Princeton University: Student Traits For Success

Princeton University is a highly competitive university with an acceptance rate of 5.8%. The university looks for students with strong academic records, typically a near-perfect GPA of 3.9 or higher, and stellar SAT or ACT scores. However, Princeton has a test-optional policy through 2025, allowing applicants to choose whether to submit scores. The university values intellectual curiosity, academic excellence, and strong personal and extracurricular accomplishments. They encourage students to showcase their achievements both inside and outside the classroom and demonstrate their involvement in their school, community, and family. Princeton also seeks students who are ready to take advantage of research opportunities, participate in community service, and build alumni connections.

Academic excellence

Princeton University is a highly competitive university with an acceptance rate of around 5.8%. The university looks for academic excellence in its applicants, with a near-perfect GPA of around 3.9 or higher. The university also looks for students with strong personal and extracurricular accomplishments.

Princeton recommends that students take advanced courses in high school to demonstrate their academic abilities. This includes AP, IB, or honours courses in various subjects such as English, mathematics, foreign language, science, and social studies. The university also values intellectual curiosity and encourages students to pursue their unique interests and passions.

In addition to academic excellence, Princeton also considers a student's involvement in their school, community, and family. The university looks for students who are engaged and eager to participate in extracurricular activities and contribute to the campus community. Princeton's admissions committee is also interested in a student's readiness to take advantage of research opportunities, participate in community service, and create alumni connections.

To gain admission to Princeton, students should also have stellar standardised test scores on the SAT or ACT. While there is no minimum requirement, admitted students typically have high scores, with an average SAT score of around 1500 (or 1580 for the Class of 2026) and an average ACT score of 35. However, it's important to note that Princeton has a test-optional policy, allowing applicants to choose whether to submit scores.

Extracurricular activities

Princeton values students who are involved in their schools, communities, and families and who demonstrate a commitment to service. The university's unofficial motto, "Princeton in the Nation's Service and the Service of Humanity," reflects this emphasis on community service and contribution. Summers are an excellent opportunity for students to boost their profiles by engaging in meaningful extracurricular activities and demonstrating their dedication and impact beyond the classroom.

When creating your application, it is essential to provide context for your extracurricular accomplishments. Princeton encourages students to write about their experiences and how they have shaped them. This can include discussing any community service initiatives you have participated in and the impact you have had.

Additionally, Princeton values intellectual curiosity and encourages students to explore their unique interests and passions. If you have a specific area of interest, showcase how you have pursued it through extracurricular activities, whether through research projects, creative endeavours, or specialized programs.

For instance, if you are interested in engineering, you can highlight any experiences related to engineering and explain how the programs offered at Princeton align with your interests. This demonstrates a clear connection between your extracurricular pursuits and the opportunities available at the university.

Remember, Princeton seeks students who are eager to participate and contribute to the campus community. Extracurricular activities that showcase your engagement, leadership, and impact can set you apart and strengthen your application.

Research opportunities

Princeton offers numerous research opportunities for its undergraduates. The Office of Undergraduate Research runs several programs to support students in their research endeavours. One such program is ReMatch, which connects first and second-year students with graduate student mentors based on their shared interest in academic research. Students can then apply to ReMatch+, a summer program where they can conduct a nine-week paid research project with their graduate mentor. The Office of Undergraduate Research also offers the Student Initiated Internship Program (OURSIP), which provides grants to freshmen, sophomores, and occasionally juniors who have independently secured an unpaid faculty-mentored research internship for the summer.

In addition to these structured programs, undergraduates at Princeton have many options to explore research during the academic year, on breaks, and over the summer. They can take research-based classes, conduct research in the lab, pursue independent research beyond the campus, or complete a senior thesis. This senior thesis is a unique opportunity to pursue original research and scholarship in a field of the student's choosing and is the capstone of the four years of study at Princeton.

Princeton also offers paid research assistantship positions and research-focused fellowship opportunities for undergraduates. These positions allow students to gain hands-on research experience in specific fields and collaborate with faculty members who are leaders in their fields. The university's low student-to-faculty ratio facilitates close working relationships between students and professors, fostering a collaborative and interdisciplinary research environment.

For graduate students, Princeton offers many means of support and the opportunity to work with world-class faculty. Graduate students can research and publish alongside their advisers and mentors, receiving guidance and support to meet the highest standards of academic integrity. Princeton has a growing number of interdepartmental programs that allow graduate students to work across disciplinary boundaries while still receiving advanced training and a degree in their home department.

Community service

The Pace Center for Civic Engagement, for example, offers over 1,600 opportunities for volunteer service, and the Community-Based Learning Initiative connects students' academic work with local community projects. The Student Volunteers Council (SVC) is part of the sustained community engagement efforts at the Pace Center. It supports impactful service organizations and empowers student leaders and volunteers. Students can get involved in projects like tutoring, blood drives, and volunteering at local animal shelters.

Princeton also offers a Bridge Year Program that allows incoming freshmen to spend a year abroad in public service before starting their studies. The university's commitment to public service continues after graduation, with many alumni serving the public good in various ways, including through participation in charitable or nonprofit organizations and volunteering in communities and schools.

Princeton's academic curriculum and campus life also emphasize service and civic engagement. Students can explore their own cultures and learn about their peers' cultures through cultural and affinity-based student centers and groups. Many faith communities thrive on campus, offering opportunities for spiritual counseling and interfaith activities such as meditation and civic engagement.

Princeton also offers internships and fellowships that allow students to serve the community while gaining valuable skills and experience. The Princeton Indigenous Advocacy Coalition (PIAC), for instance, is a student group that advocates for Indigenous students and studies at the university. The Civic Leadership Council (CLC) fosters an environment of community-building and skill development for students involved in civic engagement efforts.

Overall, Princeton University seeks to instill a sense of service and civic engagement in its students, encouraging them to use their education to benefit society and make a positive impact in the world.

Creative classes

Princeton University is an esteemed institution that seeks intelligent, self-motivated, and diligent students who can demonstrate a readiness to seize research opportunities and engage in community service. The university values academic excellence and creativity, as evidenced by its ranking as 5th in the nation for undergraduate research and creative opportunities.

Princeton's undergraduate program offers a diverse range of courses that foster creativity and critical thinking. Students can explore various areas, including literature, music, art, architecture, technology, biology, and environmental studies, through interdisciplinary lenses.

The creative writing program at Princeton is particularly notable, offering both undergraduate and graduate courses. The undergraduate minor in creative writing guides students through introductory and advanced courses, encouraging them to experiment with different genres such as fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, and screenwriting. The program aims to develop clear and dynamic writing skills, enabling students to communicate complex ideas effectively.

At the graduate level, Princeton offers both Master of Arts (M.A.) and Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) programs in Creative Writing. The M.A. program is more structured, focusing on theory and literary criticism, and requiring a critical thesis. In contrast, the M.F.A. program offers more freedom for artistic expression and typically requires a creative manuscript. Both programs provide a solid foundation for students aspiring to become published authors or to teach writing.

Additionally, Princeton offers a range of other creative classes and programs. For example, students can explore music through composition, history, theory, analysis, performance, and improvisation. They can also engage in interdisciplinary studies of dance, working with professional choreographers, dancers, critics, and scholars. Princeton's approach to engineering and applied sciences is also creative, incorporating a liberal arts education that encourages dynamic problem-solving.

Overall, Princeton University seeks students who embrace intellectual challenges and creative endeavours. The university provides a rich academic environment that nurtures creativity, critical thinking, and a passion for knowledge across a diverse range of disciplines.

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