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Unlike its Ivy League peers, the undergraduates at Brown University shy away from a competitive, cutthroat classroom atmosphere in favor of a more intellectually curious, artsy, and progressive vibe. Brown’s famous Open Curriculum gives students a chance to genuinely pursue their academic passions from their first moment on campus. Yet, earning the right to spend four years in Providence, Rhode Island studying the topics of your choice with world-renowned faculty is earned, not given. Brown has undoubtedly been highly selective for generations, but the Brown acceptance rates of today are significantly lower than those encountered by applicants ten or twenty years ago. In 2000, the admit rate was 16.2%; it is now solidly in the single digits.

The intent of this article is to give those considering applying to Brown University an overview of the following topics:

• Brown’s acceptance rate (plus how to predict your chances with our free admissions calculator)
• Where is Brown University?
• Is Brown University an Ivy League School?
• Brown’s ED acceptance rate — Class of 2029
• Brown’s PLME & RISD Dual Degree acceptance rates
• GPA, SAT, ACT, and class rank of accepted Brown applicants
• Admissions trends from the Class of 2029
• A look at the demographics of Brown undergraduates
• The percent of accepted students that attend the university (yield rate)
• How Brown evaluates applicants
• Tips for applying to Brown
• Brown supplemental essay tips
• Whether Brown is worth the application fee (for you)

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Where is Brown University?

Brown University is located in the city of Providence in the state of Rhode Island. The campus rests in the heart of this diverse and vibrant city in the College Hill neighborhood.

Is Brown University an Ivy League school?

Yes, Brown is in fact a member of the Ivy League, founded in 1769. At the time, it was the third college in New England and the seventh in the Colonies.

Brown Acceptance Rate – Class of 2029

Out of 42,765 students who applied for the Class of 2029, only 2,418 emerged from the process with an acceptance letter in hand. This means that the overall Brown acceptance rate was 5.6%.

Historical Brown acceptance rates are as follows:

However, Brown’s overall acceptance rate combines both the early decision and regular decision rounds. If we break it down further, we find that 37,710 students applied regular decision. Only 1,511 were offered admission for a regular decision acceptance rate of 4%.

Brown Early Decision (ED) Acceptance Rate – Class of 2029

Of the 5,055 early decision applications received for a place in the Class of 2029, Brown accepted just 907 — a 17.9% acceptance rate. This is up four percentage points from recent years.

Brown PLME & RISD Dual Degree Acceptance Rate

Certain programs at Brown have infinitesemal acceptance rates. For the Class of 2027, the Brown PLME acceptance rate was only about 1.7%, while the Brown-RISD Dual Degree program acceptance rate was about 2%.

Program in Liberal Medical Education

• Applications: 4,192
• Enrolled: 55

Brown-RISD Dual Degree Program

• Applications: 916
• Enrolled: 15

What GPA do you need to get into Brown?

For enrolled freshmen in the Class of 2028, the average GPA was not reported. However, given that the vast majority of students are in the top decile of their graduating class (see below), you’ll want to aim for a 4.0 and above. This is something to consider when thinking about Brown’s acceptance rate.

What class rank do you need to get accepted to Brown?

Among enrolled 2023-24 first-year students, a stellar 89% hailed from the top 10%, while 98% earned a place in the top quarter.

What is the minimum SAT or ACT score for Brown?

According to statistics for the Class of 2028, the mid-50% SAT range for enrolled freshmen was 1510-1560, about the same as the previous year. The mid-50% ACT score was 34-35.

Note that Brown is now test-required moving forward. Applicants to the Class of 2030 will need to submit ACT or SAT results in order to be considered.

Admissions Trends & Notes – Class of 2029

• Applications decreased markedly for the Class of 2029.
• The number of applicants who attend public schools was up by 16%
• 19% of the Class of 2029 are first-generation students.
• The number of applicants from rural areas and small towns was up 10%.
• Students hailed from all 50 states and 89 countries.
• 64 students were admitted to Brown’s program and 21 were admitted to the .

Who Actually Gets Into Brown?

Let’s now turn our attention to the demographics of the Brown undergraduate student body. For the Class of 2029, the greatest number of domestic undergraduates hailed from:

• California
• New York
• Massachusetts
• New Jersey
• Texas

As at any Ivy League or other elite school, Brown is seeking geographic diversity.  If you hail from the Deep South or a less-populated state like Wyoming or Idaho, your location is likely to help your cause. This is something to consider when thinking about Brown’s acceptance rate.

For the Class of 2029, the most undergrads hailed from the following five countries:

• China
• Canada
• India
• United Kingdom
• South Korea

The admitted students for the Class of 2029 come from a variety of schools:

• 60% attend public school
• 30% attend private school
• 9.5% attend religious schools
• <1% are homeschooled

Looking at ethnic identity, the breakdown of the current Brown undergraduate student body is as follows (percentages do not add up to 100% as applicants can list multiple races):

• White: 30.3%
• Asian: 24%
• Hispanic: 11.2%
• African American: 7.5%
• International: 13.5%

In a previous cycle, the top intended concentrations were:

• Computer Science
• Economics
• Political Science
• Engineering
• International and Public Affairs

Brown’s Yield Rate

Brown University’s yield rate is 65%. This places them behind the likes of Harvard, Stanford, Penn, and Yale. However, this number does tell us that the majority of students applying to Brown view it as their number one choice. This is further evidenced by the fact that a growing number of students apply through binding early decision each year, and that those students comprise approximately half of the incoming class.

