Brown says that the transfers they admit “are people who are unwilling to settle.” We like that characterization. If you are going to try to transfer into the Ivy League, you need to have the gumption to believe you deserve to be at one of the best schools in the country — and the essays, grades, scores, and extracurriculars to back it up.
While the Brown transfer acceptance rate is more than double that of Yale or Harvard, it’s definitely not easy to get in. The 2022 transfer acceptance rate at Brown was 5.2% — of 2828 applicants, 149 received a “congratulations!” email.
Those 149 students didn’t all look the same on paper. Brown makes a point of using the transfer process as a way to bring in students from community colleges, and they’ve admitted transfers from 137 countries over the last four years. The average college GPA is 3.93, so wherever the students are coming from, they’re exemplary.
If you think you measure up, you’ll need to communicate your excellence effectively. The first step is to parse out why you want to go to Brown, beyond it being world-renowned. Brown has a unique Open Curriculum, which makes the academic experience unlike any other Ivy League school. If you don’t know what we’re talking about, you need to read up on Brown’s academic format and should definitely consider working with a pro on your transfer applications. Knowing the ins and outs and unique traits of each school is critical to gaining acceptance (we can help you).
Once you’ve confirmed that Brown’s Open Curriculum is right for you, you’re ready for your essays — the first of which is all about that Open Curriculum.
Essay Question 1
Brown’s Open Curriculum allows students to explore broadly while also diving deeply into their academic pursuits. Tell us about any academic interests that excite you, and how you might use the Open Curriculum to pursue them while also embracing topics with which you are unfamiliar. (200-250 words)
This is a short supplement and will require fitting a lot into a small space, but even with only 250 words you need to tell a story that conveys passion, enthusiasm, and commitment. If you want to work towards becoming an oceanographer, tell a story about an experience you had that cemented your passion for the sea while knitting in the ways you’ll be able to pursue that goal at Brown. Whatever your passion, your response must connect academic interest, learning outside the classroom, and the Brown open curriculum in one cohesive — and short — response.
Essay 2: Brown’s culture fosters a community in which students challenge the ideas of others and have their ideas challenged in return, promoting a deeper and clearer understanding of the complex issues confronting society. This active engagement in dialogue is as present outside the classroom as it is in academic spaces. Tell us about a time you were challenged by a perspective that differed from your own. How did you respond? (200-250 words)
This question can be a bit of a trap. We’ve worked with so many students who come to us with what they think is the “perfect” answer to a question like this, only to share as draft of something out-of-touch, elitist, or even offensive. If you are from a wealthier background and considering writing about that time you went to rural Mexico or volunteered at a food pantry or had a “poor friend,” you need to stop immediately, throw out your concept, and start over. Brown isn’t asking this question because they want a big answer — they want a good answer. So instead of focusing on something that seems impressive to you, look for a small experience that is something your application reader will be able to connect with. For example, if you got in an argument with your uncle over politics at the Thanksgiving table, only to learn that something from his childhood deeply influences his beliefs, you could write about that moment of realization and link it into your interest in studying Political Science and Government.
Brown students care deeply about their work and the world around them. Students find contentment, satisfaction, and meaning in daily interactions and major discoveries. Whether big or small, mundane or spectacular, tell us about something that brings you joy. (200-250 words)
This sounds like a “fun” question, and it is, but it’s important not to lose track of what the point of this application is. You’re trying to get into Brown (if you forgot), and so every single essay question response needs to directly reference why transferring to Brown is the right move for you. This prompt is a great opportunity to highlight something that brings you joy that you can’t pursue or experience fully at your current school, and why you would be able to do so at Brown.
As you work on your essays, you need to not let your head wander too far off from the school you’re at now. You’ll need two faculty recommendations from your current college — and you need them to be glowing. Set aside time to build positive relationships with professors in your academic area of interest by going to office hours and showing up to class early, so that when you ask for a recommendation it feels like natural and they’re excited to write one for you.
If you’re overwhelmed by the idea of navigating the transfer process, and want your best chance possible of getting into Brown, send us an email. We help students like you defy transfer statistics to find their dream school.