Brown University

Interdisciplinary-focused Brown University, in Providence, Rhode Island, is dedicated to undergraduate freedom, meaning students must take responsibility for designing their own courses of study via the Open Curriculum. Students sing the praises of the academic flexibility at this Ivy League institution and the accompanying emphasis on social action. "We would not be...strong students and teachers without a proper system in place to encourage that," says one undergrad. Those who roam these hallowed halls are "constantly questioning what could make the world and our school a better place." Every person "has their own interests and pursues it without any push from others," which is why Brown can be a "very intense" place to go to school-not because students are competing academically with each other, but "because there are so many people doing so much and fighting so hard for it."

Brown's faculty "are at the top of their fields and are working on research that pushes those fields forward." The "engaging, personal, and incredibly dedicated" professors are "the heart and soul of our strongest departments." They "care so much about what they do and connect with students on a very human level." Undergraduates come first here, and Brown encourages students to "explore their academic interests independently in order to experience everything that academics have to offer." As one enrollee explains it, "No other school I had looked at allowed students to...build their own academic journey without any general requirements." Graduates tend to "not just go to the normative career options," and "career and internship placement has become a top priority of the new university administration."

This "knowledgeable and inspiring" community is made up of people who are "very intelligent, care about global issues, and possess one or two quirks." The school "has a way of molding people into their best selves," and the most common trait is "a true zeal for whatever it is that we care most about." Although this is a liberal campus, there are "a handful of conservatives," and "the entire body has a general chilled-out vibe." As one student puts it, "I've never experienced so many people willing to have a conversation about topics that usually make people uncomfortable." There is "a prevailing intolerance of intolerance on campus," and the culture of activism "bespeaks an idealism and a strong moral code that drives a lot of the work students do on campus."

Students describe a nice balance between work and play at Brown-academia rules during a week that is "filled with countless hours of study," but it's also an "exciting" and "very happy place with many activities and events going on all the time." Some go to parties or "downtown for the weekend," while others make the most of the constant "lectures, movie screenings, improv shows, dance performances, [and] a cappella showcases." Many here also do "intellectual activities or athletics over breaks," and "community clubs and special interest clubs (such as international student groups)" are extremely popular. Students also often go to the lounges in the dorms to watch movies with friends. And, "beautiful" as the campus is, students can easily walk one minute to Thayer Street and "enjoy restaurants and excellent dining" or walk 20 minutes to Providence Place Mall. Boston and New York are very close, but "Providence is busy enough that Brown never completely empties out."

The freethinkers at Brown are more likely to carve their own paths than “just go to the normative career options,” and the school welcomes this approach with open arms. All post-graduate coordination is done through CareerLAB—the center for Careers and Life after Brown—which arranges for on-campus recruiting, job fairs, skills workshops, boot camps, and more; students are encouraged to set up an appointment with a Peer Career Advisors as early as October of their first year. The center’s newest addition, BrownConnect, expands these opportunities beyond the campus, joining students to a network of alumni, parents, and friends, and acting as "one-stop shopping" for finding internships, research opportunities, and funding for those wishing to take low-paid or unpaid internships or research projects. Indeed, “career and internship placement has become a top priority of the…university administration,” and students enjoy the fruits of Brown’s reputation when applying for jobs. Brown grads who visited PayScale.com report a median starting salary of $82,400 and a mid-career median salary of $153,000.