Princeton University Reviews

"Maybe because my previous degree is from another, highly rated Ivy, I was deeply disappointed by how little respect was evident between and within the constituencies that comprise the department. Systems vs theory, faculty vs students, faculty vs staff. Though all accomplished researchers, many faculty have surprisingly fragile egos, little respect for students, bordering on disdain, and bitterly vindictive personalities. Important fundamental research skills, ethics, and the greater context of the problems being solved are absent from the program. Keep your head down, your mouth shut, and do what you are told, without question."

"The EEB program at Princeton has provided me with the room to explore my interests within ecology and the environmental sciences, and my experiences more broadly at Princeton have provided me with significant research, professional and personal experience. Completing a senior thesis this year is allowing me to engage with a personal interest in depth and contribute to the field of conservation. My time as an undergrad here has also influenced my decision to go to graduate school, and I feel that my coursework has adequately prepared me to engage intellectually with further education and to move forward professionally in my career path."

"Princeton university has a great, financial aid package. It will be a challenge, rewarding experience. Neuroscience is a cool, booming, interesting field. I do not feel like I wasted money on obtaining this degree. There are many degree programs offered and certificate programs as well. The liberal arts model for this college is phenomenal!"

"Princeton is a gothic wonderland, teeming with intellectual stimulation and virtually limitless opportunity. The programs benefit from passionate students, preeminent professors, and unmatched funding. However, I would state that from the engineering perspective, there is a heavy reliance on theoretical work, and not as much class time placed on real-world applications and machine shop-related activities (this primarily occurs in your upperclassmen courses). The evaluation structure used to include grade deflation, and while that policy has since been revoked, I would imagine that it will take a few years before all professors have acclimated to a grading world sans deflation. All that aside, the program was rigorous and prepared me well for a variety of post graduate opportunities."

"Attending Princeton University was one of the best experiences of my life. The school has a strong community feel. It begins your Freshman year when you are offered an opportunity to go on a trip with a small group of your peers for a few days to build relationships before youre officially on campus. The residential college system your freshman and sophomore year places you in a smaller cohort of people who you live and eat with. Given how overwhelming the college experience can be, this made a big difference for me. While I didnt have the best experiences with my advisors, its great that they do meet with you and discuss your classes. Its nice to know that someone with expertise is reviewing your plan to ensure you stay on course. Academically, you will find that the professors have an incredible amount of knowledge to share and they always have office hours to meet with you. I especially enjoyed the precepts, because it provided an opportunity to meet in a group of 6-10 people each week and discuss what we went over in lecture. The precepts are moderated by a Teachers Assistant and I often found I learned just as much from my peers as I did from the professors. While some people may not like the idea of living on campus all four years, I found that it further encouraged a sense of community across the board. Even today, I find that graduates of Princeton have a strong connection with each other and are willing to help you if you need it."

"I loved the college, though it was rigorous you have to work hard, strive for the best and you will go far"

"It is a great place to start your career planning"

"I thoroughly enjoyed my undergraduate experience at Princeton University. Princeton is renowned for its academic rigor and excellence, and I felt very fortunate to be amidst the brightest in the world. I never felt unsupported or alienated on campus. I forged relationships with classmates and faculty that have persisted beyond my graduation date. The tools instilled in me have remained and have served as an asset in my current position and are gifts I aim to keep with me in all of my future endeavors. ."

"Princeton is a wonderful institution in that they provide amazing financial aid to those in need in addition to challenging students with broadening perspectives, not just within the classroom, but with topics of social justice, race, and other important factors in life. However, the university is vary homogenous in terms of race and social class and if you are a minority of lower socio-economic status such as myself, you will feel like a token individual at times. Additionally, some individuals are too focused on climbing social ladders and gaining a network to work with in the future and that was something that made me feel very uncomfortable. In terms of my financial situation, my education, and the opportunities provided, it was a wonderful institution with a beautiful and safe campus with various amenities, in terms of diversity and being conscious of social issues, it was a bit more problematic."

"This is the best program of its kind. Unique among all the architecture programs in that it consists of a small focused group of diverse freethinkers. I found that every one of my peers followed a different path to get into the program, and was at a different point in their career and life. They also wanted different things from the education they were receiving - wanted to carry it in different directions. It felt more like a thinktank, examining basic architectural assumptions and current developments in free conversation with faculty and friends. Wherever it will take me now it has been an absolutely invaluable experience. Additionally (also an important factor...), the small size of the program allows the department to fund the students they really want to have. Which means if you do qualify and prove your purpose, you may also be able to actually make it work financially."

"Princeton University's Woodrow Wilson School was an excellent program! Being a Woo prepares you for a fulfilling career and opens many doors. The professors and lecturers are top notch and the staff eager to help. If you get in, go! You won't regret it."

"Princeton University provides a fantastic and well-rounded education. Because all students have to fulfill course requirements in different concentrations, everyone must explore a new area or one that they might not choose on their own. This is interesting on an academic front, but also encourages different types of students to interact with each other, so one isn't always in the same classes with the same people. One thing I wish was slightly different is that I wish the classes were a bit more applied. The basic information and depth of research was great, but it was sometimes hard to connect it to everyday life and think about it in a bigger context (especially for the sciences)."

"While the student body might seen homogenous to some, the size of the school made it much more diverse than some might think it could be. I wasn't the typical white, upper-class, prepster that many associate with Princeton, and I connected with some amazing people from all different backgrounds, races, viewpoints, and religions. I went from big fish, small intellectual pond in HS, to small fish, big intellectual pond and I actually loved that. I loved going toe-to-toe with friends, debating this esoteric topic or that current event, and being around people who weren't afraid to engage with others and the world around them on that intellectual level. Lastly, I'm forever grateful to the school for its policy of mostly giving grants, not loans for financial aid. I left there with zero debt and I now understand, more than ever, how important that was for my financial health as an adult, especially one who entered a field (media/journalism) that doesn't pay much."

"Pros: The academic rigor and faculty support are top notch. The access to information at the Firestone and theological libraries are fantastic! I really enjoyed the collegial feel of the campus community. It's what attracted to the school. They handle alumni relations well. Financial support is one of the biggest factors in enrolling there. The programs draw a good mixture of academics and clergy. Cons: The pedagogy is rooted in the 20th century meaning the lectures are often dry or have readings based on outdated information. Transportation and cost of living are on the high end, which can be hard for families and college graduates. Overall: Excellent school with good support but room to grow in terms of pedagogy and cost of living accommodations."

"Engineering school is a great combination of fundamental and applied science. Great place to live and study."

"Princeton provides a high quality education and unmatched resources for students to pursue independent projects on any topic and in any location that they desire. It's the perfect place to design and perform research to prepare for an academic career."

"A learning experience both academically and socially"

"Princeton was a wonderful place to be a student. I had the opportunity to take phenomenal classes from brilliant professors and I learned so much in my four years there from both the faculty there and my peers."

"Princeton was a wonderful place to be a student. I had the opportunity to take phenomenal classes from brilliant professors and I learned so much in my four years there from both the faculty there and my peers."

"My public policy program at Princeton was excellent. I'd highly recommend it. Excellent professors and peers as well as interesting courses. I had small classes and tons of one-on-one supervision. In addition, my program provided me with the opportunity to travel to D.C. and to write a thesis my senior year."