The goal of STEP is to empower and support incoming students who are interested in exploring engineering at Brown. This includes exposure to key mathematical concepts and problem-solving exercises that engineers are likely to encounter during the first year of engineering studies at Brown.

In addition, you will have the opportunity to meet first-year professors, socialize online with your incoming peers, and learn more about the resources available to students on campus. We will also provide support for thriving in engineering (growth mindset, effective study skills, preparing for office hours, communication styles, etc.)

Yes, all incoming engineering undergraduates are eligible to attend STEP.

The cost of attending STEP Online and/or STEP Residency is covered by the institution at $0.00 cost to students and their families.

Yes! We encourage students to spend at least 5 hours per week on math problems and growth mindset topics. Students who wish to take full advantage of all practice problems and learning modules can expect, on average, approximately 15-20 hours per week.

We encourage students to complete as much work as they can reasonably manage while balancing other priorities in their lives. We recognize that many of our students are often very busy during the summer prior to matriculation. We intentionally designed STEP Online as a flexible program, with asynchronous learning modules, recorded live sessions, and a private online social platform available at each student’s convenience.

In order to fully participate in the in-person STEP Residency, students will need to be able to move into their assigned dorm room on Monday, August 19th.

We are able to accommodate a larger number of students online, however, the in-person program has limited space. We encourage interested students to express their desire to participate in the program as soon as possible.

No, STEP participation and assignments will not be graded. Completing the recommended coursework will not impact your grades or transcript.

Participation in STEP is merely advantageous for your own learning in introductory math concepts necessary for engineering, and also to develop resilience and a growth mindset to help you to thrive in engineering.

The STEP curriculum is designed to expose you to key concepts that you are likely to encounter when taking the core introductory engineering sequence at Brown (ENGN 0030 or 0032, ENGN 0040, ENGN 0051) and intro math sequence (MATH 0100 or 0190, MATH 0180 or 0200).

Both! While you will have non-graded assignments to help build your engineering and math conceptual skills, you will also have the opportunity to get to know your classmates prior to the start of the semester.

You will additionally have the opportunity to meet key engineering administrators, your professors, current upper level engineering students, and campus center directors.

We will also explore what it means to be an engineer, effective communication across personality styles, growth mindset, study tips, and more to help you thrive in engineering and beyond.

Yes! STEP students are encouraged to participate in the Third World Transition Program (TWTP) and/or the International Mentoring Program (IMP), and other pre-orientation programs as your schedule allows.

Students that opt to not participate in a subsequent orientation program after STEP Residency concludes on August 23rd can still participate in STEP online.

Students who have had limited exposure to calculus will start with the Single Variable Calculus sequence, which includes topics such as functions, differentiation, and integration.

Students who have mastered single variable calculus will start with topics such as matrix algebra, differential equations, and numerical methods.

Both math group options will include a vector calculus module.

Both groups will additionally cover topics in growth mindset, learning how to learn, study skills, resilience, office hour tips, suggestions for finding engineering internships, and other related enrichment topics.

You will participate in an engineering team project, facilitated by an engineering faculty member. During this project, you will conduct measurements, collect data, analyze your data, and report your findings.

In addition to the engineering group project, students will engage in various team building activities across campus and get to meet the key stakeholders who can offer support during their time at Brown (i.e. campus resource directors, etc.).

STEP Residents will also participate in an off-campus field trip.

All housing and meals will be covered by the program. STEP Residents will be eligible to move in early to their dorms on Monday, August 19th.

Additionally, STEP Residents will receive a $100 stipend in their student account to cover incidentals during the residency week.

We advise all financial aid students to reach out to the Financial Aid Office and also consult with your assigned coordinator from the Bursar’s Office.

In addition, we advise international students to contact the Office of International Students and Scholars at your earliest convenience.

While participation in STEP is currently limited to incoming engineering students, we may be able to make exceptions for rising sophomores, as space allows, on a case-by-case basis. Please reach out to Associate Dean Megan Russell at megan_russell@brown.edu immediately to discuss your situation. Should capacity be reached for the program, you will be placed on a waiting list and notified when more space is available.