Princeton University Top Questions

The most common answers to "where are you from?" would be the Northeast (NY, NJ, PA especially) and California, but there are students from every state, and countries all over the world. But even the ones from the US are often well-traveled, and many have absolutely fascinating multi-cultural backgrounds, having gone to high school in another country, or their parents being diplomats or in the military, or they are just very racially diverse in and of themselves: I knew a girl who was half French/Vietnamese and half American/Singaporean! Students are fairly politically aware, but not overly politically active... at least, not till Obama came on the scene. The campus is definitely mostly liberal, and though the atmosphere might seem very liberal to conservative students sometimes, one-on-one students are generally extraordinarily tolerant of each other's political views. And I can only remember one or two very brief moments of political bias in the classroom--professors are good about keeping their political views to themselves.

LGBT is kind of big. Or at least they make their presence known with a lot of events and posters, etc. I can't really think of anyone who would feel out of place at Princeton. There's something for everyone. Students wear whatever to class -- jeans and tops. There are a lot of athletes so they wear sweats. People aren't dressed up for class. If you are wearing heels during the day, people are going to look at you in a weird way. Students are from all over the world. Students are very politically active. I've never heard anyone talk about how much money they will earn one day. People talk about career paths. But money is not a big topic of discussion at least around me.

The student body is mostly self segregated. As it is at most campuses, people with like interests and like backgrounds stick together. The student body is incredibly diverse.

I believe that different financial situations were not a hindrance to friendships throughout the school year though financial situations sometimes did play a role in the types of activities that were planned for spring vacations and senior year dead week. I'd say that the most prevalent financial background at Princeton is upper middle class, though I may also think this because these students stood out more with the types of activities they do and the types of clothes that they wear. I knew a lot of students that were from the east coast, mainly New York and New Jersey, as well as many students from California. I'm not sure of the exact make up of each class but I would say that these 3 states must make up a decent amount of each class. I felt like there were very few students from the midwest, especially from Indiana. My cohort had only six students total from Indiana. Overall, students are politically aware, however, I would not say that the majority of the campus is politically active. Before coming to college, I believed that Princeton would be made up of a majority of right wing Republicans, however, I learned throughout my years that the Princeton student body was actually made up of more Democrats than Republicans.

While Princeton does have a generally diverse student populations, groups are overall self-segregating. Students at Princeton are generally mainstream types. I wouldn't expect ultra-artsy or angsty types to be happy here at all. To thrive, you need to be alright with social conformity. The classic Princeton uniform is a cable knit sweater or polo shirt with jeans or khakis. The athletes generally wear sweats.

On the surface, the student body is diverse and open to everyone. But there were times when I was overcome with fear because I was talking to such close-minded individuals. Sadly, words and sentiments of hate, bigotry, and ignorance still exist on campus. That being said, I very much enjoyed my time with Aquinas Catholic fellowship, Princeton Pro-Life, and the Princeton Association of Black Women. Students who march to the beat of their own drummer may feel out of place at Princeton. Some students dress preppy for class, but you can feel comfortable wearing a hoodie and jeans. Different types of students interact, to a certain extent. Tables: 1) athletes 2) Asians 3) good mix 4) loner reading a book A lot of Princeton students are from the East and West coasts, with many being from New York and New Jersey. Most students are well-off, but a stellar financial aid program has helped shift the students' median household income closer to the lower/middle class. Students are politically aware, not usually active. Princeton is the most conservative of the Ivies, but it's still an Ivy and therefore mostly liberal. Some students talk about future earnings, but most of the ones who mentioned it to me have philanthropic goals for their future good fortune.

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.

I have done a lot with the Princeton Jewish community, which is small, diverse, and generally friendly--though it can take some effort to become well-integrated into it, if that's what you want (but that's not necessarily different from any other group). Financial backgrounds are quite diverse, and though people tend to have a lot of friends that are generally similar to them, many also interact with very different people and develop diverse friendships. I have definitely learned a lot about people from many different backgrounds, and made important and meaningful friendships, with both people with whom I share cultural or other aspects of my upbringing and people who are very different from myself.

The student body is generally very diverse in terms of race, sexual orientation, and interests. The only group of students that might feel out of place are students from a socioeconomically disadvantaged background. Some of my friends felt left out when all of their friends could just decide to go to Mexico for a week and they could not. Students are open to meeting new people and do not focus on appearance. Dining hall tables were hardly ever cliquey; I felt that I could go to the dining hall or my eating club alone and find someone to sit with. Students generally go to class in sweatpants or jeans (VERY casual). They are generally not politically active. I would guess that most students are also politically moderate with an even balance of liberal and conservative students.

Princeton students tend to take their work as well as their social lives seriously. They are involved on campus and like going out, but typically party two nights a week rather than seven. Thursday and Saturday night are big party nights on campus, whereas Friday is more low-key. On first glance, the campus doesn't appear diverse, but it is less homogeneous than it looks. Over 50{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of all students receive some amount of financial aid, and Princeton has a very generous policy. Admissions is need-blind, and financial aid packages are fully grant-based, allowing you to graduate debt-free. The most represented states are New York, New Jersey, and California. Students lean left, mostly conventional academic liberals. All in all, everyone has a fascinating story to tell about their experience as a ranked figure skater or English teacher in India. Most people have pretty unique backgrounds. Princeton students are clean-cut and tidy, and they dress up a bit more for class than at other schools. Style ranges from traditional preppy to more polished Urban Outfitters inspiration, but you'll by no means be out of uniform in jeans and a Princeton sweatshirt. People love wearing school gear, which demonstrates their general Princeton pride. They split off into social groups as they do anywhere, but there is a certain Princeton spirit. In 2006, the football team beat Harvard and Yale in the same season (a rare occurrence; sports teams can be inconsistent and attendance spotty, though we have a good number of championships). Traditionally, there's a campus bonfire when this happens. After beating Harvard, the away game at Yale was crucial, so the student government sent several buses of Princetonians up to New Haven for the Yale game. As students rushed the field after our victory and enjoyed the bonfire that followed back home, the pride in the school was good-spirited and inclusive.