Princeton Student Housing: Where Do Most Students Live?

where do most students live at princeton university

Princeton University is a predominantly residential graduate community, with most graduate students living in university housing. The university guarantees on-campus housing for all four years, and 96% to 98% of undergraduates live on campus. Freshmen and sophomores are required to live on campus, specifically in one of the university's seven residential colleges, which offer a range of academic, social, cultural, and recreational programs. Upperclassmen can choose to continue living in their residential colleges or move into non-affiliated, upperclassmen dorms. Juniors and seniors have several dining options, including eating clubs, cooperatives, and independent dining.

Characteristics Values
Location Princeton, New Jersey, USA
Campus size 600-690 acres
Student body 5,671 (fall 2023)
Housing 96-98% of undergraduates live on campus
Residential colleges 7
Dining options Eating clubs, cooperatives, independent dining, kosher dining, halal dining
Housing options Dormitories, annexes, apartments, residential colleges

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Most Princeton students from the US are from New Jersey

Princeton University is located in New Jersey and guarantees on-campus housing for all four years of undergraduate study. The university has a predominantly residential graduate community, with 96% of undergraduates living on campus. The campus features seven residential colleges for first- and second-year students, as well as upperclassmen dormitories. While Princeton attracts students from all over the world, the majority of US students at Princeton are from New Jersey.

Princeton's residential college system dates back to a proposal by former university president Woodrow Wilson to create quadrangles. Each of the seven residential colleges has its own distinct layout and architecture, as well as amenities such as dining halls, common rooms, laundry rooms, academic spaces, and arts and entertainment resources. Upperclassmen have the option to remain in their residential college or move into dormitories specifically for juniors and seniors.

The residential colleges are named Butler, Forbes, Mathey, New College West, Rockefeller, Whitman, and Yeh. Juniors and seniors have several dining options, including eating clubs, cooperatives, and independent dining. Eating clubs are a notable tradition at Princeton, with about 62% of juniors and seniors in the classes of 2023 and 2024 choosing this option. Other dining options include cooperatives, where students cook and eat together, and independent arrangements such as kosher dining at the Center for Jewish Life and halal dining options for Muslim students.

In addition to its residential colleges, Princeton offers a variety of housing options for graduate students, including historic and modern rooms in the Graduate College and rooms in converted homes known as annexes. Graduate students may also apply to become Resident Graduate Students (RGS) and reside in apartments within the undergraduate residential colleges. The university also offers apartment-style communities such as Lawrence Apartments, Lakeside Apartments and Townhouses, and the recently opened Meadows Apartments.

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96% of Princeton undergrads live on campus

With a total undergraduate enrollment of 5,671 as of Fall 2023, Princeton University guarantees on-campus housing for all four years of undergraduate study, and 96% of students live on campus. The university has a 600-acre campus in a cosmopolitan town in central New Jersey, with easy access by train to Philadelphia and New York City.

Freshers and sophomores at Princeton are required to live on campus in one of the university's seven residential colleges, which offer a variety of academic, social, cultural, and recreational programs, as well as academic advising. The colleges are designed to give students a residential experience that takes full advantage of the diversity and educational opportunities at Princeton. The seven residential colleges are Butler, Forbes, Mathey, New College West, Rockefeller, Whitman, and Yeh.

Upperclassmen are given the option to continue living in their residential college or to move into non-affiliated, upperclassmen dorms. Juniors and seniors have a number of dining options, including eating clubs, cooperatives, and independent dining.

Princeton University is classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity" and has one of the largest university libraries in the world. The university also manages the Department of Energy's Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory and is home to the NOAA's Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory.

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Freshmen and sophomores must live on campus

Freshmen and sophomores at Princeton University are required to live on campus. The university guarantees on-campus housing for all four years of undergraduate study, and around 96% of undergraduates live on campus.

