Located in Providence, Rhode Island, and founded in 1764, Brown University is an Ivy League institution with 7,300 undergraduates. Known for its commitment to academic excellence and flexible open curriculum, the vibrant campus culture thrives on inclusivity, activism, and a strong sense of community, empowering students to make meaningful contributions to society and to chart their own intellectual course. Nearly 70% of classes have fewer than 20 people and students are actively involved in shaping their educational experience through opportunities for independent study and interdisciplinary research.
BROWN UNIVERSITY: OVERALL ACCEPTANCE RATE REMAINS STABLE
Brown offered admission to 5.16% of its applicants to the Class of 2028, slightly down from last year’s acceptance rate of 5.23% for the Class of 2027. 48,881students applied and 2,521 were admitted in total.
There was a 5% decrease from last year’s applicant pool, a decline that Logan Powell, Associate Provost for Enrollment and Dean of Undergraduate Admissions, said was “planned for and expected.”
For the Class of 2028, 3.8% of regular decision applicants were admitted, slightly higher than its acceptance rate in recent years due to a smaller applicant pool.
This year, Brown’s dual degree programs both saw their largest applicant pools. The dual medical degree program accepted just 76 of 4,251 applicants (1.78%) while the Rhode Island School of Design dual degree program accepted 20 of its 953 applicants (2.09%) according to the Brown Daily Herald.
1,623 students accepted through the regular decision process join the 898 students admitted through its Early Decision program. Brown received 6,244 applications for Early Decision for the Class of 2028 and accepted 898 applicants for an acceptance rate of 14.38% — over 1% higher than last year’s 13%.
While roughly 50% of the admitted class is often admitted through Early Decision, Brown’s Class of 2028 admitted approximately two-thirds via Regular Decision and one-third via Early Decision.
Additionally, Brown reviews student veteran applications on a rolling basis but will conclude in April. The number of student veterans on campus has roughly doubled since 2019.
BROWN’S CHANGING ADMISSIONS POLICIES
Brown University announced in early March that it would once again require students applying for fall 2025 admission to submit either a SAT or ACT score.
Brown followed the lead of Dartmouth College and Yale University who will also require standardized test scores, effective for the Class of 2029. Harvard University reversed course on its test-optional commitment just a week ago.
Brown will allow for some flexibility with standardized testing for those who are “unable to take the test,” in which case, “the International Baccalaureate or a national exam may be substituted.” Transfer applicants, however, will still operate under a test-optional admissions process.
The Brown Daily Herald reported that, during the 2020-21 applicant cycle, 40% of applicants to Brown chose not to submit test scores but in the 2022-2023 cycle, only 24% of students did not submit a score. Brown has not yet released any testing statistics for the 2023-2024 cycle.
While Brown was previously reconsidering its binding Early Decision policies, the university president’s admissions committee announced it would stay the course for now.
Meanwhile, Brown delayed any decision on legacy preferences in admissions until more community input could be gathered. Approximately 10% of Brown’s Class of 2027 was made up of students with “familial preferences,” including roughly 8% with legacy preference and around 2% being children of staff members.
TTA Takeaway: Brown University’s hesitation to alter their binding ED policy or preference for legacy students isn’t surprising given its potential to lower the university’s yield rate. However, the admission committee’s executive summary added that “admitting fewer legacy students could potentially increase the numbers of low-income and first-generation students, and students from underrepresented groups, by a modest amount.” It remains to be seen whether or not Brown will revisit these hot button issues in the coming year.
Nellie Brennan Hall, TTA Senior Private Counselor and former Associate Director of Admissions at Brown University weighs in on Brown’s admissions updates:
Interestingly, Brown’s Ad Hoc Committee on Admissions Policies does not contain a current student, academic dean, or anyone from the Admissions Office. It is filled with trustees and faculty members. While they came to the same conclusion about test requirements as many of their peers. I find it odd that there are no current deans, students, or admission officers on the committee to speak to their experiences of the day-to-day academic outcomes. Brown tries to bury the lead in discussions about Early Decision and Legacy/Staff Preference, but the story here is that they are requiring tests and not adopting a more test flexible policy, which would allow students to showcase their talents in other testing areas. There are other standardized tests (AP, IB, etc.) that also demonstrate academic strength and could be more telling of an applicant’s ability to succeed in college.
At Top Tier Admissions, we are committed to making the college admissions process more transparent. Easy access to clear data helps families understand trends in college admissions to make more informed decisions. We’re collecting acceptance rate data at selective schools and providing insight and analysis of our own. For historical data, see our collection of Ivy League and Top College Acceptance Rates and Admissions Statistics, including the Class of 2028 Ivy League admissions data and admissions stats for a range of additional selective schools.
WANT TO READ MORE ABOUT BROWN UNIVERSITY?
- Get Into Brown University
- Brown University: Acceptance Rates & Statistics
- Get Into Brown: 5 Insider Tips from TTA Senior Private Counselor and former Associate Director of Admissions at Brown University, Nellie Brennan Hall
- Breaking News: Brown Requires Standardized Test Scores
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- Dartmouth: Class of 2028 Acceptance Rate - May 3, 2024
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- Brown University: Class of 2028 Acceptance Rate - April 19, 2024
