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College Essays

Brown admits around 5% of its total applicant pool every year. If you want to be one of those admitted students, you'll need to write amazing Brown essays as part of your application.

In this article, we'll outline the different types of essays you need to write for your Brown University application and teach you how to write a Brown supplement essay that'll help you stand out from the thousands of other applicants.

What Are the Brown Essay Prompts?

Brown requires you to complete a total of three short-answer questions if you're applying to its undergraduate program. If you're applying to Brown's eight-year medical program or the five-year dual degree from RISD, you will have to write additional essays , which we'll also cover in this article.

Each of the three undergrad Brown essay prompts has a 250-word limit . For the three additional essays for the Brown medical program, two have a word limit of 250 and one has a word limit of 500 . For the dual degree RISD program, there's only one extra essay, with a 650-word limit .

All these essays are specific to the Brown application—you won't find them on any other college or university's application.

They're also all of equal importance and should be treated as such. Each of your Brown essays should be the strongest example of your work.

The Brown essay questions offer you plenty of opportunities to show off your qualifications as an applicant and wow the admissions committee.

2022-2023 Brown Supplement Essay Questions

All first-year applicants to Brown are required to answer the following Brown supplement essay questions:

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)

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)

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)

If you're applying to Brown's eight-year Program in Liberal Medical Education (PLME) or five-year Brown-RISD Dual Degree Program (BRDD) you must complete the special program essays.

Three essays are required for applicants to the PLME:

Committing to a future career as a physician while in high school requires careful consideration and self-reflection. What values and experiences have led you to believe that becoming a doctor in medicine is the right fit for you? (250 word limit)

Health care is constantly changing, as it is affected by racial and social disparities, economics, politics, and technology, among others. How will you, as a future physician, make a positive impact? (250 word limit) 

How do you envision the Program in Liberal Medical Education (PLME) helping you to meet your academic personal and professional goals as a person and as a physician of the future? (250 word limit)

And one longer essay is required for applicants to the Brown-RISD Dual Degree Program:

The Brown|RISD A.B./B.F.A. Dual Degree Program draws on the complementary strengths of Brown University and Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) to provide students with the opportunity to explore diverse spheres of academic and creative inquiry, culminating in a capstone project that interrelates the content, approaches, and methods from two distinct learning experiences. Based on your understanding of the academic programs at Brown and RISD and the possibilities created by the BRDD program’s broadened learning community, specifically describe how and why the BRDD program would constitute an optimal undergraduate education for you. As part of your answer, be sure to articulate how you might contribute to the Dual Degree community and its commitment to interdisciplinary work. (650 word limit)

All the 2022-2023 Brown Supplemental Essays, Analyzed

In this section, we'll be looking at the 2021-2022 Brown essay prompts in depth.

Remember that with the Brown prompts, you don't get to choose which essay you would like to write —you need to answer all the questions required for your particular program of study.

Let's take a look at each of the Brown essay questions and go over how you can write something meaningful for each.

Brown Essay Prompt 1

This essay question is fairly straightforward. Brown wants to know what you're interested in pursuing academically, where those interests comes from, and how you plan to explore it at Brown—specifically, through Brown's Open Curriculum .

You need to understand what Brown's Open Curriculum means before writing this essay. Research Brown's academic model so that you can speak about it confidently and accurately.

Although Brown makes it clear that you may write about more than one subject, we suggest limiting yourself to one or two topics . 250 words is not that many—you'll want to speak in depth about your interests and you simply won't have that ability if you choose more than two.

Try to share a personal experience that relates to your potential area of study. For instance, if you want to study English literature, you could talk about a family trip to London that piqued your interest and how you want to take advantage of specific literature classes at Brown. Or, if you're studying math, you could talk about how winning a competition felt like an incredible reward for years of hard work.

Finally, the prompt also asks how you’ll use the Open Curriculum to embrace topics you’re unfamiliar with, so your response needs to show that you’re considering how to expand your academic interests to include new topics while at Brown. For instance, say your core interest is in biology but you want to integrate that with visual arts in the future. Writing about your desire to explore science through the lens of art will show that you’re prepared to use the Open Curriculum to make meaningful connections across academic disciplines, which is a core value at Brown. 

Brown Essay Prompt 2

This essay prompt is asking you to tell a story that showcases how you respond to differences and challenges when you come face-to-face with them outside of the classroom. Brown wants to know that you’re committed to intellectual engagement and dialogue with your peers not only in the classroom, but outside of it too. 

Your response here is your chance to show that you’ll be an active participant in the intellectual community at Brown even when you’re not in class . To do this, write about an experience you’ve had addressing tough issues or exploring complex ideas with people in your community, whether that’s with your friends, family, a faith community, an online group, or somewhere unexpected! 

Don’t mistake this prompt for an invitation to outline your political affiliations or beliefs. Instead, you should describe a specific scenario in which you were challenged by a new or different perspective. Highlight who was involved, how the situation emerged, and, most importantly, how you responded. Brown wants to hear about what you learned from this experience and how it changed you. 

The way you responded to the challenge will give Brown a window into your ability to engage with different perspectives. Are you willing to argue your perspective while remaining kind and empathetic? Do you fly off the handle and leave the conversation when you’re challenged? Your response to this question will help Brown see what kind of community member you’ll be as a student at Brown. Make sure your response shows that you’ll fit right in.

For more tips on writing the "Why Brown?" essay, check out our full guide .

Brown Essay Prompt 3

This is the fun prompt and a chance to let your personality and the experiences that have most influenced you win the admissions committee over.

You should write from the heart. The admissions committee should feel your deep connection to whatever you choose to describe as bringing you joy .

Remember the old grade school axiom: show, don't tell. Rather than explaining the reasons why your special something brings you joy, tell a story that portrays you experiencing that joy in real-time . Include vivid descriptions of how the experience or thing makes you feel and what it is about it that makes you feel that way. 

Finally, try to make a connection between your joy-bringing thing and how you’ll find joy as a student at Brown. This will show Brown admissions that you’re prepared to find meaning in daily interactions and discoveries during your future at Brown, not just your past. 

Brown PLME Essay Requirements

Applicants to the eight-year PLME at Brown must complete three special program essays.

PLME Essay Prompt 1

Make your answer as specific as the prompt itself. Choose a real-life example to describe here, which can be anything from a personal experience to a news story you followed closely.

Being authentic will make this essay really shine. Don't say that you want to be a physician for the job stability or the chance to be featured in a medical journal. If you have never seen a person suffering from cancer up close, don't pretend that you have—the admissions committee will smell inauthenticity from a mile away.

Instead, truly reflect on something medically related that impacted you . Maybe you had a great experience with a doctor who helped you recover from a sports injury or loved interacting with your pediatrician who let you play with his stethoscope. Whatever you choose, it should be about you and how your experiences with medicine have impacted you, not what you think Brown wants to hear. 

PLME Essay Prompt 2

There are two prompt options here, and you only need to respond to one. While they seem very different at first, both of these prompts are essentially asking: how does inequity, either in society more broadly or in your personal experience, affect your perspectives on health care?

The first prompt asks you to write about how you will take social issues and inequities into consideration in your future as a physician in order to make a difference. This prompt can feel intimidating. How can someone outside the medical profession answer this prompt with honesty, integrity, and no guesswork?

Rest assured that there's no right or wrong answer here. The admissions committee is simply looking to see that you understand that there’s more to being a doctor than just doing surgeries and making diagnoses. Your response should show that you’re reflecting on how broader societal issues affect the work that doctors do , and how you’ll navigate those issues to make a positive difference in people’s lives. 

For instance, maybe you’re concerned about the spread of misinformation surrounding treatments for certain health issues. You could write about those concerns in your response, and talk about your dreams for what you might do to combat misinformation in healthcare in the future. You don’t have to know everything about the issues you choose to write about in order to make your response authentic --you just have to be honest, passionate, and mean what you say. 

The second prompt is actually quite similar. If there are things in your personal background that give you a unique perspective on healthcare, you should pick this prompt. These things don’t necessarily have to pertain to inequities, but if you have personal experience with social disparities, you can definitely write about that here. 

For instance, if your racial identity or economic situation impacted your family’s access to healthcare growing up and that motivated you to pursue a career in medicine, you can write about those experiences (to the extent that you feel comfortable). 

There are many other types of experiences that are applicable here as well. If you have a legacy of physicians in your family, you can write about how you want to carry on that tradition. 

The bottom line here is that whatever you choose to write about should truly be unique. This isn’t the place to write about how you loved your pediatrician or were inspired by the doctor who saved hundreds of people from contracting ebola. Your experience needs to be something that few other people have had. If something isn’t really jumping out at you, respond to the other prompt!

PLME Essay Prompt 3

For this prompt, you need to do your research about the PLME program at Brown. Don't be daunted by the length of the word limit—view it as an opportunity to show how much you know about the school.

The word limit for this essay is telling: the admissions committee at Brown wants to make sure that you are serious about the program—and serious for the right reasons. So be honest!

Reference professors you are excited to work with or classes that stand out as thought-provoking or supremely fun. What does Brown's medical program offer its students that other medical programs don't? Be sure to mention specific pieces of information.

You should also discuss why you're interested in PLME versus pursuing a typical undergraduate degree and then applying to medical school. PLME is a unique program, so highlight why this model is the right fit for you.

Brown-RISD Dual Degree Essay Requirement

One essay is required for applicants to the Brown-RISD Dual Degree Program:

The Brown|RISD A.B./B.F.A. Dual Degree Program draws on the complementary strengths of Brown University and Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) to provide students with the opportunity to explore diverse spheres of academic and creative inquiry, culminating in a capstone project that interrelates the content, approaches, and methods from two distinct learning experiences.

Based on your understanding of the academic programs at Brown and RISD and the possibilities created by the BRDD program’s broadened learning community, specifically describe how and why the BRDD program would constitute an optimal undergraduate education for you. As part of your answer, be sure to articulate how you might contribute to the Dual Degree community and its commitment to interdisciplinary work. (650 word limit)

For the Brown-RISD Dual Degree Program essay, you'll need to pick out specific aspects of both Brown and RISD that appeal to you . Identify features of each school that you're attracted to, like particular classes or professors.

You should also indicate how you'll take advantage of each school. If you just wanted to study design, you'd apply to RISD. If you just wanted to study something else, you'd apply to Brown. So why do you want to go to both schools?

Describe how your work at one school will impact your work at the other. Perhaps your study of ancient Greek at Brown will inform the sculptures you make at RISD. You should depict how you see your studies at each school intersecting, and what this could possibly mean to the Dual Degree community and interdisciplinary research more broadly.

How to Write a Great Brown Supplemental Essay: 3 Tips

Regardless of which Brown supplemental essays you're responding to, you should keep in mind the following tips for how to write a great Brown essay.

#1: Use Your Own Voice

The point of a college essay is for the admissions committee to have the chance to get to know you beyond your test scores, grades, and honors. Your admissions essays are your opportunity to make yourself come alive for the essay readers and to present yourself as a fully fleshed-out person.

You should, then, make sure that the person you're presenting in your college essays is yourself. Don't try to emulate what you think the committee wants to hear or try to act like someone you're not.

If you lie or exaggerate, your essay will come across as insincere , which will diminish its effectiveness. Stick to telling real stories about the person you really are and not who you think Brown wants you to be.

#2: Avoid Cliches and Overused Phrases

When writing your Brown essays, try to avoid using cliches and overused quotes or phrases .

These include quotations that have been quoted to death and phrases or idioms that are overused in daily life. The Brown admissions committee has probably seen numerous essays that state, "Be the change you want to see in the world." Strive for originality.

Similarly, avoid using cliches, which take away from the strength and sincerity of your work.

#3: Check Your Work

It should almost go without saying, but you want to make sure that your Brown essays are the strongest possible example of your writing skills. Before you turn in your Brown application, make sure to edit and proofread your essays.

Your work should be free of spelling and grammar errors. It's a great idea to run your essays through a spelling and grammar check before you submit them.

You should also have someone else read your Brown essays. You can seek a second opinion on your work from a parent, a teacher, or a friend. Ask them whether your work represents you as a student and person. Have them check to ensure you haven't missed any typos or small writing errors. Having a second opinion will ultimately help your work be the best it can possibly be!

Recap: Key Tips for the Brown Supplement

The Brown supplemental essays cover a wide range of topics. Regardless of the questions you're answering, remember to follow these basic dos and don'ts as you're writing your essays:

• Be authentic and honest.
• Be specific when citing people, places, and experiences.
• Do your research about Brown and its unique academic model.
• Base your essays on what you think the Brown application committee wants to hear.
• Use cliches or broad sweeping statements.
• Try too hard to be funny and original—be genuine and your positive attributes will be visible to the committee

What's Next?

If you're getting ready to apply to college, it's time to learn what colleges expect from you . This article will help you better target your application to suit what each school you apply to is looking for.

Worried about how to write an amazing college essay? Read our step-by-step guide on how to write a college essay and take a look at our analysis of 100+ real college essays to get a feel for what colleges want—and don't want—to read in an application.

Hayley Milliman is a former teacher turned writer who blogs about education, history, and technology. When she was a teacher, Hayley's students regularly scored in the 99th percentile thanks to her passion for making topics digestible and accessible. In addition to her work for PrepScholar, Hayley is the author of Museum Hack's Guide to History's Fiercest Females.

