My daughter is trying to decide between Princeton, Duke, and UCLA.
Her primary concern in finding academic/social life balance.
She has grown up in San Diego and is both excited and a little apprehensive about life on the East Coast (culture, weather, etc.) We visited all campuses. She applied undecided to most of the schools and is currently interested in psychology and public policy. She is adventurous and extremely outgoing, and is interested in joining IM sports, a sorority or eating club, etc.
We have received financial aid (fortunately) so all schools will cost more or less the same.
She needs to decide by Friday and any advice you have would be greatly appreciated, thank you in advance.
Fit is important, sure, but if it was my kid I’d be pushing the value of a Princeton experience at UCLA prices (since it sounds like your FA makes them equivalent). Is it academically harder? Probably. Is it worth the additional work? In my opinion, yes, it would be, unless she had no interest in the place at all. But she did apply, so…
Psych dept is historically quite a storied institution at Princeton.
Agree. I’d also add that New Jersey weather is milder than some other East Coast climates to the north. Certainly not San Diego weather but not harsh most of the time.
All fine schools, but if costs are even or close, and preferences being equal or close… Princeton is hard to pass up. This is the highest-regarded university, both in magazines and by history/reputation, that puts most of its energy into its undergrads – about 70% of the students at Princeton are undergrads. And it has an awful lot of money to spend on them, with the highest per-student endowment of all the Ivies+.
No offense to UCLA - but if cost is roughly equal, I see this as a contest between Princeton and Duke. Both have amazingly beautiful campuses. Princeton is what, 40 minutes from NYC by train and 20 minutes from Philly? I would choose Princeton. If you want nicer weather, then Duke has a shot. I like that Princeton is in town, Duke is an enormous campus, but not really near anything. Lots of potential research at Duke, but Graduate students outnumber undergraduates…
I would go with Princeton or Duke. And then it just comes down to which felt more like home. Very different campuses and different cultures. Both social but in different ways.
You can’t go wrong with a choice like that. She sounds like the type of kid who will be happy anywhere—but which one “spoke” to her when she visited?
That means Princeton. I am a HUGE proponent of public universities, but for Public Policy, Princeton is arguably the best in the country, Duke is great, but Princeton beats in out on public policy. Had you been looking at Berkeley, I would have said that it’s also in the running, but not UCLA. UCLA is a bit better in psychology, but that is far outweighed by Princeton’s edge in public policy. Again, Berkeley would have been a more difficult choice, since it has a larger edge over Princeton in psychology, but not UCLA.
Again, Duke is great, but Princeton is better both for public policy and psychology.
Hey there. I’m a Duke grad, and I also live quite close to the Princeton campus. Public policy at both schools are top notch. The public policy school at Princeton was recently renamed (from Woodrow Wilson), and is one of the world’s most recognized schools in this field.
Princeton is a small town. Most of the students spend their time on campus for social activities. The eating clubs on Prospect is where most of the activities are. There are no fraternities or sororities. There is an on campus NJ transit train station with easy access to NYC or Philly. Also a bus nearby at Palmer square direct to NY. So there is plenty to do on the weekends if she wants to get out of Princeton.
Duke is a much larger campus, and freshman are located on East Campus, which requires a bus ride to get to the main area. Durham is much bigger than Princeton and has more options for restaurants and nightlife. The sorority/fraternity scene at Duke is fairly large. Sports also plays a huge role in social life at Duke, especially around basketball season. The winters are milder/shorter in NC vs NJ.
Another vote for Princeton-- this may be the only unanimous advice I’ve seen on CC!
I also think it’s important and hugely beneficial to go to college in a different part of the country from where one’s grown up. That alone is a big part of education.
I am a Princeton alumna, and will add my vote for Princeton! Granted, I was there 30+ years ago, but I think it has only gotten better in many ways as an institution (and also more selective!). I found that the vast majority of students both worked hard AND also spent abundant time socializing. Personally, I felt that learning was always the goal not getting that A. Princeton is set up to foster social bonds, from the residential colleges of the first two years, to the eating clubs - for those who want to join - of the second two years, to the many varied sports and clubs, to the amazing annual reunions that are unlike anything at any other school for those who value continuing to strengthen those connections, in-person, for life. Princeton was where my husband and I met the friends who are still our closest today. I will say that it is not impossible to become too focused on the work side, but the vast majority of students find a great balance, and it sounds like your daughter will do just fine. As my daughter is also making her college decision this week, I’ve been thinking back very fondly of my experience at Princeton!
There is only one reason for her to choose UCLA over the other two, and that is if she has issues that would make it better for her to stay close to home. If that is not the case, then I too vote for Princeton.
Compared to southern CA, it’s gonna be really cold, but she can put up with that. It’s worth wearing a coat and gloves, to go to Princeton.
Chiming in to agree that the weather should not be an issue. My daughter at Princeton was used to year-round sunshine and blue skies at home, but we got her a warm coat and an umbrella and she’s adjusted fine. I’ve actually been pleasantly surprised by how many sunny days they have there - there have even been a few times when our weather was gloomier than hers.
For the most part she stays on campus, but she has taken short trips to go to Broadway shows, concerts, book-signings, amusement parks, hiking and ski trips… Last week she took the train into Newark to see Nathan Chen etc. in “Stars on Ice.” No shortage of things to do.
Something else to consider for a public policy major - the guest speakers Princeton gets from DC and NY can be really impressive. There was less of that during the height of Covid but it’s picking up again.
