2026-27 Cycle • 3 prompts

Brown University supplemental essays.

Every Brown University supplemental prompt for the 2026-27 cycle, with the word limit, what they're looking for, and the most common pitfalls.

1. Prompt 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.

   200 wordsrequired

   What they really want

   • The Open Curriculum is the heart of Brown — engage seriously.
   • Show 2-3 areas + how they connect through your specific path.

   Avoid

   • Treating 'no requirements' as 'no plan.'
   • Naming a single major without showing breadth.

2. Prompt 2: Students entering Brown often find that making their home on College Hill naturally invites reflection on where they came from. Share how an aspect of your growing up has inspired or challenged you.

   200 wordsrequired

   What they really want

   • 'Inspired OR challenged' — pick one mode and commit.
   • Concrete scene > abstract reflection on your hometown.

   Avoid

   • Generic 'I'm from a small town' framing.
   • Picking a challenge without an arc to growth.

3. Prompt 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.

   200 wordsrequired

   What they really want

   • MUNDANE is allowed and often stronger.
   • Sensory specificity — what does the joy actually look/sound/feel like.

   Avoid

   • Performing joy at something prestigious.
   • Listing five joys instead of one.