Brown University, a leading Ivy League institution, is the only major research university in the nation where undergraduates design their own course of study. Barron’s Guide to the Most Competitive Colleges has described Brown as "the perfect university for self-motivated and confident students who desire an education [they create] on their own terms." By providing a rich undergraduate experience together with strong graduate and medical programs, the University fosters internal and external discovery at each level of the academic enterprise. Brown is located in the College Hill residential section of Providence, Rhode Island, widely praised as one of America’s most livable "renaissance cities." Boston is less than an hour away by train or car, and the state’s major airport is a 15-minute taxi or shuttle ride from the campus.

The seventh oldest university in America, Brown was established in 1764 as Rhode Island College in the town of Warren and enrolled its first students in 1765. In 1770 the College moved to its present location, and in 1804 it was renamed Brown University to honor a $5,000 donation from local merchant Nicholas Brown. Brown draws talented students from all over the United States and many other countries. They work in partnership with a faculty known for its prize-winning multidisciplinary scholarship and dedication to teaching. Many students integrate study abroad or self-designed research projects into their academic programs. Students also have the opportunity to get involved in several hundred extracurricular student activities and to develop their talents and interests in an atmosphere of encouragement and creativity.

About 25 percent of Brown graduates immediately go on to graduate or professional study, and within ten years of graduating more than 80 percent enter graduate or professional school. Popular career choices are business, consulting, technology, teaching, public service, computer graphics, and the arts.

In recent years, the University has launched an exciting program for academic enrichment that is enlarging its faculty by 100 members, improving support for graduate students, and investing in libraries, information technology, and academic facilities. As part of this extensive program of enhancements, the University instituted a need-blind undergraduate admission process to ensure all worthy applicants access to the University, regardless of their ability to pay.