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Information for Parents

Freedom & Responsibility

The transition to a college environment is both exciting and anxiety-producing. It may help parents to view Brown's Pre-College Summer as a unique opportunity for bright, motivated young people to practice managing their daily lives in a supportive environment. Independence is central to the Brown summer experience. For many students, this level of independence will be a new experience, which is why our summer residential team is trained and eager to help students make good decisions. Summer Studies deans also guide pre-college students as they experience the challenges of college-level courses and community living on a campus filled with opportunity.

The residential staff's emphasis on community-building and individual responsibility encourages students to develop the skills required for an enjoyable and successful pre-college experience, and promotes the development of strong friendships among the program's participants. It is our expectation that pre-college students enrolled in our programs are active participants in academic and extra curricular programs. Students are responsible for exercising good judgment and making decisions to promote their own health and safety. Residential life staff will intervene in cases where a student's behavior affects their ability to meet both the academic and community expectations of the program.

This combination of rigorous academics and personal independence has worked well at Brown to familiarize pre-college students with the challenges of college life. Students and their parents have said that the best part of the summer program was balancing academics with personal growth, including opportunities to socialize with students from around the world. When pre-college students complete a Brown summer program, they emerge with renewed confidence that they will be able to make a successful adjustment to life away from home after they enter college.

Health & Safety

Brown University Health Services is available to all students Monday through Friday for medical problems such as colds, cuts, sprains, or infections. Limited pharmacy and x-ray hours are offered. Brown University maintains its own Emergency Medical Services (EMS). Our EMT's are equipped to respond immediately to medical emergencies 24 hours a day. Please remember to return a completed Medical Authorization Form and Immunization History Form to us before the start of any program. The forms are available for download and will also be sent to you with your confirmation. We regret that we cannot allow anyone to participate in the program until their Medical Authorization form is on file with us.

Safety

The Brown University Department of Public Safety is a nationally accredited campus law enforcement agency. DPS received its accreditation status from CALEA, the Commission On Accreditation For Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc., in July of 1998, and was recently re-accredited in July of 2001. When Brown Public Safety was first accredited in 1998, it was the third in the state to receive that recognition. Five law enforcement agencies in Rhode Island are currently accredited- Brown, the State Police, Smithfield PD, Cumberland PD, and Warwick PD.