How Brown Evaluates Applicants

Brown is looking for students who “possess an intense curiosity and aspire to make an impact.” To decide which 5% of the very talented and accomplished applicant pool best meets this standard, the university avoids any type of formulaic assessment and dives into a full-blown holistic admissions process. In the words of the Brown admissions office, this process “challenges us to discover how each applicant would contribute to — and benefit from — the lively academic, social and extracurricular activity here at Brown. We will consider how your unique talents, accomplishments, energy, curiosity, perspective and identity might weave into the ever-changing tapestry that is Brown University.”

Brown ranks the following eight categories as being “very important” to the admissions process: rigor of secondary school record, class rank, GPA, standardized test scores, application essay, recommendations, talent/ability, and character/personal qualities. This is something to consider when thinking about Brown’s acceptance rate.

In terms of extracurricular involvement, Brown is not going to be impressed that you filled the ten spaces on the Common App Activity List; they are looking for genuine excellence in one or more activities. For example, you won a prestigious international science competition, you are a standout pianist, you published or coauthored an academic study, article, or work of fiction; or you started a charitable organization that made a monumental impact. Being an athletic recruit can also be a massive boost to your admissions prospects. s suit up over 800 undergraduates every year. For advice about how to stand out on the extracurricular front, check out our previous blog entitled How Many Extracurricular Activities Do I Need for College?

Tips for Applying to Brown

If you plan on joining the 50,000+ Brown hopefuls for the next admissions cycle, you should know the following:

1. Brown has reinstated their testing requirement. Going forward, applicants will be required to submit ACT or SAT scores alongside their application.
2. Brown has replaced their previously offered alumni interview with an optional . While there is no specific topic or format, Brown does provide a list of possible prompts.
3. According to the university, a typical class includes 8% of students who can be classified as “legacies” meaning that they have an immediate relative (usually a parent) who attended the school. However, the percentage of students who are legacies has decreased significantly in recent years (it used to be about 30%).
4. Brown does not consider “demonstrated interest” so you do not need to worry about visiting campus or connecting via social media just for the sake of proving to the university that they are your top choice.
5. Teacher recommendations are read very closely at Brown. As our previous blog on asking for teacher recommendations suggests, you need to ask teachers in major subjects who you believe will be willing to use strong language about what a phenomenal student you are. Ask yourself, would any of my teachers say things like, “She is in the top 1% of math students I have taught in my career,” or “He is one of the very best, if not the best, American Literature students I have encountered in my 20 years”? Bold declarations along these lines are what Brown admissions officers will be looking for.

Brown Supplemental Essays

Supplemental essays are EXTREMELY important in the Brown admissions process. Brown sincerely wants to know a great deal about each student offered a place in their freshman class. Do your research, be sincere in what you express, and convince the admissions readers that you will be an active member of the community who takes full advantage of the Open Curriculum. This is something to consider when thinking about Brown’s acceptance rate.

Accordingly, make sure to dedicate sufficient time and effort to the following supplemental essays and short answers required by Brown:

Required Essays (2025-26)

1) Brown’s Open Curriculum allows students to explore broadly while also diving deeply into their academic pursuits. Tell us about any academic interests that excite you, and how you might pursue them at Brown. (200-250 words)

2) Students entering Brown often find that making their home on College Hill naturally invites reflection on where they came from. Share how an aspect of your growing up has inspired or challenged you, and what unique contributions this might allow you to make to the Brown community. (200-250 words)

3) Brown students care deeply about their work and the world around them. Students find contentment, satisfaction, and meaning in daily interactions and major discoveries. Whether big or small, mundane or spectacular, tell us about something that brings you joy. (200-250 words)

Short Answers (2025-26)

First-year applicants are asked to reflect briefly on each of the very short answer questions below. We expect that answers will range from a few words to a few sentences at most:

• What three words best describe you?
• If you could teach a class on any one thing, whether academic or otherwise, what would it be? (100 words)
• In one sentence, Why Brown? (50 words)

For detailed advice on how to write the Brown essays, visit our blog: Brown University Supplemental Essay Prompt and Tips.

Should I apply to Brown?

Those who will fare best in conquering this admissions gauntlet will boast a transcript of straight ‘A’s in an exceptionally rigorous program of classes, superior standardized test scores, and at least one or two stand-out talents and passions outside of the classroom.

Final Thoughts – Brown University Acceptance Rate

If you are academically qualified, there is no harm in filling out a Brown application as long as you have the $75 to spare, but—as with all prestigious, highly-selective colleges in 2025-26, it can only be viewed as a “Reach” school for almost all applicants—including those with pristine transcripts and perfect standardized test scores. Even the strongest applicants need to have an array of “Target” and “Safety” schools selected. For more on this, consult our blog—How to Create the Perfect College List.

Ready to start working on your applications? Consider checking out the following:

• Should You Start College Applications in the Summer?
• What is Demonstrated Interest?
• Do Colleges Look at Social Media?
• College Fair Advice for High School Students
• How to Complete the Common App Activities List
• Common App Essay Prompts
• 25 Inspiring College Essay Topic Ideas