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#11 Best Colleges in America

Brown Admission Requirements

Providence, Rhode Island

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Your chances of getting into Brown University

Admission Rate & Difficulty

Percent Admitted 

6%
Admission Difficulty for Brown University
Measure Difficulty
Admission Standards Elite 
Applicant Competition Extreme 

Acceptance Rate

The acceptance rate at Brown is 6%.  Its admission rate is the lowest in Rhode Island and the 13th lowest the nation.

Admission Selectivity

How hard is it to get into Brown and can you get accepted?

Brown is extremely competitive school to get into with a very low chance of acceptance - even for applicants with the highest scores and grades. Last year, 2,568 out of the 46,568 who applied were admitted.

The school has exceptionally high admission requirements, generally admitting students who can score in the top 2 percent on standardized admission tests. Brown University typically accepts and attracts "A-" average high school students with an average GPA around 3.94. Most incoming freshmen graduate in the top ten percent of their high school class or better. Of those applicants who were admitted, 66% enrolled. This indicates that the school is a top choice for many students who apply.

Check if you have the grades and scores to get into Brown and calculate your admission chance.

Admission Requirements in Brief

To have the best chance of getting into to Brown University you should:

  • Have a high school GPA of 3.94 or better
  • Earn A- grades in high school
  • Score 1520 on the SAT
  • Score 34 on the ACT
  • Graduate in the top 10% of your high school class
  • Submit letters of recommendation from your teachers

Test Optional

Submission of SAT or ACT scores is not required for admission to Brown University. If you submit test scores, they will be considered with your application, but they are not mandatory. 51% of students submitted SAT scores and 30% submitted ACT scores for admission for the 2021/2022 academic year..

Brown SAT Scores

SAT Requirements & Average SAT Score

SAT Range 

1460-1570

Applicants Submitting SAT 

51%
SAT Scores for Brown University
SAT Test 25th Percentile Score
SAT Reading 25th 720
SAT Math 25th 740
SAT Composite 25th 1460
SAT Scores for Brown University
SAT Test 25th Percentile Score
SAT Reading 75th 770
SAT Math 75th 800
SAT Composite 75th 1570
Average SAT Score 1520

SAT Scores you need to get in

What are the SAT requirements for students to be admitted to Brown University?

Brown University is a test optional school meaning you are not required to submit SAT scores with your application. The position on SAT scores from the college is "considered but not required".

Students who get into Brown University score in the top 2 percent of all SAT test takers.. The SAT composite score range for the middle 50% of accepted students is 1460-1570 and the average score is 1520.  Brown ranks #1 in the state of Rhode Island and #20 in the nation for highest average SAT composite score. You should target scoring 1520 or above to be competitive with most other applicants.

View other colleges which accept students in the 1520 SAT score range.

Data Sources, IPEDS for Fall 2021 starting class

Chance of Acceptance by SAT Score

The table below outlines your predicted admission chances based on SAT score alone. If you are an average applicant with a score of 1515, you have around a 6% chance of being admitted. A 1515 places you well ahead of most other applicants and gives you about a 11% chance of getting in.

Brown University admission chances by SAT score
SAT Score (1600 scale) Competitiveness  Admission Chances 
1570 and Above Good >11%
1515 to 1570 Avg + 6%-11%
1460 to 1515 Avg - 3%-6%
1405 to 1460 Reach 2%-3%
Less than 1405 Low <2%
Calculate My Chances 
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Brown ACT Scores

ACT Requirements & Average ACT Score

ACT Range 

33-35 

Applicants Submitting ACT 

30%
ACT Scores for Brown University
ACT Test 25th Percentile Score
ACT Reading 25th 35
ACT Math 25th 31
ACT Composite 25th 33
ACT Scores for Brown University
ACT Test 75th Percentile Score
ACT Reading 75th 36
ACT Math 75th 35
ACT Composite 75th 35
Average ACT Score 34

ACT Scores needed to get accepted

What are the ACT requirements for prospective students to get into Brown?

