About Princeton University

Founded in 1746, Princeton University. is a Private college. Located in New Jersey, which is a city setting in New Jersey, the campus itself is Suburban. The campus is home to 5,400 full time undergraduate students, and 2,781 full time graduate students.

The Princeton University Academic calendar runs on a Semester basis. In the school year the student to faculty ratio was 5:1. There are 924 full time instructional teachers. Degrees awarded at Princeton University include: Bachelor's Degree, Masters Degree, Post-master's certificate, Doctor's degree.

Quick Facts

Acceptance Rate6%
Application Deadline
Application Fee65
SAT Range1400-1590
ACT Range32-35

Admissions at are considered Most Selective, with ,47% of all applicants being admitted.

In the school year, of the students who applied to the school, only 4 of those who were admitted eventually ended up enrolling.

100% of incoming freshmen are in the top half of their high school class. 99% were in the top quarter, and 93% were in the top tenth. You can apply online.

STUDENT LIFE

We asked, and students answered these important questions about student life at Princeton University.

11%
“We”re apathetic”
42%
“We know about current events and vote”
44%
“We participate and encourage others to get involved”
4%
“There”s nothing we won”t protest”
0%
“We save it for the classroom”
14%
“Sometimes, but not often”
50%
“There”s usually intelligent conversation to be found”
35%
“All the time, including weekends”
1%
“I”m always terrified”
0%
“I only go out in groups”
7%
“I usually let someone know where I”m going”
92%
“I feel extremely safe”
45%
“We don”t play sports”
0%
“We play recreationally”
52%
“We bought the gear”
3%
“We live for the big game”
3%
“It”s not really our thing”
22%
“Occasinally we gallery crawl”
65%
“There are a variety of opportunities”
11%
“We”re a very artistic group”
2%
“Haven”t met them”
9%
“Available in class”
50%
“They keep regular office hours”
40%
“They”re always available”
25%
“No greek life, but other groups to join”
60%
“There is some involvement, but not a lot”
14%
“Plenty of people join a sorority or fraternity”
1%
“It”s everything. If you”re not greek, you”re a geek”
0%
“We”re not into drinking at all”
7%
“Maybe a little, but it”s not a big thing”
56%
“We only party on weekends”
37%
“There”s some drinking happening every night”
8%
“Never, we”re here to learn”
53%
“There might be people who do”
38%
“People are known to partake on weekends”
1%
“There”s a huge drug scene”
11%
“We”re apathetic”
42%
“We know about current events and vote”
44%
“We participate and encourage others to get involved”
4%
“There”s nothing we won”t protest”
0%
“We save it for the classroom”
14%
“Sometimes, but not often”
50%
“There”s usually intelligent conversation to be found”
35%
“All the time, including weekends”
1%
“I”m always terrified”
0%
“I only go out in groups”
7%
“I usually let someone know where I”m going”
92%
“I feel extremely safe”
45%
“We don”t play sports”
0%
“We play recreationally”
52%
“We bought the gear”
3%
“We live for the big game”
3%
“It”s not really our thing”
22%
“Occasinally we gallery crawl”
65%
“There are a variety of opportunities”
11%
“We”re a very artistic group”
2%
“Haven”t met them”
9%
“Available in class”
50%
“They keep regular office hours”
40%
“They”re always available”
25%
“No greek life, but other groups to join”
60%
“There is some involvement, but not a lot”
14%
“Plenty of people join a sorority or fraternity”
1%
“It”s everything. If you”re not greek, you”re a geek”
0%
“We”re not into drinking at all”
7%
“Maybe a little, but it”s not a big thing”
56%
“We only party on weekends”
37%
“There”s some drinking happening every night”
8%
“Never, we”re here to learn”
53%
“There might be people who do”
38%
“People are known to partake on weekends”
1%
“There”s a huge drug scene”

Princeton University REVIEWS

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  • How would you rate on-campus housing?

    89 Students rated on-campus housing 4.4 stars. 44 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate off-campus housing?

