TL;DR: Brown and Dartmouth admit at nearly the same rate: 5.35% and 5.8% respectively for the Class of 2030. Both are mid-to-small, undergraduate-centered Ivies that meet full need with no loans, so the choice turns on setting and academic model: Brown pairs a fully open curriculum with a small-city campus, while Dartmouth pairs the flexible D-Plan and a more traditional structure with a rural, outdoorsy setting (Brown Daily Herald, 2026; The Dartmouth, 2026).
Is Brown or Dartmouth harder to get into?
The two are essentially tied. Brown admitted 5.35% of applicants to the Class of 2030, and Dartmouth admitted 5.8%, with both rates falling from the prior year (Brown Daily Herald, 2026; The Dartmouth, 2026). The gap is small, and for an unhooked applicant the bar is effectively the same at both; the strength of the application matters far more than the fractional difference in rates.
Both use binding Early Decision, and both fill a meaningful share of their classes early, so the early round carries a real statistical advantage at each. For a student certain of a first choice, applying ED is the strongest lever available, with the caveat that it is binding and should be used only when the family is comfortable committing without comparing financial-aid offers.
| Dimension | Brown | Dartmouth |
|---|---|---|
| Acceptance rate | 5.35% (Class of 2030) | 5.8% (Class of 2030) |
| Curriculum | Open Curriculum; no requirements | Distribution requirements; the D-Plan calendar |
| Early-round policy | Early Decision (binding) | Early Decision (binding) |
| Undergraduate enrollment | ~7,200 | ~4,500 (smallest Ivy) |
| Setting | Providence, RI (small city) | Hanover, NH (rural) |
| Academic identity | Open Curriculum, exploration, liberal arts | Undergraduate-focused college, the outdoors |
| Signature strengths | Humanities, applied math, biology, CS | Government, economics, AB engineering, the outdoors |
| Financial aid | Meets 100% of need, no-loan | Meets 100% of need, no-loan |
Brown vs Dartmouth: how do academics and programs compare?
Brown’s defining feature is the Open Curriculum: no general-education or distribution requirements, freedom to design an individual course of study, and the option to take classes pass/fail. It is a mid-sized university strong in the humanities, applied mathematics, biology, and computer science, and the model rewards exploration and self-direction. Brown suits a student who wants to range widely across fields without prescribed requirements.
Dartmouth is the smallest and most undergraduate-centered Ivy, built around small classes, close faculty contact, and the D-Plan, its flexible year-round calendar that lets students customize which terms they spend on and off campus. It retains distribution requirements and a more traditional structure, and it is strong in government, economics, and undergraduate engineering through its AB program. The academic contrast is one of freedom type: Brown offers curricular freedom, Dartmouth offers scheduling flexibility within a more structured curriculum. For program detail, see our guides to getting into Brown and getting into Dartmouth.
Does Brown or Dartmouth give better financial aid for high-income families?
The two are closely matched. Both meet 100% of demonstrated financial need with no-loan packages, so admitted families are never asked to borrow to cover assessed need, and for lower- and middle-income families the net cost at either can be low. Neither has announced the $200,000 free-tuition threshold now offered by Harvard, Yale, and Penn, so for high earners both sit a tier below the most aggressive Ivy aid.
For a family earning $200,000 or more, both schools will generally expect a contribution, assessed individually based on assets, home equity, the number of children in college, and one-time income events. Because two schools that both meet full need can still produce materially different bills for the same family, the practical step for high earners is to run each net price calculator early rather than assuming parity. For how high-earner aid math works, see our analysis of financial aid for high-earning families.
| Family income (typical assets) | Brown | Dartmouth |
|---|---|---|
| Under $100,000 | Typically low net cost (full need met) | Typically $0 to low net cost (full need met) |
| $100,000-$200,000 | Need-based aid, partial to substantial | Need-based aid, partial to substantial |
| $200,000-$400,000 | Contribution expected; assessed individually | Contribution expected; assessed individually |
| Above $400,000 | Typically full-pay (~$90,000+/yr) | Typically full-pay (~$90,000+/yr) |
Brown vs Dartmouth: campus culture and student experience
Both are mid-to-small and community-driven, but the settings diverge. Brown sits in Providence, a small, walkable city in Rhode Island, and its culture is shaped by the Open Curriculum: students are independent, exploratory, and known for a collaborative ethos. With roughly 7,200 undergraduates, the community is cohesive while still offering urban amenities nearby.
