how flexible and undergraduate focused your academic experience can be at Brown. People's reactions to "Brown" - Unfortunately, Brown's perceived prestige is not tantamount to that of HYP. True, the number of people who would be immediately amazed if you tell them you went to harvard, yale, or princeton will probably exceed the number of those who recognize Brown. Nevertheless, many recognize Brown as an excellent institution with equally excellent students. Of course, when I tell people I go to Brown, there are those who will refer to Emma Watson. On Campus Life - Brown's campus is just a sight to behold, especially during the spring. The overall student size is in the goldilocks zone, not too big and not too small. On campus, there is always something to do, an activity to participate in, a workshop to attend, and a distinguished/famous person to see. Off campus, there are plenty of restaurants to explore (e.g. Thayer, Federal Hill). Downtown and the mall are just an 8-minute walk downhill. If you want to go farther, Newport beach, Boston, and NYC are just a 45-minute, 1 hour, and 3 hour bus trip away from Providence, respectively. Other stuff to consider - If there's one thing I'd change it would be a stronger approach to academic advising. I understand that Brown wants its students to take initiative and be assertive with their academic plans. However, an engaging and well-developed student/faculty advising system would be nice. School pride, as far as sports is concerned, is not as prevalent unfortunately. Moreover, food from the dining halls is not exactly five-star hotel worthy. Financial aid can be subpar compared to that of other Ivies and the residence halls need some major renovation and remodeling.

I absolutely love this school. The students are more different than I ever could have imagined, and yet they are united by a love for learning, a mutually supportive spirit, and a n upbeat community spirit. The school is large enough that one could never feel truly socially limited, but small enough that you can be sure to see someone you know when walking across campus. I have heard the occasional complaint about either the quality of the food, or feeling pressured to be socially active because it seems like absolutely everyone is doing some sort of community service, but these are so vastly outnumbered by the praise for some inspiring teacher or the new and exciting extra-curricular opportunity that someone never thought they'd try; I was not surprised at all when I heard that our students had been voted "Happiest Students in America." Providence is a city with much more to offer than it ever receives credit for, and if you have the determination to get off the hill, New York and Boston are easy, frequent destinations.

Being at Brown University is an amazing experience of itself. The size of the school is just right, and you can always know that on a leisurely walk, you will at least see a few familiar faces. Professors are often very friendly and like to work with students, even in a lecture of 300.One controversial point about Brown is that it is somewhat like living in a Brown Bubble. This Bubble isn't awful, just at points, one may forget what is happening in the outside world. The college town has many stores and restaurants, and one doesn't have to go far for nice dining or to reach the mall. School pride comes naturally, as Brown has some of the happiest students. This prides strays away when it comes towards sports, but is seen by how much students love the school!

My opinion of Brown is that it is a fabulous institution for many students, but that it is not for everyone. Brown's perspective on education is fabulous for self-directed, independent thinkers who know what they want to do before they go to college. Brown has an open curriculum, and often students find that they struggle to make decisions from the vast course options. Academic guidance is often purposefully vague to force students to make personal decisions based on their own reasoning, and this is a wonderful academic policy, but does put substantial pressure on students when they are freshmen. The school is in Providence, Rhode Island, which is a small city which is nice for college students. The size of Brown's undergraduate program is 6000 students, which is large enough so that there are always new people to meet, but small enough so that you always know someone in the cafeteria. One thing I would change about Brown is its school spirit. Most students are not active in attending sporting events, which is unfortunate, because Brown has some phenomenal athletic teams including Men's Crew, which is currently ranked first in the nation.

I love Brown. For me, it's the best of all the worlds I tried to unify when applying to schools. It's not too big and not too small, and has the benefits of a large research university on a campus that's vastly majority undergrad.

I love Brown! One of my favorite parts is, of course, its open curriculum and how easy it is to take classes and explore topics beyond your concentration. And of course, the students. For the most part, everyone is very accepting, open, and incredibly interesting. Everyone is driven but generally not openly competitive or obnoxious. While I wouldn't necessarily say I could not be anywhere else, I feel incredibly lucky to be able to attend Brown.

I couldn't be happier to be at Brown. At the same time, I understand that it might not be the perfect school for everyone. I'm really glad to have the opportunity to take classes outside of my concentration—I'm basically able to build my own "core" curriculum by taking classes from many departments (I've taken courses in over 10 departments in just 3 semesters, and I'm in good shape for my concentration). More importantly, I think Brown is a student-focused atmosphere: the university tends to treat students fairly and put undergrads first. Professors are actually available and pretty much all classes (except low-level math) are taught by professors. So overall, I love it here.

