<p>“clearly a humbling experience” This derives from whether or not you’ll enter Princeton (or a like top university or honors college) with the right mentality. I attended one of P’ton’s rivals. I’m an immigrant kid, attended an inner city HS. I wasn’t the top student at my school but I was fearless academically (took every tough course and then some). Didn’t do it to impress anyone nor to protect my GPA or boost my rank. Applied to a handful of ivies and top engineering schools. Made them all. Left my city and plunked down in the middle of Ivy-dom at 18 years age and didn’t give a flip about what others thought of me. Around me were tons of kids from top prep schools, vals and sals galore. I’d say others seemed to question “Why did this college admit me?” more than I ever did. It just didn’t cross my mind. I didn’t care if their SATs were better than mine. I took one sitting, no prep classes. So what? I was too busy in HS.</p>
<p>I was genuinely awed by the caliber and achievement and ambition of many of my classmates. It didn’t make me shrink but really opened my eyes to what a young person could accomplish. Being at my alma mater really opened me to a new world. </p>
<p>It’s all what you make of it and what type of expectation you have. Don’t walk into any college feeling entitled b/c of accomplishments you’ve had in HS. You should be rightly proud if you’re a stand out – but don’t believe all the fluff about yourself. Good luck.</p>