Brown University Supplemental Essay Prompts & Writing Guide 2025-2026

When writing about the Open Curriculum, your essay should show both depth and breadth in a balanced way. Focus on one or two academic interests that genuinely excite you and explain specifically how you would pursue them using Brown's unique flexibility. Avoid clichés like comparing the curriculum to a buffet or calling yourself the "architect of your education." Instead, mention actual courses, professors, research opportunities, or study abroad programs (such as the Engaged Scholars Program or specific exchange partnerships) that align with your goals. The admissions committee wants to see that you've done your homework and understand what makes Brown distinct.

The key to this essay is demonstrating how you'll embrace the "and" of learning. If you're interested in biology, don't just talk about biology: show how you might combine it with sociology, behavioral science, or another field to explore a complex question from multiple angles. This interdisciplinary approach is central to Brown's values. Be specific about why combining these interests matters to you. What insights or questions can you explore through this combination that you couldn't through a single lens? Let your intellectual curiosity and excitement shine through: the admissions office looks for what they call "academic vitality," so your passion should feel genuine and contagious.

With only 250 words, you need to be concise and focused. Avoid listing too many interests or classes, as this will make your essay feel shallow. Instead, choose one primary interest and perhaps one complementary area, then dive into the "why" behind your choices. Explain how this combination will help you grow intellectually and what unique perspective you'll bring to Brown's community. Reference concrete, Brown-specific opportunities (like a particular course title, research center, or faculty member) to show that you've done serious research and see yourself thriving in this environment. Avoid vague statements and instead be precise about what you plan to do and why it matters to you.

This essay asks you to reflect on an experience or aspect of your identity and then make a clear connection between that formative part of your past and your future contributions to Brown's campus. The key challenge is balancing two equally important elements: meaningful self-reflection and concrete articulation of how you'll engage at Brown. You should anchor your response in a specific, focused aspect of your background rather than trying to cover multiple themes in 250 words. Think about a particular element of your upbringing (whether related to family dynamics, cultural identity, community environment, or a defining challenge) that genuinely shaped your perspective or values. Avoid surface-level descriptors: instead of simply stating facts about your background, explore how this aspect inspired or challenged you, meaning you need to show admissions officers what you learned, how you grew, or what values you developed as a result.

The second half of your essay should transition naturally from reflection to contribution. You need to be explicit about what unique perspective, skills, or energy you'll bring to Brown's community. This doesn't require listing specific clubs or professors (although you can include one or two if they genuinely connect to your story). Instead, focus on the mindset, approach, or values you'll carry into campus life. For instance, if you grew up navigating multiple cultural worlds, you might explain how that experience will inform how you engage in difficult conversations, build bridges between different student groups, or bring fresh perspectives to classroom discussions. The strongest essays make this link feel organic and inevitable, not forced.

With only 250 words, you should structure your response carefully. Consider opening with a vivid anecdote or specific moment that illustrates the aspect of your growing up you're discussing, then quickly pivot to what it taught you and how that translates to your future at Brown. Avoid spending too much space on setup or backstory. Brown values self-awareness, intellectual curiosity, and genuine enthusiasm for community engagement, so your tone should be reflective but forward-looking. Remember that admissions readers want to see authenticity and depth: they're not looking for a list of hardships or achievements, but rather insight into how your experiences have shaped who you are and how you think. Show them a student who knows themselves well and can articulate how their unique background will enrich the residential college community at Brown.

This essay is your chance to showcase a genuine slice of who you are, so resist the urge to overthink it or choose something just because it sounds impressive. Brown genuinely wants to know what excites you in everyday life, whether that's a niche hobby, a ritual you cherish, or a small discovery that makes you grin. Show, don't tell: instead of explaining why something brings you joy, paint a vivid picture of you experiencing that joy in real time. Use sensory details and emotion to bring the reader into the moment with you (perhaps the satisfaction of perfecting a sourdough starter, the rush of solving a complex puzzle, or the warmth you feel when volunteering at a local shelter).

While authenticity is key, you also need to dig beneath the surface. Don't just describe what you enjoy; reveal what it says about your personality, values, or how you see the world. For example, if you write about cooking elaborate meals for your family, you might reflect on how it taught you patience, creativity, or the joy of nourishing others. The admissions committee wants to see the connection between your source of joy and the kind of student you'll be at Brown. Consider tying your response subtly to how you'll find meaning and satisfaction during your time on College Hill, whether through academic exploration, collaboration with peers, or contributing to campus life.

Keep your language natural and personal: avoid clichés or generic statements that could apply to anyone. Since you only have 250 words, every sentence should pull its weight. Focus on one specific thing rather than listing multiple interests, and make sure your excitement jumps off the page. Admissions officers read thousands of essays, so they can tell when a student is writing about something they truly care about versus something that sounds good on paper. This prompt is not a trick question; it's an invitation to let your personality shine through and give Brown a glimpse of what lights you up.