Brown University is test optional. Students are not required to submit ACT scores with their application. The policy on ACT scores is "considered but not required".

Brown regularly accepts students who score 33 and above on the ACT. These students typically score in the top 2 percent nationally. The ACT composite score range for the middle 50% of students is 33-35.

Find other colleges with similar ACT score requirements

Data Sources, IPEDS for Fall 2021 starting class

Estimated Chance of Acceptance by ACT Score

Brown University admission chances by ACT score
ACT Score Competitiveness  Admission Chances 
35 and Above Good >11%
34 to 35 Avg + 6%-11%
33 to 34 Avg - 3%-6%
32 to 33 Reach 2%-3%
Less than 32 Low <2%
Calculate My Chances 

Brown GPA

GPA Requirements & Average GPA

Avg. High School GPA 

3.94*

Typical High School Grades 

A-

What GPA do you need to get into Brown University?

You are required to have exceptionally good grades to get into Brown. The average high school GPA of the admitted freshman class at Brown University was 3.94 on the 4.0 scale. This indicates that primarily A- average high school students are accepted and ultimately attend. The school ranks #1 in Rhode Island for highest average GPA. Given the school's very highly selective admissions, acceptance at Brown extremely difficult and unlikely even with a 3.94 GPA. The school should be considered a reach even if you have a 3.94 GPA.

See additional colleges accepting applicants in the 3.9 GPA range.

*This school has not released high school GPA data for its incoming freshmen. In these cases, CollegeSimply uses an AI algorithm to predict GPA based on this school's test scores and a large sample of college GPA data. 3.94 is a prediction of the school's average incoming freshman GPA.

High School Class Rank

91% of Brown University freshman were in the top ten percent of their high school graduating class.

High School Class Rank for admitted Brown University students
High School Class Rank Freshmen Within Range
Top 10% of class 91%
Top 25% of class 98%
Top 50% of class 99%
Data Source, Peterson's Data

Applying

Admission Statistics

Brown University admission statistics
Women Men Total
Applied 28,536 18,032 46,568
Accepted 1,292 1,276 2,568
Acceptance Rate 5% 7% 6%
Enrolled 846 859 1,705
Percent of Admitted Who Enrolled (Admission Yield) 65% 67% 66%
Data Sources, IPEDS for Fall 2021 starting class

Fall 2023 Application Deadline

Applications Due

Jan 1, 2023

Days left to Apply

None

The application deadline for Fall 2023 has passed. Applications were due on Jan 1, 2023.

Application Fee

The cost for prospective students to apply to Brown University is $75.

Application Requirements

What are the requirements for admission to Brown University and what student information is used for admission decisions?

Brown University Application Requirements
Test Scores Considered but not required
High School GPA Recommended
High School Class Rank Recommended
Completion of College Preparatory Program Required
Recommendations Required
Demonstration of Competencies Neither required nor recommended

Credits Accepted

High School Credits Accepted at Brown University
AP Credit No
Dual Credit No
Credit for Life Experiences No

Other Colleges to Apply To 

Students applying to Brown University often consider these colleges

Primary data source, U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=217156 IPEDS survey data for Brown University.

FAQs

Does Brown University prefer SAT or ACT?

51% of students submit their SAT scores to Brown. 30% of applicants send their ACT scores when applying.

What is my chance of getting into Brown University?

6% of those who apply are granted admission to Brown. Admission competition is extreme and the college has elite admission standards. See if your grades and scores are good enough for admission.

What SAT score is required for Brown University?

The middle 50% of addmitted applicants have SAT scores between 1460 and 1570. 51% of students submit SAT scores when applying. See if your SAT score is good enough for admission.

What ACT score is required for Brown University?

The middle 50% of addmitted applicants have ACT scores between 33 and 35. 30% of students submit ACT scores when applying. See if your ACT score is good enough for admission.