Brown University: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes
Providence, Rhode Island · Private nonprofit · Most selective · CDS 2025-2026
Brown University is a private institution located in Providence, Rhode Island and one of the most selective schools in the country. For the most recent reporting cycle, Brown University admits fewer than 10% of applicants, with an overall admission rate of 5%. Admitted students typically post an average SAT of 1546 and an ACT composite around 34. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $26,572 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price. For parents weighing whether Brown University is realistic for their teenager, the most useful planning step is comparing your child's current GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against these admitted-student ranges — not the headline acceptance rate alone.
What parents should know about Brown University right now
Brown University admitted 2,418 students out of 42,765 applicants for the Class of 2029, an admit rate of 5.65%. Early Decision admitted 907 students at a 17.9% rate while Regular Decision admitted 1,511 at roughly 4.01%. The Class of 2029 was the first since the COVID-19 pandemic required to submit standardized test scores, with the middle 50% scoring 1480 to 1560 on the SAT and 34 to 35 on the ACT. About 95% of admitted students were in the top 10% of their high school class, 19% are first-generation college students, and admitted students come from 89 countries. Brown's defining academic feature for parents to understand is the Open Curriculum, adopted in 1969, which removes general education distribution requirements and lets students design their course of study with significant flexibility. Brown also runs the oldest applied mathematics program in the U.S., founded in 1941, the oldest engineering program in the Ivy League, and the renowned Brown-RISD Dual Degree program with the Rhode Island School of Design. Brown maintains need-blind admissions for domestic applicants and meets full demonstrated need without loans for most income brackets. Recent campus news for parents to be aware of: in July 2025 Brown reached a settlement with the federal government on research funding that includes $50 million paid over ten years to state workforce development programs, and in December 2025 a tragic shooting at the Barus and Holley Engineering Building on the Providence campus prompted an extensive review of campus security.
What GPA does my child need for Brown University?
Successful applicants to Brown University typically present unweighted GPAs at or near 4.0 with the most rigorous course load their school offers, including multiple AP, IB, or dual-enrollment courses. Parents tracking their child's GPA toward this tier of school can use Solyo's free calculator to see weighted, unweighted, and college-recalculated numbers side by side.
What does Brown University weight in admissions?
Brown University reports the following factor importance in its Common Data Set (2025-2026). These are the criteria the admissions committee weighs when reviewing applications.
- • Rigor of secondary school record
- • Class rank
- • Academic GPA
- • Standardized test scores
- • Application essay
- • Recommendations
- • Talent/ability
- • Character/personal qualities
- • Extracurricular activities
- • First generation status
- • Alumni/ae relation
- • Geographical residence
- • State residency
- • Volunteer work
- • Work experience
- • Interview
- • Religious affiliation/commitment
- • Level of applicant's interest
SAT and ACT scores Brown University typically admits
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 760–800, with an EBRW midpoint near 745. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 34–35. Scores below the 25th-percentile mark are accepted occasionally, but the realistic submission target for most families is the school's middle-50 floor or higher.
| 25th percentile | — |
| 50th percentile | 1546 |
| 75th percentile | — |
| % submitting SAT | 28% |
| 25th percentile | 33 |
| 50th percentile | 34 |
| 75th percentile | 35 |
| % submitting ACT | 77% |
- • Tests required: Standardized test scores are part of the standard application package.
- • Policy detail: Required
How much does Brown University actually cost?
Published tuition is $68,230 for in-state students and $68,230 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $16,598 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $26,572 per year — the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 13% of students receive Pell Grants, a useful indicator of how much need-based aid the school distributes.
| In-state tuition | $74,368 |
| Room and board | $19,464 |
| Average net price (after aid) | $26,572 |
| Application fee | $80 (waivers available) |
Application deadlines and early decision data for Brown University
| Regular deadline | January 5 |
| Notification date | Late March |
| Reply deadline | May 1 |
| Offers Early Decision | Yes |
| ED deadline | November 1 |
| ED acceptance rate | 18% |
Will my child graduate from Brown University?
Retention and graduation rates are the most overlooked numbers in college planning, but they predict actual outcomes far better than acceptance rate. They tell you whether admitted students stay and finish on time.
Other colleges in Rhode Island parents ask about
How parents track GPA toward selective schools like Brown University
Solyo helps parents track grades pulled directly from school emails, calculate GPA the same way colleges like Brown University recalculate it, and ask an AI college counselor specific questions about their teen's odds. The platform is built for parents — not students — and turns what's usually a fragmented planning process into a single dashboard.
Common questions parents ask about Brown University
What GPA do I need for Brown University?
Successful applicants to Brown University typically present unweighted GPAs at or near 4.0 with the most rigorous course load their school offers, including multiple AP, IB, or dual-enrollment courses.
What SAT or ACT score does Brown University typically admit?
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 760–800, with an EBRW midpoint near 745. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 34–35.
How much does Brown University actually cost after financial aid?
The average net price at Brown University after grants and scholarships is $26,572 per year. That figure is more useful for budgeting than the published sticker price, because it reflects what families actually pay after aid is applied.
Is Brown University realistic for my child?
Compare your teen's current unweighted GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against the ranges above. If both numbers fall inside the school's middle-50, Brown University is a target school. If both fall below the 25th-percentile mark, treat it as a reach and balance the application list accordingly.
Data sourced from the 2025-2026 Common Data Set submitted by Brown University, and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Solyo extracts admissions data from official Common Data Set publications and refreshes it annually.