Brown University, an Ivy league institution in Providence, Rhode Island, saw its Early Decision acceptance rate for the Class of 2029 rise to the highest its been in over 5 years. Brown received 5,048 early applications and accepted 906 applicants for an acceptance rate of 17.95%, according to the Brown Daily Herald.
BROWN UNIVERSITY ACCEPTANCE RATE
Last year’s acceptance rate for Early Decision (ED) students was 14.38%. The overall acceptance rate for the Class of 2028 was 5.16%. We expect this number to rise slightly for the Class of 2029.
The number of early applications received fell by over 1,000, likely due to the announcement last year that Brown would once again require applicants to submit standardized test scores. Meanwhile, the percentage of Brown’s first-year class filled by early admits continues to rise — predicted to be 53.29% this year.
17.8% of ED applicants this year were deferred to the regular decision pool compared to 16.8% last year. This year’s application pool saw a 22% increase in international applicants. This surge is likely on account of a brand new need-blind review policy for international students.
The Class of 2028 saw a 40% drop in the share of Black students and a 29% decrease in Hispanic students compared to the Class of 2027. It remains to be seen whether those numbers will rise for the Class of 2029, as the Supreme Court ruling against affirmative action ensures that racial demographics are not released until the Common Data Set is published in the fall.
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Brown previously considered ending its binding Early Decision policy after acknowledging that the applicant pool “is less diverse than the Regular Decision pool in terms of race, ethnicity and socioeconomic status; students who apply ED are less likely to be from historically underrepresented groups or be low-income, first-generation or international applicants.”
However, Brown University President Christina Paxson ultimately decided to keep ED, saying it’s important to identify “really talented students” and persuade them to apply early, “because once they apply early decision, the yield is 100 percent.”
TTA Top Tip: In 1969, Brown University got rid of distribution requirements and established the Open Curriculum, which allows students to become “Architects of their own education.” This progressive approach to education has always set Brown apart from the other Ivy League schools. However, this doesn’t make the college less selective than its peers. In fact, its focus on interdisciplinary studies means that Brown looks for applicants who have a rigorous, well-rounded academic background throughout all four years of high school. We recommend starting curriculum planning early if Brown is on the shortlist for your student — lock in our 2024 pricing by enrolling in Private Counseling by February 1st.
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. This year we’re once again collecting early acceptance rate data at selective schools and providing insight and analysis of our own.
WANT TO READ MORE?
Are you thinking about applying to Brown University? Curious about admissions trends and strategies to improve your odds? Contact us to discuss our Application Boot Camp® or Private Counseling program— we look forward to supporting you!
- Get Into Brown: 5 Insider Tips
- Brown University: Supplemental Essays 2024-2025
- Brown University: Class of 2028 Acceptance Rate
- Brown University: Acceptance Rates & Statistics
- Average GPA and Class Rank at Top Colleges
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