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Date July 31, 2025
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Equipped with new knowledge and experiences, Pre-College students reflect on their summer at Brown

As Brown’s summer Pre-College Programs conclude, five high schoolers shared their motivations for enrolling and the lessons they’ll carry into the next chapter of their lives.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] — Since late June, thousands of high schoolers from across the globe enrolled in Brown University’s dynamic summer Pre-College Programs, forging memories and experiences that will resonate well beyond the summer.

Over the course of six weeks of programming, 6,000 students from 74 countries and nearly every U.S. state studied with Brown through one of the University’s 11 distinct Pre-College Programs. Nearly 5,300 students lived on Brown’s campus or at several locations worldwide, from the Eastern Sierra mountains and the Florida Keys to Spain and the United Kingdom, while just over 700 students participated in remote offerings. 

With hundreds of course options to choose from, students explored their individual academic interests — from English and engineering to ecology and economics — all while engaging with peers, learning about the challenges and opportunities of a Brown education and practicing how to navigate a research university campus. 

In these vignettes, five high schoolers enrolled in different Pre-College Programs reflected on their experiences. 

Summer@Brown

A program based on the Brown campus in which students choose from over 230 courses in multiple one-, two- and three-week sessions or a five-week hybrid session.

Alyssa Kim does experiment in a labAlyssa Kim, 16 

Irvine, California 

“In my class Antibiotic Drug Discovery: Identifying Novel Soil Microbes to Combat Resistance, everything is hands-on; there hasn’t been a single day when we sat down and the instructors just lectured us. It’s cool, because I get to actually do the things that I read about in my regular classes at school, like pipette diluted DNA into agar plates for polymerase chain reaction analysis. I met with one of the instructors whose full-time job is microbiology research, and just hearing about his experiences and his passion kind of influenced me and opened me up to possible career routes in microbiology. I like that Pre-College basically leaves choices up to you: Who do you want to meet? How do you want to spend your time? What do you really want to get out of this? And honestly, I think out of everything that you can get out of the experience, it’s never going to be something that negatively affects you — it’s only going to be skills that will help you in the future.”

STEM for Rising 9th & 10th Graders

A two-week science, technology, engineering and mathematics program on the Brown campus that features hands-on team research projects, experiments and engineering challenges.

Eshaan Mandy stands in labEshaan Mandy, 14 

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 

“I’m really interested in molecular biology, specifically in neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Huntington’s, so I wanted to learn about DNA techniques that can be used to combat those diseases. We’ve done lots of experiments, like gel electrophoresis, that are so applicable in the DNA and gene-therapy field, which I’m really hoping to go into. That’s my main goal for college, and I’m going to take every process I learned at Brown with me.” 

Brown Experiential Education: Oxford, England

A two-week public policy program based in Oxford with site visits throughout Oxfordshire and London.

Gyselle Ready takes selfie in museum mirrorGyselle Ready, 17 

St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands 

“To be able to learn about public policy somewhere as old as Oxford intrigued me, and the fact that I would get to sightsee in England definitely helped me make the decision to apply. I will never forget when King’s College London Professor of Imperial and Military History Ashley Jackson came and spoke to the class about Oxford University’s Involvement in World War II. It’s one thing to learn about something in a class, but to have an expert explain how students helped the war effort — or what the townspeople did to chip in — was such a clarifying and eye-opening moment for me. It also caused me to realize that the policies that are put into place truly have an effect on everyday people’s lives.” 

Brown Environmental Leadership Lab: Rhode Island

A two-week environmental studies and leadership program based on the Brown campus with site visits throughout Southern New England.

Eva Santelli holds chickens on a farmEva Santelli, 17 

West Nyack, New York 

“You don’t just find friends here — you find people who care about the same problems you do, and suddenly the work feels lighter, and bigger. It’s one thing to read about food systems. It’s another to stand on the farm, share meals from that soil and see the cycle in real time. If you want a pre college experience that treats you like a scholar and a collaborator, where you leave not just smarter, but more certain about the impact you want to make, the Brown Environmental Leadership Lab is where you’ll find it. I didn’t just learn about sustainability here; I learned how to live it and lead with it. Brown Pre-College gives you freedom to chase the questions that keep you up at night and [unites you with] people who are excited to chase them with you.”

Leadership Institute

A two-week program on Brown’s campus designed to strengthen and expand students’ skills in public speaking, listening, working in diverse groups and problem-solving.

Andrew Ter Louw stands in Friedman HallAndrew Ter Louw, 17 

Chicago, Illinois 

“Throughout high school, I feel like I’ve had very few leadership experiences, and I felt like it was important to know the ropes when it comes to leading a team before going to college. Here, I’ve learned how important it is to have a mix of skills so that you’re able to welcome other people’s opinions in your decision-making, but at the same time to be assertive and get things done. Beyond that, I feel like the whole experience has been valuable in helping me prepare for the logistical aspects of college — sharing a dorm, eating in a dining hall, even doing laundry. It’s great practice.”

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