Brown has a totally different vibe and feeling from the other Ivy League schools, and it has a huge emphasis on creativity, discovery, and intellectual curiosity. Not to say other Ivies aren’t intellectually curious, but Brown takes it to a whoooole other level. This means when you’re applying, you’re going to need to get super duper specific. It’s not enough to say you like math. What do you like about math? What kind of math? How does your interest in math tie into other programs at Brown? How will going to Brown make you the math all-star you were meant to be???

This applies to every field and interest you could pursue at Brown. To help you kick off your research, we’ve compiled a list of some of the most interesting programs, concentrations, certificates, and communities to give you an idea of the kind of specificity they’re looking for.

Most Ivies have a core curriculum (and some are super proud of it), but not Brown. Instead of a set of core classes, they trust you enough to build your own education. If this doesn’t sound cool to you, and instead sounds exhausting to figure out, then Brown miiiight not be the place for you. But you can take any class you want! Neat!

A certificate, this program at Brown is essentially a minor you can add to any major, or as they annoyingly call them, concentrations. The program is all about social justice, public, and civic issues, and you can focus on a variety of topics like criminal justice reform, educational equity, and environmental justice. This would be a great addition to a history or political science degree!

Take a deep breath, you’ve found the Mindfulness Center at Brown. Not only do they offer programs to help you achieve inner peace, they also have a ton of research opportunities. If you’re interested in how public health, mindfulness, and wellness intersect, or if you just want a place to calm down, check this out.

So it seems like this concentration is going through a , with three new paths being offered. But what’s cool about this is gaining a more interdisciplinary approach to business and economics, plus you get to do yearlong capstone projects with C-suite level executives. You can also pursue a certificate in Entrepreneurship, too!

Program Houses are residential programs that cater to a variety of interests and identities. You could live in Environmental House and share a love of composting and environmental justice with your hallmates, or French House to immerse yourself in the language and culture of the French. There are also houses for Black students at Brown, Asian students, and women. They all offer their own programming and events, so definitely check it out.

A relatively new field, Computational Biology is all about “the analysis and discovery of biological phenomena using computational tools, and the algorithmic design and analysis of such tools.” So what does this mean? You’ll use methodologies and practices from fields as diverse as computer science, applied mathematics, statistics, biochemistry, molecular biology, genetics, ecology, evolution, anatomy, neuroscience, and visualization. You can pick from biology, computer science, or applied math and statistics to narrow down your focus in this concentration.

Another certificate, Data Fluency is essentially a mini computer science program. HOWEVER – you can’t take this certificate if you’re already concentrating in Applied Mathematics, Computational Biology, Computer Science, Mathematics, or Statistics. So, you’ll be exploring this topic with other people who aren’t immersed in compsci and programming all day.

A lot of schools have build your own major programs, but Brown’s is one of the easiest to navigate. While other schools actively discourage you from pursing a program of your own design, Brown both acknowledges the challenges and encourages you to try. Just like the open curriculum, Brown seems to really value the challenge of crafting your own education to fit your own needs.

Brown’s got a lot of interesting programs – and not just the ones we’ve covered. Do a lot of research before applying, because Brown has a slightly different approach to education than the other Ivies. Getting specific about what you like about Brown and how Brown can help you achieve your goals is one of the key parts to mastering their supplemental essays.

If you’re thinking about applying to Brown and have no idea where to start, or need help building out your college list beyond your favorite Ivy, contact us today. Our counselors are experts at strategizing essays and conquering the Common App.