Brown University

Responses from the Student Interview

From a student  who identifies as Concentration: BEO: Business, Entrepreneurship, and Organizations
Student Self Identifies as: White Straight Female

Summary

I’m a student-athlete.

Background

Gender Identity: Female
Race/Ethnicity: White
Sexual Orientation: Straight

High School Experience: I went to a public high school in Long Island, NY and my graduating class was about 600. There was a culture of going to college there.
First-Generation College Student: No

Concentration: BEO: Business, Entrepreneurship, and Organizations
Extracurricular Activities: I’m a student-athlete.

Academic Experience

Can you describe your weekly coursework for your concentration?
It was mainly problem sets and exams.
How would you describe the learning environment? Do you think it is particularly competitive or collaborative?
It’s not competitive, it’s actually very collaborative. Everyone is very helpful, especially being on my team. At Brown, everyone is so willing to help each other.
What was your favorite class you took for your concentration?
ENGN 9/90. It was taught by this guy who just retired, he was the best. It was about case studies on different start-up companies and how they became what they are.
What was your least favorite class you took for your concentration?
Math 90. I just hate math so it was the only one I had to take there.
How accessible are your professors?
So accessible. You email them and they’re very willing to help you and meet with you.
What made you choose the BEO track?
I knew I was interested in business but I didn’t know what. So, I chose it because it’s so open-ended.

Reasons to Attend

1. It is a super accepting campus and very nonjudgmental. It is super diverse, I got to meet a bunch of new people
2. It’s a gorgeous campus and I feel safe.
3. The pass/fail situation. It helped make my workload easier than excepted.

Reasons Not to Attend

I can’t think of any reasons not to attend.

Around Campus

Where did you live last year and where will you live next year?
Freshman: Keeney Quad in a double with a random roommate
Sophomore: I’ll live in Diman next year.
Can you describe the level of safety you’ve experienced on or around campus?
It’s actually very safe. There is a Brown police person on every corner. I feel very comfortable being on campus even though it is not a closed campus. I never feel uncomfortable walking around.
How was it transitioning from living outside of New York City to Providence, RI?
It was similar because I grew up in the suburbs and it was a community, but, at the same time, the city was so close. With Brown, even though it’s in Providence, being on campus it feels like its own community.
What is your favorite off-campus restaurant?
Baja’s. It’s a burrito place.
Where is your favorite place to get away from campus?
There’s a beach nearby, so my friends and I like to go to that beach.

Social Opportunities

What kind of weekend activities or nightlife do you like to participate in at Brown?
I go out mostly just weekends. We switch off between sport houses and bars. Most bars you can get in at 18, but you have to be 21 to drink.
What has been your favorite memory this past year?
The week before finals the school puts on spring weekend.
How happy are you with the nightlife at Brown?
Very happy.

Campus Culture

How did you meet your closest friends?
They’re all my teammates, so I just hang out with them all day.
How would you describe the overall social scene at Brown?
There is no pressure on anyone, but it’s super fun. It’s easy to find something to do. Everything is pretty open.
To what extent do you feel people of different races and sexual orientations mix socially?
They’re pretty mixed actually. Brown is very diverse. I tend to hang out with athletes who tend to be similar races and sexual orientations, but I think outside of that everyone’s pretty mixed. [About 41% of students are White, 15% are Asian, 12% are international, and 11% are Hispanic.]
How would you describe the student body?
Very diverse and very accepting.
What do you think the impact of Greek life is on the social scene?
It’s not big at all, it’s super low-key. I would say if you wanted to be in one you would get in, but there is no pressure to join one. It’s not a school where if you’re not in Greek life, you won’t be able to go out.

Careers

Financial Aid

Have you used financial aid? If so, how accommodating was the office?
The office was accommodating.