@daunt18 : D recalls being turned off by the preppy air of Princeton. Mind you, we’re Berkeley folks and she went to one of the more preppy private high schools in the Bay Area but still …
Princeton didn’t look as bad after a couple of years at Dartmouth, where she got more acclimated to that vibe – enjoyed frat parties [frosh were not barred back then] and even joined a sorority, which surprised the [deleted] out of me, but Dartmouth’s Greek scene is different from other schools.
She was mainly put off from Princeton by the impersonal reception she got there, which was similar to Harvard and a stark contrast to Dartmouth, where she felt embraced and part of the family. Small K-8; larger but still small high school; she/we might have not anticipated the coldness of a large university. For her, Dartmouth was an excellent fit. For you, Princeton may work just fine.
Hope this helps. ATS