Brown University

Broewn is an outstanding undergraduate school with bright students, amazing faculty and an atmosphere geared to learning and intellectual stimulation. The undergraduate student is the center of emphasis; the faculty supports the undergrad; the cousrse selection is varied and the amount of extracurricular activities is very borad and stimulating. I love Borwn and would encourage others to apply here. It's the Ivy that leaves you with a very postiive feeling toward academia and the college experience.

3rd Year Male -- Class 2004

Education Quality: A, Faculty Accessibility: B+

Brown University, one of the most prominent institution in the U.S., is worth going to, of course, under the condition that you get accepted. The students are generally very bright and active both academically and socially. Many that I've met at Brown could have gone to Harvard, Yale, or Stanford but chose to come here because of its unique curriculum and friendly atmosphere. SAT scores of my friends range from high 1500's to high 1200's, just for you curious high schoolers out there.

Brown is truly dedicated to its undergraduate education. But its graduate school is a bit under-funded, and in many cases, undergraduates outsmart graduate students. I believe the quality of undergraduate students at Brown is within the top 5 in the nation. I've met a lot of brilliant kids so far and learned a lot from my peers as well as my professors. Professors are accessible and are willing to help undergraduates whenever possible. In terms of the difficulty of courses, Brown is hard. I would say "very hard." Of course, there are a few easy courses with large enrollments, but even those "gut" classes require a decent amount of time and efforts. Very few people here take courses in their major S/NC, and no one that I know of has taken more than one course S/NC per semester.

Grading standards vary widely depending on the department and the professor. In introductory freshmen-level courses, you can definitely get an A if you study fairly hard, but in advanced-level courses, it requires a tremendous amount of work to get an A. The view that Brown is an easy school is truly a misperception by outsiders. With brighest students from all over the globe, Brown's student body is very competitive, and it's hard to stand out academically unless you put "a lot of time and efforts" into your courses.

One more good aspect of the Brown students is that they don't seem to be cutthroat. People work in groups in many classes and enjoy studying together, sharing ideas. This provides a perfect environment for learning, and grades are secondary in importance in students' minds. From what I have observed, undergraduates at Brown are the coolest of the Ivy League, and more importantly, the most creative and open-minded. I would choose Brown again anytime. The best school to spend your four years at, period. As for graduate school, try not to come here.

4th Year Male -- Class 2002

Faculty Accessibility: A+, Campus Aesthetics: B