Our application review is holistic, meaning that we are considering both whether your student is ready for the academic challenges as well as their social and emotional preparedness to successfully participate in Brown Pre-College Programs. Social and emotional readiness is important both in and out of the classroom for students to be able to be constructive members of their learning community, whether they are studying online or in person. 

In addition to challenging students academically at a college level, students are expected to manage a level of independence, as well as the necessary maturity and responsibility needed for a successful first year in college. Regardless of where and what they study, we expect that students will treat themselves and their new community members with respect and care, and bring a heightened level of curiosity and openness to spending time with people who come from a variety of different locations and experiences. To that end, it’s important for your student and you to review the policies page and, in particular, the policies and guidelines that relate to the experience your student will have with us. We also ask that parents and guardians remind their students to check their emails regularly for communications from Pre-College from the time they begin their application through the end of their program.

Attending Brown Pre-College provides students with opportunities to get to know themselves in a space that offers support and understanding. These expectations are aligned in many ways with those that first-year undergraduate students encounter with some important differences. The Brown Pre-College experience provides students with checkpoints and staff who are available at all times. Students are encouraged to explore their instincts and capacity to make good decisions with staff available to support and course-correct when needed. 

Our expectation is that students are open to engaging with opportunities to gain experience in time management and making healthy choices. That said, staff support students in learning how to navigate new and sometimes challenging situations without immediate mediation; the team is here to assist and support students but first, and foremost, to give students the chance to trust their instincts and succeed on their own. Students are shown how to find the support they need and to navigate a system with the goal of them beginning to learn how to seek assistance when they need and want it. As a partner in supporting your student, it is our hope that as their parent you will also encourage and empower them throughout this learning experience. 

Whether students study in person or online, these qualities will support and expand how they can experience the program. Time management, engaging with different perspectives and being proactive in advocating for themselves are necessary attributes for a successful Pre-College experience. 

Please review the information below that is specific to the expectations of each program.

Adrienne Marcus
Dean, Division of Pre-College and Undergraduate Programs

Summer@Brown on-campus offers a living and learning environment that encourages maturity and allows students to practice decision-making, time management, healthy living and academic/social life balance independent of their existing support system. We provide students with a lot of freedom and flexibility with expectations that they will treat themselves and their new community members with respect and inquisitiveness.

Summer@Brown has several required expectations for students that are tied to particular times of day and locations, including:

• Remain in their residence hall until 6 a.m. every day;
• Get to the Dining Halls for three meals each day;
• Attend class on-time and actively participate throughout the three hours Monday to Friday;
• Attend on-time and participate in residence hall meetings 2 to 3 times each week they are in the residence hall; and
• Return to their residence hall by 10 p.m. each evening to check in with a Resident Assistant for curfew.

For the remainder of each day, students have options for how to spend their time with an expectation that they will:

• Complete 2 to 3 hours of out-of-class work each day for each class they are taking – sometimes individually and sometimes in groups;
• Take advantage of instructor office hours to learn how to use this resource to best impact when they get to university;
• Respond to instructor and staff inquiries in a timely manner if contacted;
• Get to know other students in the program;
• Select foods in the dining halls that are healthy and well-balanced and allow them to most fully take advantage of their participation in their program;
• Get enough sleep to be able to deeply engage each day of the program;
• Participate in some of the extra-curricular activities that occur throughout the day; and
• Spend time exploring the Brown campus, Providence and the state of Rhode Island.

The Leadership Institute on-campus offers a cohort-based living and learning environment that encourages maturity and allows students to practice decision-making, time management, healthy living and academic/social life balance independent of their existing support system, while providing students opportunities to form close relationships with their peers in the program with whom they live and attend co-curricular workshops. 

Leadership on-campus has several required expectations for students that are tied to particular times of day and locations, including:

• Remain in their residence hall until 6 a.m. every day;
• Get to the Dining Halls for three meals each day;
• Attend class on-time and actively participating throughout the three hours Monday to Friday;
• Attend on-time and participating in residence hall meetings 2 to 3 times each week they are in residence hall; and
• Return to their residence hall by 10 p.m. each evening to check-in with a Resident Assistant for curfew.

For the remainder of each day, students have options for how to spend their time with an expectation that they will:

• Complete 2 to 3 hours of out-of-class work each day for each class they are taking – sometimes individually and sometimes in groups, including working on their Action Plan;
• Take advantage of instructor office hours to learn how to use this resource to best impact when they get to university;
• Respond to instructor and staff inquiries in a timely manner if contacted;
• Get to know other students in the program;
• Select foods in the dining halls that are healthy and well-balanced and allow them to most fully take advantage of their participation in their program;
• Get enough sleep to be able to deeply engage each day of the program;
• Participate in some of the extra-curricular activities that occur throughout the day; and
• Spend time exploring the Brown campus, Providence and the state of Rhode Island.

The STEM for Rising 9th and 10th Graders (STEM 9/10) program provides students with more oversight than Summer@Brown and the Leadership Institute, with students having more formal schedules for their classes, labs and workshops, as well as “fundatory” activities that students are required to join outside of the classroom. STEM 9/10 students also live together in the same residence hall.

