Providence, RI: Would you like to attend a small Ivy League institution with a breathtaking campus? Does going to college in a medium-sized city with all the cultural aspects of a large metropolis appeal to you? If you answered yes to either of these questions, I recommend that you take a look at Brown University.

This summer I had the opportunity to visit Brown and despite the fact that it was raining and quite cold, the beauty of the campus shined through. Brown is atop a hill overlooking downtown Providence and the heart of the campus is the College Green with trees and lush grass. Most academic buildings are centered around the Green and on warm days many classes are held under the trees there. Rallies, outdoor concerts, and other informal events are also held there. The day I was there my tour group walked right into a badminton game!

For those of you interested in computers, the Thomas J. Watson Sr. Center for Information Technology is superb. The center has IBM and Macintosh computers accessible 17 hours-a-day (except during midterms and finals when they are available 24 hours-a-day). There are also computers at various other locations on campus. So whether you need to type a paper at 5 p.m. or 5 a.m., computers are available.

Brown's curriculum allows the students, (not the school, as is usually the case) to shape their own curriculum. Brown has no required classes except for those required by your major. The classes you take are up to you. Brown also gives you the option of taking any class for a traditional letter grade or "Satisfactory/No Credit." This option allows you to explore unfamiliar areas without worrying about a traditional letter grade. Another unique facet of Brown is that in any course you may ask a professor to submit a written Course Performance Report as well, evaluating your work in more detail.

Brown students don't just study, they know how to have fun! Whether you sing a cappella or have a passion for juggling, there is a campus group for you. Some of their activities are the Brown Daily Herald, the student newspaper, which is one of the oldest continuously published college newspapers in the nation. WBRU-FM, the student radio station, Fantasy Gaming and Science Fiction Society, Bridge Club, Brown Animal Rights Coalition, Fusion Dance Company, as well as a plethora of other activities and many levels of sports.

If Brown University sounds like the right school for you, I suggest you visit the campus. I promise you will not be disappointed! f



Review by L. M., Wells, VT


Reviewed in 1994