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Writing the Brown Supplemental Essays 2023-2024

August 25, 2023

Known as the Happy Ivy, Brown University is at the top of many student's lists due to its emphasis on self-directed academics and its wide range of clubs and intramural sports. When reviewing applications, the admissions officers at Brown are looking for students who possess a genuine passion for community involvement, a drive to make an impact, and a fearlessness when exploring new subjects and interests. These qualities must shine through in your application, and the supplemental essays provide the perfect opportunity to demonstrate that you have what it takes to be accepted. To assist you throughout the writing process, I’ve outlined the essay prompts and provided additional tips and strategies to help you write the Brown supplemental essays for the 2023-2024 application cycle. 

Brown Supplemental Essays 2023-2024

The Brown supplemental essays offer three required prompts for all students. Applicants for the Program in Liberal Medical Education and the Brown/RISD dual degree are required to write additional essays on their interest in the respective programs. Since these questions are all required, you’ve got to bring your A-game to each of your essays. Let’s look at the prompts below and explore how you could approach them.

Required Questions (for all first year and transfer applicants)

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 pursue them at brown. (200-250 words).

InGenius Prep counselor Ryan Creps, who worked as the Senior Assistant Director of Admission at Brown, recommends that you "avoid metaphors, especially overused analogies like comparing the Open Curriculum to a buffet or trying to make a pun using the institutional name and the color." Additionally, avoid repeating the standard marketing lingo, like being the “architect of your own education.” 

Most importantly, make sure to properly familiarize yourself with the Open Curriculum before starting the writing process. The great thing about the Open Curriculum is that it allows students the freedom to design their own academic path and pursue their passions and interests outside of their primary focus area. The question wants to know how you will “dive deeply” and how you will “explore broadly” – so talk about why the Open Curriculum would allow you to study your various interests and how it would enhance your overall learning experience.

For example, a student majoring in business could choose to learn a foreign language to enhance their prospects in international business. A student majoring in biology may choose to take courses in creative writing to improve their communication skills, which would be beneficial for a future career in scientific research or healthcare administration. A student with a passion for history may choose to explore courses in computer science to gain a deeper understanding of how technology has shaped historical events. Or, a student could opt for courses like Ancient Comedy & its Influence, Kitchen Chemistry, or Atlantic Pirates – simply for the joy of learning.

Brown also loves interdisciplinary studies and research. Ryan adds, "If this applies to you, make a point of it in this essay by showing how you bring together disparate areas to form your study of a particular topic, problem, or line of inquiry." For example, you could discuss integrating psychology and sociology to explore the impact of social media on mental health or combining biology and engineering to develop sustainable solutions for environmental challenges. Highlighting your interdisciplinary interests and research experiences will show that you are well-suited to thrive in Brown's Open Curriculum, where students are encouraged to explore diverse perspectives and collaborate across disciplines. 

Ryan also notes, "The reader should feel the student’s excitement jump off the page; the admission committee uses the term academic vitality, and this is the ideal space for the student to demonstrate their fit with that term." Here are some more pro tips from Ryan:

• The standard operating procedure of referencing a faculty member doesn’t carry much weight unless the student can make the connection to their academic interest and previous experience."
• Remember to properly capitalize O pen C urriculum!

2. Students entering Brown often find that making their home on College Hill naturally invites reflection on where they came from. Share how an aspect of your growing up has inspired or challenged you, and what unique contributions this might allow you to make to the Brown community. (200-250 words)

This is a new prompt for the 2023-2024 application cycle and is the perfect opportunity for you to further share how your background has shaped you into who you are today. Students often want to talk about a challenge, but Ryan recommends that you instead "lean into how your community inspires you. It offers a much more positive essay. It’s great to see students are proud of where they are from." 

Brown is looking to bring a diverse group of students to campus to highlight the strengths of all communities. Ryan notes, "If a student hates where they are from, they aren’t likely to present that community in a good light when they get to college. For instance, there can be lots of challenges of growing up in a rural community (lack of opportunities, poor wifi, homogeneous views), but students can also champion the strengths (strong sense of community, unique traditions, beautiful star-lit nights)." Regardless of where you are from, you want to use this essay to demonstrate that you fit the values of a residential college community. This means showing an openness to learn from and share with others, a commitment to support your neighbor, and a willingness to engage in friendly competition. 

Ryan also adds, "Embrace the unique environment of your community." For example, if you have lived in the snowy upper peninsula of Michigan, you can share how this environment has shaped your identity. You can describe how the cold winters and the beauty of the snow have taught you resilience and appreciation for nature. Alternatively, if you commute to school on public transportation and constantly interact with people from different backgrounds, you can share how these experiences have broadened your perspective and fostered empathy and understanding. 

Or you could share something specific about the home where you grew up (avoid discussing summer and winter homes). Maybe you have a family tradition of cooking together on Sunday nights and plan to carry that tradition forward with college roommates. Or perhaps your home was a place where you found solace and comfort in your personal sanctuary, surrounded by books and art that fueled your creativity and imagination. It could be a home filled with laughter and the sound of music, where family and friends gathered for impromptu jam sessions and dance parties. You could also talk about how home is less about a physical location for you but rather a formative place that makes you feel secure. 

Ultimately, your response should reflect the words inscribed into the stone at the entrance to the Temple of Apollo, "Know Thyself." Brown University wants to see how you reflect on who you are now and who you aspire to be at Brown. Your experiences in your community, whether it be the snowy upper peninsula of Michigan or the diverse interactions on your daily commute, have shaped your identity and who you are today – and admissions officers want to see how those experiences have prepared you for the residential college community at Brown.

3. 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 should be the easiest prompt for you to answer because it allows you to delve into your passions and speak about what truly ignites your spirit. This isn’t a trick question – Brown admissions officers genuinely want to know what you enjoy. 

If you are struggling with what to write about, reflect on what gets you out of bed in the morning. What are you excited about in life? What puts a smile on your face? Is it the joy of creating art or the satisfaction of positively impacting others' lives? You could talk about anything you’d like: Origami or music. Your academic or research interest. A fresh cup of coffee with a friend on Saturday mornings. Playing soccer (or even video games!). It could be an abstract topic or something tangible. Ryan also adds, "It is great when this topic can be implicitly (NOT explicitly) connected to something at Brown. For example, a student’s love of teaching demonstrated through tutoring is easy to project as a college TA or a volunteer at a local elementary school.”

This essay is also the perfect opportunity to highlight interpersonal connections and the importance of community in your life. Ryan adds, "Many times, the admission committee gets to the end of an application then asks, “ Does this student have any friends? ” Those students usually aren’t admitted. This essay is a great place to show you have friends." 

Ultimately, it is important to show that you are not just an individual striving for success, but someone who also understands the power of community. By sharing stories of collaboration, teamwork, and the impact others have had on your life, you can convey that you are a motivated and accomplished individual and someone who values and cherishes the relationships that enrich your life.

Help us get to know you better by reflecting  briefly on each of the questions below. We expect that answers will range from a few words to a few sentences at most. 

1. what three words best describe you (3 words).

Here are Ryan's pro tips for this prompt:

• There are a lot of words out there. Think about which ones describe you best. 
• Beware (or embrace) the double meaning of words. Just know that you are playing to a broad audience
• Avoid politically divisive or fraught words
• Be creative and use “-” if necessary 
• These three words won’t be the reason you are admitted and are unlikely the reason you aren’t, so don’t overthink this question!

2. What is your most meaningful extracurricular commitment, and what would you like us to know about it? (100 words)

While your activity list is your chance to quantify your impact and create a broader structure for the reader to understand your experience in high school, this essay is the qualitative piece that adds color to that structure. This is where you can show the admissions office what you value, what you think about the activities you participated in, and what you will continue doing when you get to Brown. Ryan also adds, "The activity should honestly be your favorite. If you won a national science competition, but your favorite thing is sitting on the bench of your varsity basketball team, then write about basketball and it is so meaningful to you."

Remember, this prompt is all about meaning. In a world where so many students do things just for the college application, Brown wants to know what activity you genuinely enjoyed the most. An authentic answer where admissions officers can feel your excitement is one that will improve your chances of getting into Brown.

3. If you could teach a class on any one thing, whether academic or otherwise, what would it be? (100 words)

Think about an area that makes you unique, something that sets you apart from others. It could be a special talent, a unique interest, or a personal experience that has shaped your perspective. What do friends and family come to you for? What are you particularly exceptional at? Perhaps you have a knack for tying fishing flies, or maybe you are incredible at creating the perfect fusion foods. You could also consider ways that you could share your culture. Perhaps you want to teach your family’s native language, or maybe you are an international Irish stepping dancing champion and want to teach others a few steps. 

The goal is to showcase your individuality and demonstrate how your unique perspective can contribute to the diverse and intellectually stimulating environment at Brown. So, think outside the box and let your imagination run wild as you think about your class of choice!

4. In one sentence, Why Brown? (50 words)

Here is Ryan’s advice for this prompt:

• “Why not?” is not original. 
• Don’t reference the color Brown. It’s been done too many times.
• It needs to be more than just the Open Curriculum, but striking at the ethos of the Open Curriculum is a great idea
• Are there any unique institutions, research centers, or other Brown-specific opportunities that you can’t find at other highly selective schools? If so, those would be a great reference here!

Brown PLME Applicants

Three essays are required for applicants to the PLME in addition to the three essays required of all first year applicants.

1. Committing to a future career as a physician while in high school requires careful consideration and self-reflection. Explain your personal motivation to pursue a career in medicine. (250 word limit)

While it is acceptable to mention any experiences or family influences that occurred before high school and sparked your interest in healthcare, the main emphasis should be on how you have actively pursued this path during your high school years.

But most importantly, a crucial aspect to include in your essay is your clinical experience. Admissions committees are looking for applicants who have gained firsthand knowledge of the medical field. Ryan adds, “If you don’t have clinical experience, you won’t be admitted.” This is because clinical experience provides an opportunity to learn about the day-to-day responsibilities of being a doctor and demonstrates your motivation to be a doctor and serve others.

Keep in mind that this essay is not solely about curing diseases – it should be about caring for people. While a strong foundation in science is essential for a career in medicine, your essay should reflect your genuine compassion and understanding for the well-being of others. Admissions officers want to see that you possess the qualities of a good physician, including empathy, communication skills, and a patient-centered approach. 

Additionally, this essay must sound authentic. Your motivations and actions described in the essay should be consistent with your extracurricular activities, personal experiences, and letters of recommendation. Ryan notes, "If it doesn’t mesh with other parts of your application, you are unlikely to make the cut."

2. Healthcare is constantly changing as it is affected by racial and social inequities, economics, politics, technology and more. Imagine that you are a physician and describe one way in which you would seek to make a positive impact in today’s healthcare environment. (250 word limit)

This prompt is challenging you to think about the future of healthcare. Healthcare is not a stagnant field – the practices of today could be obsolete by the time you enter the profession! For this prompt, Ryan recommends that you first think about the community you want to serve: is it regionally (rural families), generationally (working with children), or disease-specific (working with Alzheimer’s patients)? Then, think about how you can make a significant impact and bring about positive change for this group of people. Rather than attempting to cover every aspect of healthcare, focus on a topic that holds personal significance to you and has the potential to shape your healthcare journey.

And while you may be tempted to explore other areas of healthcare such as business, insurance, or pharmaceuticals, stay focused on medicine. As a future doctor, your primary role will be to serve your patients and provide them with the best care possible. Ryan also adds, “I strongly recommend researching the concept of the whole patient and incorporating that into your response.”

Remember, Brown is looking for candidates who are not only passionate about medicine, but also possess the qualities necessary to be compassionate, empathetic, and patient-centered physicians. Your goal is to showcase your understanding of the evolving healthcare environment and your commitment to making a difference for your chosen community as a future healthcare leader.

3. How do you envision the Program in Liberal Medical Education (PLME) helping to meet your academic, personal and professional goals as a person and future physician? (250 word limit)

Think about the following questions when brainstorming this prompt:

• Why do you want to be part of a combined program that isn’t fast tracked?
• Why do you want to study in the Open Curriculum?
• What advantages does it provide to pre-med students that you wouldn’t get at other colleges?

Ryan cautions, "Don't say that you are applying because you won’t have to take the MCAT. You will have to take several other exams in your professional training, and admitting you don’t like taking tests could be a bad sign. Additionally, doctors have to operate in a stressful environment. Don’t emphasize that this program will allow you to relax or be less stressed in college. You likely aren’t doctor material then. Doctors are the ones expected to be the leaders and bring calmness to stressful situations.” 

Instead, research the unique features of the program and note the ones that tie in with your personal ambitions. Research Brown’s Community Health Advocacy Program (CHAP) and other unique programs available (i.e., Child Health, Creative Connections, and Healing through Harmony) through PLME and discuss how these programs would help further your goals as a future physician.

