A swath of admitted students paraded Brown’s campus during A Day on College Hill last Friday. The annual event was hosted twice — April 12 and April 19 — and saw a turnout of over 1,000 students, according to a University press release.
“Admitted students came from 42 states and 27 countries,” Dean of Undergraduate Admission Logan Powell wrote in an email to The Herald. “Some to reaffirm their commitment to Brown, and others to visit for the first time to learn more about life on College Hill.”
Registration opened at 8:00 a.m. with events and festivities throughout the day. Many students found “Speed Friending” — a chance to quickly meet other students — to be a highlight: “I thought it would be a lot more awkward,” Kieran Lamay said. “But everyone was super friendly.”
For most, ADOCH presented an opportunity to connect with future classmates. The event was “a good way to get to know people,” Averie Masia said. “A lot of people were passing their phones around and (exchanging) Instagram (usernames).”
The ADOCH itinerary featured various panels, tours and open houses. Additionally, there were extracurricular showcases including performances from a capella groups and the Brown University Band, as well as the Fashion@Brown Spring Fair. Come lunchtime, local food trucks lined up outside the Main Green.
Luca Gwathmey described these offerings as “tasty,” but expressed wariness: “I assume they’re wooing us over with the food. I don’t know if it compares to cafeteria food, but it’s alright.”
For Gwathmey, balancing independence and structure will be a big part of his college experience. He embarked on a gap year after deferring his admission and is excited to carve “his own path” with the Open Curriculum.
The Open Curriculum was a selling point for most students, especially for those unsure of what they want to pursue. “Going into my application season, I really didn’t know what I wanted to do,” James Yan said. “Brown gives me the opportunity to explore.”
The second day of ADOCH saw blue skies and sun — a welcomed improvement from the dreary weekend prior. Faith Park had visited Brown’s campus twice before during winter, and confessed that the gloom didn’t sell Brown as “the best-looking campus.”
“Now that I’m visiting again (in) spring, it’s really nice,” she added.
“I feel like (tourists) just take pictures of this building,” the Boston-based Lamay joked as he pointed at Sayles Hall, noting that Providence was “a bit generic.”
Max Bean-Tierney thought otherwise, adding that they actually “like Providence.” .
The incoming class expressed age-old qualms: concerns about cafeteria food, shopping for classes, roommates, climbing up College Hill and the transition from high school to college. “I’m just waiting for imposter syndrome to kick in,” Serena Lombardi joked.
“Transitions are always a little bit tricky, but I think (Brown) is a very inviting community,” Masia said.That “makes me a little less nervous.”
The enthusiasm was palpable as students chattered across campus, eager to gain their bearings and make new friends. “(I’m) really excited to meet people … I love hearing about what (others) are passionate about,” Nat Konwicz said. “And I get the vibe that Brown is a bunch of passionate people.”
Like last year, simultaneous student demonstrations sprung up throughout ADOCH. As reported by The Herald, there was a student installation by Brown Students for Israel and a pro-Palestine protest by the Brown Divest Coalition and Jews for Ceasefire Now.
The former comprised two long dinner tables on the Quiet Green — attached to each seat was a picture of one of the 130 hostages currently being held in Gaza.
The latter was attended by around 100 students, who had gathered to support the 113 pro-Palestine students that were arrested at Columbia University. The hour-long protest began at noon and occurred along the intersection of George and Brown Streets.
In a statement to The Herald, BDC said that “incoming students ought to be aware of the true history of Brown’s response to student activism.”
The Admissions Office did not respond to a request for comment.
Brown admitted 5.2% of its application pool to the class of 2028, The Herald previously reported. This class will be the last to have applied under a test-optional policy, as standardized tests become mandatory next application season. Prospective students have until May 1 to confirm their offer.
Megan is a Senior Staff Writer covering community and activism in Providence. Born and raised in Hong Kong, she spends her free time drinking coffee and wishing she was Meg Ryan in a Nora Ephron movie.
