<p>what on earth are they? and how do they work? and how does one join?</p>
<p>more or less a social group according to my interviewer. they are pretty lax about people joining, but some are selective. for the most part, you'll get in if you really want to join one.</p>
<p>Click on Featured discussions at the top of your screen and you will find a thread containing the pros, cons, rumors, rumors debunked, etc.</p>
<p>oh ok. i looked through that thread and now I have a few specific questions.</p>
<p>how much does it cost to join? and must you eat there every single day or if it suits you cna you go out to restaurants, eat in your dorm etc.</p>
<p>the prices vary, from cheaper than a meal plan to about $6500, (vs. a meal plan which is ~ $4500) clearly you don't need to eat every meal at your eating club, lots of times people meal exchange and eat with their friends either in the dining halls or in other clubs. Also, lots of upperclassmen still eat in frist</p>
<p>frist?????</p>
<p>student center (pretty new, awesome place)</p>
<p>oh, i see.</p>
<p>i read on studentsreview that the eating club plans are only for the moneyed... your take?</p>
<p>it looks like about 70% of p-tonians go with eating clubs. true? not true?</p>
<p>The cheaper eating clubs are as expensive as the meal plan. I think, but im not sure, that the university will cover somehow the cost through FA if you qualify. Ivy, the most expensive eating club, offers financial aid of its own. Princeton is encouraging the other clubs to do the same, and I think will figure out a better solution in the years to come. Especially with the creation of the four-year colleges, Princeton does not want the campus to be divided by class, and although they might like to stop the tradition of eating clubs, netiher the current students nor the alumni would let them. The difference between the cost of an eating club is only $2500 at most, which while it may seem like a lot could easily be earned over the summer or during the school year. I think princeton will let you take out a loan to cover the cost-- since princeton financial aid in general is loan-free, to graduate from princeton with only $5000 in loans seems like a pretty good deal. </p>
<p>a lot of princeton does join the eating clubs, but theres also a lot of students who go independent. If i dont get into the eating club that I want, my friends and i are strongly considering going independent. It's not too bad, you just need a car to get to a good supermarket.</p>
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I think, but im not sure, that the university will cover somehow the cost through FA if you qualify.
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<p>I'm fairly certain Princeton does help out.</p>
<p>there was an awesome article in a pton magazine i picked up when i was there about the eating clubs...i'll see if i can scan it in</p>
<p>Actually, my sources tell me Tower is the most expensive eating club. Cottage and Ivy cost the same. </p>
<p>The university has fought against providing grants for eating club memberships for years, on the grounds that this would put them in the position of subsidizing the eating clubs. They do provide loans to help students cover the difference between the regular meal plan and the clubs. I believe the Interclub Council has been fighting to get financial aid, has has the outgoing USG president, and several generally reliable sources have indicated that grants may be forthcoming by 2007 or so.</p>
<p>Keep in mind that the total cost of Princeton INCLUDING an eating club membership is the same as the cost of several other Ivies. </p>
<p>By fall 2008, if not sooner, the new, bigger residential college system will be in place (see the link on the Princeton homepage) and a larger percentage of students is likely to opt out of the eating clubs in favor of the University dining halls, which are scheduled for a dramatic makeover.</p>
<p>The other thing is that housing at princeton is MUCH less expensive than at other places. It's $4000 for the year, vs up tp $9000 many other places. While it may not matter if youre on FA, if you would have trouble with the full cost it could make a difference</p>
<p>Ivy, Cottage, Cap, Colonial, Charter, and TI all cost about the same (~6500) Quad and Terrace cost less (4000-5000) and im not sure about Cloister. All clubs offer RA plans which are smaller. </p>
<p>Another thing to think about is that all parties at princeton are free. Unlike at other universities where you may have to pay to enter a frat, parties at the street are subsidized by the members and by the endowments of the eating club where they are hosted (plus university money for alcohol initiative events) You dont need to pay to go out clubbing, or for drinks at a bar, or even the $5 or whatever for a frat party. Depending on how often you go out, over the two years the costs would add up.</p>
<p>the difference between the foods served?</p>
<p>Wow, a lot of people are turned off by this idea. I mean too most people eating clubs are about as pretentious and preppy as you can get. oh well, i like pton.</p>
<p>I agree, Shark_bite. I find it ironic that although many people don't neccesarily find Princeton "elitist" anymore, they have a problem with the eating clubs. Just because Princeton used to be more prenentious doesn't mean it needs to ditch every tradition ever to start a clean slate. Its the same reason Harvard still has its Final's Clubs and Yale still has its secret societies. These are very different from what they used to be, but people still think of them as uber-elitist.</p>
<p>P.S. Shark_bite I'll race to to be a Senior Member! :p</p>