Brown|RISD Dual Degree Program Applicants

One essay is required for applicants to the Brown|RISD Dual Degree Program in addition to the three essays required of all first year applicants:

1. The Brown|RISD Dual Degree Program draws on the complementary strengths of Brown University and Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) to provide students with the opportunity to explore and engage with diverse spheres of academic and creative inquiry. The culmination of students’ five-year program is a capstone project that relates and integrates content, approaches, and methods from two distinct learning experiences. Considering your understanding of the academic programs at Brown and RISD, describe how and why the specific blend of RISD's experimental, immersive combined studio and liberal arts program and Brown's wide-ranging courses and curricula could constitute an optimal undergraduate education for you. Additionally, how might your academic, artistic and personal experiences contribute to the Dual Degree community and its commitment to interdisciplinary work? (650 word limit)

This program only admits 15 students per year, so it is imperative that you explicitly convey why you could not simply attend just Brown or just RISD. To help you properly address this prompt, I’ve broken it down to several questions below:

Question 1a: How does the specific blend of RISD-Brown create optimal education? To clearly determine what you are coming into the program to learn, research in-depth both the academic programs at Brown and RISD . What is it that you would like to learn? What do you want your education to be? Then, think about the value this program would add to your undergraduate experience that you otherwise would not get at another college. 

Question 1b: Why does the specific blend of RISD-Brown create optimal education? Now consider the reason, purpose, or cause behind applying to the program. Whereas the previous question is much more about content and logistics, this is where you dive into the deeper meaning of participating in these two distinct education programs. 

It is important to note that if you apply for this program, you must have a clear set of interests. As an undecided student for either college, it would be very hard, if not impossible, to get into this program. Ryan adds, "This isn’t a program where students should just “throw in an application” to see if they get in. The admitted students have a clear purpose in applying to this program."

Here are two key things to note:

• RISD is described as an experimental, immersive studio and liberal arts program
• Brown is described as wide-ranging courses and curricula 

Question 1c: How might your academic, artistic, and personal experience contribute to the dual degree community?

As you reflect on these three areas, think about how you would fit into the specific group of students in the program. This is a close-knit cohort that will spend a significant amount of time together, particularly during the first year at RISD. Similar to other community essays, think about collaboration, inspiration, and perhaps even healthy competition. How do you envision building meaningful relationships with your peers? 

Keep in mind that these are peers who share a passion for interdisciplinary interests, although they may specialize in different artistic and liberal arts areas. Ryan adds, "During my time at Brown, this program had never had two students ever have the same combination of concentrations in the entire history of the program. In other words, while students will share similarities in what brought them together, their own areas of focus are going to be completely different.” 

The program seeks individuals who can bring fresh perspectives and innovative approaches to problem-solving, fostering an atmosphere of creativity and collaboration. Additionally, admissions officers are interested in understanding how these experiences will add value to the collaborative and interdisciplinary nature of the dual degree community. Therefore, reflect on how your diverse background and perspectives will play a significant role in shaping the overall dynamics of the program. 

Question 1d: How might your academic, artistic, and personal experience contribute to interdisciplinary work?

Since this is an interdisciplinary program, answering this aspect of the question completely is paramount. Ryan adds, “The admissions officers want to see how you can support current interdisciplinary work and advance the work happening at both colleges.” As a result, this is the perfect opportunity for you to highlight the importance of the program's uniqueness in fostering your interdisciplinary studies. By emphasizing the potential outcomes of your work across disciplines and in society as a whole, you can showcase the value and impact of your contributions. 

When reflecting on your academic, artistic and personal experiences, be sure to provide concrete examples of how these areas inform your work and contribute to its value. For example, if you have taken courses in diverse subjects such as philosophy, biology, and sociology, you can explain how the knowledge and perspectives gained from these fields have influenced your interdisciplinary approach. If you have engaged in artistic endeavors such as painting, writing, or music, you can demonstrate how these creative outlets contribute to your ability to think critically and express complex ideas.

Furthermore, your personal experiences can provide unique insights and perspectives that enrich your interdisciplinary work. Whether it is through volunteering, community involvement, or personal challenges, you can discuss how these experiences have shaped your understanding of societal issues and motivated you to make a difference through interdisciplinary collaboration.

Additional Tips for Writing the Brown Supplemental Essays 2023-2024

Now that we’ve gone through the prompts, here are a few tips to keep in mind as you brainstorm your Brown supplemental essays:

• Emphasize community:  Remember, Brown is interested in students who are determined to make a difference in their communities and in the world. Community comes up constantly in the prompts, and for a reason. You must be a community leader and willing to work with others. Admissions officers don’t always expect that impact to be on a huge scale—they know you’re still in high school. If you’ve made even a small change in your local community, that’s also something interesting you can focus on.
• Avoid repetition:  With all of these questions asking you about your interests and favorite topics and activities, it can be easy to want to talk about the same thing over and over again. Avoid that at all costs. Each of the Brown supplemental essays are meant to add new information about you to your application. And the topic of your essay doesn’t have to stay true to the theme of your application. Brown appreciates multifaceted individuals, so don’t hesitate to write about something the reader might not have guessed about you!
• Connect your answers to Brown:  A lot of students apply to Brown because of the Ivy League status or ranking. If you’re actually interested in Brown, the supplemental essays can assist you in proving to admissions officers that you know what you’re talking about. Go through social media pages and the Brown website to jot down what you like and in your responses, show the reader that you’re as good of a fit for the school as the school is for you. Be as specific to Brown as possible, weaving in your knowledge of the school to exemplify that you’re making a well-informed decision.

In order to distinguish yourself from the competition, it is important to find ways to stand out when applying to Brown University. When answering the Brown supplemental essays for the 2023-2024 application cycle, it is crucial to convey your authentic self, highlight the communities that hold significance in your life, and articulate the impact you aspire to make in the world. Take some time to reflect on the activities and courses that have had the greatest influence on you, and use these experiences to demonstrate to the admissions officers how you will continue to make a meaningful contribution to the Brown campus. 

If you are looking for a college admissions counselor to help maximize your chances of getting into your dream school, we can help! InGenius Prep has helped more than 6,000 students around the world gain admission into the most competitive schools including Harvard, Yale, MIT, Johns Hopkins, Cornell, NYU, and more. Sign up for a free strategy call today and join the 6,000+ students we've helped get accepted into their dream schools. 

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Brown Supplemental Essays 2023-24 Prompts & Advice

August 16, 2023

Applicants to the Brown Class of 2027 were greeted with just over a 5% acceptance rate, similar to the year prior. Given that 19 of every 20 applicants are turned away–even many valedictorians with perfect test scores–aspiring Brown undergrads need to find a way to stand out from a pack of similarly credentialed teens. Fortunately, Brown provides exactly this kind of opportunity by offering three 200-250 word essays and a handful of short answers that provide applicants a chance to showcase their writing ability and craft responses that are genuine, compelling, and potentially needle-moving to the admissions staff at this Rhode Island-based Ivy. In the following blog, we will offer a detailed look at each of the Brown supplemental essays.

(Want to learn more about How to Get Into Brown University? Visit our blog entitled:  How to Get Into Brown: Admissions Data and Strategies  for all of the most recent admissions data as well as tips for gaining acceptance.)

You’ll find the Brown supplemental essay prompts for the 2023-24 admissions cycle listed below. The College Transitions team will also share their advice about how successful applicants approach each of the Brown supplemental essays.

Brown Supplemental Essays 2023-24

1) brown open curriculum essay.

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 pursue them at Brown. (200-250 words)

Let’s begin by explaining exactly what Brown’s  Open Curriculum  is…in the university’s own words, the Open Curriculum allows students to “develop a personalized course of study — they have greater freedom to study what they choose and the flexibility to discover what they love.” Getting to be the architect of your own college program is a rare opportunity that few schools other than Brown offer. With this great privilege comes great responsibility and Brown wants to know precisely how you might take advantage of this virtually unparalleled undergraduate freedom.

What topics keep you up at night? Which subject makes you read books and online content until your eyes bleed? Are there particular interests that you’ve started exploring—either in or outside the classroom—and would like to continue pursuing? If you could address one problem in the world, large or small, what would it be? Moreover, if you’re interested in several areas (which is 100% welcome at Brown) how might an interdisciplinary approach benefit you? After you’ve selected your interest area(s), you’ll then want to connect them to specific resources or offerings at Brown, which could include academic departments , classes , professors, research opportunities , study abroad programs , or internships , to name a few.

2) Brown Supplemental Essay – Background

Students entering Brown often find that making their home on College Hill naturally invites reflection on where they came from. Share how an aspect of your growing up has inspired or challenged you, and what unique contributions this might allow you to make to the Brown community. (200-250 words)

This prompt asks you to not only share a particular life experience or element of your background/cultural identity but also describe why that experience or element of your identity will help you contribute to Brown in general. Essentially, it’s asking you to take your essay’s reflection one step further—you’ll need to share why the experience or element you’ve chosen has inspired or challenged you as well as why/how you believe it will allow you to positively impact the Brown community.

Brown Supplemental Essays (Continued)

First, choose a key aspect of your experiences, background, or identity that reveals something deep and meaningful about you. (Although you could choose more than one, we’d advise against it, given that you only have 250 words in which to respond.) As you brainstorm, consider the following avenues:

• Your role in your family.
• A challenge you’ve faced.
• A formative experience or realization.
• Important aspects of your upbringing.
• Cultural, religious, community influence.

Second, you’ll need to describe both personal and future impact. Make sure that your answer reveals something about how you will live out Brown’s values or contribute to an academic/social community ( note : this should be different from the offerings discussed in your Open Curriculum essay). For the latter angle, you could name a specific  course ,   research opportunity , or extracurricular club , to name a few—perhaps living in a beach town has heavily contributed to your passion for the world’s oceans, and you seek to bring that perspective to the biology department’s research opportunities. Alternatively, you could discuss something more intangible—perhaps Brown’s mission to create inclusive communities resonates with you, and you hope to bring your experience of growing up with a neurodiverse sibling to on- and off-campus tutoring opportunities.

3) Brown Joy Essay

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)

What brings you glee, exuberance, jubilation, delight, elation, bliss…joy? There are a multitude of universal and highly relatable experiences that bring joy to one’s soul. For example, it could involve family, pets, hobbies, habits, scenes of natural beauty, literature, travel, etc. However, you could also talk about dreams for the future, more bittersweet moments, abstract thoughts, moments of glorious introversion, or a time that you  unexpectedly  felt joy.

4) Brown Supplemental Essays – Short Answer Questions (new this year!)

Help us get to know you better by reflecting briefly on each of the questions below. We expect that answers will range from a few words to a few sentences at most.

What three words best describe you?

No tricks here—the prompt literally only allows for three words. As such, make sure those three words are pulling their weight. For example, “interesting, hard-working, dedicated” could likely describe any number of Brown applicants. Instead, try to think of descriptive or evocative words that capture what makes you unique or what you most value—perhaps it’s your wit, your bibliophile tendencies, or your generosity, to name a few.

What is your most meaningful extracurricular commitment, and what would you like us to know about it? (100 words)

Out of everything you’re involved in, what stands out? What activity is near and dear to your heart? What activity has enabled you to grow the most or learned important lessons? If you could choose one of your activities to continue doing in college, which one would it be? After you’ve chosen, think about why this activity is the most meaningful or important to you—what it has allowed you to accomplish, how it has brought you personal fulfillment, and/or how it has pushed you outside of your comfort zone, among others.

If you could teach a class on any one thing, whether academic or otherwise, what would it be? (100 words)

Firstly, you’ll want to select a course centered around a topic about which you are an expert or hope to become an expert. The admissions reader is well aware that you are a teenager and not someone who has yet earned a Ph.D. Therefore, being a self-taught, informal expert is perfectly fine. You’ll then want to explain “why”—why will (or should) your passion be made relevant to a wider audience? Here are a few additional tips to keep in mind:

• Quality answers often involve the intersection of two or more disciplines.
• Course creation essays can and should reveal your ability to connect and synthesize information.
• Make sure that the topic of your course is not overly broad or already offered. The topic should not be akin to a 101 college course like Intro to Psychology…be creative (this is Brown, after all)!

In one sentence, Why Brown? (50 words)

Here, think about why you believe Brown is the best fit for you overall . To accomplish that, list every reason why you’re applying to Brown and how you believe Brown will help you reach your goals. There should be at least a few that stand out, which you can integrate into one (very long) sentence. While you can reiterate reasoning shared on other parts of the application (such as how excited you are by the linguistics department) you don’t want this response to be a straight-up repeat. As such, the strongest answers will include academic as well as social or ethos-related elements, and can reference your own short or long-term goals as well.

How important are the Brown supplemental essays?

There are a whopping 7 factors that Brown considers to be “very important” to the evaluation process. These are: rigor of secondary school record, character/personal qualities, class rank, GPA, recommendations, extracurricular activities. However, the most relevant to this blog is, of course, the Brown supplemental essays. The essays undoubtedly play a significant role in the admissions process at Brown University. They can help the committee decide whom to admit when choosing between similarly credentialed (GPA, test scores, etc.) applicants.

Want Personalized Essay Assistance with your Brown Supplemental Essays?

We have over a decade of experience helping students compose essays that help them gain acceptance to Brown. If you are interested in working with one of College Transitions’ experienced and knowledgeable essay coaches as you craft your Brown supplemental essays, we encourage you to  get a quote  today.

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How to Write the Brown Supplemental Essays 2023–2024

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As a prestigious liberal arts and Ivy League institution, Brown University has high expectations from its applicants regarding the quality of their written essays. However, these supplemental essays are by no means unapproachable. With proper planning and execution, successful essays can reflect extremely well upon an applicant, showcasing multiple facets of their personality and demonstrating the abilities that will help them thrive at this university. In this article, we will guide you through how to write the Brown University supplemental essays. 

