How to get into Brown
What 387 admitted applicants actually had: their grades, test scores, activities, awards and intended majors, counted from 1,624 Brown results that students posted for the 2016 to 2027 cycles. Every number below is counted, not estimated.
Applying to Brown? Book a free call with a Specialist to see how your student’s file compares.
Brown admits by the numbers
Median unweighted GPA
4.00
Middle half 3.94 to 4.00
Median SAT
1,540
Middle half 1,510 to 1,570
Median ACT
35
Middle half 34 to 36
Median weighted GPA
4.60
Middle half 4.40 to 4.76
Results posted: 387 admitted, 1,065 rejected, 172 waitlisted. People who post results are a self-selected group, so this is not the Brown acceptance rate; the official rate is in Brown’s Common Data Set.
Admitted vs. rejected: grades are not the difference
| Median | Admitted | Rejected |
|---|---|---|
| Unweighted GPA | 4.00 | 3.95 |
| SAT | 1,540 | 1,540 |
| ACT | 35 | 35 |
When the rejected applicants’ numbers sit this close to the admitted ones, the decision was made somewhere else in the file: the activities, the essays and the letters. That is where the rest of this page looks.
What Brown admits did outside class
Share of admitted applicants listing at least one activity of each type.
- Nonprofit/Service63%
- Athletics46%
- Research45%
- STEM club/competition39%
- Tutoring/Teaching39%
- Work/Job35%
- Music33%
- Internship33%
Held a leadership role
94%
Founded something
51%
National or intl. award
76%
Did research
45%
Early vs. regular decision at Brown
- Early (177 results)36%
- Regular (649 results)24%
Share of posters in each round who were admitted. Early applicants are a different group (often stronger and more certain), so read this as a description of these posts, not as odds.
Intended majors of Brown admits
- Computer Science14%
- Engineering9%
- Political Science8%
- Economics8%
- Biology6%
- Math6%
Who got in
Of the admitted posters, 17% first-generation, 16% low income, 22% underrepresented minority, 15% legacy, 1% recruited athlete and 9% international. Of those who said where they enrolled, 38% chose Brown.
Three recent Brown admits
2027 cycle · Chemistry
Rural painter and mock trial attorney with NHS leadership and sustained community volunteering.
GPA 3.98 UW · SAT 1580 · Original post
2026 cycle · RD · Biology
Microbiology researcher who discovered a new virus, with debate captaincy and political canvassing experience.
GPA 4.00 UW · ACT 36 · Original post
2026 cycle · Physics
Physics student and visual-novel studio leader who publishes astrophysics research and exhibits digital art.
GPA 4.00 UW · SAT 1530 · Original post
How the Brown admissions office reads a file
Where else Brown admits got in
Brown admissions questions
- What GPA do you need to get into Brown?
- Among 387 applicants who posted a Brown admission on r/collegeresults, the median unweighted GPA was 4.00 and the middle half reported 3.94 to 4.00 (287 reported a GPA). Brown sets no minimum GPA; these are what admitted posters reported.
- What SAT score do you need for Brown?
- Among 387 applicants who posted a Brown admission on r/collegeresults, the median SAT was 1,540 and the middle half scored 1,510 to 1,570 (283 reported an SAT). The median ACT was 35.
- Does applying early help at Brown?
- In these posts, 36% of early applicants who reported a result were admitted (64 of 177), against 24% in regular decision (158 of 649). Early pools differ in who applies, so this is a description, not a promise.
- What extracurriculars do Brown admits have?
- The most common activity types among admitted posters were nonprofit/service (63%), athletics (46%), research (45%), stem club/competition (39%). 94% held at least one leadership role and 76% listed a national or international award.
- What is the Brown acceptance rate?
- The official rate is published by Brown in its Common Data Set. These pages do not compute one: people who post results are a self-selected group, so the share of admits among them is far higher than the real rate.
Applying to Brown?
A Specialist who got into a school like Brown can read your student’s file against these numbers and say where it stands out and where it doesn’t.
Source: self-reported results posts on r/collegeresults, each linked from our Database, counted across the 2016 to 2027 cycles with transfer applicants excluded. Aristo Scholars is not affiliated with Brown. All colleges