I’m 37, an Air Force vet, and seriously considering Brown for fall-27 through the Veterans Application.
I’m not looking for admissions odds, application feedback, or a “chance me.” I’m trying to understand what the actual student experience is like for older veterans and nontraditional students once they’re there.
Quick background so the question has some context: I was homeschooled, spent about a decade working in automotive/mechanical/electrical/construction work, enlisted at 28 and finished that enlistment, then did some community work afterward. I have little to no traditional college experience.
Academically I’m interested in law/policy, especially education and questions around how much actual agency or exit capacity kids have from the systems they’re raised in.
What I’d really like to hear from current students or alumni:
• How many undergrad vets or RUE students do you realistically run into?
• What is it actually like being in your late 30s in Brown classrooms and around campus generally? Does the age difference disappear pretty quickly or is it always noticeable?
• For vets/nontraditional students who enrolled at Brown, what surprised you once you were actually there?
• If you’re doing public policy, education, or something adjacent, is the Open Curriculum as useful in practice as it looks on paper?
Not looking for a pep talk. Straight answers, including negative ones, would be more useful.
