<p>I am completely torn. I just visited Carleton and loved it. Loved the people, loved the atmosphere, and the classes were great.
On the other hand, there's Princeton. My dad and brother are grads and my sister is a junior, so there's (just a little bit) of pressure to go there. I've been there twice before, and loved it as well. The campus was enchantingly beautiful, the classes and professors were incredible. </p>
<p>So now I'm stumped. The main thing I'm worried about is the social aspect. I'm a fairly relaxed person from the Midwest, not a partier, and not really a "popular" kind of person. I'm afraid that at Princeton, the social scene (eating clubs, East Coast preppies, etc.) won't fit me all, and I'll end up being unhappy for all or part of my four years. For these reasons, I've swung from strongly leaning towards Princeton towards the middle and even towards Carleton. </p>
<p>At the same time, the pull of Princeton as an academic institution is tough to say no to. Carleton is a great college, but at the same time, it doesn't have the resources of Princeton. There's also the Princeton aura as well as the family tradition that are tough to turn down. I am visiting Princeton later in the month, so that could change things, but I'll only have a week to decide after that so I want to figure it out as much as I can before then. </p>
<p>So, I guess I'm wondering if anyone has had a similar experience and what they think about their choice looking back on it. I'm completely stumped guys and any input would be greatly appreciated.</p>
<p>Btw: I'm planning on studying history (probably classical) if anyone has any opinion on Carleton v. Princeton there.</p>
<p>There’s just no comparison. Regardless of the social scene you’ll get much more out of your experience at Princeton than you would at Carleton. </p>
<p>Plus, Princeton is big, real big. Big enough that even if you don’t fit with the prevailing culture you’ll EASILY be able to find your type.</p>
<p>I can vouch for Chico and Clara in the classics department being amazing professors.</p>
<p>In any case, you probably have a better idea than any of the rest of us here if you can have the experience you want at Princeton, based on your siblings’ experiences.</p>
<p>My college options were somewhat like yours. I ended up turning down schools, similarly prestigious to Princeton, that were objectively stronger than Carleton in what I came in wanting to study. Having graduated last spring, I can still say that I have no regrets. There’s something to be said for not resenting the people you go to school with.</p>
<p>[edit: these forums keep screwing up my posts. Figuring out the order my sentences go in is a fun puzzle!]</p>
<p>I hope visiting Princeton again gives you clarity - both are great schools but you’re right about the different social environments. One thing to remember - you can go to Princeton in 4 years for grad school, but Carleton won’t be an option then.</p>
<p>I went to Carleton undergrad and then Lehigh for a Master’s in a dept that was dominantly MAs and very few PhDs. Looking back I feel that I got the best of both schools. At Carleton I became and still am close with a number of faculty and staff - I’m staying with one couple when I deliver d next fall, probably another for Parent’s weekend. At Lehigh, again, I felt that I got alot more attention than the undergrads - dinner at my advisor’s, out for beers and pool on Friday afternoon with profs, etc. I think size may have helped with that, also. Even with the same fac/student ratio, I think with fewer faculty and students you’ll have closer relationships. It’s hard for me to imagine being an undergrad with over 400 in my major! But clearly some prefer the less intimate setting - it’s really a personal choice. Getting into schools of that caliber says you’ll be able to do well wherever you end up.</p>
<p>Have you tried flipping a coin? (or if there are other schools pulling names out of a hat?) That strategy helped me a lot with my college decisions. </p>
<p>In the another note. I think Princeton will be fine for you socially. Princeton is large enough to have accommodate pretty much anyone socially. (This is just my impression I’m a Carleton Student.) Also, I’ve heard that, of the Ivies, Princeton it offers the best undergrad experience. Whatever your choice, I think you’ll be happy. :)</p>
<p>I’d offer that in your father’s time at Princeton, you probably would have had more reason to worry about fitting in than is the case today. The school has become more egalitarian with “bicker” no longer the rule at half the eating clubs and prep school/trust fund types certainly no longer dominating. While it is a very social campus with a lot of outgoing students, I would expect, as IceEx offers, that you should be able to find a place there. Would you find a more comfortable place at Carleton that better suits your personality? Perhaps. </p>
<p>My suggestion: You have a rare opportunity with a sister on campus now. Prior to this next visit to Princeton, be honest with her, voice your concerns, and ask her to have you specifically meet with kids with whom she could see you bonding (i.e. not her closest friends, but people she could see, in an alternate universe, as your closest friends). Talk with them. If they are, indeed, kindred types, hear what they have to say about their fitting in, about their experiences to date. Best of luck.</p>
<p>Yeah, Princeton doesn’t have professional schools and has a smaller student body compared to other schools of its stature. And their philosophy has always been to focus on two things only:undergraduate education and graduate research. It upholds the philosophy of a classical liberal arts education. I’d imagine you can get fair amount of personal attention at Princeton, so Carleton’s attraction in this aspect is kind of diminished. I’ve sometimes heard Harvard and Yale kids complain about not getting enough attention as undergrads, but less from Princeton kids. I also agree that Princeton has more resources and opportunities than Carleton (but then there would be more competition for these opportunities.) Princeton really is the pinnacle of higher education.</p>
<p>I too get the impression that Carleton is an amazingly happy place with lovely people. And I’ve heard that Princeton is the less liberal one among the Ivies (but that’s just a problem for me because I’m more of the Wes/Brown/Vassar/Bard type).</p>
<p>At a school the size of Princeton, (which is larger than Carleton of course, but smaller than state schools) you’ll find that there’s a bit of everything, whereas at Carleton, because it is very small, there is only a small spectrum of people and activities. Like you, I am also a legacy at Princeton, and I fell in love with Middlebury when I visited it. When I visited, one of the trustees took time out of his busy schedule just to create a special day for me. At 10 AM, between meetings (for him) in Seattle, he even called my mother to make sure that things were going fine.</p>
<p>My point is that you will find that there are people and activities at Princeton that exist at Carleton. Also, what I learned is that only half of the students actually participate in the eating clubs, so its not as exclusive as you may think.</p>