What is the Brown Fellows Program?
Technically, it’s two things. One, it’s a full ride to Centre, which includes room, board, and tuition. Two, it’s an enrichment program that includes four summer programs, which allow students to focus on their areas of interest; on-campus program mentors; field-based experimental learning opportunities; and customized Leadership Projects that span the student’s collegiate career.
Is it too late to apply?
The deadline is January 15th, so if you’re reading this before then, you’ve got time.
What kind of test scores and grades do I need to have to be eligible?
All students applying to Centre are eligible to apply for the Brown, but for a frame of reference previous recipients took the most difficult curriculum available at their respective high schools, had unweighted academic GPAs of 3.9 to 4.0, ACT scores of 31 to 36, and/or SAT critical reading and math scores of 1370 to 1560.
I have a 29 ACT and a 3.85, should I even bother applying?
We’re not going to discourage you from applying; the above stats represent previous recipients but may not represent this year’s.
I applied Early Action and was already offered a Faculty scholarship, should I apply for the Brown?
We would encourage anyone who received a Faculty to apply for the Brown. Receiving a Faculty scholarship is a testament to your accomplishments, which we consider to be great. In short, if you received a Faculty, you should seriously consider applying for the Brown Fellows Program.
I applied Early Action and got a Colonel Scholarship, which isn’t the highest award you offer, should I still apply?
Again, we won’t discourage you from applying. You very well may have a proposal that warrants attention, but keep in mind that this is a very competitive award. So, bring your A-game.
How do I apply for the Brown Fellows Program?
- Apply to Centre.
- Click here to fill out the application for the Brown. You’ll be required to write an essay describing a leadership project you would like to implement during college. It can have local, national, or international scope and is limited only by your imagination.
Why do I have to write a separate essay for this scholarship when I didn’t need to for any of the other merit scholarships at Centre?
The Brown Fellows Program is funded in part by the Brown Foundation. So, the separate essay is the Brown Foundation’s requirement for their commitment to your ongoing study project.
Regarding my proposal (the application essay), am I bound to follow through with it exactly if I get the Brown?
No, your proposal is limited only by your imagination; it’s not a contract. You can propose any idea you please. Keep in mind that the purpose of the essay is not to get funding for a proposal as much as it’s about assessing your creativity and leadership potential. The possibilities are pretty much limitless.
Is there a word limit on the essay?
While there isn’t a defined word limit, we encourage students to only use as many words as is necessary to clearly communicate their ideas. For most students, that should be around 500 words.
Should I observe any financial, geographic, or time constraints?
You should be as creative and thought provoking as you like. There are no constraints. Have fun.
What kind of projects are current Brown Scholars doing?
- Shadowing Doctors Without Borders
- Studying abroad in Turkey
- Working with refugees
- Studying at the London School of Economics
- Shadowing a nationally known autism awareness activist
- Interning with the Naval Intelligence Service
How many people do you expect to apply for the Brown?
We receive over 200 applications each year, less than a quarter are invited to compete for the award, and only 10 students actually receive it.
Will I be able to participate in other aspects of campus life if I get the Brown?
Absolutely. Here’s what the current Brown Fellows have been up to recently.
- Five Fellows—Natalie Pope, Ibby Jadoon, Bethany Carson, Cole Steber, and Kevin Sar—ran successfully for the five positions of freshman representative to Centre’s Student Government Association.
- Cara Monical and Bethany Carson have already made major contributions to musical performance at Centre—Cara as a woodwind player in the Centre Orchestra and Bethany as a singer, most notably in the role of Belinda in Henry Purcell’s opera Dido and Aeneas.
- Three of the Fellows—Annie Roessler in track, Andrew Howard in tennis, and Cole Steber in soccer—have established themselves as rising stars in Centre’s intercollegiate athletic program.
- Katie Smalley helped to manage the tech crew for the recent DramaCentre production Anton in Show Business.
- Ty Carter has become an important member of Centre’s chapter of Habitat for Humanity.
Do I really have the time to apply for this?
Yes. The exercise of applying for an award that is this prestigious is valuable in its own right. Get busy brainstorming.
To visit the Brown Fellows webpage, click here.
If you have a question that wasn’t answered here, post it in the comments below or click here to post it to the wall on the Admission Centre’s Facebook page. You may also contact your admission counselor for any additional information.
This post was updated on January 18, 2012 from an earlier published date.