During their first two years, students live and dine in one of the university's seven residential colleges: Butler, Forbes, Mathey, New College West, Rockefeller, Whitman, or Yeh. Each college has its own distinct layout and architecture, as well as amenities such as dining halls, common rooms, laundry rooms, academic spaces, and arts and entertainment resources.

The residential colleges offer a variety of academic, social, cultural, and recreational programs, as well as academic advising. They are designed to give students a residential experience that takes full advantage of the diversity and educational opportunities at Princeton.

After their first two years, students have the option to continue living in their residential college or to move into non-affiliated, upperclassmen dorms. Upperclassmen who no longer live in the college can choose from various dining options, including joining an eating club, joining a dining co-op, or making independent dining arrangements.

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Upperclassmen can choose to move to dorms

Upperclassmen at Princeton University have a few options when it comes to their living arrangements. While freshmen and sophomores are required to live on campus, specifically in one of the university's seven residential colleges, upperclassmen can choose to remain in their residential college or move to designated upperclassmen dorms.

The process of selecting rooms for upperclassmen is known as Room Draw and takes place towards the end of every spring semester. Students, usually in groups, enter a lottery system to determine the order in which they will pick their new rooms. There are a certain number of spots allotted for juniors and seniors in the residential college lottery, and students can also enter the upperclassmen lottery for dorms specifically designated for upperclassmen. It is common for student groups to enter both lotteries to explore all their options.

One of the benefits of moving to upperclassmen dorms is that students can room with friends from other residential colleges, which is not possible during their first two years. However, some upperclassmen dorms have a reputation for being older and may require additional amenities like fans and bug spray to combat heat and bugs.

During the 2023 Room Draw, approximately one-third of upperclassmen selected singles, while less than a quarter chose doubles. About 20% opted for triples or quads, with smaller numbers choosing quints or six-person suites. Students showed a clear preference for smaller room types, with singles running out quickly during the selection process.

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Juniors and seniors have independent dining options

Princeton University guarantees on-campus housing for all four years of undergraduate study, and 96% of students live on campus. Freshmen and sophomores are required to live on campus in one of the university's seven residential colleges, which offer distinct layouts, faculty, and amenities such as dining halls, common rooms, and academic spaces.

Juniors and seniors have the option of continuing to live in their residential colleges or moving into non-affiliated, upperclass dormitories. They have several dining options, including independent dining arrangements.

Juniors and seniors who wish to remain affiliated with a residential college can do so and take advantage of the dining options available there. Each residential college has its own dining hall, and the variety of environments and food served across them ensures that students have diverse dining experiences.

However, if juniors and seniors prefer more independent dining options, they can join one of the university's famous eating clubs, which offer shared meal plans. These clubs are a longstanding tradition at Princeton and provide an opportunity for upperclassmen to dine together and enjoy a sense of community outside of the residential colleges.

Another option for independent dining is to join a dining co-op, where students eat, prepare, and cook meals together. This fosters a collaborative and social atmosphere around mealtimes. Alternatively, juniors and seniors can opt to organise their own dining arrangements entirely, purchasing and preparing their own meals in dormitory kitchens or dining off-campus.

Regardless of their housing choices, students at Princeton have access to a range of dining options across campus, including kosher dining at the Center for Jewish Life, halal dining options for Muslim students, and various campus cafes. The flexibility of these dining options allows juniors and seniors to tailor their dining experiences to their preferences and lifestyles.

Frequently asked questions

Most first-year students live on campus in one of the University's seven residential colleges: Butler, Forbes, Mathey, New College West, Rockefeller, Whitman, or Yeh.

Yes, all students are required to live on campus during their first two years.

Yes, students can continue to live on campus after their first year. Approximately 96% of undergraduates live on campus.

Students can dine in one of the residential dining halls, at the Center for Jewish Life, at Frist Campus Center, or at one of the numerous campus cafes. Juniors and seniors can also choose to join an eating club or a dining co-op.

Most students at Princeton University are from the United States, with the majority of those students from New Jersey.

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