    53 Students rated off-campus housing 2.4 stars. 0 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate campus food?

    90 Students rated campus food 4 stars. 34 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate campus facilities?

    91 Students rated campus facilities 4.6 stars. 59 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate class size?

    91 Students rated class size 4.4 stars. 52 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate school activities?

    92 Students rated school activities 4.4 stars. 51 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate local services?

    92 Students rated local services 3.8 stars. 26 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate academics?

    91 Students rated academics 4.6 stars. 69 % gave the school a 5.0.

What's your overall opinion of Princeton University?

28 Students rated Princeton University

Justine - 07/29/2023

My experience at Princeton so far has been incredible. I would say, however, that if you decide to attend, be prepared to put in the work. It is incredibly fun and you will learn so much, but it is also an incredible amount of work. I have met some incredible people here and I wouldn't change it for the world. There are also so many opportunities to become involved both academically and extracurricularly that you will definitely find something that interests you.

Frank - 08/04/2022

Assessing reviews

Nabeel - 02/27/2022

It is great! Princeton’s dedication to undergraduate education is deep. I could build strong working relationships with professors who are leaders in their fields. The program at Princeton focuses on learning, creativity, innovation, and collaboration with a liberal arts program in literature, arts and social sciences, engineering, and natural sciences. .

Zukhriddin - 01/02/2022

Fuuu

Princeton University FAQS

  1. What is the Acceptance Rate at Princeton University?

    The fall 2020 acceptance rate for Princeton University is 6%. That means, out of _____ applications received in 2020 , _____ students were offered admission. The number of males who applied was _____ vs the number of females which was _____.

  2. Describe the students at your school.

    My classmates are inspirational and motivating for me--they make me push myself to be the best I can be.

    Read all  98 answers
  3. What is the stereotype of students at your school?

    That they're preppy, rich, conservative, private school-educated, trust-fund kids, that only major in things like history, economics or politics in preparation for i-banking careers.

    Read all  97 answers
  4. What is your overall opinion of this school?

    The "big picture" at Princeton inevitably includes the Princeton name. This isn't meant in a snobby way at all because I truly believe that the vast majority of people apply to Princeton for reasons other than simply being able to say they went to Princeton, but there's a certain connotation when the name rolls off your tongue. It can be good in the way that the university has fostered academic excellence for years and continually ranks among the top research universities in the world, or it might not be so great when people think of the typical stereotypes about Princeton. Yet, the Princeton name is something you begin to take ownership of once you arrive on campus. All of a sudden, you're part of over 200 years of tradition and you begin to understand a subtle language of "precepts," "the Street," and "zee groups," among other things. You feel and are an integral part of a community and so you become part of that name, which carries so much weight. And I think you have a little more pride when you say the name, the more you feel like you own part of it.

    Read all  91 answers
  5. Is the stereotype of students at your school accurate?

    Like most stereotypes, these ones are based in history. Yes, Princeton very much used to be an old boys' club that favored the rich, white, and male, but then again, so did most of the other top universities in the country. Today, Princeton is much more diverse and offers incredible academic opportunities to a much wider segment of the population.

    Read all  89 answers
  6. What should every freshman at your school know before they start?

    The college process is a very personal one; I would therefore encourage parents and students alike to branch out from pre-conceptions of one college versus another and visit as many schools as possible in order to make their own decisions about what FEELS right to them. I would likewise encourage students to apply to all of the schools that they really love (REGARDLESS of the "reach"), while all the while keeping an open mind to options that they may not have thuroughly explored. In my opinion, the best way to go about doing this is to look at the list of schools to which you will apply as a WHOLE as opposed to focusing on a single school; make sure there's some variation of your own percieved culture and feel as well as level of selectivity among the schools on your list, and be sure to inlude some schools that might somewhat extend outside your general "comfort zone." Once a list like this is constructed, you can sit back, relax, and leave it up to the admissions process to highlight only those schools where you will truly thrive!

    Read all  87 answers
  7. What are the most popular student activities/groups?

