<p>Is it easier to get into Princeton by applying to an engineering school?</p>
<p>I applied engineering, and am currently waitlisted, so take my advice with a pinch of salt.</p>
<p>If you're waitlisted, they really really will look at where you applied. If someone who's of similar profile as you (say, same declared major, similar extracurriculars, same sex/race, etc.) decides not to go, then you have a greater chance of getting in. (This comes from the admissions officer I talked to.)</p>
<p>That's what it matters for if you're waitlisted. When you're applying, what it means (to me, at least), was that you had to write another essay. I applied engineering to all my schools, but for Princeton, I found that the engineering essay let me show a bit more of myself that I wasn't able to express in my application otherwise. </p>
<p>I guess you'd have to weigh your pros and cons. It sounds like it'd be easy to switch into engineering school once you're in, anyway, but it's probably not worth your conscience to be misrepresenting yourself if you're definitely choosing engineering. </p>
<p>Cheers.</p>
<p>If you're a girl. ;)</p>
<p>^ It is very true. Not even funny.</p>
<p>I myself thought about applying engineering just to have an easier time, but I couldn't bring myself to do the engineering essay - I had zero interest in it. And I got in!</p>
<p>But here's what I'm worried about: what if I decide I want to be a B.S.E. candidate? Could I still change?</p>
<p>You can still change, but you have to do it early.</p>
<p>I applied to Princeton as an engineering major and will be attending this fall - in contrast, I was waitlisted at both Harvard and Yale (so far I've gotten a rejection letter from Harvard...)</p>
<p>While it is true that if you're a girl its easier to get into Princeton if you apply engineering, that is the case almost everywhere. </p>
<p>I applied for the engineering school at MIT, Princeton, and UPenn, and got accepted to all of them. While I do think I'm a good candidate, being a girl I'm sure definitely helped.</p>
<p>Yes, it is easier to get in to Princeton if you're a girl applying for engineering. My father knows one of the deans there and he mentioned this once...</p>
<p>to all those thinking of applying as an engineering student just for the higher chances, here's the engineering essay question:</p>
<p>If you are interested in pursuing a B.S.E. (Bachelor of Science in Engineering) degree, please write an essay describing why you are interested in studying engineering, any experiences in or exposure to engineering you have had, and how you think the programs in engineering offered at Princeton suit your particular interests.</p>
<p>trust me, I did try, but I couldn't bring out the passion - there was none.</p>
<p>^ That doesn't seem convincing. What is your standard of showing passion iin an essay?
I've seen people who get a 95% and call it a bad grade (because he thinks a 100% is the only good grade) while many think its a great score. </p>
<p>Anyways, I felt inspired to ask this question because I knew some people (male) in my school who applied to Princeton Engineering and got in while they got rejected by Yale and Harvard and MIT.
They only had strong grades; One was a AP National Scholar (He got 5s and 4s on 8 AP tests) and one National Merit; They had no other "great" awards/ECs (eg: ISEF, research, PROMYS, SSP, State Awards).</p>
<p>I was just wondering . . . Maybe the admit rate here is higher than ivy league standards??</p>