Brown University’s 2023-2024 Prompts

Supplemental essay prompts, 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 pursue them at brown. (200-250 words), students entering brown often find that making their home on college hill naturally invites reflection on where they came from. share how an aspect of your growing up has inspired or challenged you, and what unique contributions this might allow you to make to the brown community. (200-250 words), 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), brief reflection prompts.

Note that these prompts are found in the Common App as part of Brown’s writing supplement, and are required questions, but they are not found in the Common Application section of Brown’s “How to Apply” web page.

What three words best describe you? (3 words)

What is your most meaningful extracurricular commitment, and what would you like us to know about it (100 words), if you could teach a class on any one thing, whether academic or otherwise, what would it be (100 words).

General Tips

One of the key features about each of these Brown University supplemental essays is their length: they are short. Limiting each response to 250 words maximum can be challenging, especially when discussing complex interests or topics about which you are passionate. The key to writing a succinct yet impactful essay is to limit the words spent on narrative or objective descriptions and instead devote space to emotions, thoughts, and reflections. For instance, compare…

“Painting brings me joy. When I was five years old, my father bought me my first set of paintbrushes. Since then, I have painted every day, joining art clubs in middle and high school and collaborating with peers on projects in the community. We painted murals and posters for events and local exhibitions, learning and meeting new people as we did so. My skills have improved over time, and I aim to continue my development as an artist and a creative in college and beyond.”

…to the following:

“Painting brings me joy. Ever since receiving my first set of brushes at five years old, I have embraced the challenge of setting color to paper to create brilliant images. As I improved over time, I searched for ways to share the satisfaction of art with others. Orchestrating community projects allowed me to connect with peers and express my gratitude for my hometown, and as I continue to develop my skills, I will spread that joy to an even broader audience in college and beyond.”

These two passages have the same word count, but the second much more effectively gives the reader a sense of who the writer is and what they value about their interest in painting. Instead of simply listing the factual details of an interest or event, academic or otherwise, be sure to give the reader a glimpse into your emotions and thought processes. Doing so will increase the impact of each word, allowing you to convey your meaning more succinctly.

Brown University’s Supplemental Essay Prompts

This first prompt is an iteration of the common “why us” essay type. However, Brown’s Open Curriculum, the star of its academic programming, features prominently in this supplemental essay, and students are expected to demonstrate a basic understanding of the core tenets of this curriculum.

Essentially, the Open Curriculum at Brown University allows undergraduates to forego the general education and distribution requirements mandated by most colleges and universities and instead enables students to formulate their own paths of study. Some students even develop their own majors based on personal interests that they enter with or discover along the way. This first essay asks applicants to consider how they would make the most of this unique flexibility.

First and foremost, research the Open Curriculum . Read about how current and past students have approached this opportunity, and consider how you would do so yourself. Then, brainstorm. Write out a list of your academic interests, ranging from your intended major (if you have one—no commitment necessary at this point!) to potential interests that you would like to develop further, and everything in between. For now, the more the merrier!

Consider browsing the academic offerings to find departments, courses, or tracks that align with your interests. Lastly, and arguably, most importantly, look for connections between your areas of interest and explore how you could connect them. This is the greatest and most unique benefit of Brown’s Open Curriculum: the ability to craft your own cocktail of learning experiences.

Be sure to delve into the why: Why combine the interests you choose? What added benefit do you gain by studying simultaneously across disciplines? This interdisciplinary emphasis on exploration is central to Brown’s values as a university.

This second prompt asks Brown applicants to discuss their backgrounds, past adversity, perspectives, growth, and/or community involvement. But 200-250 words is not much room to tell the story of your upbringing! If possible, choose a specific 1-3 anecdote(s) to share. Your anecdote(s) should be from your childhood and involve details about your unique upbringing.

If you have a cultural background, unusual childhood experience, or significant period of growth in your personal history, now might be the time to bring it up in your application. This essay gives you the meaningful opportunity to engage with a part of your past that otherwise wouldn’t have made it into your application; generally, applications focus on high school experiences, but this essay can (and probably should) focus on a pre-high school experience.

One pitfall that many students fall into when writing this essay is cliché. It is really easy to describe your childhood in a generic way, but the more personal and, frankly, odd you can get in this essay, the better. Authenticity and revelation of your quirks will go a long way to helping the reader remember your essay long after reading it.

Consider these questions to get your brainstorming going:

• Did you have a weird childhood habit or hobby that ended up teaching you a life lesson?
• Did you suffer bullying and come out stronger, more empathetic, and/or more sure of who you are?
• Did you have a mentor who shaped you?
• Did your hometown have a unique tradition that influenced your worldview?

Remember, growth is key in this essay. After you’ve selected your specific topic and your discrete, brief 1-3 anecdotes, make sure you clarify at the beginning of the essay who you once were, and by the end of the essay, who you are now. Displaying growth will not only evidence your maturity but also demonstrate your college readiness and ability to answer a challenging essay question.

Lastly, this third supplemental prompt is the most open-ended. This is not just a simple “extracurriculars” or “other interests” prompt, because it is so broad in its scope; as long as it brings you joy, any topic is on the table, academic, artistic, intellectual, philosophical, culinary, athletic, or otherwise. If you feel that your application so far has not done justice to an important part of yourself, then this would be an opportune place to discuss that aspect.

The prompt goes so far as to specify that the topic can be “big or small, mundane or spectacular,” so if something in particular comes to mind as you read this, then chances are it would make a strong essay, whatever it may be. The most important consideration in choosing a topic for this essay is to select something that truly does bring you joy . Readers can tell when the excitement in your tone is genuine, and that realness is what sells your essay.

As you brainstorm ideas for this essay, restrain yourself from writing about a topic that you think you “should” write about. If your true passion is baking chocolate chip cookies for your little sisters when they are feeling down, but you feel like you should write about coding because it seems more “sophisticated” or “academic,” choose the former. A genuine essay will shine through every time.

As you describe what brings you joy, try to draw the reader into your excitement. Invite them to enjoy the activity or the project with you and show them why it is that you love it. Make them love it too! Vivid descriptors and sensory details can go a long way in essays like this one, especially if your passion has a sensory component. Allow yourself and your readers to be swept up in “contentment, satisfaction, and meaning.” Joy is infectious, so fill your essay with as much of it as possible.

Brown University’s Brief Reflection Prompts

This brief reflection prompt asks you to distill your personality into a short list of descriptors: this is a huge challenge if you want to bring any nuance to your three words. However, on the flip side, although there are many “wrong” answers and many “right” answers, you’re more likely to put down a neutral answer than a “wrong” answer. In other words, if you pick three random positively connoted adjectives, for instance, those words’ impact on your application will probably be neutral or positive.

That said, there are things you can do to increase your chances of positively influencing your application with your three words: Be consistent and inconsistent.

Being consistent with the rest of your application is great, and 1-2 of your words should somehow be synonymous or consistent with the rest of your application. If you have an amazing academic record, maybe one of your descriptors is “hardworking” or “driven.” If you’re applying to study English or Creative Writing, maybe one of your descriptors is “writer” or “reader.” These are consistent descriptors, so that your response feels like it is part of the same application as the rest of your materials.

Being inconsistent allows you to add new value to your application. Maybe you’re applying to study Neuroscience, but one of your words is “illustrator” or “artistic.” Maybe your application deals with really serious topics all throughout, and yet you put that you’re “cheerful” or “playful.” Adding dimension to your personality through these words allows you to bring something new to this essay, even though it’s so short: every response on your application can help you out!

Like all of your other essay responses, this brief reflection is another moment to provide something to your application reader that they can’t get from reading the rest of your application. Note the wording of this prompt: “What would you like us to know about [your most meaningful extracurricular commitment]?” This question implies that what you would like the reader to know is something they can’t possibly already know.

In the case of some students, this brief response is the opportunity necessary to clarify something about their extracurricular commitment. For instance, maybe your most meaningful extracurricular has a weird title, and you’re concerned that your activities list in the Common App can’t possibly do it justice. Or perhaps your commitment hours for this extracurricular look strangely high or low, and you’d like the chance to explain it.

In the case of other students, the activities section of the Common App does their activities justice, and thus this essay is a bonus to bring more nuance to their most meaningful activity. If that sounds like you, here are some tips to make this essay response the strongest it can be.

• Answer your FAQ(s). If you describe this activity to your friends, do they all ask the same silly question? For instance, if you’re a coxswain on a rowing team, and people always ask you “What’s the point of your position and why do you need to train?”, you could take this essay as an opportunity to explain the importance of your position and why you train with the rest of the team.
• Make it personal. College admissions officers have seen a lot, and they have probably seen many applicants with the same or similar extracurricular as you. Clarify why you as an individual find meaning in this extracurricular, and how this extracurricular fits into your life.
• how you’ve grown through this activity
• how this activity has changed you
• how you have changed the activity
• how your growth has impacted your relationship with the activity.

This final prompt toes a fine line: many students who answer this question earnestly end up sounding full of themselves. There are three main ways to answer this question. Either you suggest teaching a class on something you legitimately have deep knowledge of, you suggest teaching a class on something you obviously have no knowledge of, or you suggest teaching a class on something you might have some knowledge of.

If you already have deep knowledge of the subject of your imaginary class , then humbly clarify this before listing your reasons for wanting to teach a class on it—specifically, reasons other than just “I am (already) an expert in this topic.” For instance, you might be an extremely talented potter, but your pottery talents don’t come up elsewhere in your application. Thus, you’ll need to discuss your pottery talents briefly, authentically, and modestly before describing why you’d like to teach a pottery class.

If you obviously don’t have knowledge of the subject of your imaginary class , then you’ll want to briefly express why you’d like to know about this topic before delving into why you’d like to teach a class on it. And again, your reasons for teaching this class need to be more than just that you’d like to be an expert who is capable of teaching a class in it. For instance, if you’d like to teach a class on how to safely jump out of a plane, you’re going to first want to clarify why you’d like to be an expert in jumping out of planes before explaining why you’d like to teach other people how to jump out of planes.

If you have some knowledge of the subject of your imaginary class , then you’ll want to clarify the limited extent of your knowledge before explaining why you’d like to learn more about this topic and teach a class on it. For instance, if you would like to teach a class on particle physics, you’ll want to briefly express how much/little you know about the topic. Then, you’ll want to explain why you’re compelled to learn more and to teach people more about particle physics.

When wrapping up your brief reflection, you may want to give an indication of how you will teach the class and/or to whom you would like to teach the class, but this is totally up to you and depends on how many words you have left over.

If you need help polishing up your Brown University supplemental essays, check out our College Essay Review service. You can receive detailed feedback from Ivy League consultants in as little as 24 hours.

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The Ultimate Guide to 2022-2023 Brown Supplemental Essays

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How to Respond to the 2023/2024 Brown Supplemental Essay Prompts

Cece Gilmore is a Content Writer at Scholarships360. Cece earned her undergraduate degree in Journalism and Mass Communications from Arizona State University. While at ASU, she was the education editor as well as a published staff reporter at Downtown Devil. Cece was also the co-host of her own radio show on Blaze Radio ASU.

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Maria Geiger is Director of Content at Scholarships360. She is a former online educational technology instructor and adjunct writing instructor. In addition to education reform, Maria’s interests include viewpoint diversity, blended/flipped learning, digital communication, and integrating media/web tools into the curriculum to better facilitate student engagement. Maria earned both a B.A. and an M.A. in English Literature from Monmouth University, an M. Ed. in Education from Monmouth University, and a Virtual Online Teaching Certificate (VOLT) from the University of Pennsylvania.

Brown University is a private Ivy League research university located in Providence, Rhode Island. Brown is an extremely selective and prestigious university with an acceptance rate of around 6% . In order to apply, students must complete four Brown supplemental essays.

Before answering the Brown supplemental essays, figure out if Brown is the right fit for you! Spend some time assessing whether Brown is “the place” to spend the next four years. Once you’ve decided that Brown is right for you, it’s time to dig into Brown’s supplemental essay questions. Our guide to answering Brown University supplemental essay questions will help you get started!

Before answering the essay questions 

All Brown University applicants have to respond to three 200-250 word supplemental essays. 250 words is not a lot. Therefore, it is best to be direct and concise with your responses! To ensure you do not drag on, brainstorm! This will allow you to plan out responses carefully to fit your personality into your response without it being too long. 

If your response ends up being too long, try to get rid of filler or transition words. Give your essay to someone you trust to read it over to help get fresh eyes to eliminate words as well! 

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 pursue them at Brown. (200-250 words)”

Through your research you should have discovered that Brown has something called an Open Curriculum. Essentially, there are not the stereotypical core classes that need to be completed at Brown but rather a more flexible and personalized curriculum. There is no set core class list that you must take. Meaning, if you don’t enjoy reading English literature, you may not have to take an English Lit class. 

Therefore, your response should show that you know this and are excited about it! This is one of the factors that makes Brown stand out from other schools.

Be sure to discuss what specifically you are excited to study using the open curriculum. Brown puts a lot of emphasis on their students choosing their own academic paths. Therefore, you need to specify how this freedom will allow you to prosper in your future goals. 

Think about what you plan on majoring in. How will this open curriculum allow you to gain knowledge on this topic? You need to demonstrate how invested in furthering your education you are. 

Questions to consider

• What do you want to major in?
• Why are you excited to attend a school that has an open curriculum? 
• Why is learning new things important to you? 

