Founded in 1764, Brown University was the seventh college in the United States and it was the only one that welcomed students of all religious faiths. It has the oldest undergraduate engineering program in the Ivy League. The college moved from Warren, Rhode Island in 1770 to its current location in Providence, on College Hill. It was renamed Brown in 1804 in honor of Nicholas Brown for a gift he gave the university. The Women's College, which was later named Pembroke, opened in 1891, and merged with Brown in 1971.

Although it began as a Baptist university, Brown currently has no particular religious affiliation and it maintains its reputation of openness.

The most popular majors, according to the Princeton Review, are Biology/Biological Sciences, History(general), General Studies, and International Relations and Affairs. It ranks sixth on Princeton Review's list of toughest schools to get into and second on its list of schools with the happiest students.

Out-of-state tuition for this small, private institution is $37,860. The annual undergrate enrollment is 5, 821 and the total enrollment, including the graduate and medical schools is 8, 025. Out of 15,157 applicants in 2007, 2, 442 were accepted and 1, 423 actually enrolled.

According to their Web site, Brown's mission is to "serve the community, the nation, and the world by discovering, communicating, and preserving knowledge and understanding in a spirit of inquiry and by educating and preparing students to discharge the offices of life with usefulness and reputation.

If you're interested in Brown University, keep in mind that colleges and universities are looking at high school transcripts more than anything else. Take advanced placement and honors courses if your school offers them. Doing that in addition to getting good SAT and/or ACT scores will help tremendously to increase your odds of being one of the chosen few invited to attend Brown University in the fall.