<p>I know that Princeton's administration is anxious to establish the University as more of an artsy school, while trying to distance itself from its current (or so the administration says) reputation as a math/science school. I wonder if this signals that Princeton is receiving too many engineering/math/science applications and too few liberal arts applications relative to the liberal arts vs. engineering distribution that they want. Perhaps I'm reading too much into this, but do you all think, then, that it is more difficult to be accepted as a prospective engineering student than as a prospective liberal arts student?</p>
<p>i didnt know that princeton separated engineering and the rest of the college. i guess i should have when the tour guide pointed out the engineering dorms. well if you are applying as engineering you may face more competition, but the amount varies from year to year. if there is a major princeton wants to bolster, and you have the profile for it, they may accept you for that reason (assuming your other stats are in line). i dont think that playing the system will work like a college of princeton's calibur. i personally think you are reading too much into it.</p>
<p>***? There are no engineering dorms, you are in the same residential dorms.</p>
<p>you can play w/e card you want, but you should apply how you want.</p>
<p>i applied as an LA but then decided to take CS as a BSE instead of an AB</p>
<p>It's easier to get in as an engineer</p>
<p>is there any actual proof/documentation of that?</p>
<p>Yeah, I think you're getting confused between "artsy" and "liberal arts" aka the AB degree. Princeton is trying to attract artsy people now--such as dancers, musicians, painters, actors, etc. I got the impression this is more of people who do this as an extracurricular, not as their major (mostly b/c Princeton doesn't offer most of those as majors). What Princeton does not need more of in their application pool is liberal arts people, because people tend to gravitate towards history, english, politics, economics, etc. So, yes, Princeton is trying to get more artsy, but that's totally different than the competition between AB and BSE in terms of applying--they still need engineers, especially female ones.</p>
<p>I too have heard that it's much easier to get into engineering.</p>
<p>A family friend got rejected at princeton for liberal arts, whereas a far less qualified person from the same school and same class got into engineering</p>
<p>Does the admission staff actually make decisions based on your intended major (I thought it was just a personal preference)?</p>
<p>It only matters for engineering. Saying you want to be a Math major will be no different from saying you want to be an English major, but if you want to be in the engineering program, your app is viewed differently. (Your app will also get a nice look-over if you put down a very unique major like Hebrew Studies).</p>
<p>Yeah, clendenenator is right, that way, if you're on the fence between chemistry or chemical engineering, let's say, it'd be much more advantageous to put down chemical engineering.</p>
<p>"i dont think that playing the system will work like a college of princeton's calibur."</p>
<p>As Clendeneator pointed out, I'm on the fence between chemistry and chemical engineering. I think I'll apply engineering in any case, though, since it's more difficult to transfer into than out of the engineering school (true for most schools, not just Princeton). Regardless, I do believe the system can "be played" if you know it's easier to get in BSE than AB. For proof, see Duke's Class of 2010 Profile (<a href="http://www.admissions.duke.edu/jump/applying/who_2010profile.asp)%5B/url%5D">http://www.admissions.duke.edu/jump/applying/who_2010profile.asp)</a>. The BSE accept rate is 28%, compared to the AB accept rate of 20%. For all I know at this point, I could just as easily major in chemistry as chemical engineering, so I could honestly put down either as my intended major. I am curious, though, as to the different accept rates at Princeton.</p>
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that way, if you're on the fence between chemistry or chemical engineering, let's say, it'd be much more advantageous to put down chemical engineering.
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<p>Oh wow, thanks. You read my mind; I AM choosing between the two.</p>
<p>yea, you are right.</p>
<p>it's easier to from BSE to AB... because you'll need to just take a language, really...</p>