Princeton University Top Questions

There is a wide array of styles at Princeton--you can show up to class in anything ranging from sweatpants to sun dresses. And, for the most part, it's pretty diverse. If you don't feel like you fit in, chances are there are enough people like you that you can form your own group.

not enough diversity. i wish there were more international kids here. also there are too many people who want to confirm and this means that the amount of truly interesting people on campus is lacking

The student body is very diverse but heavily segregated. Students are not generally very politically aware and the school is on the whole fairly conservative.

There are definitely many different faces of Princeton. Diversity is one of our main goals. However, there is unfortunately, a degree of segregation among the students. There are the preppy kids who will go out and party on any given night. Racially, students seem to self-sort. Also, it is fairly obvious that those with more money tend to have more vibrant social lives.

I think Princeton's Student body is very diverse. Many different types of students interact with each other. Most students are involved in 2 or more activities. So you may see a student interacting with her fellow environmental group peers one morning, and then see her interacting with members of her dance group that evening. People are from very diverse backgrounds as well. I've met several people who grew up on farms, while others grew up in New York City. So the personalities are very unique, but that doesn't keep them from interacting with each other.

I don't really think any type of student would feel out of place at Princeton - I truly think that most types of students can be found, though they may not represent the majority. The dress code varies from those who get dolled up for class to those who will show up in PJs. Different types of students do interact, but of course students prefer to be with those who are more like them. I don't think this is any different at Princeton than any other school. Different financial backgrounds are prevalent, but the majority would seem to be those who are more wealthy. Many students are very politically aware and consequently very active. They are predominantly left-winged. I haven't really heard any students talk about how much they'll earn one day.

the kind of student that would feel out of place here would be a very religious student or one who is more conservative and who didnt want to live the hook-up culture-- although that is changing and there is a group starting that is non-religious and tries to fight the hook-up culture. THere is a lot of support for all different kinds of students.

-Perhaps the least liberal of the Ivys? -Wouldn't say it's super diverse. Though you certainly do meet a lot of people from all different parts of the country and world. -Most students play a sport (whether varsity or club level) or just exercise regularly.

Low-income students would be most likely to feel out of place at Princeton, not completely because all students are from wealthy families (although many visibly are) but because the University itself is brimming with resources. The generous endowment enables a plethora of opportunities that verges on an embarrassment of riches. At the risk of citing causation in place of correlation, a notably high percentage of Princeton students flock to the finance sector after graduating. Does Princeton breed this culture? Perhaps. More likely, the trend is a result of targeted recruiting by aggressive firms, a pack mentality, and the prospect of financial security at an early age. I don't think the pipeline will be this crowded indefinitely, but it has become a widely-acknowledged Tiger track. It's tough to decipher Princeton's political persuasion as a collective body. I would say most students are moderate, with a politically correct/non-confrontational slant. There are exceptions to that generalization, and most lie at the extremes of the political spectrum.

I love nerds. This may explain why I like the Princeton student body. In general, there are some really nice people at Princeton, and no matter who you are you'll have no trouble making life-long friends. There are also some jerks. Avoiding them is not difficult. My favorite thing about the Princeton student body is that everyone seems to have some kind of excitement factor to them, something really interesting that they've done that made them stand out to the admissions department. Sometimes this thing provides excellent teasing material. After six months at Princeton I discovered that one of my best friends was a national bagpiping champion. Bonus points if you can track down this person and tease him via Facebook.