University Insights

Brown Acceptance Rate and Admissions Results: Class of 2029 and 2030

Brown admits 16.5% of Early Decision applicants to the Class of 2030

Brown University's Acceptance Rate For Class of 2030
February 25

Arkesh P.

Chief Operating Officer

Summary

Brown University has released Early Decision admissions results for the Class of 2030, admitting 890 students from 5,406 applicants, for an Early Decision acceptance rate of 16.5%. This marks a modest decline from last year’s 17.9% rate, driven by an increase in the number of Early Decision applicants. The most recent completed admissions cycle, the Class of 2029, saw Brown admit 2,418 students from 42,765 applicants, resulting in an overall acceptance rate of 5.65%. Early Decision applicants continued to enjoy a substantial advantage, with an ED acceptance rate of 17.9%, compared to 4.01% for Regular Decision applicants. Regular Decision results for the Class of 2030 will be released on Ivy Day in late March or early April, at which point Brown’s overall acceptance rate for the Class of 2030 will be finalized.

Brown Early Decision Acceptance Results for the Class of 2030

Brown admitted 890 students through its Early Decision program for the Class of 2030, representing an Early Decision acceptance rate of 16.5%. A total of 5,406 students applied Early Decision, an increase of nearly 400 applicants compared to the previous cycle.
Decision notifications were originally scheduled for earlier in the week but were delayed following a tragic campus shooting on December 13. In a University press release, Brown acknowledged the significance of admissions decisions while emphasizing support for the campus community during a period of mourning and recovery.
Associate Provost for Enrollment and Dean of Undergraduate Admissions Logan Powell stated that admitted students demonstrated “a commitment to collaboration, the self-motivation to be architects of their own education and a desire to solve problems and make a difference in the world.”

Class of 2030 Early Decision Overview

Admission Round
Applicants
Admitted
Acceptance Rate
Early Decision (ED)
5,406
890
16.5%
This year’s admitted cohort is slightly smaller than the 906 students admitted Early Decision to the Class of 2029, despite the increase in total applicants.

QuestBridge and Special Programs: Class of 2030

Brown admitted 52 students through the QuestBridge program, marking a decrease from the 90 QuestBridge students admitted to the Class of 2029. This is the first decline in QuestBridge admits at Brown in more than a decade.
Brown’s Program in Liberal Medical Education (PLME) admitted 23 students as part of the Class of 2030.
Among students admitted Early Decision: — 16% are first-generation college students, slightly down from last year — 453 attended public schools — 333 attended private schools — 100 attended religious schools — 4 were homeschooled Domestic admits represent 46 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico, with the highest representation from New York, California, and Massachusetts.

When Will Brown Release Regular Decision Results for the Class of 2030?

Brown will release Regular Decision admissions results on Ivy Day, which falls on March 26th this year. At that time, Brown will publish its full admissions statistics for the Class of 2030, including Regular Decision and overall acceptance rates.
Until Ivy Day, the Class of 2029 remains the most recent completed admissions cycle for evaluating Brown’s overall selectivity.

Brown Acceptance Results for the Class of 2029

Brown completed its admissions cycle for the Class of 2029 by admitting 2,418 students from 42,765 applicants, resulting in an overall acceptance rate of 5.65%.

Class of 2029 Overview

Admissions RoundApplicantsAdmittedAcceptance Rate
Early Decision (ED)5,04890617.9%
Regular Decision (RD)37,7171,5124.01%
Overall42,7652,4185.65%

Key Trends and Insights

The Regular Decision acceptance rate increased slightly from 3.92% to 4.01%, reflecting a decline in Regular Decision applications.
The Early Decision acceptance rate rose sharply from 14.4% to 17.9%, marking the highest ED acceptance rate since the Class of 2023.

Broader Admissions Trends

—Consistent Overall Selectivity: Brown’s overall acceptance rate has remained relatively stable between 5% and 7% in recent years.
—Early Decision Advantage: The gap between Early Decision and Regular Decision acceptance rates continues to widen. The Class of 2029 saw a difference of nearly 14 percentage points, the largest in recent years.
—Return to Testing Requirements: Brown reinstated mandatory standardized testing beginning with the Class of 2029, which may have contributed to the decline in total applicants.
—Post–Affirmative Action Landscape: The Class of 2030 is the third admitted under the Supreme Court’s ban on race-based affirmative action, following notable demographic shifts in prior cycles.

Brown Regular Decision Acceptance Results

Class of 2029 vs Class of 2028

Metric
Class of 2029
Class of 2028
% Change
Applications Received
37,717
42,654
-11.57%
Applications Accepted
1,512
1,623
-6.84%
RD Acceptance Rate
4.01%
3.92%
+2.30%
Although fewer students were admitted through Regular Decision, the sharper decline in applications led to a modest increase in the acceptance rate.

Brown Early Decision Acceptance Results

Class of 2029 vs Class of 2028
Metric
Class of 2029
Class of 2028
% Change
Applications Received
5,048
6,244
-19.15%
Applications Accepted
906
898
+0.89%
ED Acceptance Rate
17.9%
14.4%
+24.31%
The Early Decision acceptance rate increased significantly due to a steep drop in ED applicants while admit numbers remained stable.

Why Apply Early Decision?

— Higher Acceptance Rates: Early Decision applicants consistently benefit from substantially higher acceptance rates. — Higher Acceptance Rates: Early Decision applicants consistently benefit from substantially higher acceptance rates. — Binding Agreement: Students admitted Early Decision commit to enrolling, barring financial constraints.

Historical Acceptance Rates at Brown University

Class of
Applications
Accepted
Overall Rate
RD Rate
ED Rate
2029
42,765
2,418
5.65%
4.01%
17.9%
2028
48,898
2,521
5.2%
3.92%
14.4%
2027
51,302
2,609
5.1%
3.9%
13%
2026
50,649
2,546
5.0%
3.6%
15%
2025
46,685
2,537
5.5%
4.0%
16%
2024
36,794
2,533
6.9%
5.4%
17.5%
2023
38,674
2,551
6.6%
5.2%
18.2%
These trends illustrate Brown’s sustained selectivity despite fluctuations in application volume.

How to Stand Out in Brown’s Admissions Process

—Academic Excellence: Maintain strong grades across a rigorous curriculum.
—Distinctive Essays: Brown places exceptional emphasis on authentic, reflective writing.
—Meaningful Engagement: Depth of involvement matters more than résumé stacking.
—Testing Strategy: Submit strong standardized test scores in line with Brown’s reinstated testing requirements.

Final Thoughts

Congratulations to students admitted to Brown’s Class of 2030 through Early Decision and special programs. Your achievement reflects resilience, dedication, and academic excellence.
For students considering Brown in future admissions cycles, strategic preparation is increasingly essential. Explore our complete guide on how to get into Brown to learn how successful applicants distinguish themselves.
Crimson Education supports ambitious students applying to top universities worldwide, offering personalized admissions consulting tailored to each student’s academic goals and strengths.
If you are a student or parent interested in Brown or other highly selective universities, we invite you to schedule a consultation, attend our upcoming webinars and events, and explore our record of student results.

Editor

Arkesh P.

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