Physics/engineering at Brown?

<p>How is the physics/engineering undergraduate programs at Brown? I read some stuff but I can’t decide if it is worth going there study phy/eng?
I ask because I consider going to Brown as a safety uni?</p>

<p>Brown's pretty much not a safety for anyone.</p>

<p>Our engineering program is third oldest in the country and has some of the highest percentages of students going to grad school within five years of undergrad.</p>

<p>Physics at Brown is fantastic because you have such a small class of undergraduates (about 10-15 each year) with 24 faculty members whose research interests lie across the spectrum of theoretical and practical research, from particle physics to astronomy to biology. Very intimate atmosphere and excellent exposure to a variety of research.</p>

<p>Also, since you are from Bulgaria, you should know that Brown is need aware for international applicants.</p>

<p>how could anyone consider brown a safety?</p>

<p>Thank you for the posts!</p>

<p>The part about safety is a joke ^^ no IVY is a safety</p>

<p>haha I actually know of a person from my school who considered Brown and other Ivies like Dartmouth and Cornell safeties. He was confident on Yale and Harvard. But then he cheated on a test (not his first time). He ended up going to Harvard after taken off the waitlist because his daddy donated millions to it but got rejected from Brown...and the rest of the Ivies. What an a$$. I'm glad Brown didn't accept him.</p>

<p>Well - with rich daddies... haha</p>

<p>I was joking about Brown as a safety!!! Pls - don't eat me (".)</p>

<p>Well - I was told (in this forum) that Brown is not numbers-driven. I mean as I am an international and I don't study English intensively at school I kinda screwed SAT 1 - got just 1890 points. I was supposed to take TOEFL a day ago but some servers crashed and it was rescheduled... :(</p>

<p>Can you chance me (I know that there is a post-forum for that but I think it's more realistic someone from Brown to tell me what are my chances)</p>

<p>I'll list my achievements to help you decide:</p>

<ol>
<li><p>My SAT 1 is very low - I got just 1890. I am taking the test again in October 4th
Cr. Reading - 530
Math - 760
Writing - 600 (7 on the essay)
I know - really low scores, but I am sure I'll do better next time ^^ ( I hope for above 2000 in October ^^)</p></li>
<li><p>SAT 2 Math 1C - 800</p></li>
<li><p>SAT 2 Physics 740</p></li>
</ol>

<p>(by the way I am going to take SAT 2 Math IIC and Physics again in November - I want 800s ^^)</p>

<ol>
<li><p>I've participated in 4th International Jauticov Olympiad in Mathematics and Physics, but I screwed the problems (lame mistakes) and as a result I don't have a medal... Next competition - better ^^ (I fell prepared this time)</p></li>
<li><p>I've done a research in Technion - the Israel Institute of technology on project "Investigation of propagation of light in the optical fiber" and as a result I have a research paper ^^</p></li>
<li><p>I have many 1st, 2nd and 3rd places in national physics competition in Bulgaria (very proud ^^)</p></li>
<li><p>I like playing on my violin, but I had to stop for a year because it become very difficult at school (does it count then?) but I want to play and after 12th grade I'll continue playing on my violin ^^</p></li>
<li><p>I have 6.00 at school (6.00 is highest mark ^^), which equals GPA 4 (GPA is the mark form the school, right?) (Our school does not rank students, but from what I know I am somewhere among top 10).</p></li>
<li><p>I am sure I'll get superior recommendations from my teachers because they love me ^^</p></li>
<li><p>Currently I am working over one research at home.</p></li>
<li><p>I have participated in Interact for over a year now; working in the library etc</p></li>
<li><p>TOEFL on 16th August</p></li>
</ol>

<p>And now - can I get in Brown ED?</p>

<p>Do you need financial aid?</p>

<p>Yes - I'll definitely need (my family income for a year is around 12000$) and we have to pay 3000$ for my brother (at Washington and Lee) so the situation is pretty bad ^^</p>

