<p>It’s hard to tell about fall break - I’ve had breaks where I had multiple papers to write, and breaks where I didn’t really have any school work to do. But the less work you have over break, the more stressful midterm week is likely to be (i.e, the more you’ll need fall break to recover). So I wouldn’t plan anything huge during that week, especially since there are so many unknowns going into freshman year.</p>
<p>@slushy: Yes, bring younger sibs! My 9th grade brother came last October. While there aren’t really any structured activities for them, they can always take some tours and wander the town. Plus, just getting to see their older sibling in college is exciting and motivating.</p>
<p>For Fall Break, some (very few, but still) classes have required field trips, and Outdoor Action holds on-campus leader training. If your son isn’t participating in either of those things, he still might want to catch up on work or return home to see old friends/visit people in colleges nearby. I went home and was grateful for the downtime (and just the chance to sleep in my bed again).</p>
<p>I apologize in advance for my long post…I am only a freshman in HS but Princeton is one of my top choices and I want to do everything I can to compile an impressive application. Please give me your advice and thoughts about my “profile.” Let me know if there is anything I can improve, any scholarships I should apply to, etc. Thanks sooo much!</p>
<p>Personal:
-15, White, F, Northern California
-3 brothers (ages 10-16) One will be in college before me
-Parents are divorced, live 50/50
-$180,000-$200,000 bracket
-Public low-income school on PI status
-No legacy…My cousin was a Tiger of the Week at one point…does that count?
LOL</p>
<p>Academics:
-Taking hardest courses offered by my school
-I feel I’ll do very well on the SAT and ACT but obviously there is no way of knowing
-Not worried about grades, I’m motivated and can push myself through just about anything. (I missed my first month of school because of a major spinal surgery and had to make up an entire quarters work, tests, etc in ONLY a week. It was hell but I finished with all A+s)
-In college I want to go into international relations or Spanish.</p>
<p>Extra curriculars, summers, and all that stuff:
-Spending every spring break in Mexico working doing community service with my church (1 week)
-Planning to spend parts of my summers in Arizona and Mexico doing community service for people who are deported/being deported with an organization that my uncle’s brother started (Stanford alum)
-Either summer after soph of junior year doing an internship/shadow thing with my Aunt who works at the embassy in Tunisia. I really am looking forward to being in Tunisia 
-Went through an application/interview process a few years ago for a program at Stanford for girls excelling in math and science. I was selected to go and an educated women’s organization type thing funded for me to go. They are asking me back to be a junior counselor at the upcoming camp next summer. (Which is a huge honor) I’ve established a good relationship with the organization and recently spoke for the girls going this year and the presidents of my branch.
-Member of CSF
-I ref soccer games for money
-I anticipate being fluent in Spanish and Italian by the application time
-Volunteer at my church
-Asst. coach for a local middle schools boys vball team (because I couldn’t play due to my surgery)
-I go to downtown sacramento once a month and talk to the homeless people and give them food
-I played travel and school volleyball but had to get major spinal surgery. It has been a year, and I don’t know if I should return or not. I’m going to try to take up racquetball. I feel I’ll be good, I know international players and had internationally ranked people offer to train me. (My Mom is also a nationally ranked player and really wants me to learn.) I’ve always been athletic, just the jumping in volleyball hurts my back soooo bad. :/</p>
<p>I’ll post my schedule after this. If you have read this, I’m forever grateful and owe you in some way! haha</p>
<p>My four year plan (4 classes per term. They aren’t organized by term)
Freshman:
Biology (No AP available)
Stud Gov (Both terms-officer)
Health and Safety (required)
Art (required VAPA)
Spanish 1
English 9 (No honors/AP available)
Algebra 2 (No honors/AP available)</p>
<p>Sophomore:
PE 1 (Couldn’t take a PE frosh year because of major spinal surgery)
PE2
Honors English (All year every other day)
AP European History (All year every other day)
CP and AP Chem (They require you to take CP as a prerequisite)
Spanish 3 (Testing out of Spanish 2)
Honors Pre Calc</p>
<p>Junior:
AP English 11
AP US History
AP Calc AB
AP Calc BC
AP Psych
Spanish 4
Student Gov
AP Spanish</p>
<p>Senior:
AP English 10
AP American Gov and Econ
Spanish Literature and Comp
CP Physics
AP Physics
AP Stats
And I’ll do 2 terms of Student Government if I am an ASB officer</p>
<p>I’m a prefrosh planning to audition on violin for orchestra next fall and was wondering: the orchestra website has some vague requirements for the audition piece–a five minute piece with contrast. Does anyone have an idea of what they’re looking for more specifically. Or if any current students are reading this and have auditioned, what do level pieces do people have to usually play play to get in? And when are the excerpts usually up? Thanks if you reply!</p>
<p>This may have been asked before and I apologize in advance if it has, but is it possible to take 2 languages simultaneously? Throughout high school (save for my senior year) I took Spanish and was hoping to continue it at Princeton, but I would also love to take up French! </p>
<p>I’m a potential Mol Bio major by the way, so I know the workload would be pretty intense. Still, do any of you know if this can be done? And do you have any other advice? Thank you! :)</p>
