How does one get accepted into Brown University as an undergraduate?

Be smart, be creative, be yourself. I'm an alumnae interviewer for Brown (which is to say, I have almost no influence over anything) and while almost all of the kids I interview get good grades, the ones who get in (not many to be sure) are usually decidedly more engaging than those who don't. It's not about padding your resume with activities you think an admissions officer may want to see, it's about being passionate about the things you do and being able to express your passion. I'd much rather interview someone who is crazy about, say, tap dancing and can't shut up about it because they love it so much than someone who does tap dancing and debate and track and chess club, but isn't really that interested in any of them. I know it's hard when you're in high-school, but try to cultivate a unique way of looking at the world. Don't conform your outlook to what you think others want, see things the way you see them and say things the way you feel them. And then keep in mind that the decisions are pretty much out of your hands. Don't tie any of your self-worth to whether you get in or not. If you don't get in, it's almost entirely based on numbers.