While most students arrive on Brown’s campus to 80 degree weather amid the hubbub of thousands of new students, a spring transfer’s first few days on College Hill feature colder weather and a quieter campus.
But this spring’s third-semester transfer students were nonetheless excited to be at Brown.
Brown’s 17 undergraduate transfer students bring “a wide array of academic accomplishments, personal talents and a commitment to serving the community, the nation and the world,” said Logan Powell, the associate provost for enrollment and dean of undergraduate admission, in a University press release.
The Herald interviewed four of these students who said they came to Brown because of the Open Curriculum and its reputation for exploration.
Kayla Lerner ’27, a transfer student from Emory University originally from Rockville Centre, New York, plans to concentrate in modern culture and media and literary arts at Brown. While applying to college as a senior in high school, Lerner remembered facing “a lot of pressure” to attend a top-tier institution.
Kayla Lerner ’27, a transfer student from Emory University originally from Rockville Centre, New York, plans to concentrate in modern culture and media and literary arts at Brown.
After Lerner was rejected early decision from her first choice school, she was drawn to Emory because of Atlanta’s “really great opportunities” in film.
During Lerner’s first year at Emory, she found out a few of her friends were transferring to other universities. When she returned to campus in the fall to begin her sophomore year, she started to feel that Emory was “not as good” of a fit as she had expected.
Lerner said she wanted a school that prioritized the arts, so she wrote her application to Brown last fall “in a day.”
Outside of coursework, Lerner said she was excited by the variety of extracurricular opportunities at Brown and exploring activities outside of their career interests.
Teada Chhem ’27 from New Gloucester, Maine, said she always imagined she would end up at her state school until her guidance counselors in high school encouraged her to apply to Brown and other high-ranking institutions.
Teada Chhem ’27 from New Gloucester, Maine, said she always imagined she would end up at her state school until her guidance counselors in high school encouraged her to apply to Brown and other high-ranking institutions.
After she received a deferral from Brown during the early decision cycle, Chhem applied to Vassar College in the second round of early decision applications and was accepted.
But she decided to transfer in the fall of her sophomore year because Vassar did not offer several courses she hoped to take. Chhem plans to create an independent concentration called “Digital Media and Technology” while at Brown.
Chhem said the application process for first-year students and transfers felt markedly different. The first-year college application, she said, focused on selling herself to an admissions officer, whereas the transfer application was centered around “why is this school better (for me)?”
Shayyan Ahmed ’27.5, from Potomac, Maryland, said he “overestimated how unique” of an applicant he was during the first-year application cycle. After considering several schools, he was eager to attend the IE School of Politics, Economics and Global Affairs in Madrid. But he was disappointed when the school didn’t have much support for students who intended to return to the United States after graduation.
“I really loved Spain and all my friends there,” Ahmed said. But he realized that he “needed to prioritize getting a job” back in the U.S. He felt Brown would offer better support, in addition to “world-renowned research” and “so many degree options.”
Shayyan Ahmed ’27.5, from Potomac, Maryland, said he “overestimated how unique” of an applicant he was during the first-year application cycle.
Emmett Bassen-Alexander ’27 from Providence, Rhode Island said he intended to leave Rhode Island in order to “branch out” during his college years. He enrolled at Swarthmore College but was disappointed to find out that the school didn’t offer courses in Italian.
At Brown, Bassen-Alexander plans to concentrate in applied mathematics and comparative literature, through which he plans to study Italian.
Although Ahmed, Chhem and Lerner expressed some frustration and difficulty with integrating into the Brown community, Ahmed recognized that being a new transfer student means he has to “be more invested” in forming new relationships.
All four students praised Brown’s Transfer and Resumed Undergraduate Education program, which provides a short orientation for each new transfer cohort. The activities are run by peer advisors, who are former transfer admits.
Thomas Leonard ’25, a fall 2022 transfer admit from Colby College in Waterville, Maine, served as a peer advisor for the spring 2025 cohort. He expressed appreciation for the TRUE community, adding that his experience as a transfer motivated him to “give back to the community to help new students.”
“Because we went through the (transfer) process ourselves, we understand what that experience is,” Leonard said.
Teddy Fisher is a senior staff writer who studies International and Public Affairs and is passionate about law, national security and sports. He enjoys playing basketball, running and reading in his free time.