    No discussion of Princeton social life is complete without touching on the eating clubs. Brief overview: the eating clubs are based out of 10 mansions on Prospect Avenue and Washington Road, directly adjacent to campus. Not technically part of the University, they maintain close ties and work to promote a sense of community and responsibility. Juniors and seniors that are members take their meals at the clubs and at night, they're often open to members and other Princeton students when they're "on tap" (ie, serving beer). There are a lot of myths about the clubs and the traditions that surround them. Suffice it to say that most of the social events on campus are connected to the clubs with theme nights, bands, non-alcoholic events, and annual festivities all taking place at them on a regular basis. While a typical Princeton student will spend most weekends at "the Street" (as the eating clubs are collectively known), there are almost always other events happening on campus: a cappella concerts under Gothic arches, dance performances, groups of friends heading to dinner on Nassau Street, trips to New York and Philadelphia (both short train rides away, easily accessible from campus), and lecture series and symposia. There's never a shortage of things to do. Princeton students drink anywhere from 0 to 7 nights a week. Some students who don't drink still come out to the Street but most of the people that are out are drinking. Thursday and Saturday nights are the main nights when most students go out. Wednesday and Friday nights have a strong following depending on which clubs you like to frequent. Sunday nights are usually the only day that it might be trickier to find a place to get a drink, but it certainly isn't impossible. In the end, it's about finding a balance between having fun and meeting your obligations. Very few people are capable of going out 6 nights a week and still doing well in their classes -- I know a few people can do it but they're the rare exceptions. Most people are content to go out 1 to 3 nights per week, and at that, most students prefer moderation to blacking out.

    Read all  86 answers
  8. What are the academics like at your school?

    If you're considering coming to Princeton, you have to face a couple facts: (1) the admissions committee has the incredibly difficult task of creating a freshman class from an enormous pool of some of the most academically-gifted and otherwise-talented students in the world (caveat: you can't get in if you don't apply!); and (2) the university doesn't maintain its prestigious academic reputation by allowing its students to hang out in the Woody Woo fountain or on Alexander Beach all day (both excellent ways to de-stress though). Typically, students will take four classes per semester with about 11-15 hours of class per week. Engineers take five classes some semesters and may have up to 18 hours of class per week. While it might be easy to sleep through a 9am economics lecture, good luck catching up on the material since most of the time lectures are different and in addition to the readings that are assigned. Moreover, a lot of classes won't be with 200 or 50 or even 20 other students. The vast majority of classes at Princeton are smaller seminars and classes that require engagement with the material and active participation. Even if participation doesn't really affect your grade, you don't want to be the only person in the room who hasn't done the reading... especially when there are only 10 other people in the room. As a result, you'll find that people put a lot of time into their studies outside of class. While very few people make this their only activity, it is priority #1 for most students, which is the only way it can be when you have 200 pages of history reading, an oral presentation in French, a politics paper, and a creative writing assignment all due in one week. The plus side? Classes are hardly ever boring. Professors rarely gloss over broad topics to try and pack everything into one semester. Instead, your transcript is littered with amazing titles of diverse fields of inquiry like a French course in Jewish identities in post-WWII France and an electrical engineering course on the applications of lasers and other high-technology innovations in everyday life.

    Read all  85 answers
  9. Describe how your school looks to someone who's never seen it.

    Excellent place to get a science degree.

    Read all  52 answers
  10. Here's your chance: Say anything about your college!

    At Princeton University, in addition to lectutes we also had time with 10 or so other students to study with the professor or the graduate student professor's assitant to spend one hour speaking and talking about the subject matter. This is an opportunity many other colleges do not provide! At the University of Phoenix, where I currently attend gard school, the professor is availale 24/7 via email to answer your specific questions and disucss elements of the course with you.

    Read all  44 answers
  11. Why did you decide to go to this school?

    A Princeton student tells which other schools Princeton applicants usually apply to and why students choose Pton.

    Read all  29 answers
  12. What's unique about your campus?

    The prospects for the future she offers her students. Princeton is powerful, and she makes sure her students are well placed in the world after they graduate.

    Read all  22 answers
  13. What kind of person should attend this school?

    If you are academically self-motivated, interested in working hard to learn a lot, and would like to be able to do all of this alongside students with diverse interests but similar levels of passion, then this school is the right place for you. But an important aspect of Princeton's culture, at least for me, is the widespread desire among students not only to work hard, but to play hard, too--and the university provides virtually everything we need to accomplish this two-fold lifestyle!

