screwitlah

i am deferring matriculation by a year, so i have quite some time to take AP tests or SAT IIs before i matriculate. assuming i have all the requisite units as an A.B. to grad in 3 years as stated here: Princeton - About Advanced Placement and Advanced Standing , how hard would it still be to do so? I've heard that it's very hard to graduate from Princeton in 3 years - why is that so?

TheMoment...I

Although I don't have personal experience, I have a friend who did it. In fact, he decided to use his year off to work for google before going to grad school.

But in all honesty, he did not have too much of a social life. I think the difficulty goes along with how introverted/extroverted you are.

screwitlah

hm, is there a way to do this without affecting social life / ECs too badly? Since i would take 8 fewer courses as a 3 year candidate than 4-year candidates, won't my stress be reduced accordingly?

1of42

More importantly, why would you want to do so? Personally, there are so many courses I want to take here that I can't even take them in 4 years!

Yes, you could get an AB degree in 3 years, but you would lose a significant amount of the Princeton experience. It will be a lot of work, you will lose a lot of flexibility in the courses you choose, and so forth.

No, stress will not be reduced, because those 8 fewer courses would normally be spread out 4-4 over the 2 semesters you will be skipping.

echang08

I'm sure your academic advisor at Princeton will be able to answer any of your questions more fully if you still have this notion in your mind by the time you arrive on campus...

But I second 1of42's question: Why would you even want to?

debryc

I also discourage trying to graduate in three years. Princeton is meant to be enjoyed. If you worry about being in the same place for four years, look into study abroad!

In all seriousness, it is very difficult to complete the Princeton program in three years because you will have to do serious independent work by the second year, and your thesis in your third. I'm a sophomore. There is no way I could have a thesis topic ready by next year. Nor do I want to. I definitely enjoyed my first two years of exploration and am looking forward to my next two!

screwitlah

I'm of the opinion, too, that Princeton is meant to be enjoyed It's just that I've already lost 2 years of my life to conscription.

Also, I come from a country where lawyers are trained as undergraduate 4-year LL.B candidates, unlike in America where law is graduate school. IF I DO decide in the end that I want to be a lawyer, I'd need to spend 3 years in graduate law school after Princeton - that's 3 more years more than my peers with undergraduate law degrees. it's 5 more years if you compare me with females who don't get conscripted.

7 years vs 4 years to become a lawyer in my country... it's not a very wise investment. so if I decide I wanna be a lawyer, I'll try to graduate in 3 years so that it'll be 3 + 3 = 6 years. 1 fewer year of school fees is quite a lot.

screwitlah

bump!
how many courses are required to graduate from Princeton? 1of42, i don't get what you mean... i won't have to take those 8 courses at all.

echang08

I feel like in the long run, you may be more appreciative of the full four years at Princeton and a *normal* undergraduate experience than the one less year of being behind your "peers".... (I assume this refers to your HS friends/other people your age, but really, who cares? It's your life, you don't have to measure it against theirs.) Also, the one fewer year of school fees would specifically be the $ for another year at Princeton; are you getting any financial aid?

1of42

screwitlah:

As a 3 year candidate, 8 less courses are required of you. However, you have 2 fewer semesters to do them in, meaning that your per-semester course load is the same, and stress is not reduced. In fact, it's probably increased, because you don't have as much room for electives and other fun courses as you must still complete all your major's reqirements.

screwitlah

oh i see, 1 of 42 hm yeah i agree with you, the electives and all are part of what's to be enjoyed at Princeton. I think i'll just take all the requisite AP exams first, and use them to graduate in 3 years ONLY if I decide to go into law.

JoeTrumpet

Here's some information you might not have seen: Princeton - About Advanced Placement and Advanced Standing

The sections at the end may be of the most interest to you:

"VI. Notification of Eligibility and Application Procedures

You will be notified by your residential college dean of your eligibility for a year or a term of advanced standing in November, after a review of your midterm grades.

For a year of advanced standing you must submit an application by the beginning of the first day of the spring term of the freshman year. You should be choosing courses for the spring term with a three-year degree in mind.

If you plan to take the fall term of sophomore year on advanced standing [this is for graduating in 3.5 years], you should meet with your dean or director of studies by April 1 to discuss your plans. If you plan to take the spring term of the sophomore year on advanced standing, you should meet with your dean or director of studies by December 1 to discuss your plans.

During your term away, you will officially be on a leave of absence. Before leaving campus, you must see your residential college dean to arrange for the leave.

VII. Reverting from Advanced Standing

If you decide to take a year of advanced standing and then decide to stay the full four years, you may revert and join your original class anytime prior to the start of your senior year. If you do not change your concentration, your junior independent work will count. If you are on financial aid, you will still be eligible for a full four years of aid."

Good luck with your decision! If you want my opinion, I agree with echang, but I can understand why you would decide for advanced standing, especially if financial aid is a concern. Four years of Princeton is not something I would give up without much thought, even if it's only reducing it to three years, that's for sure.

amnesia

i have a friend in premed who skipped a year since he had ap credits... so, it is possible.