<p>But a friend of mine (my girlfriend) got into Brown and was told to pay 10000$ per year but after two weeks the uni staff told her that she got full scholarship o.O</p>

<p>anyone o.O</p>

<p>Sorry to piggyback but can anyone discuss the civil engineering concentration at Brown?</p>

<p>What are you looking to find out?</p>

<p>If you need financial aid, then you must realize that for international students Brown considers your ability to pay and how much money it has for aid in your admission decision. There are very few schools that are financial need blind for internationals; I strongly suggest you find those and apply to them. No matter how good your chances are, they become significantly worse because Brown may decide not to accept you because it doesn't have the money in its budget to pay for you. </p>

<p>Also, just to clarify -- Brown does not give scholarships for academic merit.</p>

<p>S wants to do civil engineering. Looking at WashU, Case, Vandy and some other safety/matches. I'm intrigued by what I read about Brown and think it might be a good fit for him. I guess I'm looking for rigor of the program, job prospects after graduation, how engineering majors fit in to the general student body, etc... Anything you are willing to share really. Thanks!</p>

<p>My best suggestion is to come on a science tour here at Brown if possible. I think we do an excellent job generally (though the feedback on some of the new guides last semester was apparently not too hot) of going through all of that information on the tour. I can supply a more complete answer, but probably not this week as things are hectic for me at the moment.</p>

<p>To be brief-- you will get a job coming out of here in engineering, period. Engineers are completely integrated into the student body here. Case is also an excellent choice and was my second choice school so best of luck! The environment there is very different, however, as a huge number of the people around you are engineering/physical sciences whereas we're about 1/3 of the community here at Brown.</p>

<p>civil engineering at brown</p>

<p>Division</a> of Engineering Civil Undergraduate Overview</p>

<p>Division</a> of Engineering</p>

<p>Urban</a> Studies Program</p>

<p>Well - here is what my girlfriend (she's gonna be first year student this year) told me - Brown has changed its fin. aid policy, saying that if s.o. applies at Brown (to study and for fin aid)and his/her family income is less than 60 000$/year the student receives full-ride fin aid. Because of that I think I have a chance at Brown (Of course my girlfriend has 2140 or so on SAT 1 but she was one year in Bulgaria after finishing school, studying for the SAT. I was told (in this forum) that Brown is not that number-driven university - I just have to wow them with my essays).</p>

<p>And as Brown has really good physics/engineering programs I am considering ED there. If I have to work on campus - that's OK with me.</p>

<p>It is unfortunately that I cannot come to a science visit as there is no $$ ^^</p>

<p>There are just several need-blind (for internationals) universities&colleges:</p>

<ol>
<li>MIT, Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Massachusetts</li>
<li>Harvard University in Massachusetts</li>
<li>Princeton University in New Jersey</li>
<li>Yale University in Connecticut</li>
<li>Williams College in Massachusetts</li>
<li>Middlebury College in Vermont</li>
<li>Dartmouth College in New Hampshire</li>
</ol>

<p>From there I'll apply in Dartmouth but RD. </p>

<p>And guys! What is this CIVIL Eng in this Thread?!?!? Are you nuts o.O</p>

<p>You sure MIT is need-blind? Cause I heard this year the students got the least package from MIT.</p>

<p>All this seven universities are need-blind for international students.</p>

<p>"MIT is need-blind for all populations, including waitlist and international students." - got it from MIT web</p>

<p>I don't have any other info</p>

<p>I think the 60k income may only be applied to American students. That being said, I know at least a few international kids who are here on significant aid. It's not that Brown will not supply you with aid, it's just that Brown will factor that into admission decision, which may hurt you because of the lowish SATs (though I fully appreciate the difficulty of taking an exam like that in your non-native language).</p>

<p>So it's not that Brown isn't less numbers based than some other schools in the admissions process, it's that you have to be particularly on the top of your game as an international student applying for aid to gain admission since we just cannot yet afford to go need-blind for internationals. This is a huge priority to change at Brown but right now it's just not the way things are.</p>