地理位置： 罗德岛州，普罗维登斯 (Providence, RI) —— 充满艺术气息的波西米亚小城
中国留学生昵称： 布朗、快乐藤
学校类型： 私立研究型大学 (以“开放式课程”闻名)

范·威克尔门 (Van Wickle Gates)。这扇门只开两次：一次是你入学时走进去，一次是你毕业时走出来。校园坐落在“学院山 (College Hill)”上，红砖建筑被巨大的树荫覆盖，随处可见坐在草地上弹吉他或辩论哲学的学生。]

学校气质与“人设”

布朗的气质是**“绝对自由”。
如果说哥大是“斯巴达式的严格”，布朗就是“嬉皮士式的随性”**。

开放式课程 (Open Curriculum)： 这是布朗的灵魂。全校没有一门必修课（除了写作要求）。你可以大学四年只学你喜欢的课。你想主修“计算机+中世纪诗歌”？没问题。你想自己设计一个专业叫“快乐学”？也可以。
及格/不及格 (S/NC)： 布朗允许你把任何课程（甚至所有课程）设为“及格/不及格”，而且成绩单上不会显示不及格。这极大降低了竞争压力，鼓励学生冒险去学很难的课。

布朗偏爱什么样的学生？
布朗寻找的是**“自我驱动的探索者”**。

理想画像： 既然没有老师逼你上课，你必须证明你有极强的自主性。招生官不喜欢那种“等着老师喂饭”的乖学生，他们喜欢那些有狂野想法、想把不同领域结合起来的怪才。
中国申请者注意： 文书中必须清晰解释你如何利用Open Curriculum。如果你说“我喜欢布朗是因为它排名高”，直接拒。

1. 录取：比你想象的更难

误区： 很多人以为布朗很松，所以好进。大错特错。
现实： 布朗是常春藤里录取率极低的学校之一（往往仅次于哈耶普）。因为它太热门了，谁不想去一所没有必修课的藤校呢？
标化成绩： SAT 1530+。
RISD双学位： 布朗旁边就是全美第一的艺术学院——罗德岛设计学院 (RISD)。它们有一个著名的双学位项目 (Brown-RISD Dual Degree)，但这几乎是全美最难进的项目，每年全球只招十几个人。

2. “中国圈子”与生活 (图解)

塞耶街 (Thayer Street)。这是穿过校园的主街，充满了古着店、独立咖啡馆和各种好吃的。空气中甚至能闻到一种“文艺”的味道。]

生活方式：
- 普罗维登斯： 这是一个被低估的美食城市。意大利菜（Federal Hill区）和海鲜非常棒。
- 氛围： 这里的中国学生通常比其他藤校的更“潮”，更具艺术范儿。因为没有GPA排名的恶性竞争，大家的关系非常融洽。
交通： 坐火车到波士顿只要45分钟，到纽约3小时。

3. 签证与职业前景 (快乐但不失业)

STEM专业： 不要以为布朗只有文科强。布朗的计算机科学 (CS) 和 应用数学 极强，且全部属于STEM。
就业：
- 去向： 布朗学生在硅谷和华尔街都很受欢迎，尤其是因为他们不仅技术好，而且思维活跃、擅长跨学科创新。
- 医学院： 布朗的PLME（本医连读项目）是全美最顶级的，如果你进了这个项目，可以直接免考MCAT进医学院。
- Grade Inflation： 这是一个公开的秘密。因为布朗给分很“水”（很多A），所以学生的GPA通常很好看，这对申请研究生和找工作非常有帮助。

4. 安全与环境

安全系数： 4/5 (比较安全)。
环境： 学院山 (College Hill) 是一个非常安全的富人/学生区。虽然山下的普罗维登斯市中心偶尔有一些治安事件，但只要你在山上活动，基本非常安全。

5. 奖学金政策

政策： Need-Aware for Internationals.
2025年展望： 布朗正在努力筹款以实现Need-Blind，但目前对于国际生来说，申请奖学金依然会增加录取难度。

给中国申请者的建议 (Verdict)：
如果你是一个非常有主见、痛恨条条框框、喜欢跨学科学习（比如想同时学CS和哲学），并且自律能力强（没人管你），布朗是你的乌托邦。如果你需要老师给你规划好路线、或者你是一个容易迷失方向的人，布朗的自由可能会毁了你。