Essay question #2

“ Students entering Brown often find that making their home on College Hill naturally invites reflection on where they came from. Share how an aspect of your growing up has inspired or challenged you, and what unique contributions this might allow you to make to the Brown community. (200-250 words) ”

Brown wants to accept students who constantly challenge themselves and their beliefs. Brown wants to see that you are comfortable with your ideas being challenged while attending their university. 

Think about how your unique upbringing has inspired or challenged you and how you can use what you learned moving forward. For example, has your upbringing in a family of religious faith been a positive part of your life? How so? Perhaps your experiences were the opposite in that you felt constrained. How will you contribute to the Brown community by reflecting upon your past experiences? In order to impress admissions officers at Brown, make sure you are being true to yourself. No matter what you talk about, show that you are open-minded and alright with listening to the ideas of others even if they differ from your own.

• How have you been challenged in the past? 
• Have you ever changed your mind on a topic?
• What is a topic you are passionate about? 

Essay question #3

“ 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 essay question is all about you! When you were reading this prompt, what was the first thing you thought of? 

This prompt is very broad which gives you creative freedom in your writing. You can choose to write about an important person in your life, how volunteering at your local shelter brings you so much happiness or how baking homemade cakes to brighten your friends’ days is your favorite thing to do. The opportunities are literally endless. 

Even though there are a lot of options of what you could write about, be sure to stay true to you. Brown wants to learn all about you and your personality. Therefore, make sure you are being unique and true to yourself throughout your response. 

• What makes you happy? 
• Who inspires you? 
• What clubs or extracurricular activities are you involved in? Which do you enjoy the most? 

Next steps after applying to Brown University

Now that your Brown supplemental essays are submitted, the hard part is over. After you submit your fine-tuned application with stellar supplemental essays, there are still a few things you can do to optimize your chances. Continue to show demonstrated interest in Brown University so they know you are committed and prioritizing their school (even if you have a few other top choices.) 

This can be done by:

• following their social media accounts
• reaching out to admissions officers
• scheduling an in-person or virtual tour
• reading up on what you want to get involved in on campus 

Essentially, showing interest and staying connected will allow you to get that extra foot in the door and make your name known. Exploring your interest in Brown will also help solidify if it is the best university for you. 

Additional resources

As a student working on college applications and finishing up high school, you are no doubt busy. Our concise guides on how many schools to apply to and how to find safety, reach, and match schools will help you use your time more wisely. 

With so many test optional colleges, you might be wondering whether to send test scores to test-optional schools . Luckily, we’ve got a guide for that as well. Create a college comparison spreadsheet when those acceptances start rolling in to help make your final college choice. Throughout your higher education journey, make sure that you apply for all the scholarships you qualify for!

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How To Stand Out In Your Brown Supplemental Essays 2022/23

The Brown University Supplemental Essay questions allow you to talk about your interests and aspirations so admissions officers can get to know you better and see if you’re a good fit for their school. These questions also give you an outlet to explain why you believe a Brown education will help further your passions and interests.

What are Brown University’s Essay Prompts for 2022/23?

Brown’s supplemental essay prompts remain unchanged from the previous application year.

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)

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), 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).

My Brown Supplemental Essay

How to Answer Prompt 1

Brown’s open curriculum allows students to freely explore their interests while diving deeper 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 first essay combines two classic admissions questions: “Tell us about your interests” and “Why Brown?” The primary goal of this essay is to show genuine passion or intellectual curiosity in your areas of interest and how Brown will help you pursue these interests. Clarity and concision are critical for this essay.

1. Talk about your experiences

For the first part, talk about the experiences that drew you to your current interests.

Ask yourself the following:

• Did they evolve because you were looking for ways to help or challenge people, or were they strictly personal endeavors?
• Did a particularly inspiring book, teacher, or experience first get you interested in a certain subject?
• How has your passion for this subject grown or developed over time?

It’s perfectly fine to be undecided. Instead, describe specific areas of interest you may pursue.

The focus should be on the reasons why you find a subject so compelling rather than why you’re so amazing at it . Keep your tone humble and self-aware. If you choose to talk about a particular skill you find rewarding or challenging, don’t be afraid to talk about your struggles. Admissions officers find stories and personal experiences interesting. Stories also help them see another angle of your personality and character.

2. Talk about how Brown will further your interests

Now that you have engaged the admission committee with your interests, explain why Brown’s Open Curriculum will help you further your interests. One of the most unique aspects of Brown is that students can choose their own course of study in place of general requirements .

A Brown student might be a biomedical engineer who has taken every Ancient Egyptian archeology course, a comparative literature student who originally intended to study applied math, or a neuroscientist double-concentrating in philosophy. Brown wants to know how you’ll use this flexibility to explore your interests in a way that might not be possible elsewhere .

A solid response to this question integrates gathered knowledge about Brown’s specific offerings into a personal narrative based on your stated interest. Your research and personal insight demonstrate how Brown’s unique opportunities represent an obvious next step in your development.

Utilize Brown’s website as much as possible to brainstorm specific ways the Open Curriculum will help you further your interests. You can even search Researchers @ Brown to connect your interests with the specific interests of professors.

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How to Answer Prompt 2

While the first essay helped Brown admissions learn more about you and how you will benefit from attending Brown, the second essay discusses how Brown will benefit from having you on campus . Admissions teams strive to create diverse classes that come from various backgrounds, but they also seek students who can work together to better the community.

Think about moments in your life that challenged you. Take particular note of:

• the specific time and place in which this situation occurred
• your reaction to the challenge.

The way you react to the challenge shows your thought process and analysis of the opposing point of view.

A complex and nuanced topic that’s not too polarizing is a good choice for your essay . Since you only have a set amount of words, your humility and sensitivity should be paramount. Additionally, conclude your essay by noting how you will bring the skills you learned from this experience into the Brown community.

How to Answer Prompt 3

This prompt gives you several options, including “small, mundane, or spectacular.” Choose something that brings you genuine joy . Your response shouldn’t simply be a play-by-play of your position in a chosen sport or activity. Instead, focus on a specific place in time or memory that stands out. Be clear, detailed, and original.

Think deeply about your life, your family, and your surroundings. If you are having trouble identifying a unique topic, start with the five senses .

• What do you look at that makes you happy?
• Does a particular smell evoke happiness?
• Have you ever touched something that made you smile?

Remember that witnessing the joy of others is also an option, like being a “gift giver” who revels in presenting loved ones with a surprise.

Your focus reveals a lot about you, so think about how you want to be perceived. You can write about a personal experience or how you shared your joy with someone else. Maybe you witnessed something new, or you find joy in your everyday life.

The essay can be humorous or serious, light or dark. You might even describe something seemingly small and beautiful only to you. Whatever you choose, make sure you are humble and that your joy is not at the expense of another person .

How Crimson Can Help You Get Into Brown University

Crimson takes a personal approach when it comes to helping students with their supplemental essays. Advisors get to know their students by talking with them about their dreams, aspirations, goals, and any aspect of their story that’s unique.

Crimson student Rohan recently got into Brown University . See how Crimson helped him with his extracurriculars, test prep, essay writing, and more!

How Crimson Student Rohan Got Into Brown University

Final Thoughts

While writing these essays, ask yourself if each sentence offers unique insight that’s original to you. Admission officers don’t want to read cookie-cutter answers that anyone could have written. The strongest essays prominently feature personal reflections and don’t linger on accomplishments. Only mention your achievements if you can directly relate them to Brown. Write about how these achievements will help you contribute to the Brown community, and how an education from Brown will help you develop your existing skills and thrive in your future career.

Through their open curriculum, Brown University encourages independent thought and academic exploration. They want to see those qualities in their students. Showcase how you’ve explored outside the box and your unique interpretations of the world around you. You’ll catch the attention of Brown admissions with thoughtful answers and a unique perspective.

What Makes Crimson Different

Key Resources & Further Reading

• Harvard Supplemental Essay
• Columbia Supplemental Essay
• Princeton Supplemental Essay
• Cornell Supplemental Essay
• MIT Supplemental Essay
• University of Chicago Supplemental Essays
• Acing your College Application Essay: 5 Expert Tips to Make it Stand Out from the Rest
• How to Tackle Every Type of Supplemental Essay
• What are the Most Unusual US College Supplemental Essay Prompts?

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Brown Essays Examples

Brown essays examples .

If you’re applying to Brown University, reading Brown essays examples can help you begin to craft your own supplements. The Brown supplemental essays are a critical part of the admissions process. In this guide, we’ll look at several Brown essays examples and describe what made them stand out. 

Brown is an Ivy League school, ranked #13 nationally by U.S. News & World Report. Located in Providence, Rhode Island, Brown is one of the most competitive schools in the nation. Like our Brown supplemental essay examples, your Brown supplemental essays should tell the Brown admissions team what makes you unique. They should also highlight why you would be a great addition to the “ ever-changing tapestry that is Brown University.” 

In this guide, we’ll first review the Brown application requirements. Then, we’ll dive into some Brown essays examples that worked , including some Brown university open curriculum essay examples, Why Brown essay examples, and a why this major essay example. We’ll also offer more tips on how to write Brown supplemental essays.

How many essays does Brown University require?

According to their website , Brown requires three different supplemental essays. These prompts shift over the years but often cover similar topics. We’ll go over many different types of Brown essays examples to ensure you have all the guidance you need. 

In this guide to Brown essays examples, we’ll go over Brown’s different essay prompts and how to answer them. We’ll look at some Brown university open curriculum essay examples, which are unique to Brown. Additionally, we’ll look at some extracurricular essay examples from admitted students. You’ll find this type of essay prompt on a lot of college applications.

Before we get into the Brown essays examples, let’s go over the prompts for the Brown university supplemental essays.

What are the Brown University essay prompts?

Here are the prompts for the Brown University supplemental essays:

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)

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), 3. 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).

Keep in mind that the Brown supplemental essays change year to year. So, some of the Brown essays examples below might not align perfectly with these prompts.

However, regardless of whether the Brown essays examples reflect these prompts, they can still help you craft your own college essays. So, use these Brown essays examples to help you address any Brown supplemental essays you might encounter. 

While we don’t have Brown supplemental essay examples for each question, this guide will include essays that address all of these major themes. These include Brown university open curriculum essay examples, essays about community, extracurricular essays, and other types of Brown supplemental essays. 

Brown Supplemental Essay Examples #1 – Why Major

We’ve covered some of the basics about the Brown university supplemental essays. Next, let’s dive into the first of our Brown essays examples. 

This essay prompt focuses on your intended major or academic path at Brown. This type of essay is pretty common among college applications. So, you’ll likely find a similar prompt in one of the Brown university supplemental essays. 

1. Why are you drawn to the area(s) of study you indicated earlier in this application? If you are “undecided” or not sure which Brown concentrations match your interests, consider describing more generally the academic topics or modes of thought that engage you currently. (150 word limit)

Brown essays examples #1.

A Brown liberal arts education will let me combine my separate academic passions together, which makes me excited to enter undecided. Currently, I am interested in Brown’s International Relations program, where I hope to use an interdisciplinary approach to study modern global issues. I’m drawn to understanding the economic systems in Latin American nations that are in the midst of political turmoil, such as the controversy behind Colombia’s guerrillas. I’m also interested in the ethnic and religious conflicts in underdeveloped Asian nations, particularly through the lens of sociology and politics. In addition, I hope to take “Politics of Globalization” because I’m curious to see how the natural resources in third world countries are used by wealthier nations like the United States. Finally, as an IR student, I will have the privilege of concentrating in Latin American Studies in order to further understand the global aspects of my Hispanic culture.

Why this essay worked

Like any good why this major essay example, this paragraph conveys three main points. First, what would you like to study? Secondly, why would you like to study it? And third, why would you specifically like to study this at Brown ?

Students often know the answer to the first question but haven’t given much thought to the second or third. In the first of our Brown supplemental essays examples, our student highlights their interest in many global issues. Then, they get specific about what issues fascinate them the most. They also communicate their desire to pursue Latin American Studies and learn more about their own culture. 

Centering what Brown offers

The most compelling part of the first of our Brown essays examples answers the third question: why would you like to study this at Brown? As a liberal arts school, Brown is a great fit for a student who wants an interdisciplinary education. This student lists specific Brown majors, like International Relations, and a specific class name. In this, the writer highlights that they’ve done thorough research into the school. This is a great way to show the Brown admissions committee that you’re invested in Brown over other colleges. 

This Brown essays example is short and to the point. Since you only have 150 words, you want to make sure that every single one counts. So, every word of your Brown University supplemental essays should highlight who you are and why you want to attend Brown.

Remember, you don’t have to be 100% sure about your intended major when you apply. In fact, our Brown essays examples show how you can talk about multiple interests without seeming indecisive or unfocused. Even if you’re undecided, you should at least list some Brown majors to show that you’ve done your research.

Let’s move on to the next of our Brown essays examples: the why Brown essay examples.

Why Brown Essay Examples

The Why Brown essay examples are some of the most important Brown supplemental essay examples to understand. We’re including a why school essay example because most colleges ask for an essay in this style. So, you can use our why Brown essay examples to help you tackle a variety of similar prompts. 

Historically, Brown has had two slightly different prompts. In this Brown essays examples guide, we’re going to include both options for our why Brown essay examples. These include the Brown University open curriculum essay examples and a classic why school essay example. 

