Key differences on Getting in
- 1
Brown's yield is 18 pts higher than Carnegie Mellon's
Yield rate - 2
Brown is 2.1× more selective than Carnegie Mellon
Acceptance rate - 3
Brown's SAT midpoint is 10 points higher than Carnegie Mellon's
SAT midpoint
Admissions
Getting in, fall 2024
Acceptance and yield, test score ranges, test policy, and what each college weighs.
The funnel
Quad's selectivity
- Carnegie MellonUltra selective
- BrownUltra selective
Men and women
Acceptance rate for men and women who applied, where a college reports admissions by sex.
Test scores
SAT total,
Axis runs 1400–1600. The dark tick marks the national median midpoint.
ACT composite,
Axis runs 30–36. The dark tick marks the national median midpoint.
Test policy
- Carnegie MellonTest-optional
- BrownTest-optional
How they read a record
Carnegie Mellon
, GPA, and class rank are all very important; tests are considered. 86% of first-years who sent test scores had a 3.75 or higher, so and rarely sets an applicant apart; the courses behind it carry more of the weight.
Brown
The high school record and a college-prep program are required; GPA and class rank are considered.
What they look at
| Factor | Carnegie Mellon | Brown |
|---|---|---|
| High school GPA | Very important | Considered |
| High school record | Required | Required |
| Class rank | Very important | Considered |
| College-prep program | Considered | Required |
| Recommendations | Important | Required |
| Essay | Important | Required |
| Legacy status | Not considered | Considered |
| Work experience | Considered | Considered |
| Demonstration of competencies | Considered | Not considered |
| English proficiency test | Required | Considered |
| Other tests | Not considered | Not considered |
Sources:Carnegie Mellon University (Fall 2025), Fall 2025;IPEDS Admissions survey, Fall 2024;College Scorecard, Entered fall 2023;College Scorecard, most recent releaseAbout the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)
Figures are the newest each college has published; years can differ between colleges. Each value's ⓘ shows its source and year. Why