Brown University Visit Report by sans_souci

Visit Activities:

Information Session: Yes - Very informative as to what kind of student they were looking for. They want kids who: -will take advantage of opportunities -energetic, humorous, engage in discussion, want to learn

Campus Tour: Yes - Best I ever had. See the essay --> for the full version.

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Campus:

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Awesome people. Nearly every student I talked with (about 5) came off as a refined humor kind of person. They're dedicated students who know how to have fun.

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I talked with one person (admissions? professor? who knows?) who was very courteous though at one point he was talking in circles. They also had no materials for students at the office. A big downside

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Not Versailles, but appealing all the same. Nice quad, old (nice) buildings (that housed George Washington?), nicely landscaped, not a long walk from end-to-end either.

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Nothing was remotely dirty or decrepit.

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Didn't get to see inside, but online pictures suggest they are very nice. The downside, is that it sounds like a circus to pick your dorm. More intense than 50 kids in a candy store with 1 lollip

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student-run nighttime security system where a student is on-call to pick other students up from libraries, etc. and walk/drive them home at late hours. Otherwise security was normal.

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Not AWESOME, but pretty darn close.

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Off-Campus:

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Downtown Providence is only a short walk from Brown's campus down (or UP) a hill. It is purely accessible for pedestrians. Mostly suburban atmosphere in the immediate area however.

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Providence is awesome. While it's not NYC (MUCH smaller), it has a definite 'city' feel. It is also very close to a harbor area, and great beaches. Boston is a 45 minute drive away.

Campus Visit Notes for Brown University

Visit Description:

I had the opportunity to pick my tour guide, and i couldn't have picked a better one. He was chalk full of anecdotes, which really did give Brown the personality student strive for when they go on a campus tour. Some of my favorite and most memorable:

The Gate:
There is some supposed legend/rumor that if any underclassmen passes through it's gates, they will never graduate or fail to marry, or die (some "tragic" curse will be placed upon the unfortunate soul). The twist is that Brown's band, which leads the graduation procession through these very gates, is comprised of some underclassmen. So these brilliant Brown students who are fearful of this alleged curse, instead elect to CLIMB OVER the fence (which isn't short). Just the idea of a fully-outfited, tuba bearing student climbing over the fence is a delightfully absurd image.

The Rock:
The Rock is not a stone, rather one of Brown's many abbreviations for the John D. Rockefeller library. As it was a donation, the said donators were not pleased to hear the students new name for this million dollar gift. A letter was written to express their opinion. The Brown students respond by 're-naming' the Rock: The John. The donator wrote back expressing their delight for whatever name Brown chose. I do believe the name has been reverted back to The Rock.

Another Library:
Unfortunately, i can't remember their exact slang name for their high-rise science library, but it was related to the PH scale. His explanation for this was the Brown students reasoning that, "the books get more basic, the higher you go". Brown also apparently held the record for the biggest game of tetris(?) for awhile. It was built on the side of this building.

Clubs:
--a club that sings pirate shanties
--a 'tone deaf' singers club
--a club that will serenade anyone you choose
--quidditch team
--among other delightfully ridiculous clubs

Hotel/Lodging Recommendations or Comments:

The Biltmore. Expensive, but we got it for a discounted price (March). The restaurant is excellent.

Dining/Restaurant Recommendations or Comments:

The Biltmore's restaurant.

Other Comments (Transportation, local attractions, parking, etc.):

Providence has something of a "church street" which has temples, mosqueses, and everything else lined up in accordance with Providence's rich history.