Brown University Reviews

I love Brown. I think that...

I love Brown. I think that its strongest point is that every student really is an extraordinary person in some way. The admissions people really do an amazing job picking people who are interesting, smart, and fun, so I find myself learning as much from my fellow students as I do from my classes and professors.

You have to try pretty hard to get...

You have to try pretty hard to get in trouble here. The only dean's hearing I've gotten was for partying on the roof. We didn't get in trouble for the smoking and drinking, so much as being on the roof. Just use a little common sense, and you'll be fine.

The parties are lame. Wriston, the...

The parties are lame. Wriston, the quad where the frats are, is really often the only option unless you are part of student groups whose upperclass members throw house parties. If you are into clubs, lots of kids go to Fish Co. on Wednesday nights, but it seems like a huge bro/female-degrading fest.

The drug scene is as expected....

The drug scene is as expected. People smoke pot, it's college. There's nothing out of the ordinary.

The network is great. Brown does a...

The network is great. Brown does a fairly good job of making sure the community doesn't have access to our over-the-top WiFi speed, so for better or worse we benefit from it. Computers are always available in the SciLib, but bringing your own computer is really a must.

The campus at large is fairly...

The campus at large is fairly uninterested in the varsity sports. Our largest intramural program is probably ultimate Frisbee, and as the team travels all over. They are fairly intense.

RIPTA (Rhode Island Public...

RIPTA (Rhode Island Public Transportation Authority) is mostly unreliable, and due to the huge deficit in the RI state budget, their routes and funding are being cut. On the up side, Brown students can ride RIPTA for free. This is further representative of the unfair privilege we Brunonians enjoy up on our Ivory Tower.

Brown doesn't offer off-campus...

Brown doesn't offer off-campus housing until junior year, unless, of course, you call the Office of Student Life and argue. The University tries to keep you on campus as long as it can, which is really quite convenient, since their room and board plan costs considerably more than living and eating in a real apartment in Providence.

They're all pretty nice, really.

There's Indian, Mexican,...

There's Indian, Mexican, Vietnamese, Chinese, cheap, expensive, you name it. I like Bagel Gourmet Ole the best because it's cheap delicious Mexican and bagels for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

It's pretty inconsistent. You...

It's pretty inconsistent. You won't get in serious trouble with campus police, but be careful about your roommates, counselors, and other neighbors. It's probably not a good idea to throw a kegger in your room.

It's about 10 percent of housing,...

It's about 10 percent of housing, I guess, and frat parties are about 50 percent of the party scene. Some frats, like King House, are kind of dorky and cute. The only traditional frat is Sigma Kai, and it throws good parties.

The gym is old and not so nice....

The gym is old and not so nice. Some of the athletic fields are really far away. The satellite facilities are a little nicer, though, but they are small. The libraries are fantastic, and the student center has been redone recently. Basically, the athletic facilities are great. The sports, not so much.

The meal plans are complicated and...

The meal plans are complicated and convoluted but allow you to have a wide array of choices of where to eat a given meal. Besides the Ratty, which is basically a stereotypical college cafeteria, there is a smaller, cozier dining hall with better food, a pizza place, a vegetarian dining room, and many snack bars. The dining halls allow you to take a box of food with you instead of eating there, which is convenient. Being vegetarian is incredibly easy here because there are so many of us, and the dining services take that into account when devising meal plans.

I love my professors. The geology...

I love my professors. The geology department is really friendly, and the quality of the teaching is very, very good. My adviser had us over to her house for apple cider and brownies and took us out to dinner one night. It's very welcoming. The open curriculum is also fantastic. There are no requirements!

There is one main gym, as well as...

There is one main gym, as well as several smaller satellite gyms spread out across campus. The libraries are adequate places to study, although you don't really need to go all the way to a library to study—there are nice, quiet lounges in most dorms. We don't really have a student center, unfortunately, but there's not that much need for one considering all the convenient places to study, eat, and hang out.

Andrews is wonderful. The rooms...

Andrews is wonderful. The rooms are big and have sinks and walk-in closets. Keeney is, well, a typical freshman dorm—it can get a little crazy. Pembroke Campus is really nice because even though it's a little off of main campus, it has a nicer dining hall and is close to the athletic center. It's also quieter.

The computer clusters are crowded...

The computer clusters are crowded at certain times of day, but you can find a free space somewhere most of the time. It's definitely worth having your own computer in your room though. And there's free wireless everywhere on campus.

There's definitely a Greek...

There's definitely a Greek presence, and it's a source of parties, but I've personally never been to one, and that's not a big deal. There's really no pressure either way.

I'm on the varsity fencing team,...

I'm on the varsity fencing team, which is underfunded compared to other teams but is still pretty well funded. We have access to good facilities and trainers, and we get equipment and warm-ups from the school, as well as per diem for travel. I don't know about intramurals, but I'm also in the Frisbee program, which has an A, B, and C team. It's not very well funded, but we do a lot of our own fundraisers and have a very successful program.

Winter can be rough with a lot of...

Winter can be rough with a lot of wintry mixes. Invest in rubber boots or you'll go through two or three pairs of shoes every winter kicking your way through slush in the streets. That being said, when it's not precipitating, the weather is fairly mild and easy to deal with.

Very few people attend varsity...

Very few people attend varsity sporting events-our football team won the Ivy League title, but most people still didn't bother going to the games. I don't know anything about intramural sports.

Parties tend to be either large...

Parties tend to be either large dance parties in fraternities or small spontaneous events with friends in dorm rooms. Both are fun but can get repetitive and boring after a while.

I don't think the students at...

I don't think the students at Brown are significantly more or less attractive on average than any other school. There is no typical student, really.

The guys here are okay....

The guys here are okay. Considering it is an Ivy League school, the boys here a pretty inexperienced, but there is definitely a lot of sex going around on weekends. Girls at Brown tend to be more attractive than the guys. Sad, I know.