track. I’m a senior in a public HS outside NYC. I am a musician and also want to study Near Eastern Studies (I think!). I play a pretty rare instrument as far as orchestral instruments go, and attend a pre-college in NYC. I had a private lesson with a faculty member (only one who teaches this instrument) and it was great. Loved him. My reservations are the following: I visited twice, did the tour etc. Both times I REALLY wanted to love it, but it came off just really flat and lacking in energy. I spoke to a couple of musicians in PUO and they were very nice. I can’t put my finger on it entirely, but I’m a happy and energetic person and the students, mostly walking alone, didn’t seem very happy or social. I know, I know that shouldn’t be a reason for judgment. So, I did further research online, including a Tumblr, and the bicker thing seems to cause a lot of stress. I am a white female, but I have learned so much from the people in my HS who are Pakistani, Hispanic, and Black and I genuinely don’t care if they are rich or poor and I just can’t see myself on a campus that separates by SES hierarchy (which it does according to multiple sources)…that whiff of social climbing and exclusion is exactly who I am not. The other thing I noticed is that while I was wearing doc martens and jeans and a t-shirt, so many people were what I consider dressed up, collars, grosgrain belts with nantucket reds (my mother works in fashion and she had to tell me the actual names of these)…and that is OK, but it kind of jives with what I read, it’s a preppy school. There is nothing wrong with that, I don’t care what anyone wears, but it’s definitely seems like the boarding school crowd (who tend to stick together). I’m an artist at heart, I love politics and writing and arguing and teaching and giving. I have been given a lot of opportunities musically (mostly scholarships and mentorship) and want to be in a place where I can play my music at a high level but also teach my (rare and expensive) instrument to kid in the community who will never have that chance. I did apply EA to the 5 year BA/MM program at Yale but have no expectation of making it in, as I wouldn’t for Pton, but I did get that “home” feeling at Yale. Really extraordinarily kind people everywhere I went, students, alumni and faculty alike. As mentioned, I am open minded, so I’m willing to listen to all of your input. Thank you!
Trust your instincts and don’t look back. Plenty of great schools to attend.
My son is a conservatory level violinist who is scheduled to join the Class of 2022 after taking a gap year. He does recognize Princeton as an intense academic institution, and he looks forward to the challenge. Princeton, like any other schools, is not for everyone, and it’s wise of you to really study its “fit” for you that you can only feel for yourself. Dolemite offers the best advice, go with your innermost instinct. There are lots of great choices besides Princeton.
By the way, since you mentioned “SES,” “preppy,” “bicker” and such, you might want to read the following Washington Post article, “How an Ivy got less preppy: Princeton draws surge of students from modest means.” While you’ve touched on those traditional images and reputations regarding Princeton, it’s been undergoing lots of transformations in recent years under the leadership of Eisgruber. In fact, in this regard, Princeton has been more proactive than any of its peers:
This is a bit unrelated, but what kind of stuff are you looking to study in Near Eastern Studies (thats my intended major too)?
The Princeton the OP describes doesn’t sound like the Princeton my middle class son attended. For what it’s worth, he basically went through four years at Princeton wearing t-shirts every day and joined a non-competitive eating club.
In the end, as @Dolemite recommends, if it doesn’t feel like a good fit, move on.
“Trust your instincts and don’t look back. Plenty of great schools to attend.”
I agree with this. There are a lot of good schools. Princeton is a great school for some students, but no university is a great school for a majority of students (even a majority of academically very strong students).
OP, your concerns about Princeton seem to overlap with some concerns we had about some of the highly ranked LACs in New England. Daughter went elsewhere, somewhere she was comfortable on several visits, and is very happy with her choice.
I applaud you for visiting, for looking beyond the rankings, and for looking for a good fit for you.
Yes, the Princeton the OP describes doesn’t sound like the Princeton I know, either. What the OP describes sounds very much like Princeton from decades ago. Even the financial stats demonstrate that the Class of 2021 is largely made of low income to mid to upper middle income families. Approximately 60% of this class received financial aid and 22% of the class is recipients of the Federal Pell Grant. Of course, you will find those super rich kids with distinct “preppy” fashion walking around the campus debating about which eating club to join, but then Princeton isn’t the only campus you’ll find them among its peers. My son and I certainly didn’t get that feeling when we visited the campus. Most of the students seem very much like us, and we felt very comfortable being there.
Bassoon or harp?