Dartmouth’s Hanover is a small, rural town, and with about 4,500 undergraduates the community is even more tightly knit. The Greek system, the outdoors, and the rhythm of the D-Plan shape social life, and school spirit runs high. The honest question is whether the student wants Brown’s open, exploratory environment in a small city or Dartmouth’s intimate, outdoorsy college in a rural setting.
Brown vs Dartmouth: outcomes, graduate school, and ROI
Both produce strong outcomes and feed top graduate and professional schools. Brown’s graduates do well across consulting, technology, medicine, and the arts, and its distinctive culture is an asset in creative and entrepreneurial fields. Dartmouth punches above its size in finance and consulting recruiting, with an exceptionally loyal alumni network that opens doors disproportionate to its small enrollment.
For a high-income family, neither is a stronger investment in pure earnings terms; both sit near the top of the outcomes distribution. The more useful lens is academic model and setting: Brown favors a student who wants curricular freedom and a small-city environment, while Dartmouth favors one who values a tight, high-trust network, scheduling flexibility, and a rural, communal experience.
Should you apply early to Brown or Dartmouth?
Both Brown and Dartmouth use binding Early Decision, and a student can apply ED to only one school. Because both fill a meaningful share of their classes early and the early round carries a real statistical advantage, applying ED to a clear first choice is the strongest lever available here. The trade-off is the binding commitment: a family agrees to enroll if admitted, before seeing the financial-aid package, so ED suits families confident in both the choice and its affordability.
Since both are Early Decision schools rather than restrictive early action, the question is not which to apply to early in a non-binding sense; it is whether one is a clear enough first choice to commit to outright. Families uncertain about cost should weigh that carefully before choosing the binding round.
Which should you choose: Brown or Dartmouth?
Choose Brown if the student wants maximal curricular freedom through the Open Curriculum, values exploration over prescribed requirements, and prefers a mid-sized university in a small, walkable city. Choose Dartmouth if the student wants the smallest, most undergraduate-focused Ivy, the scheduling flexibility of the D-Plan, an outdoorsy and intensely communal culture, and a famously loyal alumni network.
For high-income families, the financial picture is similar at both: each meets full need with no loans and generally expects a contribution above $200,000. The decision is overwhelmingly about academic model and setting, and the clearest way to resolve it is whether the student wants Brown’s open curriculum in a small city or Dartmouth’s flexible calendar in a rural college town.
Related Ivy League Comparisons
For more side-by-side comparisons, see Brown vs Cornell, Columbia vs Dartmouth, Cornell vs Dartmouth, and Harvard vs Dartmouth. If you are deciding when to apply, our guide to Early Action vs Early Decision breaks down the early-round options.
Frequently Asked Questions About Brown vs Dartmouth
They are very close: Brown admitted 5.35% for the Class of 2030 and Dartmouth 5.8%. Both are single-digit reaches where the strength of the application matters far more than the small gap between them.
Brown’s Open Curriculum removes general-education requirements, letting students design their own path. Dartmouth’s D-Plan is a flexible year-round calendar that lets students customize which terms they spend on and off campus; it still has distribution requirements.
They are similar. Both meet 100% of demonstrated need with no loans, and neither offers the $200,000 free-tuition threshold of Harvard, Yale, or Penn. Above $200,000 both expect a contribution assessed case by case.
Apply ED only to a clear first choice, since it is binding and can be used at just one school. Both carry a strong early-round advantage, but commit only if ready to enroll without comparing aid offers.
Both offer flexibility of different kinds. Brown gives curricular freedom through the Open Curriculum; Dartmouth gives scheduling freedom through the D-Plan. A student wanting course freedom leans Brown; one wanting calendar flexibility leans Dartmouth.
Setting and academic model. Brown is in a small city with a fully open curriculum; Dartmouth is rural and outdoorsy with the D-Plan and a more traditional structure. Both are mid-to-small and community-driven.
Both feed finance and consulting well. Dartmouth’s loyal alumni network drives outsized placement for its size; Brown places strongly into consulting, tech, and creative fields. Both are reliable launchpads.
No. Both use binding Early Decision, which permits only one binding application, so you must choose one of them for the early round.
Sources: Brown Undergraduate Admission, Dartmouth Admissions, NCES College Navigator, Brown Common Data Set, Dartmouth Common Data Set, NACAC.
About Oriel Admissions
Oriel Admissions is a Princeton-based college admissions consulting firm advising families nationwide on elite university admissions strategy, pairing each student with a dedicated team of counselors and coaches. To discuss your strategy, schedule a consultation.
