Brown / Interview
The Brown interview
Optional interview, and it carries minor weight in the decision. Here is how it works and how to prepare.
Optional interview
Optional alumni interview, ~30-45 min, typically virtual or local in-person; conducted by Brown alumni volunteers through the Alumni Schools Committee
How to prepare for Brown
- Brown's interview is conversational and low-pressure , focus on your genuine intellectual interests and what draws you specifically to Brown's Open Curriculum, since alumni interviewers are attuned to authentic enthusiasm for that structure.
- Not all applicants receive an interview invitation, and not being interviewed does not disadvantage you; Brown explicitly states it is informational rather than evaluative.
- Come prepared to discuss what you would actually do with curricular freedom , vague answers like 'I like to explore' are less memorable than a concrete example of how you'd design your own academic path.
- The alumni interviewer will submit a brief report, but Brown treats the interview as supplementary context rather than a deciding factor; your application materials carry far more weight.
Practice before the real thing
Rehearse real admissions-interview questions and get an honest read on your answers, what an interviewer hears, where you sound generic, and what to sharpen. We coach you; we never script you.
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