    Read all  19 answers
  14. What's the one thing you wish someone had told you about freshman year?

    I wish I had known about the grading scale. At Princeton, they set it up so that only 30 percent or so of the students in any given course or major can receive an A. It's pretty stupid to do this, considering that at a school like Princeton, almost all of the students are able to earn an A. It causes grades to be given based on policy rather than on what the individual student deserves.

    Read all  18 answers
  15. What's the most frustrating thing about your school?

    There is nothing frustrating about Princeton. I wouldn't change it a single bit. The students are great, the faculty is very generous, and the facilities are perfect.

    Read all  15 answers
  16. What do you consider the worst thing about your school? Why?

    There are a number of cultural clubs/groups on campus which can increase the likelihood that certain cultural groups will hang out mostly with members of their own race/ethnicity (this is not a blanket statement, however--plenty of people from different cultures are great friends and share in new experiences). Also, personally, I like the eating clubs but there are downsides to these party houses. Even though one certainly is not pressured to drink if he or she goes to one, the eating clubs seem to separate friends who drink from those who do not.

    Read all  15 answers
  17. Describe the dorms.

    Join Brooks and Mackenzie, juniors at Princeton University, as they scope out different campus dorms in preparation for room draw.

    Read all  14 answers
  18. Describe your favorite campus traditions.

    We are best known for being an elite liberal arts research university.

    Read all  13 answers
  19. What do you brag about most when you tell your friends about your school?

    I was a math major and Princeton objectively has the greatest mathematics department in the world. This is why I went there. However, growing up in a small rural town I was unprepared for the social life at Princeton, and wished I had considered more schools in making my college decision. If I had to do it again, there is a good chance I would have ended up at Princeton anyway. Reason why Princeton is the best UG education in the world: perfect combo of focus on undergrads and high-powered research university.

    Read all  13 answers
  20. What kind of person should not attend this school?

    A person looking for the stereotypical jock-dominated party school should not come here. Most people here are serious about their education.

    Read all  9 answers
  21. What is the stereotype of students at your school? Is this stereotype accurate?

    The most common stereotype of a typical Princeton student is the preppy kid who cares more about partying than his grades. The truth is, I see a lot more t-shirts and jeans than popped polo shirt collars. Most people got here the same way everyone got into college: hard work, diligence, and probably a little luck. There is still time for fun at Princeton, but no one breezes through.

    Read all  9 answers

Student Body

Students

48%

female

52%

male

5,400

Total Undergrad Enrollment

2,781

Total Grad Students

71%

Out-Of-State

15%

In-State

14%

International

Organizations

250

Student Organizations

N/A

Fraternities

N/A

Sororities

Housing

Yes

On-Campus Housing

66%

of students living on campus

Student Diversity

% American Indian/Alaskan Native
N/A
% Asian/Pacific Islander
21%
% Black or African-American
8%
% Hispanic/Latino
9%
% White or Caucasian
43%

TUITION & AID

All students must apply yearly for financial aid. This process starts with the FAFSA. Though financial aid deadlines vary by school, it is a good idea to apply as soon as possible. For the upcoming school year, you can apply as early as October 1 for the FAFSA. Additional school aid will be dependent on the FAFSA results.

61% of students attending Princeton University receive some sort of financial aid. 17% were awarded federal grants. While 4% received federal loans. Many students do also need to apply for additional private student loans.

Cost Out of State

$45,300

Tuition and fees(Out of state)

$1,050

Books and Supplies

$14,770

Room and Board

61,120

Total On Campus

Actual Cost By Income Level(W/Financial Aid)

Family Income
Cost
$0 - $30K
$2,469
$30 - $48K
$2,705
$48 - $75K
$4,557
$75 - $110K
$12,614
$110K & UP
$32,706

We use student reviews and the most current publicly available data on our school pages. As such, we don't typically remove or edit college information. Sources for school statistics and data include the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics and the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System. Portions of college data include copyrighted material, which is reproduced on this website by permission of Wintergreen Orchard House, a division of Carnegie Communications. © 2009-2016 by Wintergreen Orchard House. All rights reserved.

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