Visit Report by ever_after (Member since August 25 2005 with 460 posts) Visit Date - September 2006
Visit to Princeton University in September 2006 by ever_after (Student, HS Class of 2006)
Visit Activities:
Admissions Interview:
No - Interviews are given by local alumni and are set up after you apply. Information Session:
Yes - Our session was somewhat large, but I liked it. The presenter was extremely candid and very excited about Princeton. The info wan't new, but it just confirmed that I was aware of how the process worked. Campus Tour:
No - This was fairly impersonal. There was a lot of history and about half the tour seemed to be sightseeing (small kids, a few elderly couples). It was fairly general and we didn't get to see the inside of any buildings.
Princeton University Campus:
Friendliness/Courtesy of Students: 3 - Good -
It was fairly impersonal, but they were polite.
Friendliness/Courtesy of Staff: 4 - Very Good -
They were very kind. We asked the shuttle bus driver for directions to the Philly airport and he actually highlighted our map.
Appearance of Campus: 5 - Excellent -
The campus and town are immaculate and quaint.
Building/Facilities Maintenance/Cleanliness: 5 - Excellent Dormitories: 3 - Good -
We didn't get to go inside any. It sounds like you are randomly placed into a house and have very little input with regards to housing.
Security/Safety: 5 - Excellent -
The town felt very small and safe.
Overall Campus Impression: 4 - Very Good -
I liked campus. However, the whole experience seemed fairly impersonal. Just as a side note, it seemed as though a large portion of the student body was wearing Princeton logo wear.
Off-Campus:
Area Immediately Around Campus: 5 - Excellent -
A tiny cute town with some small stores.
City/Town/Community: 5 - Excellent -
See above.
Campus Visit Notes for Princeton University:
Visit Description:
I also took an engineering tour. This was much more informal than the Orange Key tours. We actually got to go inside a few of the labs. It really emphasized (to me at least) that Princeton engineering is very theoretical. I didn't see a machine shope anywhere. The focus definitely seemed to be on humanities. At our info session, the presenter talked about how while a lot or Princeton's degrees are fairly impractical job-wise, their goal is to teach you how to thing. It sounds like they're throwing money at anything that moves and I got the impression that grants abound. Looking through the course catalog, I saw some interesting classes but am a little worried about their CompSci program. I'm not sure if I'm missing something, but they only seem to have Beginning and Advanced programming. It was fairly hard to get info about the eating clubs and social life.
Hotel/Lodging Recommendations or Comments:
I stayed at Staybridge Suites which was about 15 min away. They had very nice apartment-style rooms. If you drive, the free parking is in a distant lot. A free shuttle runs to campus and back.
Dining/Restaurant Recommendations or Comments:
I tried to eat on campus as much as possible. There is a decent food court in the Frist campus center.
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It was fairly impersonal, but they were polite.
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They were very kind. We asked the shuttle bus driver for directions to the Philly airport and he actually highlighted our map.
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The campus and town are immaculate and quaint.