r/BrownU

I was super commited to Brown for their APMA/Econ program on a pre-PhD route for economics (for context I rejected UChicago for them despite UChicago being the place to be for econ). Just got off of the Princeton waitlist and ngl im still really in love with Brown, but I just wanted to hear other opinions. Price is negligible.

Brown (APMA/ECON + potential double in Cog Sci)

Pros:

• OPEN CURRICULUM (I love exploring different subjects like linguists/neuro/music etc)
• Campus culture/General Happiness (I LOVED ADOCH all the current/former students/profs were amazing people)
• PhD placements are literally the exact same as Princeton/UChicago/Harvard etc to top programs so im in a good position regardless.
• Seemed easier to have connections with professors (on average like 1/2 grad students per professor for my department)
• Stronger alumni network??? Tho this might be biased from my experience
• APMA/ECON at Brown is like the dream major for me so I can do math and economics at the same time
• EXTREMELY reputable APMA program
• Providence RI

Cons:

• Amenities (the dorms are meh and there are like no libraries)
• Brown has the smallest endowment in the ivies so it feels like they budget a lot and arent spending on their students as much as they should be for their status as an Ivy. So less funding for travel, research, you name it
• Worse placements if I decide that I dont want to go to grad school?
• Less reputable in econ/most other subjects?

Princeton (Econ with minor in APMA)

Pros:

• Prestige/Name Brand
• Marginally better music program (could minor easily)
• Research focused ethos
• Better study abroad/language learning institute

Cons:

• Cant double major (have to choose between math/econ)
• I dont mess with the "rumored" pre professional vibes (less finance bros the better). I want to go to a school where learning/following ur passion > future earnings
• Harder need to maintain a high GPA to pursue grad school (big reason why I rejected UChicago)
• Pure Math focus = poorer APMA program
• Idk if I would fit as well with the campus culture?!

In short: I feel like a true brunonian but I might be overly biased towards Brown so is it valid to choose Brown over Princeton

I’m an international student coming from a country that is hot year-round, so I have absolutely no experience with central heating culture.

I’ve heard some people from Brown say that once winter starts, the building heating can be so aggressive that it actually gets uncomfortably hot to sleep. Is this true? What should I expect when it comes to indoor temperatures in dorms and lecture halls during the winter?

Hey everyone! I’m joining Brown this fall (Class of 2030) and starting to look into the packing list. Since I’m flying in from abroad, I won't be able to bring too much stuff with me. What are some absolute essentials for the freshman dorms that I should buy right after arriving in Providence? And is there anything the university provides that I don't need to worry about? Thank you! 🐻

Was committed to Brown but got off the Stanford waitlist. As an international, I only applied to Brown for financial aid, since it was need blind. So I have Brown at 50k vs Stanford full price (around 93k). I would major in engineering at stanford and applied math-econ at Brown. Wanted to know your opinions on where I should go. How nice is Brown and how it compares with Stanford? Is Stanford worth the price difference, or brown and stanford are kind of alike?

I was recently admitted as an incoming sophomore transfer. Where do most transfers get assigned as their dorms?

If you take a mandatory S/NC class and get an S*, then does this contribute towards your overall GPA in the eyes of grad schools?

Got into UPenn CAS and Brown as a transfer - having a hard time deciding. Premed - Interested in med, business, humanities, social sciences, etc. Brown seems less intense + more flexible classes + collaborative community but Penn seems like it has the edge in research, clinical opportunities, and funding (?)(+possible dual degree with Wharton would be cool). Thoughts? Pros and cons? Least + most fav parts about Brown? If you picked Brown over Penn/other Ivies, why?

Hi! I am considering majoring in IAPA (probably the policy and governance track) and had some questions for current concentrators. I really like the student culture at Brown and am pretty much in love, but I am a little concerned about the lack of an international relations concentration because that’s an area I’m really interested in!

How well is language incorporated into the curriculum? Is there support for taking languages even if they aren’t used to (qualify out of) a methods requirement? What about taking multiple languages, especially Spanish and Mandarin?

Does IAPA set you up well for a career in diplomacy? politics? pre-law? Or is it more econ/business focused?

Are there any study away/abroad or internship opportunities available to Brown students that could help me gain experience with international diplomacy and politics?

Would it be possible to double concentrate with a hard science, particularly chemistry?

I guess my question at the end of this is would I be better off choosing IAPA or poli sci  + a bunch of language/culture/history classes to get the equivalent to an “international relations” education. Thank you so much for any help or advice!!

How strong is the APMA departments at Brown? What firms do typical brown APMA-CS and APMA-Econ grads end up landing, and do the firms consider Brown a target or lower than that?

Hi, I just got into Brown off the waitlist! My previous GPA was a 3.98, but as of this semester, I have a 95, 90, 84, 84 and a 79. Will these grades get me rescinded? These are all unweighted and on my final transcript will have 7 points added, and are all AP classes, but I just wanted to make sure if it would or not.

Hi everyone, I’m a freshman pre-med student, and I just got my final grade back in a tough science course. I’m currently sitting about 1.5% away from an A. I already submitted a few regrade requests earlier in the semester, and they’re currently marked “in review.” I also noticed the syllabus heavily suggested the cutoff would be lower; I guess that is no longer the case. I’m debating whether it’s worth sending a follow-up email to the professor asking if the regrades will be considered before finalizing the grade, and whether there is any chance of review, given how close my grade is. I don’t want to come off as pushy or annoying, but this grade matters a lot to me (pre-med track, etc.), and I also genuinely believe a couple of questions may have been graded incorrectly.

Would it be appropriate to email again, or should I just leave it alone :(

im rocking a whopping 1320... i come from a title 1 rural school that is extremelt underfunded, and the 1320 is the highest score in my grade out of the ten people who've taken it. we make 80k ish a year with one working parent. i have one 4 for an AP Score, and am expecting some 4s and 5s this summer (besides APES LOL). ive maxed out my courseload and i have good extracurriculars for my circumstances, along with a perfect gpa and im top of my class. do i have a shot if i apply ED?

Hi everyone! I recently got into brown as a sophomore transfer but I got charged mac tuition and I don't really think Itd be possible to afford it. Has anyone been in a similar situation, if so what have you done to get out of it?

Hi all,

I’m an incoming PhD student at the school of engineering. I just received acceptance from River House for a studio apartment, but I couldn’t find any images of the room. Is it worth the cost? What’s included in the rent? If anyone who lives there could share some insights, it would be great! Thanks.

What are some classes that you think don't get enough hype? Any concentration is welcome!

Hi! I’m moving out soon and was wondering if there was anyplace we could donate leftover snacks from the semester to. I have a lot of food that shouldn’t go to waste!

Hi all, incoming grad student. Managed to get approved for a room with Providence Living and wanted to see if anyone has had good or bad experiences with them, especially if you’ve rented one of their rooms with a shared house.

I was about to sign the lease but saw the reviews online and am now very hesitant to. A lot of the reviews are a few years older now and wanted to see if that might still be the overarching consensus on the company and if I should keep looking.

Thank you!

I'm a queer pre-frosh and usually wouldn't be interested in greek life at ALL but this fraternity in particular really caught my eye because it seems to break the codes in a very accepting way. Idk how secret any information about it might be, so I'm just asking out of curiosity. I am yet to experience sharing a dorm room with someone so I was wondering if living in a "frat house" would be a more enjoyable experience (granted I am accepted, dunno how selective it is)

Does anyone know what their parties are actually like and how hard it is to join the group? Do you need to be international?