<p>THE Gothic towers and archways of Princeton’s newest dormitories were pieced together from 6,000 tons of hand-carved limestone and five types of bluestone, custom blended. Full-grown redwoods, cedars and firs were hoisted into place with cranes. Mahogany-framed leaded windows open the old-fashioned way, by hand-turned cranks, and the three-inch-thick oak doors were finished with teak oil rather than urethane.</p>
<p>At a cost of some $100 million, the residential complex known collectively as Whitman College looks as if it has always been there, on a campus whose traditions run centuries deep. The luxury continues inside: duplex suites, semiprivate dining rooms, classrooms, library with computer carrels, digital photo lab, performing arts theater with dressing rooms, lounge with a piano and big-screen television.</p>
<h2>Whitman College, opening on Aug. 17, will begin to accommodate Princeton’s first major expansion in more than three decades — 500 additional undergraduates by 2012, for a total of 5,200. But the university is not just building a new residential college; it is reinventing campus life. </h2>
<p>The article goes on to talk about how important the eating clubs are to campus life. (you can read the entire article at the provided link). </p>
<p>I'm going to be in Whitman next year. If you were me would you join an eating club or stay in whitman, and why?</p>
<p>"The luxury continues inside: duplex suites, semiprivate dining rooms, classrooms, library with computer carrels, digital photo lab, performing arts theater with dressing rooms, lounge with a piano and big-screen television."</p>
<p>You have over a year before you have to choose. I would say, just relax and enjoy your freshman year in Whitman, and then worry about making a decision.</p>
<p>You don't have to choose! The article failed to mention shared college-club plans, where you live in Whitman and are a full member of the college, eat 6 meals/week there, and eat the rest of your meals at the club and are a full member of a club. I'm a junior and that's what I'm doing this year--full member of Whitman, full member of an eating club.</p>
<p>That's really a silly question to ask as a pre-frosh... Eating clubs are all about personal preference, whether it's making a choice between clubs or the choice to join any club at all...</p>
<p>You never know until you get there and find out where you feel happiest and most comfortable... That may be cooking for yourself with a roomate, you may decide you like having the dining hall option, or you may fall in love with the club where you hang out the most on weekends and want to eat all your meals there with your friends...</p>
<p>By the time you're a sophomore and you need to make a decision about joining a club, it'll be clear to you what you want to do, but certainly don't worry about it as a freshman.</p>
<p>I'm going to apply to Princeton this year, but does the addition of a new dorm mean that Princeton is changing its admission practices or simply Princeton will admits more students than usual?</p>
<p>i dont know how or why they would change their admission practices. they're just admitting more students now (well, we'll see how this year goes with the no early decision thing). however, the applicant pool is also increasing (as we've seen in recent years)</p>
<p>the additional admits will be disproportionately "academic 1's" and top arts students. these are the groups whose numbers the administration wants to pump up, relative to peer groups like recruited athletes.</p>
<p>bahhh!!!
I'm a princeton junior and I faced this problem last year. I went out on a limb and chose a tiny little triple room over whitman so I could be in an eating club. I LOVE IT! I ABSOLUTELY POSITIVELY MADE THE RIGHT DECISION!!! My eating club is the most wonderful fabulous place on earth. Yeah, my room sucks but I get to eat every meal in a kickass mansion with all my closest friends in the entire world. We have great (but not crazy or obscene, my club is classy!) parties all the time and I only go back to my room late at night after a party or massive study group at the club. Don't bash the clubs before you try them. The best times of my life have been inside the walls of the invinsible charter club. My grades are soaring because there's always someone at the club to meet minds with if I'm having trouble with work and I'm on the social committee so I have a say in what happens there. I wouldn't give up my membership for the nicest dorm in the world (which whitman does come close to). An eating club is the most awesome social support group possible which, at college, is more important than anything else.</p>
<p>The clubs have financial aid now so membership costs as much as a mealplan. PLEASE, do not judge the eating club system until you get to Princeton. It really changed my life, gave me unforgettable memories, and introduced me to the best group of friends a girl could have.</p>
<p>Agreed. I've never felt more at home in Princeton than within the walls of my club. Best live music, amazing and incredibly diverse group of people, always entertaining meals, and Houseparties was the most fun I've had at Princeton ever (which is saying a lot because I've been in love with this place since considerably before I ever set foot on campus). You can throw whatever insults you want at the system, but that doesn't change the fact that for a large portion of the student body, the eating club experience is one of the most positive of their time at Princeton.</p>
<p>Although honestly this isn't even a question that anyone should be asking himself/herself at this point. If you want to do it, you can; if you don't, there are plenty of other options to choose from.</p>