Don't overthink this three-word response, but don't treat it casually either. With only three words and no explanation allowed, you need to make each one count. Avoid generic or synonymous words like "smart," "hardworking," "dedicated," or "curious," because nearly every other applicant could use those same terms. Instead, search for adjectives that capture something distinctive about you: maybe you're "introspective," "irreverent," "tenacious," or "bibliophilic." Choose words that reveal something about your personality, values, or worldview that isn't obvious from your transcript, activities list, or teacher recommendations.

One smart approach is to select words that span different dimensions of who you are. You might pick one word that highlights an intellectual quality, another that reveals a personal trait or quirk, and a third that speaks to how you engage with others or the world around you. This way, together they create a more complete (though still tiny) sketch of your character. If you have a strong sense of humor, words like "wry" or "satirical" could show this side of you. If resilience has shaped your journey, a word like "adaptive" might work better than the overused "resilient." The key is specificity and differentiation.

Finally, think about how these three words might connect to the rest of your Brown application. You want them to complement, not duplicate, what admissions already knows. If your essays and activities show your love of social justice activism, you don't need to repeat that here. Instead, this is your chance to add a layer that hasn't been revealed yet. Take your time brainstorming and testing different combinations. Read them aloud, imagine how they sound to someone who has never met you, and ask whether they capture something true and memorable about who you are.

This short prompt is asking you to reveal something that genuinely excites you, whether it's tied to your academic interests or something entirely different. Brown values intellectual curiosity and creativity, and they want to see what kind of unique perspectives you'd bring to campus. Your "class" could be anything from the chemistry of making perfect sushi rice to political revolutions through Broadway musicals to theories about how the pyramids were built. The key is choosing something that reflects genuine passion and demonstrates how you think.

You should avoid being too generic here: don't choose topics that thousands of other applicants could write about unless you have a truly distinctive angle. Instead, go for specificity and creativity. Think about what you could talk about for hours, what quirky rabbit holes you fall into on weekends, or what you believe everyone should understand. Brown is famous for its unusual course offerings, so this is your chance to pitch a class that could fit right into that tradition with a memorable, even playful title. Make the topic come alive with vivid details and concrete examples rather than abstract descriptions.

While the prompt doesn't explicitly ask "why," you need to weave in your reasoning for choosing this topic. Don't just list what the class would cover ("The history of making sushi rice"), but hint at why it matters to you or what makes it fascinating. If possible, subtly connect your choice to something at Brown, like how your love of teaching through tutoring could translate to being a college TA or volunteering in Providence schools. This connection should feel natural, not forced. Finally, let your authentic voice and enthusiasm shine through in just 100 words, because admissions officers want to see the real you, not a polished version of what you think they want to hear.

This is one of the trickiest prompts in the entire Brown application: 50 words, one sentence, and your whole case for why Brown is the right place for you. The bar is high, since you're competing against thousands of applicants who also love the Open Curriculum and the campus vibe. Your job here is to move beyond the obvious and demonstrate specific, non-transferable reasons why you and Brown are a perfect match. You only get one chance, so make every word count.

First, avoid generic answers at all costs. Don't write about loving the Open Curriculum by itself (that's what you already discussed in an earlier essay), and resist name-dropping famous aspects like walking through the Van Wickle Gates or the school's Ivy League prestige. Those details apply to every applicant and don't reveal anything unique about you. Instead, zero in on one or two highly specific resources or opportunities that directly connect to your personal interests, experiences, or goals. This could be a particular research lab, a rare interdisciplinary concentration, a specific professor whose work aligns with your passions, a unique student organization, or even a distinctive campus tradition or program that speaks to who you are. The key test is this: if you could swap out "Brown" for another school's name and your sentence would still make sense, you need to dig deeper.

Your sentence should also reflect a clear sense of how you'll contribute to or engage with the Brown community. Admissions officers want to see that you've done your homework and have a concrete vision of what you'll do once you arrive on campus. This means connecting your specific interests (whether academic or extracurricular) with concrete Brown resources in a way that shows genuine understanding and excitement. For instance, instead of saying you're drawn to Brown because of its collaborative environment, explain exactly how you would collaborate (perhaps by joining a specific club, working with a particular professor, or pursuing research in a named center). The more precise and personal your connection, the more compelling your response will be.

Finally, remember that you're writing one sentence, not a list of clauses strung together by commas or semicolons. Craft a sentence that flows naturally, reads smoothly, and packs a punch. You don't need to use all 50 words, so focus on clarity and impact over cramming in as much information as possible. A tightly written 35-word sentence that vividly captures your unique fit can be far stronger than a rambling 50-word run-on. Read your sentence aloud to test whether it sounds like something a real person would say, then ask yourself: does this sentence show Brown exactly why I belong there and nowhere else? If yes, you're ready to submit.