Famed alumnus F. Scott Fizgerald once wrote of his alma mater in his novel This Side of Paradise (1920), “From the first he loved Princeton — its lazy beauty, its half-grasped significance, the wild moonlight revel of the rushes, the handsome, prosperous big-game crowds, and under it all the air of struggle that pervaded his class.” His writing captures not only the beauty of the Ivy League university’s Collegiate Gothic campus, but the attitude of self-assured excellence that pervades its student body. Sure, Princeton has all of the trappings of an elite research university, including a postgraduate population of 3,200 students, but its heart and soul has always remained with its liberal arts college. 

From its founding in 1746, through the time Fitzgerald attended before enlisting in World War I, to the present moment, Princeton has garnered a reputation within the Ivy League for its emphasis on undergraduate teaching and exclusive social life. Around 5,700 undergraduates call the New Jersey campus home, although many find themselves drawn to nearby New York City and Philadelphia on weekends. Faculty at the R1 research university have included novelist Toni Morrison, philosopher Peter Singer, and, via the Institute for Advanced Study, mathematician Albert Einstein.

Princeton offers its students 36 majors (termed “concentrations”) and over 50 certificate programs (the equivalent of minors). All undergraduates receive either a Bachelor of Arts degree (A.B.) or a Bachelor of Science in Engineering (B.S.E.). The core curriculum for A.B. students requires a freshman writing seminar class and foreign language proficiency, as well as courses taken in the following categories: epistemology and cognition, ethical thought and moral values, historical analysis, literature and the arts, quantitative reasoning, laboratory science and technology, and social analysis. Students in the engineering programs fulfill requirements in mathematics, physics, chemistry and computer science, as well as taking a freshman writing seminar. All students are required to research and write a senior thesis. 

As the fourth oldest institution of higher education in the United States, Princeton has been forging its own path in American intellectual, cultural, and academic history for centuries. Like its Ivy counterpart UPenn, Princeton’s campus briefly served as the capital of the colonies during the Revolutionary War. For most of its history, Princeton only admitted rich white men, including during the tenure of President (of Princeton, and later, the U.S.) Woodrow Wilson, who maintained the university’s policy of socioeconomic and racial exclusion. In the second half of the twentieth century, Princeton underwent radical change, expanding its diversity on campus and becoming coeducational in 1969. In the early 1970s, the campus was a hotbed of anti-war student activism.

Today, Princeton is known for its residential colleges which house nearly all students for all four years, and the “eating club” scene, in which roughly two thirds of upperclassmen participate. These clubs are housed in intricate mansions and serve as social hubs and dining halls for members (to the extent that they even replace university meal plans). Other facets of social life include: the American Whig-Cliosophic Society, the nation’s oldest collegiate political, literary, and debate society; The Daily Princetonian, the second oldest college daily student newspaper in the United States; and the WPRB (103.3 FM) radio station, the oldest licensed college radio station in the nation. Campus culture skews more athletic, with varsity intercollegiate, club intercollegiate, and intramural teams drawing the participation of a majority of the student body. The Princeton Tigers men’s football team has won 28 national championships and is considered the world’s first modern football team in history.

For admission to the Class of 2028, Princeton received a record 40,468 applications, and admitted 1,868, for an acceptance rate of 4.62%. The most competitive applicants bring strong grades and specialized extracurricular commitment to the table, but the Undergraduate Admissions office points out that all applications are best evaluated “in their true context.” In other words, you are encouraged to describe who you are and to clarify the strengths and weaknesses of your application through any writing you submit. New Ivies knows what Princeton admissions officers like to see, and we are here to help you understand the “true context” of your application!

What are Princeton University looking for?

Instead of worrying about meeting a specific set of criteria, try to create an application that will help us see your achievements — inside the classroom and out — in their true context, so we can understand your potential to take advantage of the resources at Princeton and the kind of contribution you would make to the Princeton community. Show us what kind of student you are. Show us that you have taken advantage of what your high school has to offer, how you have achieved and contributed in your own particular context.

We look for students who make a difference in their schools and communities, so tell us about your leadership activities, interests, special skills and other extracurricular involvements. Tell us if you’ve had a job or a responsibility in your home. Most Princeton students were academic standouts in high school. Most of them also invested their energy and talents in significant ways outside the classroom. We want to know what you care about, what commitments you have made and what you’ve done to act on those commitments.

Admissions Statistics

ADMISSION INFORMATION

APPLICATION DATES & DEADLINES

Additional essay questions of the application.

For A.B. Degree Applicants or Those Who Are Undecided
 

As a research institution that also prides itself on its liberal arts curriculum, Princeton allows students to explore areas across the humanities and the arts, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. What academic areas most pique your curiosity, and how do the programs offered at Princeton suit your particular interests? (Please respond in 250 words or fewer.)

For B.S.E Degree Applicants
 

Please describe why you are interested in studying engineering at Princeton. Include any of your experiences in or exposure to engineering, and how you think the programs offered at the University suit your particular interests. (Please respond in 250 words or fewer.)

Your Voice
 

1. Princeton values community and encourages students, faculty, staff and leadership to engage in respectful conversations that can expand their perspectives and challenge their ideas and beliefs. As a prospective member of this community, reflect on how your lived experiences will impact the conversations you will have in the classroom, the dining hall or other campus spaces. What lessons have you learned in life thus far? What will your classmates learn from you? In short, how has your lived experience shaped you?  (Please respond in 500 words or fewer.)
2. Princeton has a longstanding commitment to understanding our responsibility to society through service and civic engagement. How does your own story intersect with these ideals? (Please respond in 250 words or fewer.)

More About You
 

Please respond to each question in 50 words or fewer. There are no right or wrong answers. Be yourself!

1. What is a new skill you would like to learn in college?
2. What brings you joy?
3. What song represents the soundtrack of your life at this moment?