What's a good SAT score for Brown?
A plain-English look at what SAT scores admitted Brown students tend to have, how to read the range, and what to aim for if Brown is on your list.
Admitted students at Brown typically score in roughly the 1500–1570 range on the SAT (middle 50%, approximate), so a competitive score sits at or above 1570. Brown has reinstated a testing requirement, so the SAT or ACT is required and back in play. With an admit rate near 5% and an identity built on its Open Curriculum — where students design much of their own course of study — reviewers want self-directed thinkers, so a score is a baseline rather than the thing that sets you apart. Always confirm Brown's current range and policy on its official admissions site.
What "1500–1570" actually means
A published range is a snapshot, not a cutoff. Here's how to read it so you set a target that makes sense for Brown.
Self-direction, for the Open Curriculum.
Brown is defined by its Open Curriculum: there are no general-education requirements, so students design much of their own path. Its holistic review is built to find people who'll thrive with that freedom — applicants with intellectual initiative, range and a clear sense of what they'd do with it, alongside strong grades and course rigor. A 1500–1570 SAT fits the academic baseline; the essays and your "why the Open Curriculum" story are what carry the file.
Required again, highest scores considered.
Brown has reinstated a testing requirement, so the SAT or ACT is required — scores are back in play after a test-optional stretch. Brown considers your highest scores across dates, so sitting the SAT more than once can only help, with no penalty for an extra attempt. Confirm the current requirement and how Brown handles multiple sittings on its official admissions site.
Pair a strong score with a clear "why."
Scores are required again, so clear the 1570 mark with focused, by-domain practice and let superscoring work across sittings. Then put your energy into the part that actually distinguishes applicants here: a specific, convincing narrative about what you'd build with the Open Curriculum. Always confirm Brown's current policy on its official admissions site.
Find out where you stand today.
Reading about a target helps; answering a few real-format questions toward it helps more.
An approximate snapshot of one class
The 1500–1570 figure describes the middle 50% of one admitted class and is approximate. It is not a pass line and not a guarantee — applicants below it are admitted and applicants above it are not, because the score is only one part of a holistic review. Treat it as a target to aim past, and always confirm Brown's current numbers on its official admissions site.
How to reach it
- Set a target at or above 1570.
- Practice by domain across Reading & Writing and Math.
- Sit full-length adaptive mocks to measure your real level.
- Clear every miss in your mistake bank.
- Leave time for a retake before deadlines.
Brown SAT target and policy check
Use this as a planning baseline; testing policies and reported score ranges can change by application cycle.
| Item | Planning read | Verification note |
|---|---|---|
| Approximate middle 50% | 1500–1570 SAT | Reported ranges shift by class year and score submitter pool. |
| Competitive target | 1570+ | Aim near or above the top of the band if you submit SAT scores. |
| Testing policy | SAT or ACT required; confirm Brown's current policy. | Policy can change by cycle. |
| Source rule | Use official admissions/CDS links | Treat third-party score ranges as secondary context only. |
SAT score questions for Brown
What SAT score do you need for Brown?
Is a 1500 a good SAT score for Brown?
Does Brown require the SAT?
Does Brown superscore the SAT?
Is the SAT the only thing that matters for Brown?
Keep planning your SAT target.
Set your target. Then close the gap to it.
Start free, answer a few real-format questions, and get a practice estimate toward a score that fits your list.