<p>Congratulations on your acceptance! I know how happy I was when I found out last December. I know many of you might be having a lot of questions, fears, or anxieties about Princeton or just college in general, so I decided to create an open thread for questions to me and other current students about anything you might want to ask about. Feel free to private message if you would wish not to post it on a public forum. Again, congrats and I hope you choose Princeton! It's truly the Best Old Place of All.</p>
<p>I saw a video about the extremely long line to sign up for some Creative Writing sections. I understand that most of the Creative Writing profs are very famous and/or popular, but are the lines commonplace for other classes as well? How often are students unable to take course because they are already filled to capacity?</p>
<p>I’m taking Creative Writing now, so I know about those lines… but I think that’s unique to CW, as people have to sign up in person to get the professors they want on a first-come, first-served basis. In general, though, each year enrolls online on different days; seniors go first, then juniors, etc. So the only time it’s kind of difficult to get into a class is when you’re a freshman.</p>
<p>Okay, thanks! :)</p>
<p>Great thread idea. 
I’m also available via PM for Pton-specific questions (not essay questions, etc) if anyone wants, though I can’t promise to be super responsive.</p>
<p>Also, ARGH the CW lines. >___> (I only had to do that once, thankfully.)</p>
<p>From my understanding, Creative Writing classes with some of the big name professors sometimes attract long lines of students who want to have them as their instructor, but I think most, if not all, of the professors in the CWR department are phenomenal in their own right. So I wouldn’t worry as much about getting into a class as maybe not being able to get Joyce Carol Oates as a first semester freshman.</p>
<p>The Princeton AP Credit Reference Table ([AP</a> Credit Reference Table - Advanced Placement and Advanced Standing](<a href=“http://www.princeton.edu/pub/ap/table/]AP”>Advanced Placement Class of 2027 | Office of the Dean of the College)) says that a 5 on the English exam counts towards one unit of AP, my question is whether this refers to a 5 on the AP English Language & Composition Exam or the AP English Literature & Composition Exam. Would you happen to know?</p>
<p>I’m curious because I’m interested in the Advanced Standing option but can’t find any clarification on that. Speaking of Advanced Standing, is it a popular course of action?</p>
<p>You can use either one. And I think Advanced Standing is a pretty rare course of action.</p>
<p>Any suggestions for what people should do during the summer before school starts?</p>
<p>Hey guys… its amazing to see some of your journeys on CC!! I was just trolling the ED results page for some colleges… I was wondering if Princeton gives any slight preference/ lee way to asian students who want to study politics/ the humanities at the university (Probably not but still, just want to ask you guys)</p>
<p>Do 12 week semesters seem awfully short? My classes this year are on 15 week semesters so I’m wondering if there is enough time to do stuff…</p>
<p>Princeton doesn’t give outright preference to humanities Asians. That being said, it’s always been my opinion that science/math Asians are more prevalent than the other type so if you can excel in not just one area but the other, it can only be more favorable. </p>
<p>12 week semesters are not short. College weeks are pretty condensed and packed.</p>
<p>The summer before school starts I’d suggest vacationing, spending time with friends, and doing hobbies. Having a grueling 10 week internship before college starts isn’t worth it unless you’re loving what you’re doing. HS experience is pretty insignificant. Having a free and open summer is a rare opportunity and not something you’ll really have beyond high school, so live it up.</p>
<p>You will also have an incredible number of matriculation forms/tasks to look after the summer before school begins!</p>
<p>I interned during the summer. A lot of people relax during pre-frosh summer because the next couple summers will definitely be busy.</p>
<p>My parents aren’t 100% sold on letting me dorm, is there any definitive advantage of dorming over commuting? How exactly are the co-ed dorms laid out? Are there any same-sex dorming options? Also, is it possible to request a single?</p>
<p>Sorry for the barrage of questions &thank you BiologyMaster64 for answering my previous questions!</p>
<p>How realistic is Princeton Preview/how similar is it to actual life at Princeton?</p>
<p>@senior13 i definitely think you should dorm over commuting. im not even sure you can commute; iirc, you are required to live in your residential college your first two years, and then only as an upperclassman are you allowed to live off campus. but nearly everybody stays on campus all 4 years (98-99%). living in a dorm allows you to make so many new friends and really have that college experience; if you were to commute, it would basically be like distance education, so you might as well take online classes to save the trip to campus. i don’t think there are same-sex dorming options, but there will always be both girls and boys in the same hall as you, so you shouldn’t worry that you’ll be the only one of your sex in an entire hall. and yes, when you get the housing forms, it is possible to request a single, though that does not guarantee that you will get one.</p>
<p>as for princeton preview, it is pretty realistic, though princeton does go out of its way to present the best that the school has to offer. but in reality, princeton pretty much always presents the best version of itself everyday. there are just as many activities, events, good food, free stuff and food during princeton preview as there are any other day during school. you should definitely come to princeton preview (esp if you’re on the fence about matriculating to princeton) because its just an amazing experience. you’ll get to meet and talk with current students and sample a day in the life of an actual student</p>
<p>Seconding stridegum on both counts. Don’t even try to commute as a freshman; it wouldn’t be worth it. If you’re not living on campus you won’t feel like a Princeton student. Literally the only people I know who live off-campus are a couple of seniors who had to take leaves of absence. Don’t do it. And actually, I think you won’t be allowed to.</p>
<p>And Princeton Preview is a blast! It’s also quite realistic. Keep in mind that the people you meet (other prefrosh) might not be the same as the prefrosh who end up choosing Princeton. (I found that the rate of snobbiness at Preview was higher – maybe I just had weird luck.) Take advantage of the time to talk to your host, if you can; you’ll get to hang out with a real student and that’s truly valuable. Sitting in on classes = not super informative, IMO, but you can if you want.</p>
<p>12 week semesters do feel somewhat short, but I don’t think it’s a problem. We fit a lot of material into 12 weeks. Also, that doesn’t include 3 weeks of finals + reading period. </p>
<p>With your summer: RELAX! It’s your last “true” vacation for a while. 
Do whatever strikes your fancy, whether that’s an internship, a job, or sleeping. Really, there’s no correct answer. Hang out with your high school friends while you still can, if that’s important; it won’t be the same after your freshman year.</p>
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<p>You’re required to live on campus, at least the first two years. It is possible to request a single. </p>
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<p>I mean. It’s not really misleading. It just shows everything Princeton has to offer really in a very positive way. It obviously doesn’t capture the social life of college very accurately; it’s incredibly PG-13. But there’s always frosh week - you can explore the Street during then and Lawn Parties. Only Cloister is actually fun during Frosh Week; wait until the school year when you can go inside.</p>
<p>Note: Princeton Preview is from Thursday until Saturday. We mostly take classes Monday through Thursday, so you probably won’t be able to sit on many interesting classes on Friday. That being said, there are tons of cool events held by clubs and organizations. Definitely do as much as you can. I loved Preview; weather was great, I got to miss school, got to be in the school I loved, and didn’t have a care in the world.</p>