 2. Why Brown, and why the Brown Curriculum? (200 Word limit)

As I walked down the Main Green, the tour guide explained that Brown students were advocating for low-income applicants to obtain a fee-waiver. Hearing this showed me what the Brown community values. The community I was raised in didn’t emphasize higher education, and most of the people I grew up with ended up dropping out of school. Thus, I plan to participate at the First Generation and Low Income Student Center by serving as a mentor to students who also once felt that college was impossible.

Brown’s Open Curriculum motivates me to see courses not as a requirement, but as a chance to be in a classroom filled with genuine excitement. I’ll use my independent nature and open-mindedness to explore classes like “Film and the Third Reich,” combining my love for cinema and history. Brown will expose me to diverse intellectual topics outside of my concentration—I can already picture myself taking French at Marston Hall and walking to Robinson Hall for Econometrics.

As a first-generation student, I must not only represent myself on campus, but my parents and my cultural background as well. At Brown, I know I will be able to represent my community.

Why did this essay work?

The first of our why Brown essay examples answers the more detailed prompt: Why Brown, and why the Brown curriculum? Our Brown University open curriculum essay examples are specific to Brown and its offerings. 

The Brown curriculum is unique among Ivy League schools. Brown has an “ open curriculum ,” which means that instead of requiring core classes or subjects, Brown students can shape their whole education. This essay is one of our Brown University open curriculum essay examples. It makes it clear that the student not only understands this unique curriculum, but also knows how they would take advantage of it. 

Like many strong Brown essays examples, this essay begins with an anecdote of the student touring Brown. This is a good rhetorical device—always incorporate a hook at the beginning of your essay if you have space. Moreover, this anecdote proves that the student has invested time and interest in going to Brown. They’ve been on the tour, they’ve learned about the open curriculum, and they know which buildings have French classes and which have econometrics. 

In #2 of our why Brown essays examples, this student also speaks to their upbringing and heritage. Remember, your supplements are one of the only ways that the Brown admissions committee can learn who you are. So, the more that you can tell them in 200 words, the better. 

Next, we have another of our why Brown essay examples. This one is more straightforward:

3. Why Brown? (150 word limit)

Brown’s open curriculum, along with its great emphasis on interdisciplinary concentrations is unique among universities: As a student interested in courses like NEUR 1740, The Diseased Brain: Mechanisms of Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders and ANTH 0300: Culture and Health from two seemingly unrelated concentrations, I would love to take the opportunity to explore widely as an undergrad at Brown. Doing research under professors like Dr. Mason, exploring anthropological viewpoints in class and looking at the stigma surrounding HIV testing in Taiwanese/Chinese culture would allow me to draw upon my own cultural experience. 

The cultural and social nexus also fits issues I encountered at Teen Line; callers talked about their own community’s condemnation about LGBTQ identity. The attention to social issues found at Brown will become my home away from liberal California where I can speak to mental health issues in various cultures.

The third of our Brown essays examples also mentions Brown’s open curriculum. So, as you’ve likely realized, the open curriculum is an important part of what makes Brown unique. 

Whenever you write a “why school” essay, make sure to do as much research as possible. Read their whole website, look up classes and majors, research professors and see what research they’ve published, and look for any interesting clubs or organizations. As of our Brown University open curriculum essay examples, this essay highlights a key feature of Brown’s educational ethos. 

Like our other Brown essays examples, this essay highlights the writer’s cultural background. They weave this fact into their academic interests: it’s clear that they care about how culture affects mental health and psychology. Moreover, they even found a specific professor whose work speaks to issues that affect their culture. 

Before we move on to other Brown essays examples, let’s recap some main takeaways from our why Brown essay examples. 

• Do your research! The Brown admissions team wants to know that you have put as much effort into researching their school as they have into reading your application.
• These are why Brown essay examples, but they should also tell Brown why you belong on campus. It’s not enough to say “Brown has a strong literature program.” Instead, you should explain what you would do in that program and why you want to participate in it. 
• Use any opportunity you can to tell the admissions committee something they haven’t learned about you yet. For instance, maybe the author of one of the above Brown essays examples listed that they worked at Teen Line on their extracurriculars. However, their Brown supplemental essays can explain why they’re interested in mental health, what they experienced at Teen Line, and how they would develop that interest at Brown. So, use your Brown University supplemental essays to expand on the key parts of your profile. 

Next, let’s move on to some other Brown essays examples. 

Brown Essay Examples

The next of our Brown essays examples asks about your background and upbringing. This essay is a chance for you to tell the Brown admissions committee something about you. This should include where you grew up, what your values are, and how you developed them. 

4. Tell us where you have lived – and for how long – since you were born; whether you’ve always lived in the same place, or perhaps in a variety of places. (100 word limit)

Brown essay example.

The tiny apartment I live in is one of many that crowd a small Hispanic neighborhood called Jackson Heights in Queens, NY. Being NYC born and raised has influenced my image of the ideal, inclusive community. The world recognizes New York for its beautiful skyscrapers, but I see beauty in busy streets and endless ethnic diversity. The little things most tourists won’t pay attention to—the subways filled with diverse commuters, the people protesting at Union Square, the Dominican bodegas on every corner—are the parts I cherish most. While visitors watch the Empire State Building, I watch all the working people.

Wow– in only 100 words, the fourth of our Brown essays examples tells us so much about who this student is!

Though this prompt in the Brown essays examples seems like a simple question, this student understood that the admissions committee doesn’t really care about your address or the color of your bedroom. Instead, Brown wants to learn about the way your childhood home has affected you. 

Telling your story

This student tells a story in a very short space. Their New York isn’t the same as the tourists’ New York. The beauty of the city isn’t due to its shiny facade, but because of the people in it. The last sentence summarizes the essay beautifully, contrasting what tourists watch with what the student notices. 

The fourth of our Brown essays examples also touches on how the student’s upbringing has led them to desire an inclusive community. Colleges often represent themselves as havens of inclusivity. Many of them also include essay questions that speak to community or diversity. Even if the college doesn’t ask explicitly about those qualities, your essay should still reflect your chosen university’s values. You can find these values on schools’ websites or in other official communications.

Now, let’s move on to other Brown supplemental essay examples. Still, note that many tips we’ve covered can apply to your Brown University supplemental essays regardless of the prompt! 

Brown Supplemental Essay Examples

For the fifth of our Brown supplemental essay examples, we’ll read about community. Many colleges have supplemental essay prompts that ask about community. So, as you read, think about how this essay could be altered to fit a prompt from another school!

5. We all exist within communities or groups of various sizes, origins, and purposes; pick one and tell us why it is important to you, and how it has shaped you. (100 word limit)

Brown supplemental essay example.

I’ve watched an endless cycle of girls trade in their cap and gown for baby strollers, leaving behind their education. These circumstances inspired me to become a mentor for younger girls through the nonprofit Powerplay NYC, which helps girls from under-resourced neighborhoods through health and fitness. This experience taught me that I’m capable of guiding these girls through the trials of life. Higher education will transform me into the Michelle Obama they need; I want to inspire girls to never lose sight of their own potential. If anything, I don’t want to prosper despite my background, but because of it.

Okay, fine, our question about the next of our Brown supplemental essay examples was a bit of a trick. In fact, you’ll notice that this student does not mention Brown once in this essay! 

This is a risky move for Brown university supplemental essays. However, if the essay is strong enough, you can pull this off. Notably, this one of our Brown supplemental essay examples is also quite short. If you only have 100 words, you don’t always need to discuss the school. 

This student explains how watching girls in her community leave education due to pregnancy has not only inspired her to pursue an education herself, but also to give back to her community. A college education would allow her to be the mentor she believes her community needs. 

Note that in this Brown supplemental essays example, this student doesn’t specify the exact “community” she’s talking about or go into extreme detail about her job at Powerplay NYC. The prompt only allows for 100 words, and she doesn’t have any to waste. In a longer version of this essay, this student might include more detail and be more specific about how Brown would help her achieve her goals. But with only 100 words, you have to prioritize the most important parts of the story.

The next of our Brown supplemental essay examples is about extracurricular activities . This type of essay prompt is very common. So, read on to see why these extracurricular activities essay examples worked. 

Brown Essay Examples – Extracurricular Activity Essay

You might not need to answer this question for your Brown application. However, reading extracurricular activities essay examples can be very useful for your other college applications. This one of our Brown supplemental essay examples puts you right in the shoes of a student working in a Museum.

6. Please briefly elaborate on one of your extracurricular activities or work experiences. (150 word limit)

Brown extracurricular activity essay example.

Set up the microscope. Pick up the bacteria slides. Keep every station clean. These tasks ran through my head every Saturday during junior year, when I interned at the American Museum of Natural History. I was responsible for setting up carts and speaking to the public about each cart’s purpose. Each cart had a unique topic ranging from “Biodiversity” to “Advanced Mammals.” My favorite was “Living in Water” because I used a biological microscope to view snails and zooplankton while teaching visitors how marine life connected to today’s ocean pollution. I was impressed by each visitor—from the 5-year-old boy who knew all about Saturn to the foreign exchange student from Argentina who was studying microbiology—because they all shared their passions with me. This experience has influenced me to explore my intellectual curiosity in college so that I can one day share my passions with others as well.

The next of our Brown supplemental essay examples does a great job of something that you’ve probably heard about from your English teachers: showing, not telling. 

Instead of saying “I always helped set up the microscope at my job at the museum,” the student puts you directly into their head: “Set up the microscope. Pick up the bacteria slides. Keep every station clean.” These brief, instructive phrases draw the reader into these Brown supplemental essay examples and make them want to learn more about this student’s experience.

The writer of our Brown supplemental essay examples also connects this anecdote not only to an academic interest but to their intellectual curiosity overall. As you might have seen in the Brown University open curriculum essay examples, Brown specifically prides itself on students forging a creative academic path. This is a great example of how to write Brown supplemental essays compared to other college essays. 

Now that we’ve gone over some Brown supplemental essay examples, let’s zoom out a bit. Sure, you might write an essay so strong it ends up as one of our Brown University open curriculum essay examples. But, how much does Brown care about supplemental essays?

Does Brown care about supplemental essays?

You’ve read and analyzed all of these Brown supplemental essay examples, but does Brown even care about supplemental essays? The short answer is yes. 

Your application will have many different components. There’s your Common App essay, your extracurricular list, your grades and test scores, and your letters of recommendation. The admissions committee will look at your application holistically: this means that they’ll consider all aspects of the application. 

The Brown website states that the most important part of your application is your academic standing in high school. However, this doesn’t mean that the Brown supplemental essays aren’t important—or that you shouldn’t take the time to read Brown university essay examples. 

These Brown University essay examples demonstrate many different ways to weave your life story and your values into your responses. Even if the essays aren’t the most important part of your Brown application, they provide you an opportunity to distinguish yourself from other applicants. After all, if two students have similar grades and scores, their essays can make a major difference in terms of who makes the cut. 

How to write standout Brown essays?

In our guide to Brown University essay examples, you’ve seen how other students have written stellar Brown essays. But how can you use what you learned in these Brown University essay examples to figure out how to get into Brown?

First, make sure that just like in these Brown university essay examples, you use impeccable spelling and grammar. This is a pretty basic ask, but you’ll notice that all these Brown University essay examples have that in common! Read your essay out loud, have a parent or a friend read it, or use an online grammar checker to make sure your syntax is flawless. 

Another tactic you can use to make your essays stand out is also pretty simple: be true to who you are! It’s corny, but each college class is made up of individuals. The students that wrote these Brown University essay examples might not have won Nobel Prizes or been featured on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list , but they were introspective about what makes them unique. Moreover, as our Brown University essay examples reflect, these students were honest and vulnerable in communicating that to the admissions committee. 

Remember: the authors of these Brown university essay examples are students just like you. If you write well-structured essays that share your story with the admissions committee, you might end up on our next list of Brown University essay examples that worked. 

More CollegeAdvisor resources about Brown University

Aside from our guide on Brown university essay examples that worked, CollegeAdvisor has many other resources that can help you learn how to get into Brown—including this guide on how to do just that!

If you want to learn more about the questions behind these Brown University essay examples, check out our guide on the Brown supplemental essays. Along with Brown University essay examples, this guide will go into more detail on the essay prompts, application information, deadlines, and the Brown PLME essays. 

The Brown PLME essays are prompts that students can use to apply Brown’s unique baccalaureate-MD program—the only one in the Ivy League. Brown also has special essay prompts for students who want to apply to a dual degree for Brown and the Rhode Island School of Design. Check out our guide to these more specialized Brown university essay examples here .

Webinars and other application resources 

For more advice on completing your Brown application outside of Brown University essay examples, we have webinars featuring recent alumni and admissions officials who can answer any questions you might have. If these Brown University essay examples made you curious about other Ivy League collegess, you can learn more about the Ivies here !

So you’ve read the Brown University essay examples, written some stellar supplements, applied to Brown, and been accepted. Congratulations! Before you get to campus, read our guide on making the most of your first year at Brown, or this one on Brown’s incredible English major . 

Brown Essay Examples – 5 Takeaways

Now that we’ve reached the end of our guide, you should have a better idea of how to write Brown supplemental essays. Here are our five main takeaways on how to write Brown supplemental essays:

Five key takeaways for writing Brown supplemental essays

#1- write to the prompt.

