<p>I think Brown sounds like a pretty cool school, but what alarms me is its lack of requirements. I mean, I know I’m going to study lots of diverse subjects, but I don’t know if this is a hindrance or a good thing when compared with schools, like Columbia, with core curriculums. Any insights?</p>
<p>It's really not like they just give you a big course catalog and never bother you again. They have tons of advisors that help you pick the right schedule for you, and Brown picks very motivated, ambitious, independent people, who are bound to take advantage of the freedom to choose. I think the restrictive core is at columbia is actually more of a hindrance. Taking certain courses just because every columbia student has for the past 100 years? Not really appealing.</p>
<p>No requirements = total flexibility = in all the classes you take you are exactly where you want to be (and everyone else in the class is, too) = happy students, happy professors = great head start on finding your passions in life and probing your future pathways. </p>
<p>It was absolutely the best thing about Brown for me; very, very valuable. I am definitely urging my D towards schools with no requirements, or very loose, minimal requirements... So easy to double major. So easy to be premed but major in humanities. So easy to dabble in all that the school offers. So fun not to be stressed or ever to take a class because you have to!</p>
<p>I read in the alumni magazine that when Brown actually analyzes the schedules of graduated students, it turns out that more 90% would have fulfilled typical distribution requirements if they had existed... which means that natural curiousity does a very similar job of driving educational decisions towards breadth.</p>
<p>I know they have added all the advisors since I was there but basically asking upperclassmen which classes/profs are best is the most efficient way to take all wonderful classes.</p>
<p>Why on earth would you rather be stuck in classes that don't really interest you than to have total freedom over what you're taking? I mean, yeah, you could be interested in varied subjects, but you're probably going to hit a few subjects that you just have had enough of and don't want to take anymore.</p>
<p>You're paying a heck of a lot for a private university education, not to mention investing four of what are arguably some of the most important--and potentially the most fun--years of your life. If you gain admission you are most likely incredibly intelligent as well. Putting two and two together, I can't see why you wouldn't spend those four years learning in the way you think is best. If you're smart and resourceful, you should be able to guide your own path. Those are the type of students Brown likes to accept and I think it is amazing that Brown respects its students enough to trust them with that priviledge.</p>