<p>Sorry, he will actually be 21 in the 2nd half of his senior year but still…</p>
<p>^Well for better or for worse, my 18 year old freshman son seems to have absolutely no problem getting into the parties at the Eating Clubs. Although I have never asked him whether he has been served alcohol I know what the answer would be. :)</p>
<p>Most students at college including Princeton drink. But not all students choose to drink. Princeton has substance free dorms for students that do not want to be around alcohol. The Princeton eating clubs are one block off campus so the clubs are under the legal jurisdiction of the Princeton police department. Students under 21 cannot legally drink in New Jersey. Clubs use measure such as arm bands to show the bartenders which students can have a glass of bear. All students can enter the clubs but underage students cannot have a drink at the eating club.</p>
<p>About one-third of the upper class students choose not to join an eating club. Those students have a social life in their residential college and can also go to the clubs. There are many events of interest for students to attend. See: [Princeton</a> University – Public Events Calendar](<a href=“http://www.princeton.edu/events/]Princeton”>Events | Princeton University) There are student symphonies, dance performances, theater, etc to attend.</p>
<p>Rest assured, your son will not be left out.</p>
<p>Since pimienta raised questions about the value of the senior thesis I thought readers of this thread could read about the research being conducted today by a Princeton senior and decide for themselves the value or lack of value of independent research. See: [Princeton</a> University - Searching the brain for social networks](<a href=“Searching the brain for social networks”>Searching the brain for social networks)</p>
<p>^^ good point- preferences here are personal and individual.</p>
<p>I’ve been rejected by Princeton but accepted to some of its peers. Among the schools you’ve been accepted to, in my opinion, Princeton is the best. Princeton’s Creative Writing program is wonderful!</p>
<p>Don’t worry too much about fitting in at Princeton. Like other universities of its size, Princeton has a very diverse student body that is customized to accommodate all kinds of students with all kinds of interests. </p>
<p>If there’s no specific reason for you to go to UChicago or Dartmouth or Williams, I’d say go to Princeton.</p>
<p>I think I’m choosing Princeton, guys. :)</p>
<p>Thanks so much to everyone who posted and helped me make this choice!!</p>
<p>You will love it!</p>
<p>Hoooooray! Both of my children have loved it. I mean LOVED it.</p>
<p>Congratulations, you are going to enter the most wonderful, satifying and enchanted 4 years that an undergraduate student can possibly have in college…hard work, but enchanted…</p>
<p>and now a Princeton Locomotive for you:</p>
<p>***Hip, hip!
Rah, rah, rah!
Tiger, tiger, tiger!
Siss, siss, siss!
Boom, boom, boom! Bah!
Ah! Princeton! Princeton! Princeton!</p>
<p>….***</p>
<p>note: The first known cheer that was heard from the sidelines happened during a Princeton University football game in the early 1880s, the Princeton Locomotive</p>
<p>From that list, Princeton is the easy choice. My child chose P’Ton from her list and we’ve all been very, very happy with how’s it’s worked out.</p>
<p>For anyone interested:
Obama’s paper was written 26 years ago. Princeton puts a great emphasis on writing and has instituted a mandatory Freshman Writing Seminar. My daughter’s writing improved very dramatically, very quickly. This writing class was very tough, but the idea is to get the writing level of the incoming students up quickly, so they can benefit from that improvement for the rest of their time at Princeton.</p>
<p>@japanoko You’re right. One doesn’t mention UChicago and Princeton in the same breath since UChicago has many more Nobel Prize winners and is higher ranked in the World University Rankings.</p>
<p>[QS</a> World University Rankings - Topuniversities](<a href=“http://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/world-university-rankings/2011]QS”>http://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/world-university-rankings/2011)</p>
<p>@truth123</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Who gives a rat’s ass about rankings? None of the aforementioned posts mentioned Princeton’s higher USNews ranking than Dartmouth/UChicago’s as a reason for matriculation. Also, ranking systems are all subjective and often fail to factor in the demographics of the actual university.</p></li>
<li><p>UChicago is rarely listed higher than Princeton on most lists. I’d thought I’d mention that since you seem to live by these numbers.</p></li>
<li><p>What’s a UChicago? Is that a state school?</p></li>
</ol>
<p>(#3 should aspire to your pretentious whims)</p>
<p>There aren’t going to be many doors closed to you if you choose Dartmouth or UChicago over Princeton, unless you want to immediately start in top-level investment banking or consulting or something after graduating. If you like the selectivity and reputation of HYPS, go for it, and congratulations on getting in.</p>