<p>And, yes, my academic experience here has been quite different from my high school experience, even coming from a small, independent, "college prep" high school.</p>
<p>Due in part to the open curriculum, and in part just to the inquisitive nature of the student body, I've found that in my classes, almost everyone is there because they actually want to be there. Unlike in high school, where almost nobody wants to be in school at all, not to mention attend classes, people are actually excited about learning. That means that students participate in discussions, actually do their work, and are fun to learn from. Also, profs are teaching what they specialize in and what they like, and they're at Brown because they know that teaching is important here.</p>
<p>Academic expectations are also at a much higher level here than in high school. You're expected to do more work in a shorter amount of time, with less hand-holding.</p>
<p>For me the amount of reading was a big change from HS. Stupidly I took 4 humanities class my first semester-- I remember having up to 1000 pages to read each week and being a bit overwhelmed-- and I am a very fast reader!</p>
<p>I visited Brown last summer and was admitted ED.</p>
<p>From what I've experienced of Brown, the perception that the university is not challenging is dead wrong. I've put up with a lot of snide comments at my HS about Brown being the "easy Ivy", and I can't stand it anymore!</p>
<p>The amount of freedom offered at Brown in terms of curriculum, etc. could be damaging to a certain kind of student- one who is a strong worker but not self-motivated. Sure, Brown gives you the ability to choose what and how much you learn, but I believe that the university also admits kids that have the maturity and academic drive necessary to thrive in such an environment. (I agree completely with dcircle here.) For myself, this is a boon; I am much more motivated and do my best work when I decide what classes to take (not a lot of choice at my school!) For others, this might be more of a problem. </p>
<p>BTW: The SexPowerGod thing got so blown out of proportion that it's ridiculous. Just because some students decided to engage in that behavior doesn't mean that most students do, or that the campus condones it.</p>
<p>I was a grad teaching assistant at Brown in the 70s. At that time, some students worked hard and discussed intellectual ideas, some did not. I'd say then it was about 50-50. I spent a fair amount of time teaching basic English Comp to football players. I also met some very bright and very creative undergrads. But things may have changed in 30 years, of course.</p>