30 Days Deciphering 30 Top US Universities

Day 14: Brown University

Location: Providence, Rhode Island (Urban/College Town) — An artsy, bohemian city
Chinese Nickname: 布朗 (Bù Lǎng), 快乐藤 (Happy Ivy)
School Type: Private Research University (Famous for the “Open Curriculum”)

The Van Wickle Gates. These gates open only twice: once when you enter as a freshman, and once when you leave as a graduate. The campus sits on “College Hill,” with red brick buildings shaded by massive trees, where students sit on the grass playing guitars or debating philosophy.]

The “Vibe” & The Persona

Brown’s vibe is “Absolute Freedom.”
If Columbia is “Spartan Rigor,” Brown is “Hippie Spontaneity.”

The Open Curriculum: This is Brown’s soul. There are NO required core classes (except for writing). You can spend four years studying only what you love. Want to major in “Computer Science + Medieval Poetry”? No problem. Want to design your own major called “Happiness Studies”? Go ahead.
S/NC (Satisfactory/No Credit): Brown allows you to take any class (or even all classes) as Pass/Fail, and failures are often not recorded on the transcript. This drastically lowers competitive pressure and encourages academic risk-taking.

What kind of student do they prefer?
Brown looks for “Self-Driven Explorers.”

The Ideal Candidate: Since no teacher forces you to take classes, you must prove you have extreme autonomy. Admissions officers hate “sheep” who wait for instructions; they love eccentric minds who want to combine disparate fields.
For Chinese Applicants: Your essays must clearly explain how you will use the Open Curriculum. If you say “I like Brown because of its ranking,” you will be rejected.

1. Admissions: Harder Than You Think

Misconception: Many think because Brown is “chill,” it’s easy to get in. Wrong.
Reality: Brown has one of the lowest acceptance rates in the Ivy League (often right behind HYP). Everyone wants to go to an Ivy with no required math class.
Stats: SAT 1530+.
RISD Dual Degree: Brown is right next to the #1 Art School in the US—Rhode Island School of Design (RISD). They have a famous Dual Degree program, but it is arguably the hardest program to get into in the US, accepting only ~15 people globally per year.

2. The “Chinese Bubble” & Social Life (Visualized)

Thayer Street. The main artery cutting through campus, full of vintage shops, indie cafes, and great food. You can practically smell the “artsy” vibe in the air.]

Lifestyle:
- Providence: An underrated food city. The Italian food (Federal Hill) and seafood are amazing.
- Atmosphere: Chinese students here tend to be trendier and more artistic than at other Ivies. Because there is no cutthroat GPA ranking, relationships are generally very harmonious.
Transport: 45 minutes by train to Boston, 3 hours to NYC.

3. The Visa & Career Pathway (Happy but Employed)

STEM Designation: Don’t think Brown is only for humanities. Brown’s Computer Science (CS) and Applied Math are elite and are all STEM-designated.
Career:
- Outcomes: Brown grads are popular in Silicon Valley and Wall Street because they are not just technically skilled but also creative thinkers.
- Med School: Brown’s PLME (BS/MD program) is top-tier. If you get in, you skip the MCAT and go straight to med school.
- Grade Inflation: It’s an open secret. Because Brown gives out many A’s (and no F’s recorded), GPAs are usually very high, which is a huge advantage for grad school and job applications.

4. Safety and Location

Safety Rating: 4/5 (Relatively Safe).
Environment: College Hill is a wealthy, safe residential area. While downtown Providence (down the hill) can occasionally be gritty, staying on the hill is generally very safe.

5. Financial Aid

Policy: Need-Aware for Internationals.
Outlook: Brown is fundraising aggressively to become Need-Blind, but currently, for international students, applying for financial aid still increases the difficulty of admission.

Verdict for the Chinese Applicant:
If you are extremely independent, hate rules, love interdisciplinary learning, and have the self-discipline to navigate freedom, Brown is your utopia. If you need a teacher to map out your path, or if you feel lost without structure, Brown’s freedom might destroy you.