Brown University
Brown University is a nominal Ivy League "university" in the nominal "city" of Providence, Rhode Island.
No one learns anything at Brown because it doesn't have a Core Curriculum and every single course can be taken on a pass/fail basis.
This fact led GQ to name it the douchiest university in the US, listing among its "affectations": "A belief that grades, majors, and course requirements are just another form of cultural hegemony; using the word hegemony." Notably, though, Brown failed even at this distinction, only edging out Duke because GQ was reluctant to make Duke #1 at anything.
It is unclear whether Columbia or Brown is the most "liberal" Ivy League university. Columbia appeared to hold the title following the Minuteman stage-rush, but Brown struck back by pieing pro-globalization columnist Tom Friedman. In any case, the fact that Columbia and Brown have a large overlap in applicants is probably a reflection both of a) this strange rivalry and b) applicants' total ignorance of / apathy about the schools' curricular differences.
Still, attempts to inculcate an official rivalry (championed by Kwame Spearman) have failed.
Brown's mascot is also a Bear and therefore, they are known as the Brown Bears. How original.
