Question: Will I receive credits for the online courses?

Answer: The Brown University online pre-college program offers certificate courses. No college credits are given for the online courses. Upon successfully completing the course you will receive a Brown University Certificate of Completion, which is great to list on your college applications. It also may be possible to arrange with your school to include an online course as a component of an independent study or senior project. Please contact your guidance counselor or teacher for more information.

Question: Does the program offer financial aid or scholarships?

Answer: There are no financial aid or scholarship opportunities for the online pre-college courses at this time.

Question: How do the online courses work?

Answer: Brown University online pre-college courses are asynchronous. In other words, students are not required to log in at a set time to do their work. We do follow a weekly schedule, so students will know what they need to do each week and the due dates for their assignments, but it is completely up to them when during the week they do their work.  In order to be successful in the online courses, students need to commit approximately five hours per week for the spring and fall sessions and approximately 10 hours per week for the summer intensive sessions.

Question: How are the online courses graded?

Answer: Brown University online pre-college courses are not graded in the traditional sense with A’s, B’s, C’s, etc.  The online courses are graded as either “Successfully Completed” or “Incomplete.” In order  to successfully complete an online course, a student will need to successfully complete 100% of the assigned work. This applies to the entire format of the course (reading assignments online and offline, quizzes, video lectures and/or labs, online discussions with the instructor and fellow classmates, and homework assignments), and not just the homework assignments.

Question: What is the appropriate age range for the program?

Answer: Brown University online pre-college courses are geared for students in grades nine through twelve. From time to time we do accept eighth graders as well as college freshmen into the program.  Please note that only those younger students who are at least two years ahead in advanced math (for math- or science-based courses) and very mature should participate. The online courses are college-level courses geared to a high school audience. Some of the online courses have recommended prerequisites and others do not. Please click on the “About the Course” tab to view recommended prerequisites and more course-specific information.