Top Summer Programs: Brown Pre-College Programs

Brown University offers a wide variety of summer programs for high school students. Popularly known as Summer@Brown, it offers nearly 300 non-credit courses to choose from, providing students the opportunity to explore academic interests, develop skills, and experience Ivy League campus life. These summer cohorts admit students from diverse backgrounds thereby making it a vibrant community with differing perspectives, learning and living together.  In keeping with their philosophy of ‘open curriculum,’ the emphasis of these programs is not on grades but rather on fostering curiosity. Workshops, activities, and events are organized throughout the day to “engage, inform, and entertain students.” On successful completion of the course, every student receives a digital Certificate of Completion.  Students who complete a 2-week or longer course will receive a digital Course Performance Report.

Students who cannot attend the in-person program can apply and join the online programs offered by Brown University. These are delivered in three different ways; asynchronously, mainly asynchronously, or blended, The courses are academically challenging, providing personalized feedback to students.

Summer@Brown and Summer@OnlineBrown are for high school students who are completing grades 9-12 or should be aged 14 to 18 by June 16, 2024.

Summer@Brown students can choose from 300 courses and complete them in multiple 1,2,3,4 week on-campus or 5-week hybrid sessions (2 weeks on campus and 3 weeks online). Whereas Summer@OnlineBrown can choose from 100 courses and complete them online on Brown’s learning management system.

The dates for Summer@Brown are Sunday, June 23 to Friday, July 26, 2024, and for the online mode, it is Monday, June 17 to Friday, July 26, 2024.

Here are some of the programs that are available at Brown University:

Summer@Brown 

Summer@Brown was established in 2000 and it has since grown to become one of the most extensive pre-college programs in the country. The program offers courses in a wide range of academic subjects and residential life experiences that allow students to experience college life. The students can choose from 300 non-credit courses. The immense amount of options reflects Brown University’s Open Curriculum. During the program students participate in workshops, activities, and events. The students acquire knowledge of college-level academics just for the sheer pleasure of learning.

Summer@Brown Online

Summer@Brown Online participants can experience Ivy League education from the comfort of their homes. The students can choose from more than 80 rigorous college-level courses. The classes are taught by innovative instructors. The students also get the opportunity to engage with other like-minded students through informative activities and workshops.

All students who complete their online course receive a Certificate of Completion. Students who complete a 3-week or longer online course receive a Course Performance Report.

The students enrolled for Summer@Brown and Summer@Brown Online can choose courses from the following subject areas:

Biological and the Natural Sciences
Business, Economics, and Legal Studies
Engineering and Technology
Language in Context: English
Literature, Writing, and Communications
Medical and Health Studies
Physical Sciences and Math
Political Science, Philosophy, and History
Psychology and Social Sciences
Visual, Creative and Performing Arts

Cost of attendance- 2024

Brown Environmental Leadership Lab (BELL)

Apart from the above courses, Brown has many experiential programs to offer to high schools from grades 10 to 12, who wish to learn by doing and exploring. Brown Environmental Leadership Lab (BELL) is a program that combines environmental studies, ecology, and leadership, where students engage in discussions about sustainability and conservation  They are held in three locations that have their ecological challenges They are Alaska, Eastern Sierras, and Rhode Islands. During the 2-week program, the students learn about the culture and ecological history.

The Brown Environmental Leadership Lab (BELL): Alaska

The program develops leaders who are passionate about ecology and environmental studies. Participants get the opportunity to visit the Anchorage Museum, Alaska Native Heritage Center, Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, Cook Inlet Tribal Center, Matanuska Glacier, and the Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies’ Peterson Bay Field Station. They explore Alaska Native history and cultural preservation as well as arctic, marine, and terrestrial ecosystems. 

Participants get the opportunity to visit the Anchorage Museum, Alaska Native Heritage Center, Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, Cook Inlet Tribal Center, Matanuska Glacier, and the Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies’ Peterson Bay Field Station. The students explore Alaska Native history and cultural preservation as well as arctic, marine, and terrestrial ecosystems. The most interesting part of the trip is that the students will not have complete access to their cell phones. They will be given their phones only for a specific part of their trip. The students will sleep on bunk beds. When the students are at the Peterson Bay Field Station, they will sleep in a yurt without running water or electricity. Each day would include field observations, classroom discussions, leadership workshops, and time for team-building and reflection.

The students investigate climate change’s impact on culture, economics, and the environment while learning about socially responsible leadership. At the end of the program, students develop leadership skills and they apply those skills to a pressing issue. The students receive a Course Performance Report and a Certificate of Completion.

Program dates:  Sunday, July 14 till Saturday, July 27. 2024

 The Brown Environmental Leadership Lab (BELL): Eastern      Sierras

Brown Experiential Education (BEE)

Brown Experiential Education (BEE) programs are a unique experience for students from grades 10 to grade 12. The students discover new places from different perspectives. The program’s interdisciplinary approach helps prepare the students for the increasingly complex challenges of the 21st century. At the end of the program, students receive a Certificate of Completion and a Course Performance Report.

Brown Experiential Education (BEE): Rome

Brown Experiential Education (BEE) Rome program allows the students to explore Italian history and culture. Over two weeks, the students would participate in two courses Immersive Italian and Making of an Eternal City. The residential center for the program is the Intercollegiate Center for Classical Studies (the Centro).

