Updated Dec. 10 at 9:15 p.m.
The University admitted 22 percent of its early decision applicants to the class of 2020, marking the largest early decision class — 669 students — in recent years, said Dean of Admission Jim Miller ’73.
“The pool is getting stronger,” Miller said. “We have more high-quality candidates each year.”
From the 3,030 total early decision applicants — the second largest pool, following the class of 2018’s pool of 3,088 — 1,905 were deferred to regular decision and 456 were denied admission.
The admission rate has grown in the past several years: The early decision acceptance rate was 18.9 percent for the class of 2018 and 20 percent for the class of 2019, The Herald previously reported.
“There’s a lot of talent — artistic talent, athletic talent,” he added.
The Program in Liberal Medical Education accepted 17 students out of its 254 early applicants — 6.7 percent. The University plans to enroll around 60 students in the program, Miller said.
Recruited athletes make up 24 percent of the early decision class, marking a dip from the class of 2019, which was 26 percent athletes, Miller said.
Thirty-one percent of admits are racial minorities — the same percentage as last year.
Of the admitted students, 47 percent applied for financial aid.
Female admits make up the majority of the early decision class, at 55 percent of the admit pool.
The admitted students come from 38 states and 31 nations. Of the most represented states, New York, California, Massachusetts, New Jersey and Connecticut top the list, Miller said. China, India, the United Kingdom, Singapore and Canada are among the best-represented foreign countries.
Twenty-eight percent of admitted students hail from the mid-Atlantic region, and 21 percent are from New England. The Mountain and Pacific states account for 18 percent of the admit pool, the South 12 percent and the Midwest 9. The remaining 12 percent of admits are international.
Miller partly credits the increasing early decision acceptance rates to the fact that high schoolers and their parents start thinking about college much earlier than they have in the past.
Between 65,000 and 75,000 people visit the University every year, Miller said. More and more high schoolers visit during the winter or spring of their junior year — rather than the fall of their senior year — than the Admission Office had seen previously, he added.
Miller said that while most of the early decision applicants accept their spot — besides three or four students each year who have to reject their acceptance for financial reasons — the University will offer over 2,000 spaces for regular decision applicants. The University expects 30,000 regular decision applicants, he added.
Aaron Cooper ’20, of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, said that he is excited to join Brown’s “free-spirited, open-minded, yet rigorous” community. With a background in social activism, Cooper applied as a political science and ethnic studies concentrator.
“This was the longest day in my entire life,” he said. “I kept refreshing my page. At 4:55 p.m. I was definitely lacking oxygen. When the clock turned to 5 p.m., I refreshed the page and just saw ‘Congratulations!’ I ran out of the house so fast,” he said, “I nearly locked myself out.”
“I was really anxious all day and kind of psyched myself out, so when I got the letter … I was ecstatic,” said Jacob Stanton ’20 of East Lansing, Michigan. “It feels great for the process to finally be over, and I feel like I can relax now I know where I'll be heading.”
Stanton said the open curriculum and welcoming environment of Brown’s athletics drew him to the University. He hopes to walk onto the cross country team in the fall.
“The coach seemed to care about me,” Stanton said. “I feel that he can help me develop into a better runner.”
Correction: A previous version of this article stated that 30 percent of admits are racial minorities. In fact, 31 are racial minorities. A previous version of this article also stated that Jacob Stanton was recruited for the cross country and track team. In fact, he hopes to walk onto the team in the fall. The Herald regrets the errors.
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