Transfer Guide To Applying To Brown: Tips on Applying

We have included here some advice that you may find helpful as you engage in the application process.

Read the application instructions and each of the forms in their entirety before you begin. This will help you gather the information you need in an efficient way and avoid mistakes. It may also help you organize your thoughts in such a way as to present a full and coherent picture of who you are.

Don’t be alarmed if you receive notice that an application item has not been received. There is always plenty of time to have, say, a duplicate recommendation or transcript sent. Almost all of the tens of thousands of documents (for both transfer and freshman candidates) we receive each year make it to the applicants’ files safely, but if your application is temporarily incomplete because of a missing item, rest assured that you will not be at a disadvantage. Simply provide the document needed as quickly as you can. It is better to send a duplicate than to worry and speculate as to why it had not yet arrived at its destination.

Keep in mind that it takes time for documents to be received, recorded, and added to your admission file. Even online submissions may take several days before they can be recorded on our tracking system, especially near the deadline. Allow plenty of time before you become concerned that an item does not appear as “received” on the online system.

Make copies of every portion of your application, and ask your recommenders to keep copies of their forms and letters. This will make it easier for you to provide duplicates in the event that the original item becomes lost.

If you have questions about admission or financial aid (or the process of applying) that are not answered within these pages, you can refer to the Brown Admission Web site or the Undergraduate Financial Aid Web site.

As you work on the Common Application and the Brown Transfer Supplement, you may wish to know more about various academic or nonacademic aspects of the University that will help you complete your application more effectively. You can refer to our printed publications or go to the Brown University Web site.