From Sidechat to classroom conversations, it feels like there is constant discussion about student-athletes. But the conversation does not center on recent wins or losses; rather, it dissects their academic abilities.
Across campus, some students seem to ostracize their varsity-athlete peers, gatekeeping academic excellence for the “real students” and reducing athletes to less intelligent people who were admitted solely due to their athletic talent. This undue judgment is reprehensible and contrary to Brown’s educational philosophy, which values experiences outside the classroom as well as academics. We ought to remind ourselves that what brought us to Brown was not solely academic, but a holistic set of achievements.
Playing sports, especially at the varsity level, instills characteristics that are just as valuable as academic prowess. Traits like discipline, confidence, and resilience can be taught through athletics— all qualities that also make a person worthy of attending Brown.
When we take pride in being a student at Brown, we should remember that academics aren’t the only thing that makes a Brown student accomplished. Brown practices holistic admissions, meaning academics aren’t everything. Beyond grades and standardized tests, a myriad of extracurricular activities help all students get into Brown.
The University even offers the video portfolio—a chance for applicants to convey an aspect of themselves that can’t be captured by traditional academic measures. Extracurricular activities show a student’s commitment and work ethic outside of the classroom, and being a varsity athlete is no exception. It’s unfitting to judge student-athletes for these achievements that played a role in their application process.
In addition, Brown is a school that emphasizes genuine curiosity and independence—traits that can be learned through athletics. There’s less emphasis on traditional measures of academic performance. For example, we have no plus or minus grades, just A, B, and C. Instead of slapping students who fail with an F, we politely say they got “no credit.” We can take any class Satisfactory/No Credit, and only a few classes are graded on a curve.
Instead of traditional ways of measuring academic performance, the University encourages passion and creativity. We have design-your-own majors, design-your-own classes, and, of course, there’s the Open Curriculum. Traits like creativity and passion are inextricably woven into the Brown student identity, and these traits can be embraced through athletics as well.
A gymnast could develop a passion for biomedical engineering after pondering how the human body can twist and turn during an exercise routine. A golfer could find a love for physics by thinking about how a golf ball’s spin can change its flight path. Simply put, it’s reductive to say athletics don’t help in making a student deserving of Brown.
Beyond just avoiding judgment, non-athletes and athletes should actively befriend each other. The line between athlete and non-athlete shouldn’t divide the Brown community. In fact, there’s a lot athletes and non-athletes can learn from each other. Athletes can help non-athletes develop work ethic outside of the classroom, while non-athletes can introduce their peers to a diverse range of interests.
The age-old narrative of jocks versus nerds is outdated, and Brown students should make an effort to bring down these antiquated archetypes.
The criticism of student-athletes at Brown misses the point of what defines a Brown education. Brown’s holistic admissions process reflects a belief that excellence takes many forms: intellectual, creative, and athletic alike. Once we’re here, that same spirit should define how we see one another.
Rather than drawing lines between students, we should see Brown as a place where different talents converge toward the same goals of personal growth and community betterment. Athletics and academics aren’t opposites; they are complementary pursuits that define Brown.
https://www.browndailyherald.com/article/2025/10/cheong-27-stop-doubting-whether-student-athletes-deserve-to-be-here