<p>I’m highly interested in math in general, and I’m wondering how strong the math and computer science / engineering disciplines are at Brown. How many courses are available, relative to other LACs? Relative to other universities? How good are the faculty, classes, and students in these areas? How many students at Brown pursue these areas and then go on to pursue successful careers in them?</p>
<p>Also, on a scale of 1 to UChicago, how intellectual and serious is the Brown student body? I don’t want to go to a school with too laid-back a climate.</p>
<p>Brown has some excellent combination degrees, including math/computer science, applied math/CS, and econ/CS. There is also a combination 5-year master’s degree option in CS. My son’s CS professor (and academic advisor) is a pioneer in the field, co-credited with first developing the concept of hyperlinks, the basis of today’s Internet. Major employers include Google, Apple, Microsoft, Wall Street and top consulting firms.</p>
<p>Brown has an open curriculum with almost no required classes. The admissions committee thus tends to favor self-directed learners who know what they want and are willing to stray off the beaten path to get it. Such students tend to be independent travelers, not happy being forced to take the canned “core curriculum” package tour.</p>
<p>Intellectually serious and laid back are not two extremes on a continuum. One can be laid back and still work hard to learn, purely because learning is a joy. Being in a class only because one actually wants to be there and where one’s classmates are also there by choice is great, especially in those cases where group projects are required. </p>
<p>Brown is quite a bit harder to get into than UChicago. In my experience growing up in Chicago, UChicago students tend to drink the “we are better” Kool-Aid and only shake it off years later. Brown, by contrast, mocks itself most of all: during the orientation session for accepted-but-still-uncommitted students, Brown starts off with a selection of movie and TV clips that make fun of the school. Who else would do this to yet-undecided students? My son absolutely loves the place!</p>
<p>Brown students are both intellectual and laid-back. They are not driven by competition with each other, but by an internal compass that seeks knowledge. Students want to be challenged academically, but they don’t kill themselves – most take four classes a semester and try to have room in their schedule for ECs and fun. </p>
<p>Pure math is not one of Brown strongest departments, but applied math is very good. The CS department may be small but graduates go on to work for all the top companies (Google, Facebook, Microsoft, etc.). Engineering tends to stress entrepreneurship – it’s small compared to Cornell, but very good. If you visit campus, take the sciences tour, and you’ll get a good picture of the sciences at Brown. Lots of opportunities for research and hands-on activities.</p>