Student Profile
Princeton 07
- Class: Alum
- Major: History
- Gender: M
- High School:
- Transfer Student: N
Big Picture
The best thing about Princeton is everyone's, including staff, faculty, older peers, alumni, and fellow students', commitment to truly make your stay there as memorable and fruitful as it can be. The one thing I'd change, however, is to implement a better system to assign academic advisers. The size of Princeton is, in my opinion, just right, but that would depend on individual taste. People are generally impressed, sometimes in a good way but also sometimes in a bad way, when they discover I graduated from Princeton. I spent most of my time on campus either in my room. There is definitely a small "college town" feel to Princeton, but one of its more interesting aspects is its very limited extent; because if you wander more than 2 blocks away from Princeton you will discover the actual, underprivileged nature of the surrounding area. I have a very high opinion of the administration. One of the biggest controversies on campus was the fracas over illegal music downloads. There is quite a bit of school pride, though definitely not in customary arenas like football or basketball. The most unusual part about Princeton is probably one of its best strenghts - its wonderfully beautiful, accessible and safe campus. One experience I will always remember is the camaraderie of my flag football team. The most frequent student complaints are probably the lack of car parking on campus, sometimes the work load, and definitely thesis-work.
Academic Life
Yes, professors definitely knew my name. My favorite class was taught by a truly captivating professor whose lectures were more like enlightening shows. It was Soviet History taught by Professor Stephen Kotkin. My least favorite class was organic chemistry, since in my opinion the professor displayed an almost criminal habit of favoritism. Students study as often as they need or desire, as I would imagine is the case in almost every school. Class participation is indeed common. Princeton students do have intellectual conversations outside of class. Some students are more competitive than others, but again, that is probably true of most schools. The most unique class I've taken was Spanish. I love history so I thoroughly enjoyed my major. There are certain departments that are much more pleasant and personable than others. The history department is one of the greatest in the world, but is a little too large to truly be as personal as smaller ones, also with great people, like Spanish and Physics. I did not spend time with professors outside of class. I think Princeton's academic requirements are fair and indicative of the caliber of student you'll find there. The education at Princeton overall is whatever you make of it. If you are only using it as a stepping stone to get a job, you can certainly do that. But if you want to indulge pure intellectual curiosity, that is certainly a realistic possibility as well.
Student Body
I feel like I met a lot of different people on campus. Un-ambitious people would probably feel out of place at Princeton. Students wear anything from sweats to suits to class. Different types of students definitely interact. One of my best friends is almost my complete opposite. I don't know what the "four tables of students in the dining hall" prompt is supposed to mean. Most Princeton students are either from the Northeast or California it seemed to me. All financial backgrounds are well-represented, especially with Princeton's generous financial aid policies and even more so in light of the recent significantly increased financial aid at other top schools in the nation. For the most part students are politically aware and active. The majority are probably moderate, but significant voices for both right and left can also be found. I've never talked myself or heard anyone talk about how much they'll earn one day.
The Best Things
The beautiful campus and interesting people.
The Worst Things
Too many people pretending to be someone they're not.