The students will visit the following sites during the program:

Colosseum
Forum of Augustus light show
San Clemente
Domus Romane
EUR Neighborhood
Saint Peter Basilica
Palatine’s Hill
Tivoli
Beach Day at Ostia
Rome’s Fountains
Isola Sacra
Livia’s Columbarium

Program dates: Monday, June 24 to Friday, July 5, 2024

Brown Experiential Education (BEE): Barcelona

The Barcelona program enables students to understand the interconnectedness of the city with its past. Studying the city’s buildings that reflect Gothic, Roman, and Catalan influence, students understand a commitment to honoring its roots as a community of Catalonia while embracing its place as the second largest city in Spain. Students immerse themselves in the Spanish Language and culture.

Program dates: Monday, June 24 to Friday, July 5, 2024

Brown Experiential Education (BEE): Oxford

The Oxford program offers students the opportunity to interact with world-class researchers who are experts in the fields of politics, economics, and global policy. Students will get a first-hand experience of working with policymakers in the government and learn to design policies within a political context.

Program dates: Monday, July 8 to Friday, July 19, 2024

Program Costs-2024

The students will visit the following places during the program:

Segovia
Madrid
Salamanca
Royal Site of San Lorenzo De El Escorial

Leadership Institute

The Leadership Institute is for students who are passionate about topics like social entrepreneurship, racial justice, law and social movements, and gender equity. The accepted grade 10 to grade 12 students can take the course on-campus for 2-weeks or online for 4 weeks. The students will discuss solutions as a team and in the process they will hone their listening, public speaking, and problem-solving skills.

The students focus on current issues. Some of the past courses were based on the following topics:

Women and Leadership
More than a Game: Leadership and Social Change in Sports
Leadership, Law, and Social Movements
Leadership and Intercultural Communication
Leadership in Changing Business: Social Entrepreneurship
Leadership and Global Health

• Choose one session: 2024

On Campus: Sunday, June 23 to Friday, July 

 Sunday, July 14 to Friday, July 26

Online: Monday, June 24 to Friday, July 19

Program Cost-2024

STEM for Rising 9th and 10th Graders

STEM for Rising 9th and 10th graders is an immersive program for students who are passionate about STEM. The students get the opportunity to participate in hands-on team research projects, experiments, and design-build challenges. The course includes rigorous academic content and the students create a project under the guidance of instructors. At the end of the program, students give their final presentations and receive a Course Performance Report and Certificate of Completion.

Program dates: Sunday, July 14 to Friday, July 26, 2024

Pre-Baccalaureate

Pre-Baccalaureate Program for rising, and recently graduated, high school seniors is a rigorous 7-week online program. The students get college credit for Brown undergraduate summer courses. The students get the opportunity to take the same courses that are applicable to first and second-year Brown undergraduates. Some of the subject areas covered by these courses are mathematics, social sciences, the humanities, and the visual and performing arts. Summer courses are very rigorous and they are equivalent to semester-long courses. Students can enroll in one or two online courses. Small classes enhance the collaboration between faculty and students. The students can expect to devote 25 hours every week for each course. This program gives students the Ivy League experience through academics, workshops, events, and extracurricular activities.

Admissions

All students apply to Brown Pre-College or Pre-Baccalaureate programs. The students are expected to indicate their preferred program while completing the application. The admissions to these programs are highly selective. The admissions officers are looking for academically exceptional students who provide well-written application essays that highlight their intellectual curiosity, social maturity, and self-motivation. The admissions are done on a rolling basis. Admittance to the program does not guarantee registration in a specific course. The students are recommended to enroll in an open course.

Application Components:

High School Transcripts: The students should submit a copy of their unofficial high school transcripts.

• Recommendation Letter: You should provide the name and email address of an educator or a counselor. You need to submit the information according to the requirements of the program you are applying to.
• Summer@Brown program applicants should submit if they will be under the age of 15 as of June 18, 2023. or Rising 9th and 10th Graders program and will be under the age of 14 as of June 18, 2023
• Brown Environmental Leadership Lab (BELL) program applicants are required to submit a recommendation letter.
• Brown Experiential Education (BEE) program applicants are required to submit a recommendation letter.
• All Pre-Baccalaureate Program applications are required to submit a recommendation letter.

Essay:

You will be required to submit a 250–500 word essay responding to one of the following prompts:

1. Describe an experience, accomplishment, or challenge that made you grow as a student. In what ways do you hope to continue your educational and personal growth at Brown Pre-College?
2. Our students come from a number of unique backgrounds and communities. Tell us something about your identity or background that has motivated or shaped your educational journey. In what ways do you hope to continue that journey at Brown Pre-College?

Supplementary Essay (Optional): You should use the supplementary essay section if you need to provide any additional information about yourself. This could include any extracurricular activities, family circumstances, or an explanation for inconsistent grades.

In conclusion, the Brown Summer Pre-College Programs offer an excellent opportunity for high school students to gain valuable academic and personal experiences. These programs provide students with access to experienced faculty, challenging coursework, and a supportive community of like-minded peers. Participants have the opportunity to explore their academic interests and develop their skills. The students get a glimpse of being a part of Brown University and the opportunity to experience the vibrant city of Providence, Rhode Island. Overall, the Brown Summer Pre-College Programs are a fantastic way for motivated high school students to enrich their education and broaden their horizons.

We can help you with your Brown Pre-College application process. Embark on a transformative higher education journey and elevate your path to academic success with the expert guidance and personalized support of an Ivy Central college counselor.