<p>“Somebody just gave $121 million to Princeton for art programs but what kind of artist can live on that uptight campus?”</p>
<p>Is this true I just read this on another board. Face it if you are an artist and want Ivy wouldnt you go to Brown or to Yale or to Harvard?</p>
<p>no, i would rather go to columbia</p>
<p>pton’s undergrad art program is more than good enough to satisfy you if you’re a casual artist, otherwise…go to an art school.</p>
<p>Saying that Princeton is “uptight” is contrary to reality. Surveys measuring student happiness have always put Princeton in the top 20 nationally. One of the largest of these national surveys puts Princeton behind only Brown, among Ivies, in student happiness. Also, another indicator of happiness with one’s education and school spirit is the rate of alumni giving. In that category Princeton is #1 in the nation.</p>
<p>No it is a fair question.</p>
<p>It might depend on the type or period of art that interests you.
My son is an artist in Princeton majoring in Art History.
His specialty is medieval and they have what may be the best index of Christian Art of any University in the States.</p>
<p>Also you may have heard of Tilghman’s “green Hair” initiative which might help you as an artist to “get in”.</p>
<p>If you are fortunate enough to get accepted you will find many places on campus where an artist can fit in.
Don’t worry about it.</p>
<p>I don’t think you will find a difference in “uptightness” between Harvard and Princeton or even Yale; all are full of high-energy, driven students who are finding ways to use their talents. </p>
<p>My daughter is very involved in the Princeton arts scene. If you are into having lots of opportunities to work closely with faculty, do your own large-scale creative work, collaborate at times with other students, benefit from an art museum and professional theater right on campus, and spend your leisure time with students who are both creative and highly intelligent, you will be very happy at Princeton. You may also find a way to combine a long-term creative project with your academic work as your senior thesis. Student writers, for example, often publish novels they wrote as senior theses. I am a Brown alum interviewer and so my daughter looked carefully at Brown and found that Princeton offered more in the arts areas she was interested in.</p>
<p>From today’s Prince, just one example of the kind of Princeton student involved in the arts scene: <a href=“http://www.dailyprincetonian.com/archives/2006/03/09/arts/14805.shtml[/url]”>http://www.dailyprincetonian.com/archives/2006/03/09/arts/14805.shtml</a></p>
<p>If you are a dancer Princeton offers infinitely more than any of the other universities you mention. Not kidding.</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.princeton.edu/arts-initiative/[/url]”>http://www.princeton.edu/arts-initiative/</a></p>
<p>You might enjoy checking this link as well. I think you’ll find Princeton and Harvard to be about the same in terms of the percentage of budding artists on campus. Yale has a reputation for having a higher percentage. As you know, Princeton is just at the beginning of a major push in this area but this is building on strengths. Theater life and creative writing are extremely strong on campus and have been for a very long time. The creative aspects of the visual arts have a less distinguished history but some famous artists, including Frank Stella, are graduates. The Princeton Atelier program run by Nobel winning writer Toni Morrison is incredible. A talented young novelist who is a current undergraduate told me that she was actually encouraged by a Harvard College Admissions Officer to consider Princeton (rather than Harvard) because of its creative writing program! (I believe this Harvard Admissions Officer was actually a family friend and was probably more candid than he should have been.) In short, I think it depends on the specific area of the arts about which you are speaking. Finally, I agree with the previous posters. “Uptight” is certainly not the Princeton I knew.</p>
<p>It said a lot to my d that Harvard’s performance and studio art offerings were extracurricular and required additional payment, whereas Princeton’s are for credit and included in the tuition. She felt far more respected at Princeton and is not impressed by an approach that values only the “academic.”</p>
<p>I can’t comment on the artistic curriculum, but in terms of atmosphere, Idon’t think you need to worry. If the reputation is true, artists are probably more heavily represented at Brown and Yale. However, I know quite a few artistic types - and, if you are involved in drama, art, creative writing, or music, your classes and activities in those areas will bring you together with others who share your interests. I also don’t see much “uptightness” on campus. We are talking about college students, after all.</p>
<p>Seriously, Princeton is not <em>that</em> uptight.</p>
<p>Also, read this: <a href=“http://www.princeton.edu/arts-initiative/initiative/[/url]”>http://www.princeton.edu/arts-initiative/initiative/</a></p>
<p>Someone on another board said Princeton was all about censorship and wanted only certain types of artists. I think it was on the Brown board and they went on to say that no matter how much money is thrown at Princeton the faculty is totally totally conservative and if you dont think like them you get little encouragement. I am hoping that is not true but the location is very suburbia!!! Maybe a city is better for being in the arts. Oh and the green hair thing referred to the lawns in suburbia- what is the truth?</p>
<p>I don’t mean to sound dismissive but this is truly ridiculous. Many of the faculty members and instructors in the arts are working artists from NYC and Philadelphia. The Brown board will have to come up with a more creative criticism than that one. This is almost too silly to invite a response.</p>
<p>Birdlover, I am definitely with Ptongrad on this one. This is a world-class university that is right near NYC. It is not a suburban adult-ed program. </p>
<p><a href=“http://www.dailyprincetonian.com/archives/2004/03/04/news/9839.shtml[/url]”>http://www.dailyprincetonian.com/archives/2004/03/04/news/9839.shtml</a></p>
<p>Re the green hair, the idea (although some say this statement was never actually made) was that Tilghman wanted to attract quirkier students to Princeton. In my experience, Princeton students seem to believe that one can be creative regardless of fashion style.</p>
<p>185 Nassau conservative? I doubt whether anyone from the Brown board has met the vis-art teachers. They are mostly NYC artists, some have been involved with schools like Pratt and Parsons and Eve Ashcheim’s work is far from conservative. </p>
<p>Most of what you are hearing on other boards is erroneous chatter.</p>
<p>In February “This is Princeton” a show spotlighting some of the talent in the Arts on campus was seen in the Richardson Auditorium.
Here is a link to the poster done for the event.</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.princeton.edu/~pboard/tip2006.pdf[/url]”>http://www.princeton.edu/~pboard/tip2006.pdf</a></p>
<p>The work was done by a green haired type artist, but this one wears Brooks Brothers:)</p>
<p>Nice work there nopoisonivy.</p>
<p>Fact is Birdlover, people are yanking your chain. The superficial ethos at Princeton may be less Euro-sophisticate, but the real heart of the place allows for wild excellence in every field it support.s</p>
<p>I am happy to hear this. I believe they were speaking of administration censorship of student thinking. They told me in private emails that I would be happier at Brown, H, or Y.</p>
<p>oops and they said " wait till the money comes for performing arts 90 million plus" they “build it and then they will come which will rock Princeton forever” until then they say its cookiecutter the way the administration likes it.</p>
<p>Birdlover, the only ways the admin tries to censor students’ thinking is to get them to believe that the eating clubs are evil and deflated grades are wonderful. If anything, in the past the faculty was more liberal/progressive than the student body, though that’s not true any more.</p>