Brown University

Essay prompts (9)

1. academic interest2026-27250 words

   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 pursue them at Brown. (200-250 words)

   This is the 2025-26 wording, carried over: Brown University has not republished this prompt for 2026-27 yet. Schools usually post updates around the Common App opening on August 1; we re-check after that and change this text only against an official source.

   source

2. identity2026-27250 words

   Students entering Brown often find that making their home on College Hill naturally invites reflection on where they came from. Share how an aspect of your growing up has inspired or challenged you, and what unique contributions this might allow you to make to the Brown community. (200-250 words)

   This is the 2025-26 wording, carried over: Brown University has not republished this prompt for 2026-27 yet. Schools usually post updates around the Common App opening on August 1; we re-check after that and change this text only against an official source.

   source

3. other2026-27250 words

   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. (200-250 words)

   This is the 2025-26 wording, carried over: Brown University has not republished this prompt for 2026-27 yet. Schools usually post updates around the Common App opening on August 1; we re-check after that and change this text only against an official source.

   source

4. short answer2026-273 words

   What three words best describe you? (3 words)

   This is the 2025-26 wording, carried over: Brown University has not republished this prompt for 2026-27 yet. Schools usually post updates around the Common App opening on August 1; we re-check after that and change this text only against an official source.

   source

5. short answer2026-27100 words

   If you could teach a class on any one thing, whether academic or otherwise, what would it be? (100 words)

   This is the 2025-26 wording, carried over: Brown University has not republished this prompt for 2026-27 yet. Schools usually post updates around the Common App opening on August 1; we re-check after that and change this text only against an official source.

   source

6. why us2026-2750 words

   In one sentence, Why Brown? (50 words)

   This is the 2025-26 wording, carried over: Brown University has not republished this prompt for 2026-27 yet. Schools usually post updates around the Common App opening on August 1; we re-check after that and change this text only against an official source.

   source

7. academic interest2026-27500 words

   Applies to: PLME (Program in Liberal Medical Education) applicants

   Committing to a future career as a physician while in high school requires careful consideration and self-reflection. Explain your personal motivation to pursue a career in medicine, and why the Program in Liberal Medical Education (PLME) will best meet your professional and personal goals. (500 words)

   This is the 2025-26 wording, carried over: Brown University has not republished this prompt for 2026-27 yet. Schools usually post updates around the Common App opening on August 1; we re-check after that and change this text only against an official source.

   source

8. other2026-27250 words

   Applies to: PLME (Program in Liberal Medical Education) applicants

   Healthcare is constantly changing as it is affected by racial and social inequities, economics, politics, technology, and more. Please respond to one of the following prompts (250 words): How will you, as a future physician, make a positive impact? / How has your personal background uniquely shaped your perspective on the field of medicine?

   This is the 2025-26 wording, carried over: Brown University has not republished this prompt for 2026-27 yet. Schools usually post updates around the Common App opening on August 1; we re-check after that and change this text only against an official source.

   source

9. why us2026-27650 words

   Applies to: Brown | RISD Dual Degree Program (BRDD) applicants

   The Brown|RISD Dual Degree Program draws on the complementary strengths of Brown University and Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) to provide students with the opportunity to explore and engage with diverse spheres of academic and creative inquiry. Considering your understanding of the academic programs at Brown and RISD, describe how and why the specific blend of RISD's experimental, immersive art and design program and Brown's wide-ranging courses and curricula could constitute an optimal undergraduate education for you. Reflect on how you might integrate or synthesize content, approaches, and methods from these two distinct learning experiences. Additionally, how might you contribute to the Dual Degree community and its commitment to interdisciplinary work?

   This is the 2025-26 wording, carried over: Brown University has not republished this prompt for 2026-27 yet. Schools usually post updates around the Common App opening on August 1; we re-check after that and change this text only against an official source.

   source

Brown states that 'the use of artificial intelligence by an applicant is not permitted under any circumstances in conjunction with application content,' allowing AI only for basic proofreading such as spelling and grammar review. All essays, short-answer questions and other submitted material must be the applicant's own work, and misrepresenting AI output as one's own is treated as application fraud, with consequences up to admission revocation.

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When you request a review for a Brown University supplement, the feedback is grounded in exactly what you see here: the prompt itself, its word limit, and what the school publishes about its values and programs. That's the whole claim — calibrated to the prompt and the school's own published guidance, scored against a consistent rubric. Not insider knowledge, and never a rewrite: Second Read is a coach, not a ghostwriter. It flags weaknesses and tells you what to fix and why; it never writes a sentence of your essay.

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