Brown University’s acceptance rate continues to be highly selective, maintaining a commitment to academic excellence and making strides toward greater diversity for the Class of 2028. Of 42,654 regular round applicants, Brown offered seats to 1,623 students, resulting in an acceptance rate of 3.92% — about the same as last year. Of 6,244 Early Decision applicants, the university offered seats to 898 students, resulting in a 14.4% acceptance rate, up from 13% last year. The overall acceptance rate amounted to 5.2% for the class of 2028.

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Brown’s Acceptance Results for the Class of 2028

Brown’s Class of 2028 Acceptance Results: The Third-Lowest Acceptance Rate in History

Brown University announced its acceptance of 1,623 new students to its upcoming undergraduate class through the regular decision process on Thursday, March 28. These students, along with the 898 early decision applicants admitted in December 2023, make up a total admitted class of 2,521 for the upcoming academic year.

Among students offered admission, 16% will be first-generation college students, and 9% are from rural areas. These numbers increased over last year due to Brown’s specific initiative to recruit students from diverse backgrounds.

Class of 2028 Regular Decision Acceptance Rate

Brown’s Class of 2028 saw its third-largest applicant pool in university history. The university received 48,989 applications in both the early and regular rounds — about 4,366 more applications than for the Class of 2027. 

In the regular round, 42,654 students applied to Brown’s Class of 2028. This is a slight decrease from last year’s regular round, which received 44,532 applications. Despite receiving fewer applications this year, Brown’s regular round acceptance rate remains virtually the same as last year, at a very low 3.9%.

Brown’s highly selective acceptance rate reinforces the competitive nature of its admissions process. Only the most exceptional of students succeed in gaining admission — students with stellar academics, impactful extracurriculars, and the potential to thrive with Brown’s student-centered curriculum.

Class of 2028 Early Decision Acceptance Rate

In its Early Decision round for the Class of 2028, Brown admitted 898 students from 6,244 applicants. This means Early Decision applicants to Brown’s class of 2028 benefited from an Early Decision acceptance rate of 14.4%, compared to Brown’s regular decision acceptance rate of 3.9% this year. 

This cycle marks a historic moment for the university, with the largest ever early-decision cohort and a record number of first-generation students. While Brown has seen a general trend of decreasing early round acceptance rates, this year’s rate is a slight uptick from the previous year's 13% early decision acceptance rate.

The admissions process this year was one of the first to be conducted under a new review system, in the wake of the Supreme Court's landmark revocation of affirmative action policies in the summer of 2023. Despite these changes, the make-up of next year’s in-coming class points to Brown's unwavering commitment to ensuring diversity in campus life while attracting exceptionally qualified students. The process resulted in 67.6% of applicants being denied and 16.8% deferred, in line with a trend of decreasing deferral rates in recent years.

Brown University's admission statistics underscore a dedication to fostering inclusion and excellence despite impacts on admissions policies from today’s changing legal and social climate.

This year's increase in the early decision acceptance rate, along with Brown's strategic modifications in admissions practices, reflects the university's ongoing commitment to assembling a diverse, talented, and dynamic student body, ready to address the world's complex challenges.

Brown’s Acceptance Trends Over the Past Decade: What the Numbers Reveal

Over the last decade, the Ivy League admissions landscape has changed dramatically. A close look at Brown’s acceptance rate statistics reveals some clear trends: increasing applications in both the regular and early rounds, an advantageous acceptance rate in the early round, and a decline in acceptance rates overall.

While the number of applications has remained relatively stable over the past two years, there has been significant growth in applications since the Class of 2024, which received 32,232 applications and had an acceptance rate of 5.4%. The Class of 2025 marked the beginning of a trend towards lower acceptance rates, with an acceptance rate of 4% from 41,028 applications.

Let's break down what this means for prospective students.

Key Trends

Escalating Competition: The most striking trend is an overall increase in applications as well as a consistent decline in acceptance rates. This reflects the growing competitiveness of Brown admissions.

A Potential Advantage to Apply Early: When comparing early round acceptance rates to Regular Decision rates, it’s evident that applying early can increase an applicant's chances of acceptance to Brown. The Early Decision acceptance rate for the Class of 2028 is 14.4%, compared to a Regular Decision acceptance rate of 3.9%, highlighting the potential advantage of applying during the Early Decision cycle.

Declining Acceptance Rates Overall: While Ivy League admission rates have started to stabilize after steeply declining, they are still significantly lower than they were even five years ago. As the number of applicants increases each year at top universities, the number of students they admit remains nearly the same. This maintains fierce competition in the admissions process.

The increasing applicant numbers and shockingly low acceptance rates at Brown reflect the broader landscape of elite college admissions. In addition, factors like Brown’s reinstated test score requirement (beginning with the 2024-2025 application season) and its student-led curriculum make the school even more competitive.

Regardless of application timing, prospective Brown students should be prepared to present a truly exceptional profile to stand out.

Accepted Students Visit Brown Campus

Brown University’s popular “A Day on College Hill” program is returning for the first time since 2019. Admitted students can visit the Brown campus and learn what life is like for Brown undergraduates. Students who attend this event stay overnight in the residence halls and participate in three full days of orientation programming that include class visits, panels and lectures, performances, and social events.

For those who can’t attend, Brown still offers virtual experiences that allow admitted students to engage remotely and attend events online in real time in order to learn about the Brown community.

How Can You Get Into Brown?

Brown's narrow acceptance rates and the broader trends in elite admissions highlight how challenging it has become to get into top universities. In this competitive landscape, seeking experienced college admissions advisors can offer a significant advantage. Advisors can support you throughout the complex application process and help you:

Craft a Compelling Narrative: They work with you to identify your unique strengths, passions, and experiences. This helps shape a cohesive application that showcases your potential to contribute to the MIT community.

Navigate Strategic Choices: Advisors can provide insights on application timing (early vs. regular), test score submission, and highlight areas where you can further boost your profile.

Excel in Every Aspect: From essay coaching to interview preparation, advisors ensure each application component is polished and demonstrates your preparedness for Brown’s rigorous academic environment.

How Crimson Can Help You Get into Brown and Other Top Universities

According to US News, Brown ranks #9 in the United States. As the number of applicants increases each year at top universities, getting into universities like Brown will become harder.

But there are ways to get an edge. In fact, at Crimson Education that’s what we do — we partner with thousands of students each year, helping them gain admission to their dream schools. While applicant pools get larger and acceptance rates at top schools grow more competitive, Crimson’s acceptance numbers are actually increasing!

More than 900 Crimson students have been admitted to the Ivy League! Here’s a breakdown of Crimson’s Class of 2028 acceptance numbers:

• 126 offers to the Ivy League.
• 280+ offers to the US Top 20, including offers to Stanford, MIT, Caltech, Duke, Johns Hopkins, Northwestern, University of Chicago, Rice, Vanderbilt, and University of Notre Dame.
• 15% of Ivy League and 27% of top 20 early round applicants received offers to their dream schools.
• 1280+ offers to the US Top 50, including offers to NYU, University of Michigan, Georgetown, Carnegie Mellon, Emory, University of Virginia, and Washington University in St. Louis.
• 1000+ offers to each student’s first choice school.

As we wait for the rest of the acceptance letters to arrive, we’re confident that more Crimson students will get the results that turn their dreams into reality.