<p>It’s definitely possible, but maybe not advisable, at least as a freshman. I know someone who took three at once (Russian, Arabic, and Japanese, I think) for one semester as a sophomore.</p>
<p>What is the de facto policy for hanging things in Princeton dorm rooms? Someone on Facebook said we were allowed to use nails (as long as their diameter was smaller than that of a pencil), which is awesomely lenient. But the Princeton website said that only “poster mounts” were allowed…no nails, tacks, tape, etc. Which is it? Thanks :)</p>
<p>If you use only a few nails and don’t make huge holes, you shouldn’t get fined. I’ve always used two nails to hang my mirror, and it’s never been an issue.</p>
<p>Taking multiple intro-level languages would be really hard, as they meet five days a week and generally require a commitment of more than one semester. But if you’ve gotten to 200-level in one language, it should be more doable to continue with that language and start another.</p>
<p>We went to Princeton information session on Tuesday this week, the assistant Dean told us that Princeton’s EA does not prevent applicants applying other colleges’ EA, as long as they are non-binding and not ED. I think either I misunderstood him or he misinterpreted the admission policy, because it is different than what I read on Princeton webpage and their brochure unless they just change their policy for the 2013. Could anybody clarify this? Thank you.</p>
<p>Princeton has Single Choice Early Action which means you cannot apply early to any other private colleges or universities but you may apply early to any public university as long as it is non binding.</p>
<p>My question: Does Princeton deserve its rap?</p>
<p>I plan to apply there mostly for the Woodrow Wilson school, but I have heard stories that it’s EXTREMELY cutthroat due to grade deflation, that it’s elitist with “eating clubs”, etc. Is this true and how does Princeton compare with other top Ivies in this respect?</p>
<p>@mmmgirl</p>
<p>I don’t know who you heard that from but you’re wrong. The eating clubs are extremely open and welcoming to everyone on campus. Anyone that wants to join one is able to and the vast majority of them are far from “elitest”. Also, regarding grade deflation, yes it can suck but I’ve never seen anything remotely cutthroat. In every course that I’ve been in, everybody works together on psets or studies together for exams. I really have no idea who you heard all of that from…</p>
<p>How about the engineering classes? Is it true they destroy GPA? I’m an incoming ChemE pre-med by the way. What’s the average freshman engineer GPA?</p>
<p>I don’t know that particular stat. Freshmen GPAs are always way lower anyway. And I think the deflation issue has been talked to death here.</p>
<p>Basically: I don’t care about deflation, but then, I’m a COS BSE. 
So my GPA isn’t all that important. True, the freshman engineering classes aren’t easy to get A’s in, but IMO that’s as it should be. If by “destroy” you mean “will I get B’s?”, then yes, you probably will.</p>
<p>Also I believe that deflation hasn’t really impacted the engineers a whole lot – it was originally intended to make the humanities departments grade more similarly to the science / engineering departments, since before it was sort of unfair.</p>
<p>As for cutthroat-ness / elitism: I have yet to experience ANY cutthroat behavior. People are generally quite collaborative and will eagerly offer to help you…and as for the eating clubs, a few of them are a little elitist, but the sign-in clubs (which are half of all the clubs) are very popular and take anyone who wants to join. They can be a real blast. My experience has been that I’ve been able to totally avoid any snobbish people (dumb luck? are there not that many of them?) and that my club is totally open and relaxed. And in general, elitism isn’t something that’s been a problem for me.</p>
<p>How is Princeton’s PPE degree? I know that Princeton is not renowned for its law school, but it obviously has superb economics/politics/philosophy programs, but what about the actual PPE as a whole? How does it compare to, say, Penn in that regard? </p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>Upon further investigation, I have realized that Princeton does not even offer PPE. Sorry about that.</p>
<p>Yeah, yeah, I know, unless I am searching in the wrong sites, it seems Princetonians (right term?) are very reluctant to “stereotype the clubs” - at least in print. But every now and then I will see a reference like “wealthy kids are more prevalent in Ivy”,etc. so I wondered, which one or two clubs are most befitting a student who doesn’t love loud, crowded parties where you can’t hear anyone talk, and is not a drinker, but still wishes to join a club? </p>
<p>Does his major matter? Ok, math major. </p>
<p>Also, which club offers the most “non party options” like maybe having ping-pong, billards, foosball, and/or video game console(s), etc.? </p>
<p>I hope some of you (current students) will take the time to respond.</p>
<p>P.S. Yes, I know one should join based on others’ personalities - not just material items - but it IS the “personalities” I am trying to figure out by asking more indirect questions.</p>
<p>I am actually not a great resource for club-stereotyping because I don’t hang out on the Street that much. Also, for the record, it might be a bit early to consider which clubs you (or your child?) would like to join ;)</p>
<p>Disclaimers aside! I’ve found that almost all the clubs have a lot of “daytime” social stuff that is usually alcohol-free (volleyball, board games, IM sports; almost every club also seems to have an Xbox or something). Also, members-only parties at some clubs can be much more comfortable and totally different experiences than most nights. Charter or Quad might be worth looking at. </p>
<p>Also, a number of upperclassmen just stay on the meal plan or go independent, and there’s nothing wrong with that, either.</p>