Princeton University Top Questions

Only AB students have the pleasure of being on a first name basis with their professors. And even in that set, you have to brown nose your way to the top of the pile of assholes in front of you doing the same thing.

Depends on the class. Large ones, it'll depend on whether you take the time to make the effort. Smaller ones, of course they'll know your name.

Professors always know your name. Most classes are 20-30 people with "precepts" where small groups meet to discuss/strudy the material under the guidance of a TA or professor. No classes are actually taught by a TA, always a professor. The lady who taught my freshman calculus class had won a nobel prize. Professors also have an open door policy, so even though they have office hours, you can still walk in any time they are around to ask questions. I have never been turned away when I had a question, no matter how busy the professor. Classes are VERY hard.

It really depends on which department you are in. The English professors are really wonderful at getting to know their students. The same goes for history and language professors. It's harder in the sciences because the classes are so large, but if you put in the effort your face will be recognized. Students study all the time and are extremely competitive. It's often difficult to find study groups because students can be so against helping others succeed.

professors can be great and the classes truly inspirational, however there is too much homework.

The academics are very stimulating and you can get as much help or go into as much depth as you want. However, grade deflation leads to a slightly stressful environment and only further encourages the already competitive nature of many of the students.

Princeton is challenging, probably more challenging than the other ivys due to the new grade deflation policy. One thing about Princeton is that there is a very big difference between people who major in the sciences and engineering and those who study the humanities. Humanities does not usually have Friday class. There are usually fewer hours spent in class for humanities students, and more importantly, more A's are given out in humanities classes. Most employers do not care what you major in when you attend Princeton, so maximizing GPA can be achieved by picking an easier major.

I think academics at Princeton was a challenging but rewarding experience. Pretty much everyone at Princeton comes out of high school with straight A's and 15 extra-curricular activities. But then they come to Princeton and are surrounded by an entire population of people who got straight A's and partook in many activities in high school. So its definitely challenging. I had to think outside the box a lot more than I ever did in high school. Even though it is challenging, I think the professors really want the students to learn and understand material, and thus are very approachable and willing to help. I was an ORFE major and my professors often had weekly office hours and were willing to make individual appointments with students as well. If they weren't available, there were often TA's that were available for help as well.

At Princeton, class sizes can vary from huge lectures of hundreds of students to an intimate class of 20. However, for the very large classes "precepts" of 5-10 students are held and facilitated by a TA. Students can get to know their preceptors pretty well, and it is often these individuals who are asked to write recommendation letters. Most students participate in precepts, as participation factors into the class grade. Professors are accessible for both large and small classes easily by email and appointments. Time is sometimes spent with professors outside class (meals usually), but I did not spend much time with my professors outside class. Professors will know your name if you make an effort to know them. Many students do have intellectual conversations outside of class, and there are students who are competitive. I was a part of the Chemical Engineering department, and found the departments requirements to be very rigorous. The engineering school has different requirements when compared to the main undergraduate school. The engineering department is very well organized, and does its best to work with its students. Some students are deterred by the extra course requirements for engineers, but the engineering departments are currently growing.

Professors know your name. Students study very hard and are very busy but it is possible to be involved in lots of extracurriculars. Some students have intellectual conversations outside of class, but you have to find the right crowd... some students, especially pre-meds, tend to be competitive, but I have never had a bad experience there. I like small departments becuase then you can get a lot of attention and a lot of feed back, and more flexibility for what you need. the academic requirements are okay-- I think it is too easy to be too spread out in your classes adn not focus and become a semi-expert on one thing. Beign at Princeton also opens a lot of doors for jobs later.