Have you been waiting for months wondering what the Brown University 2021-2022 essay prompts will be? If so, the wait is over. The Providence, Rhode Island-based institution has released its admissions essay questions for this upcoming admissions cycle and we’ve got them for our readers. So what kind of questions will admissions officers be asking of first-year applicants to Brown this year? Well, the questions as a whole are similar to last year though not exactly the same. Let’s dive in.

Brown asks all applicants to complete three essay prompts, each 200-250 words. The prompts read: (1) “Brown’s Open Curriculum allows students to explore broadly while also diving deeply into their academic pursuits. Tell us about any academic interests that excite you, and how you might use the Open Curriculum to pursue them while also embracing topics with which you are unfamiliar.” / (2) “Brown’s culture fosters a community in which students challenge the ideas of others and have their ideas challenged in return, promoting a deeper and clearer understanding of the complex issues confronting society. This active engagement in dialogue is as present outside the classroom as it is in academic spaces. Tell us about a time you were challenged by a perspective that differed from your own. How did you respond?” / (3) “Brown students care deeply about their work and the world around them. Students find contentment, satisfaction, and meaning in daily interactions and major discoveries. Whether big or small, mundane or spectacular, tell us about something that brings you joy.”

Applicants to Brown’s PLME program are asked to respond to an additional three questions: (1) “Committing to a future career as a physician while in high school requires careful consideration and self-reflection. What values and experiences have led you to believe that becoming a doctor in medicine is the right fit for you?” (250 word limit) / (2) “Respond to one of the following prompts (500 word limit): A. Health care is constantly changing, as it is affected by racial and social disparities, economics, politics, and technology, among others. How will you, as a future physician, make a positive impact? B. How do you feel your personal background provides you with a unique perspective of medicine?” / (3) “How do you envision the Program in Liberal Medical Education (PLME) helping you to meet your academic personal and professional goals as a person and as a physician of the future?” (500 word limit).

Applicants to the Brown RISD dual degree program are asked one additional essay prompt to respond in 650 words: “The Brown|RISD Dual Degree Program draws on the complementary strengths of Brown University and Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) to provide students with the opportunity to explore diverse spheres of academic and creative inquiry, culminating in a capstone project that interrelates the content, approaches, and methods from two distinct learning experiences.  Based on your understanding of the academic programs at Brown and RISD and the possibilities created by the BRDD program’s broadened learning community, specifically describe how and why the BRDD program would constitute an optimal undergraduate education for you. As part of your answer, be sure to articulate how you might contribute to the Dual Degree community and its commitment to interdisciplinary work.”

Have a question about the 2021-2022 Brown University essay questions? If so, let us know your question by posting it below. We look forward to hearing from you!