Even though the Brown University supplemental essays change year to year, there are common themes that you can write about in your essays. These include community, extracurriculars, your upbringing, and your academic pursuits. Our why Brown essay examples and why major essay examples are common features of other college essay prompts as well. 

#2- Be personal and detailed

Use these supplemental essays as a way to tell the admissions committee something they don’t already know about you. There’s only so much someone can understand about who you are from your GPA—don’t be afraid to be introspective and honest!

#3- Do your research

Always make your essays specific to the school—our Brown University open curriculum essay examples exemplify how important it is to do your research on the school and convey how the Brown majors specifically will be a good fit for you.

#4- Think about the structure of your essay

Keep structure in mind: weave in anecdotes, start your essay with a hook, and make sure to have impeccable spelling and grammar. 

#5- Be concise

Many of these supplemental essay questions have very low word limits. So, be intentional about what points of your story are the most crucial for the admissions committee to know.

After reading these Brown essays examples, we hope you have a better understanding of how to write Brown supplemental essays. Good luck!

This article was written by advisor, Rachel Kahn . Looking for more admissions support? Click here to schedule a free meeting with one of our Admissions Specialists. During your meeting, our team will discuss your profile and help you find targeted ways to increase your admissions odds at top schools. We’ll also answer any questions and discuss how CollegeAdvisor.com can support you in the college application process.

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How to Write the Brown University and PLME Supplemental Essays 2018-2019

Perched on top of the College Hill neighborhood in Providence, Rhode Island, Brown University, a member of the Ivy League, is one of the most prestigious colleges in the United States. Brown is currently ranked #14 by the US News College Ranking , and for the Class of 2022, accepted seven percent of total applicants . Notable alumni from Brown include actress Emma Watson, current Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi, and World Bank President Jim Yong Kim.

Brown, founded in 1764, is the seventh oldest institution of higher education in the United States, and is characterized by its Open Curriculum, in which general education requirements are rendered null, freeing its 6,500 eclectic undergraduates to craft their own educational journeys.

Brown University requires a completed Common Application. In addition to the universal essay prompt, Brown requires four supplemental essays, as well as additional prompts if you are applying to the Program in Liberal Medical Education or the Brown-RISD Dual Degree Program . The prompts may seem daunting at first, but we here at CollegeVine are here to help you tackle these essays to the best of your ability!

Want to learn what Brown University will actually cost you based on your income? And how long your application to the school should take?  Here’s what every student considering Brown University needs to know.

The Brown University Supplemental Essay Questions

(1) Please briefly elaborate on one of your extracurricular activities or work experiences. (150 words)

(2) Why are you drawn to the area(s) of study you indicated earlier in this application? (You may share with us a skill or concept that you found challenging and rewarding to learn, or any experiences beyond course work that may have broadened your interest.) (250 words)

(3) What do you hope to experience at Brown through the Open Curriculum, and what do you hope to contribute to the Brown community? (250 words)

(4) Tell us about the place, or places, you call home. These can be physical places where you have lived, or a community or group that is important to you. (250 words)

(5) Some schools offer students the opportunity to take national exams in areas such as math and language. These exams include, but are not limited to, AIME, AMC 10, Le Grand Concours, National Spanish Exam, National Latin Exams. If you have taken any of these exams (or any other subject-based national or international examinations), please inform us of the exams and scores you find most meaningful. (250 words)

PLME applicants only:

(1) Committing to a future career as a physician while in high school requires careful consideration and self-reflection. (250 words)

(2) What values and experiences have led you to believe that becoming a doctor in medicine is the right fit for you? (250 words)

(3) Most people describe a career as a physician/doctor as a “profession”, beyond a job. Describe for us what “professionalism” and “the profession of a physician/doctor” mean to you. (250 words)

(4) How do you envision the Program in Liberal Medical Education (PLME) helping you to meet your academic personal and professional goals as a person and as a physician of the future? (500 words)

RISD applicants only:

(1) The Brown|RISD A.B./B.F.A. Dual Degree program provides an opportunity to explore your interests and prepare for the future in two distinct learning environments. Considering your understanding of both academic programs, describe how and why the specific combination of the art/design-focused curriculum of RISD and the wide-ranging courses and curricula of Brown could constitute an optimal undergraduate education for you. (650 words)

How to Write the Brown University Supplemental Essays

In all of the supplemental essays, you want to be well researched into specific aspects at Brown, almost as if you were a student there yourself. You want to show the admissions team that you are intimately familiar with Brown’s community and curriculum, and that you believe you are a great fit inside this ecosystem. Doing this will allow you, as the applicant, to stand out from all the other essays pouring generic praise on Brown’s community and curriculum. These prompt guides will help you do just that.

As you approach this set of essay questions, make sure that the final result is a well rounded portfolio, in which essays provide enough contrast to adequately show of your complexities.

For example, the first essay prompt asks about an activity you do, while the next one asks about your intended area of study. If you want to study, say, biology, you don’t want to spend the first essay talking about your research internship when you could talk about it in the second prompt.

In the essay dealing with a community you were a part of, make sure to minimize overlap with it and the Common App essay, as students frequently cover core parts of their identity in both. This supplemental essay is a good outlet for you to explore a niche community that would complement your flagship Common App essay.

Please briefly elaborate on one of your extracurricular activities or work experiences. (150 words)

Throughout all four of the general Brown University supplement essays, you have the opportunity to talk about your extracurricular activities and work experiences, but only here are you directly encouraged to place an activity at the center of your essay.

Strategically, you want to choose an activity that captures a large part of your identity (if you haven’t already done so in your Common App personal statement). However, if you feel like you’ve sufficiently talked about your major activities elsewhere, you could use this short prompt to talk about a different, light hearted hobby you may have.

For example, say you have a strong set of conventional achievements and experience in STEM fields, and you’ve already written about them. Here, you could talk about your love for gardening, which you couldn’t really place anywhere else. Using these 150 words to illustrate your feelings when digging into the Earth and awaiting for life to grow out could excellently round out your college profile.

You only have 150 words, so you should avoid summarizing your achievements and duties for too long (this should happen more in the activities and honors sections of your Common App), and talk more in depth about specific experiences that shaped who you are today. You could approach this “briefly elaborate” part in two ways:

(1) You can offer a past tense narrative that immerses the reader in how you were thinking and feeling in a certain situation or moment. For example, you could bring the reader back to a basketball game where your teammate had recently suffered a family tragedy. As the team’s captain, you rallied the team around that teammate, and although you did not win the game, the camaraderie that was built that night elevated the team’s level of play moving forward.

(2) You could use present tense narrative that takes a “slice of life” moment from an activity and walks through your state of mind and emotions as it takes place. For example, if you are into debate, you could choose the moment right before you start speaking, and illustrate to the reader your state of mind that allows you to excel in the round that is about to begin.

For example, if marching band formed a large part of your identity in high school, talk about your junior year season, and what you and your band achieved. Hone in on a breakthrough moment in the year, whether that was a specific tournament or a significant practice session. If you were a section leader, talk about a specific conflict you had to resolve that allowed your team to grow better and stronger.

Moreso than listing how much you won (in marching band or anything else), make sure to emphasize the process behind, and the struggle it took to get there.  Use a specific moment to paint a picture of your dedication to the extracurricular activity. The most effective essays don’t even really mention the achievement at all, but they instead dive into why the activity was enjoyable or meaningful.

You may have also held part time jobs while in high school, which you could also talk about. However, what may be more valuable than talking about the activity itself (“bagging groceries taught me discipline”) may be describing why the job was important for you (“I bagged groceries because I needed to contribute to the family income. At first, I hated how dull the work was, and how I had to work while my friends didn’t, but I eventually came to appreciate both the work and my contribution to my family. Nevertheless balancing work and school remained incredibly hard.”).

Ultimately, this essay shouldn’t describe an activity, but should use an activity to describe you, and what drives you and fascinates you.

Why are you drawn to the area(s) of study you indicated earlier in this application? (You may share with us a skill or concept that you found challenging and rewarding to learn, or any experiences beyond coursework that may have broadened your interest.) (250 words)

In this “Why X major” essay, you first want to think about why exactly you authentically resonate with the subject you chose, and why exactly you want to study said subject rather than others. You should definitely utilize the essay “hints” to guide your process: the “skill or concept you found challenging and rewarding” and “experiences beyond coursework. ”

Focus your essay on a specific topic (cell division) that could illustrate and symbolize a love for the overall topic (biology). If you struggled with understanding this topic, talk about that, and lead the reader to your moment of enlightenment that fostered within you a great appreciation for the subject.

Another key in this prompt is the word area(s) : don’t be afraid to talk about different academic subjects you are interested in, but you should keep it limited to two topics, or even better, an interdisciplinary field that connects the two. Make sure to connect these subjects to specific courses/programs/special features present at Brown, which you would definitely take advantage of if accepted—even though this prompt asks you just about your concentration, the prompt is also asking why you want to concentrate in that subject specifically at Brown.

Here are some examples to illustrate the transition between your past experiences and your potential future experiences at  Brown:

Example 1: If you’re interested in computer science, or are vaguely passionate about the workings of technology, you could talk about a specific side project you worked on, or a difficult language you learned, or a class that you took (if your school did not offer classes, you could talk about the struggles behind self-learning computer science). Then you could mention how much you want to study computer science at Brown, where you could take the famous introductory CS 15 course offered by Professor Andy Van Dam, or how you could pursue computer science in tandem with your interest in fields like anthropology and history because of the Open Curriculum.

Example 2: If you were always a book lover, and put down English literature as your intended concentration, talk about the book(s) that really opened up the world to you, or a piece of writing that took immense effort and time to write. Then, you could connect this interest to studying literature at Brown, where you would be free to pursue your interests in all of the humanities, including literature from all over the world. Name dropping related Brown courses like “Literatures of Immigration” and “Proust, Joyce and Faulkner” could also help. You could even talk about the legacy of contemporary writers who attended Brown, such as Jeffrey Eugenides and Edwidge Danticat and Lois Lowry.

Example 3: If politics, activism, or community work is what you always gravitated towards, talk about your experience on a campaign, or as a political intern, or even in a a school club like mock trial or model UN. You could then talk about studying politics at Brown and taking advantage of its programs such as Brown in Washington, the Swearer Center for Public Service, and ample opportunities to participate in local Rhode Island government activities.

What do you hope to experience at Brown through the Open Curriculum, and what do you hope to contribute to the Brown community? (250 words)

This prompt is quite challenging, because it is asking two very different and expansive questions that you must answer in less than 250 words. The key here will be finding strong examples for each part, and seamlessly transitioning between “open curriculum” and “Brown community.” You may just have to start a new paragraph. However, you may also find that the two are related: your contribution to the campus community will be driven by you growing as a person through taking advantage of the Open Curriculum.

Brown’s Open Curriculum is perhaps the key component that distinguishes Brown from its peer institutions. In Open Curriculum, students have no general education requirements, and instead choose their own classes. In order to graduate, students need only to complete their concentration requirements, as well as two writing class requirements.

However, the Open Curriculum is not for everyone, but rather for those who want to take their undergraduate education into their own hands. Here are a few examples and directions in which to go:

First, the interdisciplinary study option. Say you want to concentrate in computer science, but you’re also interested in its connection to ethics. And on the side, you love ceramics. You could talk about how at Brown, doing all of these things simultaneously is feasible because of a lack of general education requirements. You could also talk about taking advantage of RISD courses as a Brown student, and maybe end with talking about how you would love to combine your interests in computer science and art by taking RISD’s “Stop Motion Animation” class.

Second, the “I’m interested in a ton of things but I have no idea what I want to study” option. Because you have until the end of your sophomore year to declare your major, you can talk about how Brown is a perfect place to fulfill all your intellectual cravings and eventually hone in what exactly you’d like to concentrate in. However, there should be some common pattern or intellectual framework that could unify these seemingly disparate interests. For example, you could unite your interests in sculpture and neuroanatomy as part of your desire to seek understanding through 3D modeling.

Additionally, you could mention Brown’s long class shopping period, the fact that students in every class choose to be there, and the ability to take classes outside of your comfort zone pass fail.

In the second part of the prompt, “what do you hope to contribute to the Brown community,” the admissions team is asking you to do some shameless self promotion: what is unique about you, and how can you add to the already abundant diversity on campus? For this prompt, you could browse through the list of preexisting campus organizations and think about which ones you might join, and why. Using this long list as guidance, think about the thematic areas that align with who you are—maybe there’s two to four clubs that you could join as part of your main extracurricular interest, but feel free to talk about other college activities you’d like to do that you don’t have a lot of experience in, or niche clubs you’d like to try out. Also, if something you want to do isn’t on the list, you could mention how you want to start a new organization on campus.

However, this prompt isn’t limited to club participation, as campus life is so much more than that:

You could talk about the unique set of life experiences you bring, and how that is outside of the traditional narrative of what a “Brown Student” is. Through these experiences, you believe that whether it is in a dorm room, campus newspaper, or panel discussion, you can bring unrepresented point of view to the table. However, because there are tens of thousands of applicants each year, make sure that if you want to go this route, you believe your story is truly unique.

Maybe you love working with the local community, wherever you go. Back home, you worked with local political chapters, and volunteered at under-resourced elementary schools. You could talk about how you would want to carry this over to Brown, and forge intimate connections between the Brown community and the local Providence community.