Brown has just under 6,000 undergrads (the graduate students are a non-factor for undergrads), so you will run into people you know whenever you go out. The best thing about Brown is the freedom that the curriculum and administration give the students in general. This can also be problematic as it requires a great deal of student responsibility. Although we are in the city of Providence, it's feels like a bit more suburban on the East Side that you might expect (but don't walk around alone at night, especially off-campus). So there is plenty of open space on campus, and students definitely take advantage of it when the weather is nice. Brown's administration is extremely receptive to ideas from students, although whether those ideas are implemented varies on the merits of the ideas. But again, that depends on which dean you get, some are better than others. Brown does not have school spirit in the sense of going to sports games. But there is still great pride in Brown, and on the whole most students are happy, even if we complain a lot.

I think Brown is the perfect size, not too big and not too small. I spent most of my time on campus walking up and down Thayer st., which is central to campus.Providence is definitely a college town, with 3 other colleges in the city.

My four years at Brown, from 2000-2004, were the fondest moments of my life. Nowhere else have I had such a supportive environment, such close friends, such amazing professors, and such exciting events. There's an electricity in the air that I couldn't find from any other college that I visited. You really have to step on campus and interact with the Brown community to know what I'm talking about. You can't read about it or see it on a video. If you look at respondents to this survey, Brown students and alumni will be the ones writing paragraph after paragraph about their school, whereas others might only have a three or four paragraphs. We have good things to say and bad things to say, but we're all so passionate and full of pride that we will go out of our way to portray the school as accurately and as extensively as possible. To answer more of the suggested topics - the best thing about Brown is how it will open so many doors for you. It opens doors to new experiences, educational or otherwise. It opens doors through the amazing relationships you'll make. It opens doors to successful careers or educational paths. It opens doors into a better understanding of who you are. That was really cheesy so I'll answer more questions in a more straightforward way. One thing I'd change - I wish I spent more time at Brown - maybe a fifth year for a double degree or a master's degree. It's just about the right size - small enough that you always run into people you know, and large enough that you'll meet people all the way through the day you graduate. People always say "wow" when they ask where I went to school. Most of my time was spent on campus, mostly with various extracurriculars or hanging out with friends. It's a college town - but a very unique place. As a city, Providence needs its own essay. I have no idea what the most recent controversy on campus was. There is nothing but school pride. I will always remember the commencement ceremony - what a rush! And no idea what the most frequent student complaint might be.

Best thing about Brown has got to be the open curriculum, and the advising that comes along with it. Brown really does trust you to make decisions for yourself, but wants you to know that you're not entirely on your own. The advising is great, especially for first-year and if you would liek to change your advisor that can be easily arranged. Lots of interesting classes, as well, and youll find that students really aren't afraid to dabble in areas that they are not 100{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} familiar with. Another thing I'm very satisfied about Brown with is that the community is very close-knit. On your way to class, or even if you're just hanging out on the Main Green on a nice day doing reading, you'll run into tons of people you know. Campus is not too big (like a state school slash UPenn) and also not too small, like Amherst. Some complaints I have include: - More variety in food at the VDub (one of our dining halls) - Students not having card access to all of the residence halls

Brown is a fabulous place for people a)finding who they are b) making who they are more aware of the wider world c) looking for support to do and b. People who think outside the box are comfortable here, especially if they are willing to accept criticism and communicate. Advising, in every facet of life, is critical to doing well because it is so easy to get lost in the superabundance of causes/networks on campus.

Best thing: The students. I have never met a boring person here -- everyone has a story, has something that makes them really excited. Thing i'd change: nothing! Size: Medium, perfect for me. People's reaction: "Ohhh Brown! So you're smart." or, "Ohhh Brown! Are you a vegan yet?" Providence: You've got to learn to love it, but I have. It's a small city with a strong sense of identity, lots of cafes and a new interest in the arts.

There are three factors that really define Brown for me. The first is academia, where Brown excels. We have incredible faculty who love their work and are dedicated to teaching their students and helping them to succeed. The classes at Brown are fantastic--interesting, thought-provoking, fun, challenging and applicable to the outside world. The second is the social environment. Brown is a very accepting place. The spectrum of interests and abilities shown by our students is truly cosmopolitan, and yet everyone on campus seems to really just get along. For instance, I'm a non-athletic guy, very interested in politics, international relations, literature, and other academic subjects, and I roomed with a football player freshman year who could not have had more disparate interests from me. Despite all this, we ended up getting along very well, and I think we both learned a lot from each other over the course of the year. I can also say that, after a year at Brown, I have friends who hail from across the social spectrum, as well as the geographic, political, and economic spectrums. Brown is probably one of the best places on Earth if you are looking for an accepting and fun community. The third factor is the extent to which Brown students are involved in the world around us, be it our local community, the nation at large, or a country across the globe.