The STEM 9/10 Program has several required expectations for students that are tied to particular times of day and locations, including:

• Remain in their residence hall until 6 a.m. every day;
• Get to the Dining Halls for three meals each day;
• Attend class on time and actively participate throughout the three hours Monday-Friday;
• Attend three hours twice weekly afternoon academic experiences where you will continue your academic coursework and research projects;
• Actively participate in a collaboration station, as assigned, at least once each week for one hour;
• Attend evening “fundatory” activities after dinner until curfew;
• Attend on-time and participate in residence hall meetings 2-3 times each week they are in the residence hall; and
• Return to their residence hall by 10 p.m. each evening to check in with a Resident Assistant for curfew.

For the remainder of each day, students have options for how to spend their time with an expectation that they will:

• Complete 1 to 2 hours of out-of-class work each day for the class they are taking – sometimes individually and sometimes in groups, including your academic project;
• Respond to instructor and staff inquiries in a timely manner if contacted;
• Get to know other students in the program;
• Work on your academic project, with access to the collaboration station;
• Participate in co-curricular activities;
• Select foods in the dining halls that are healthy and well-balanced and allow them to most fully take advantage of their participation in their program; and
• Get enough sleep to be able to deeply engage each day of the program.

Summer@Brown online offers a virtual learning environment that encourages maturity and allows students to practice decision-making, time management, and academic/social life balance. We provide students with freedom and flexibility with expectations that they will select a modality of online learning that best suits their needs. 

Summer@Brown online has several required expectations for students that are tied to their selected modality of learning, including:

• Asynchronous
  • Set their own schedule each day, and engage in self-directed learning.
• Mostly asynchronous
  • Engage in asynchronous content and optional live sessions with their instructor and classmates to supplement course material.
• Blended 
  • Engage in asynchronous content and 1 to 3 prescheduled, required live sessions each week.

All Summer@Brown online students are expected to:

• Participate in some of the extra-curricular online program activities that occur throughout the day, Monday through Friday;
• Complete about 15 hours of class work each week for each class they are taking – sometimes individually and sometimes in groups;
• Take advantage of instructor virtual office hours to further their learning and build a relationship with their instructor;
• Engage with Brown University resources such as Brown Libraries or the Writing Center, if applicable, to support their learning;
• Complete assignments according to the timelines listed in the course syllabus;
• Respond to instructor and staff inquiries in a timely manner if contacted; and
• Get to know other students in the program.

The Leadership Institute online offers a virtual learning environment that encourages maturity and allows students to practice decision-making, time management, and academic/social life balance, supporting a cohort of students interested in developing skills to lead on challenging social issues. 

Leadership Institute online has required expectations for students that are tied to its Blended modality of learning, including:

• All Leadership Online students will engage in asynchronous content and two weekly prescheduled, required live sessions each week.

All Leadership Institute online students are expected to:

• Participate in some of the extra-curricular online programs activities that occur throughout the day;
• Complete about 15 to 20 hours of class work each week for each class they are taking – sometimes individually and sometimes in groups, including working on their Action Plan;
• Take advantage of instructor virtual office hours to further their learning and build a relationship with their instructor;
• Engage with Brown University resources such as Brown Libraries or the Writing Center, if applicable, to support their learning;
• Complete assignments according to the timelines listed in the course syllabus;
• Respond to instructor and staff inquiries in a timely manner if contacted; and
• Get to know other students in the program.

BEE has several expectations for students, including;

• Remain in their residential space once returned each evening until the expected time to leave;
• Arrive at the appropriate dining space for each of the three daily meals;
• Attend class on time and actively participate each day. Length of course depends on the program;
• Participate in excursions throughout the day, often by walking, with  classmates and instructors; and

• Engage with peers in community building activities that occur each evening.

   

For the remainder of each day, students have options for how to spend their time with an expectation that they will:

• Complete approximately two hours of out-of-class work each day;
• Respond to instructor and staff inquiries in a timely manner if contacted;
• Get to know other students in the program;
• Select foods in the dining facilities that are healthy and well-balanced and allow them to most fully take advantage of their participation in their program; and
• Get enough sleep to be able to deeply engage each day of the program.

BELL has several expectations for students that are tied to particular times of day and locations, including:

• Remain in their residence space until 6 a.m. every day;
• Eat as a community for three meals per day (usually in a dining hall or at a site visit);
• Arrive on time to all program elements, including meals, lessons (approximately six hours of class time Monday through Friday), evening activities, independent Action Plan development work and site visits;
• Participate in field work, including long field trip days or site visits by bringing necessary supplies, including sufficient water, lesson materials and appropriate attire, including sturdy footwear and clothes that keep students dry, cool and protected from the sun; and
• Return to their residential space at 10 p.m. every day for curfew.

For the remainder of each day, students have options for how to spend their time with an expectation that they will:

• Get to know other students in the program and 
• Get enough sleep to be able to deeply engage each day of the program.