How to Write the Brown Supplemental Essays

Writing a college essay is a significant part of the college application process. And though some colleges don’t require supplemental essays, Brown University does. Our education nonprofit knows what it takes to get into Brown University (and more). In this article, we discuss the different Brown supplemental essays and how to write them, giving you a better chance of acceptance.

Why Choose Brown University?

Brown University is renowned for its open curriculum, independent learning style, and deep thinkers. What makes it unique is its flexible, rigorous, and student-centered learning environment. The students who gain admission to this Ivy League college – and who thrive there – are the creative, curious, and open-minded; students who want to explore different topics in innovative ways; and students who think outside the box.

While other schools discourage students from crafting their own majors, Brown encourages students to create the educational journey that fits their needs. Brown has all the top-notch majors and courses offered at other schools, but it also has some unique offerings, like the course that takes students to Japan to study the history, philosophy, and practice of Rinzai Zen Buddhism, and the course Art and Scientist as Partners, which takes students into a local school for autistic children to teach dance.

Geared toward students from a variety of disciplines like medicine, science, biology, art, dance, music, and more, this class teaches students how to find the bridges between their passions and create a course of study that will help them make a positive impact on the world.

What Are the Brown Supplemental Essays?

If you’re wondering how to get into Brown University, planning an effective answer for the supplemental essay is a great start. Here are the questions asked of first-year applicants and transfer applicants (not including the RISD-Brown dual-degree applicants and liberal medication degree applicants):

• 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.
• 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?
• 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.

How to Answer Each Brown Supplemental Essay Question

When you’re writing the Brown supplemental essays – whether you are a striving neuroscientist or an entrepreneur – keep in mind that you want to showcase your creativity, innovation, and curiosity. Each question has a word limit of 200 to 250, so make sure to write clearly and avoid filler words.

Supplemental Essay Question No. 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.

This is a “Why Brown” question. In 250 words or less tell Brown why it’s the perfect place for you to deepen your education. Talk about your quirky passions in a highly focused way. For example, you don’t want to write that you are interested in math, English, and history. Get more specific, stating you’re an expert in logic, American Expatriate Literature in Paris in the 1920s, and the history of the French Revolution and how it connects to equity and inclusion in today’s world (or whatever academic areas interest you).

Start out by telling the origin story of one of these interests. Tell them in one or two sentences how you came to develop these passions, then connect them to the Open Curriculum. Be specific about why Brown is the only place for you to continue pursuing your passions. Cite specific classes or specific faculty research, and then discuss some extracurriculars and/or clubs that relate. This will require you to spend 15 to 30 minutes researching Brown’s many fantastic offerings. Colleges love it when you are able to mention professors, research, courses, etc., because it tells them you really want to attend.

Supplemental Essay Question No. 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?

The key question in this prompt is “How did you respond?” For this one, think “growth mindset,” or the ability to stay open-minded, to listen to others who disagree or upset you, and to show aspects of your character and what you care about in your response. Tell a story with a beginning, middle, and end that illustrates your empathy/compassion/growth/understanding when confronted with/by something. A simple story works best. It can be a mix of storytelling and dialogue, or just storytelling. A smaller story will illustrate the bigger picture for the admissions committee and will help you stand out from other applicants.

It can be tempting to write a happy ending, but often these types of conversations don’t have a strong resolution and can leave you feeling vulnerable and confused. It’s okay to write about that journey, and the “no easy answers” as an ending can have even more power than a “we lived happily ever after” ending. Remember the point of all these questions is for the committee to know more about who you are and why you are a good fit for the school, so keep the focus on your response and what you learned.

Supplemental Essay Question No. 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.

What could be better than writing about something that brings you joy? Be truthful and allow your quirky side free reign. If you are tempted to write “counting ballots at the voting booth” as the thing that brings you joy because you think it sounds good, think again. This is a place to let the school understand your passions and writing skills. Maybe your greatest moments of joy involve getting up at 3 a.m. to see the Milky Way, dancing in the kitchen while you make cookies to give to your friends during finals week from the mysterious “Cookie Fairy,” or jumping on the couch and pretending the floor is lava with your younger sister.

This is the place to show what’s meaningful to you, along with your unique charisma, charm, and humor in describing what really brings you joy. Make sure to use sensory language and descriptive words so the reader can experience the same emotions as you.

When Are Brown Supplemental Essays Due?

The Brown University application deadline is set for January 5, 2023. Students can access the full application requirements and other submission requirements on the website. New students should plan to answer all three supplemental questions.

Key Takeaways

While the Brown University acceptance rate is higher than some of its other Ivy League counterparts, such as Harvard and Princeton, students should plan their application carefully and keep in mind the creative and competitive aspects of this school.

The key to writing all supplements is to get started writing as early as possible. Writing what doesn’t work is how you get to the writing that does work. Add in sensory details, active verbs, and concrete words to make your writing pop and stand out from the crowd. Most importantly, be your unique self.