Princeton University

Visit Report by drbigboyjoe9505 (Member since August 16 2007 with 39 posts) Visit Date - April 2008

4 of 5 people found this visit report helpful
Visit to Princeton University in April 2008 by drbigboyjoe9505 (Student, HS Class of 2009)
Visit Activities:
Information Session: Yes - After 6 info sessions, they all start to sound the same. But the info session guy tried very hard to make Princeton stand out among the schools - sometimes a bit too much. Campus Tour: Yes - The school was BEAUTIFUL! The tour guide was okay. Not many people were too engaged so the tour lacked because of that. But, he did his best to show us a general feel for the school. Classroom Visit: Yes - AMAZING! Visited an African American History class we thought was taught by Dr. Cornel West but wasn't. The lecturer was amazing though - very carismatic.
Princeton University Campus:
Friendliness/Courtesy of Students: 5 - Excellent - I was surprised. I thought I was going to meet pretentious, unfriendly students. But everyone we asked for directions was friendly and seemed down-to-earth. Friendliness/Courtesy of Staff: 4 - Very Good - We had to ask some staff for direction (especially trying to find the lecture class). They were all very friendly and willing to help. Appearance of Campus: 5 - Excellent - Not much to say. The campus was absolutely BEAUTIFUL. The new residential college, Whitman, almost made me melt - it was so beautiful. Building/Facilities Maintenance/Cleanliness: 5 - Excellent - Everything was very clean and in top notch shape. It was amazing. The bathrooms at the Undergrad Admissions building had lotion. I thought that was cool. Dormitories: - Didn't get to see any. Security/Safety: 5 - Excellent - The tour guide didn't talk about safety. But Princeton is so enclosed and is in such a small, suburban town that I can't imagine crime even happens. Overall Campus Impression: 5 - Excellent - AMAZING!
Off-Campus:
Area Immediately Around Campus: 5 - Excellent - Everything looked clean and nice. City/Town/Community: 5 - Excellent - It's a very small suburban town - didn't really see much outside of campus. It looks very expensive though.
Campus Visit Notes for Princeton University:
Visit Description: I was expecting the worst from Princeton and was not at all excited to go. However, as soon as I walked on campus and saw the magnificent buildings, talked to some students and staff, and visited a class, I knew that all my preconceived stereotypes of Princeton were not true - or at least, it didn't seem like so. The lecturer was amazing - funny, charismatic, insightful. As a matter of fact, his lecture helped me understand a bit more some of the things we are talking about in my own African American History and Literature classes. The buildings are, of course, amazing. No words to describe them. Everyone knows Princeton is an academic powerhouse. And I can tell that it is. I didn't like the fact though that you can't double major. They allow you to minor (or concentrate, is what they call it) in other subjects. But because of the academic rigor, they don't allow you to double major. Study Abroad during Junior year is not common because most students (1) don't want to leave campus and (2) they're too busy working on their Junior Papers (which is a small version of a senior thesis they have to write). They do, however, offer great summer abroad programs to make up for this. Overall, I was upset that I ended up visiting Princeton because I did end up liking it a lot, making my college search much more difficult. I advice anyone thinking about applying NOT to take other people's comments. Visit the school yourself and assess it yourself. That's the only way to get the true feel for the school. Dining/Restaurant Recommendations or Comments: We ate at a Burger/Pizza joint. The burger was plain but it was pretty good overall. It didn't seem that many students went there. The cafes on campus though seemed very good.
4 of 5 people found this visit report helpful