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Brown University

Brown University

Providence, RI · 7.2k students

ElitePrivateCityGraduateCampus-basedbrown.edu
85.1/100

Trajecta score

+1.0 since '20

Ranked #12 of 2,375

5-year trend

'20'24

82.3 · #14

2020

82.7 · #20

2021

82.7 · #22

2022

83.0 · #22

2023

83.3 · #20

2024

AcademicCareersSuccessAfford.Invest.Access

Academic Profile

97/ 100

Career Outcomes

89/ 100

Student Success

97/ 100

Affordability

69/ 100

Academic Investment

98/ 100

Access & Equity

47/ 100

Academic Profile

97

Career Outcomes

89

Student Success

97

Affordability

69

Academic Investment

98

Access & Equity

47

AI Fit Analysis

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Cost / Net Price

$88k / $25k

SAT Avg

1,546

Retention

99%

Grad Rate

96%

Admissions

5%admission rate
EliteH.SelSelectiveModerateOpen

Test Scores

SAT Range1,546
4001000120014001600
25th: 1,510Average: 1,54675th: 1,580
ACT Range34
118243036
25th: 34Midpoint: 3475th: 35

Scores represent the midpoint of enrolled students, not a cutoff.

Finances

Tuition

In-State Tuition

$71,412

per year

Out-of-State Tuition

$71,412

per year

Aid & Debt

Pell Grant Share

14%

undergraduates receiving Pell

Federal Loan Share

10%

students borrowing

Median Debt

among completers

$11,428

Admissions Factors

What Brown University says it weighs

Self-reported by the school in its Common Data Set (section C7) — the school's own statement of which application factors matter in its admissions decisions.

Source: Common Data Set 2024-2025, what Brown University reports weighing in admissions.

FactorVery ImportantImportantConsideredNot Considered
Rigor of secondary school recordRigor of secondary school record: Very Important
Class rankClass rank: Very Important
Academic GPAAcademic GPA: Very Important
Standardized test scoresStandardized test scores: Very Important
Application essayApplication essay: Very Important
Recommendation(s)Recommendation(s): Very Important
InterviewInterview: Not Considered
Extracurricular activitiesExtracurricular activities: Important
Talent/abilityTalent/ability: Very Important
Character/personal qualitiesCharacter/personal qualities: Very Important
First generationFirst generation: Considered
Alumni/ae relationAlumni/ae relation: Considered
Geographical residenceGeographical residence: Considered
State residencyState residency: Considered
Religious affiliation/commitmentReligious affiliation/commitment: Not Considered
Volunteer workVolunteer work: Considered
Work experienceWork experience: Considered
Level of applicant's interestLevel of applicant's interest: Not Considered

Supplemental Essays · 2025-26

school's admissions site ↗

Brown University essay prompts

Essay 1: Open Curriculum

Required200-250 words

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.

Essay 2: Where you came from

Required200-250 words

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.

Essay 3: Something that brings you joy

Required200-250 words

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.

Very short answer: Three words

Required3 words

What three words best describe you?

Very short answer: Teach a class

Required100 words

If you could teach a class on any one thing, whether academic or otherwise, what would it be?

Very short answer: Why Brown?

Required50 words

In one sentence, Why Brown?

PLME applicants only: Motivation for medicine

Optional500 words

Committing to a future career as a physician while in high school requires careful consideration and self-reflection. Explain your personal motivation to pursue a career in medicine, and why the Program in Liberal Medical Education (PLME) will best meet your professional and personal goals.

PLME applicants only: Healthcare (respond to one of the two sub-prompts)

Optional250 words

Healthcare is constantly changing as it is affected by racial and social inequities, economics, politics, technology, and more. Please respond to one of the following prompts (250 words): - How will you, as a future physician, make a positive impact? - How has your personal background uniquely shaped your perspective on the field of medicine?

Brown | RISD Dual Degree applicants only

Optional650 words

The Brown | RISD Dual Degree Program draws on the complementary strengths of Brown University and Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) to provide students with the opportunity to explore and engage with diverse spheres of academic and creative inquiry. Considering your understanding of the academic programs at Brown and RISD, describe how and why the specific blend of RISD's experimental, immersive art and design program and Brown's wide-ranging courses and curricula could constitute an optimal undergraduate education for you. Reflect on how you might integrate or synthesize content, approaches, and methods from these two distinct learning experiences. Additionally, how might you contribute to the Dual Degree community and its commitment to interdisciplinary work?

Drafting these? Write them with AI feedback in Trajecta →

Methodology

How these rankings work

The Trajecta Score (0–100) blends six dimensions of public college data into one comparable number, then nudges it by how much data each school reports. Selectivity tiers are separate — they’re based purely on a school’s admission rate.

Read the full methodology

Selectivity tiers

EliteUnder 10% admit rate
Highly Selective10–20% admit rate
Selective20–40% admit rate
Moderate40–65% admit rate
Open65%+ admit rate

Score dimensions & weights

Career Outcomes25%

Median earnings 10 years out, earnings vs. a high-school grad, and loan repayment.

Academic Profile22%

Admission selectivity and the incoming class’s SAT / ACT scores.

Affordability15%

Average net price after aid and the typical debt of graduates.

Student Success13%

Graduation rate and first-year retention.

Academic Investment12%

Instructional spending and faculty salaries per student.

Access10%

Share of Pell-grant students and reliance on federal loans.

Data from the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard and IPEDS. Figures are the most recent reported and may lag a year or two. This tool is read-only and not personalized — inside the Trajecta app, scores are tailored to your profile as a fit score.

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