You could also just talk about how you would love to continue a non-extra curricular or work related hobby to campus. For example, if you love doing street photography, maybe you can talk about creating an Instagram account that features Brown students in cool outfits around campus. This, for you, would be your way of bringing the school closer.

Tell us about the place, or places, you call home. These can be physical places where you have lived, or a community or group that is important to you. (250 words)

This essay prompt is pretty straightforward, but the possibility of things you can write about is boundless. Before you start writing this essay, think considerably about how your different environments have affected you. This could be thought of in matters of race and economic status, or in regards to the specific people surrounding you.

First, let’s look at “ physical places where you have lived.” If you’ve grown up travelling all around the world with, say, a military or foreign service family, talk about living in these foreign environments shaped your adolescence. Say you grew up in North Carolina, but suddenly your father’s job called him to Germany, where you lived for the next four years. Talk about how you had to completely shift your cultural norms, and how you had to overcome uprooting your previous life. You could also talk about place in an abstract sense, especially if your family comes from outside of the United States, or moved to a vastly different part of the country. If you have a tension in identity that comes from being a minority group, or by simply being in a new environment, talk about how you dealt with that, or how that has shaped your identity.

If you grew up in the same city your entire life, you may have formed deep connections with a community in your area. This could be your local church, your Taekwondo studio, a refugee center, your grandma’s house, your local baseball field, your neighborhood grocery store, or pretty much anything else. Think about how engaging in activities in a certain place has shaped how you view the world.

For example, by tutoring students learning English as a second language, you have grown in empathy for those who lack the resources to get the educational catch-up they need, mirroring how you yourself struggled learning English in your Spanish dominated home. This has lead you to want to eventually study public policy and education at Brown, so that you can eventually become a bilingual teacher, as well as hopefully influence education policy to address the needs you experienced and saw.

Or you can discuss how you spent countless afternoons getting lost at Costco, fascinated with all the various electronics out for display. Talk about how you spent hours tinkering with all the sample products, which contributed to and symbolized your eventual interest in electrical engineering.

The third part of the prompt, a “group,” is the broadest of all, and you could talk about any structured time spent with one or more people that impacted you. This could be your school’s drumline, your group of friends, or your JV basketball team. This also does not have to be a physical community, but could easily be an online community you found a home in. If you have spent a large chunk of your time talking to groups of people interested in a certain TV show or video game or clothing brand, don’t be afraid to talk about how that influenced your maturation. Anything that substantially shaped who you are today works.

The key here is to emphasize why exactly this seemingly mundane group is close to your heart, and make sure to show rather than tell. Focusing on a dialogue with a groupmate, a person you helped, or specific details in a house that you lived in will allow you to avoid generalities and cliches. These specific moments can easily transition into you talking about your general feelings and point of view about this group. Overall, don’t worry too much about how impressive a particular group sounds on paper. If you dedicate yourself to any group, community, or place, and write candidly about your experience, the passion will inevitably show to the reader.

Some schools offer students the opportunity to take national exams in areas such as math and language. These exams include, but are not limited to, AIME, AMC 10, Le Grand Concours, National Spanish Exam, National Latin Exams. If you have taken any of these exams (or any other subject-based national or international examinations), please inform us of the exams and scores you find most meaningful. (250 words)

Although you should have probably mentioned these tests and scores in the honors and activities section of the Common Application, feel free to reiterate them again here if it is important to you. Make sure to only drop in the award or score itself, and don’t create another essay, as there is plenty of space in the other prompts to do so.

Brown’s Program in Liberal Medical Education (PLME) is a prestigious 8 year BS/MD program in which accepted students are automatically accepted into Brown’s Warren Alpert Medical School. The acceptance rate for Brown’s PLME program is just 3.9% . A helpful guide is CollegeVine’s overview to accelerated BS/MD programs, which can be found at this link . Another guide specifically on Brown’s PLME is found here .

Committing to a future career as a physician while in high school requires careful consideration and self-reflection. What values and experiences have led you to believe that becoming a doctor in medicine is the right fit for you? (250 words)

The Program in Liberal Medical Education (as well as other accelerated medical programs) is a huge commitment for 17 and 18 year olds, who are essentially saying that they know what they want to do for the rest of their lives. As a result, Brown admissions officers want to accept candidates whom they believe have tangible reasons as to why they want to become doctors. These reasons may include clinical and laboratory experience, as well as a general passion to improve the well being of others.

In this prompt, reflecting on past experiences is critical. Whether that is shadowing a pediatrician at your local hospital for a summer, volunteering with an organization like the Red Cross, or doing lab research on pancreatic cancer, let the admissions team know that you have past experiences engaging in clinical or laboratory work, and that these experiences have increased your desire to enter the medical profession.

Moreover, bring in your past experiences with the healthcare field, such as seeing a loved relation hospitalized, if they instilled within you a desire to eventually enter and better the industry. As a warning, however, it is easy to fall into the cliche of witnessing an older relative, usually a grandparent, pass away due to illness, and afterwards deciding to pursue medicine as a career. In cases such as these, make sure to make the experience as unique to you as possible, and use this experience as a jumping off point to other activities you have done pertaining to the health field.  

Afterwards, brainstorm the key values you hold for your life. If you are not sure of your values, think back to how you have spent your time: if you’ve spent significant amounts of time volunteering out of goodwill, or caring for family members, or tutoring your peers, chances are, your values may center around caring for others in need, and looking beyond yourself, both of which are critical components of good doctors. A love for interacting with other people and learning about them is a key component in being a doctor, so make sure to illustrate this point through your experiences. Using concrete things you’ve done in the past to color your values is much more powerful than just stating “my values are helping those in need.”

You could even talk about other extracurriculars you’ve tried, but simply did not enjoy as much as health-related activities, to further cement how being a doctor is the only foreseeable career route you see yourself being fulfilled and satisfied in. Overall, just go off your past experiences in health related fields, your current ideas and beliefs, and your future dreams and goals.

Most people describe a career as a physician/doctor as a “profession”, beyond a job. Describe for us what “professionalism” and “the profession of a physician/doctor” mean to you. (250 words)

Essentially, this prompt is asking how important becoming a doctor is for you, and if it is your “calling.” Working as a lifelong doctor is often societally elevated above other jobs, as you are literally saving lives, and doctors are also held to the lofty Hippocratic Oath. Make sure to talk about how for you, becoming a doctor isn’t an arbitrary choice, but something you’ve thought about extensively for a long duration of time. Because the PLME’s goal is to provide much more than a traditional pre-med education, don’t feel limited to talking simply about “ the profession of a physician/doctor” in the narrow sense of the word. Feel free to go above and beyond, talking about your passion for improving the health of others and how you want to see that manifest in the world.

Another possible avenue could be talking about your personal experience with the health field, and how that shaped you seeing doctors in a much more reverential light. Rather than talking about a close relation who was hospitalized, which can easily become cliche, talk about how your experience volunteering in patient care or shadowing shaped how you view the profession. If there is a standout patient whose story mesmerized you, and whose life was transformed by a doctor you assisted, talk about that. Or if through shadowing and becoming close to suffering, you grew to believe in the primacy of healthcare as the basic foundation to living a decent life, talk about that.

You eventually want to wrap up your essay cementing the notion of being a doctor as your “calling” in life, and using a serious tone to show that you couldn’t see yourself doing anything else.

How do you envision the Program in Liberal Medical Education (PLME) helping you to meet your academic, personal, and professional goals as a person and as a physician of the future? (500 words)

The Program in Liberal Medical Education is designed to foster intellectual exploration among its cohort of undergraduates, so you definitely want to talk about how your academic interests don’t simply reside in the biological sciences. Talk about how although you want to become a doctor, there are numerous other facets of your identity that don’t fit in the narrow pre-med curricular path. Explain how these interests can be cultivated at Brown, and how they will ultimately allow you to become a better doctor.

Many of the students in the PLME program don’t major in traditional pre-med fields during their undergraduate years, as they are freed from doing so (outside from a few pre-med requirements). Students can thus craft an interdisciplinary education that allows them to pursue interests outside of the narrow pre-med curriculum. Overall, there are so many different academic fields that tie back to the core of being a doctor, and so make sure to express that fully. Here a few examples:

(1) If you have a strong passion for the humanities, mention that, and then talk about how topics like literature and anthropology allow you to grow in empathy and understanding for the world around you. For example, you could talk about your passion for Hispanic cultures, and how you want to continue learning Spanish to form better patient-doctor relations with underserved Hispanic communities in your hometown.

(2) If you’re interested in computer science, talk about your experiences coding, and how you want to be better equipped as the medicine field ultimately will become more technology oriented. You could talk about how you want to be at the forefront of the burgeoning connection between artificial intelligence and health outcomes, and how being in the program will allow you to do so.

(3) There are plenty of classes you can point to that merge the biological sciences with the humanities. Using Brown’s online course catalog, you can pull up titles such as “Medicine and Public Health in Africa,” “Pain and the Human Condition,” and “Health, Hunger, and the Household in Developing Countries” to find courses that interest you and illustrate how you need these intersectional courses to become the doctor you want to be.

(4) You could even mention interdisciplinary programs at Brown’s Warren Alpert medical school, such as its Scholarly Concentration program, which allows students to pursue areas such as Medical Humanities, Medical Technology and Innovation, and Advocacy and Activism. You could also mention the medical school’s Narrative Medicine classes, or its unique MD-ScM program, which combines primary care and population health.

Personal goals and professional goals are often one and the same, but make sure you have personal goals that extend beyond the confines of a career (as mentioned in the previous prompt). Yes, you’d like to become a doctor, but the PLME environment is exactly the one that you need to thrive as a curious human. Talk about your need for Brown’s Open Curriculum to thrive not just as a future doctor, but as a intellectual being who cares about the world. Talk about how being a part of the PLME would allow you to best prepare for the two halves of your career in medicine, science and human interaction, and why you would thrive in this profession that simultaneously juggles both.

Regarding professional goals, you could talk about how being a part of the PLME would mean the rare once in a lifetime chance of satisfying all your intellectual curiosities in undergrad while being able to go to medical school and become a doctor.

The Brown|RISD A.B./B.F.A. Dual Degree program provides an opportunity to explore your interests and prepare for the future in two distinct learning environments. Considering your understanding of both academic programs, describe how and why the specific combination of the art/design-focused curriculum of RISD and the wide-ranging courses and curricula of Brown could constitute an optimal undergraduate education for you. (650 words)

The Brown-RISD Dual Degree program is an intense, highly selective (2-3% acceptance) program in which students must get accepted to both Brown and RISD based on their respective criterion, and then be approved by a joint committee. Students in the program exhibit an intense degree of intellectual rigor, as well as a broad ranging curiosity for both an arts and liberal arts education. The key here is to convince the readers that you are a good fit in this specific program, rather than as a Brown student who takes a few RISD classes or a RISD student who takes a few Brown classes.

In this essay, you must be specific about why you would be a better fit spending five years getting degrees from both Brown and RISD rather than getting one degree from either of the schools. You must show that it is necessary for you to get both degrees, and how you would like to use the knowledge you gain from both schools in your future. However, this does not mean you have to have both majors decided, and you can definitely talk more generally about why you want to pursue a STEM/social science/humanities education in tandem with an arts/design education.

With 650 available words, this essay should feature the same depth as your Common App essay, and should complement it. Although the two should not overlap in content, you can definitely expand on topics you briefly touched on in one essay in the other. Here are a few possible avenues you could explore in this essay:

(1) Students in the program stretch the gamut of possible Brown + RISD major combinations: furniture and applied mathematics, computer science and industrial design, and comparative literature and painting. The program prides itself on this diversity, so explain how your passions and interests are disparate, but also connected to your overall identity. Talk about how being surrounded with other Brown-RISD students will foster your wide-ranging intellectual and artistic curiosities even further.

(2) If you ultimately want to become an artist, you could talk about how important the liberal arts have been and will be for you. Maybe you find literature critical for escaping into the worlds you want to create visually, and you want to dive deeper during your undergraduate years.

(3) Maybe you want to study both biology and industrial design, because you want to base your design work on biomimicry. You could talk about how you would draw equally from both fields, and how you want to design better transportation devices that take from the best methods of nature.

(4) Say you’ve always been interested in your Korean heritage and finding ways to express that through art. As a result, you want to study East Asian history at Brown, where you will understand the context that your parents immigrated out of, and textiles at RISD, where you can craft bojagi (Korean wrapping cloth) with a sensitivity to its historical context.

(5) Maybe you’ve always been passionate about both art and liberal arts, but have no concrete connection between the two, and that’s also perfectly fine. You could talk about how you want to further explore and hone in these passions, so that by your second year of undergrad, you’ll have a stronger idea of what specifically you want to study.

Your art portfolio + your common app essay and other supplemental essays will also speak volumes about who you are, and so make sure to use this essay to highlight parts of yourself previously unmentioned. You’ve also probably spent the previous essays explaining “why Brown,” so use this essay to delve deep into why you would thrive in an arts and design centered environment in conjunction with Brown’s liberal arts curriculum.

Want help with your college essays to improve your admissions chances? Sign up for your free CollegeVine account and get access to our essay guides and courses. You can also get your essay peer-reviewed and improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays.

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Supplemental Essay Guide 2024-25

What do the 2024-25 supplemental essay prompts really mean, and how should you approach them? CEA's experts are here to break them all down.

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