Simple, yet complex question for Classes 2013,14, and 15

Colleges and Universities A-Z Princeton University
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<p>Simple question to current Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors (though recent grads, PLEASE feel free to weigh in):</p>

<p>ARE YOU HAPPY AT PRINCETON? Why or why not?</p>

<p>(If you prefer to pm me your answer if uncomfortable posting publicly, please feel free to do so.)</p>

<p>I ask this as I can read all the "college admission" or "best college" books, or peruse HUNDREDS of random posts, but I think the BEST way to learn the current culture of a school is to ask current students. The more detailed an answer, the better!</p>

<p>Thanks. :-)</p>

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<p>Hello - I decided to post this in the Parent’s Section in the hope that some of you could please shed some light on what to make of something. I posted an important question (to me, and I’m sure to many other high school seniors & their parents!), and immediately got over 100 views within a view hours, but NOT A SINGLE PRINCETON STUDENT REPLIED! – SEE FULL POST IN QUOTES BELOW… </p>

<p>WHY? Is it because these students are so self-involved that if the question didn’t interest them, they just moved on? Too much trouble to even type, “Very happy”, or “Miserable”, even without an explanation?</p>

<p>Beyond understanding, I still have gotten zero answers - so I will appeal (plead?) to you, and ask: Are YOUR kids happy? (And why or why not?)</p>

<p>MY POST IN THE STUDENT’S FORUM:</p>

<p>"Simple, yet complex question for Classes 2013,14, and 15:</p>

<p>Simple question to current Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors (though recent grads, PLEASE feel free to weigh in):</p>

<p>ARE YOU HAPPY AT PRINCETON? Why or why not?</p>

<p>(If you prefer to pm me your answer if uncomfortable posting publicly, please feel free to do so.)</p>

<p>I ask this as I can read all the “college admission” or “best college” books, or peruse HUNDREDS of random posts, but I think the BEST way to learn the current culture of a school is to ask current students. The more detailed an answer, the better!</p>

<p>Thanks. :-)"</p>

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<p>One of the reasons you haven’t gotten an answer is that those Princeton students that are awake right now are busy with homework. </p>

<p>Anyway, I’m a '16er, so you might not care too much, but I’m having the time of my life - the students, the professors, the campus … everything about Princeton is perfect. It’s hard work (which is why I’m awake), but only a few weeks in, I can tell these next four years are going to be fantastic.</p>

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<p>Hi Alex, thank you - but that IS sort of “scary” if only a few weeks in, most upperclassmen are already putting in “all-nighters” and/or have such poor time management skills that they are doing work at 3am-ish. Of course, if one is a “night owl” like myself, I understand.</p>

<p>Still, this post is now up to almost 400 views, and Alex is the ONLY student to say if they like Princeton? Perhaps that actually speaks VOLUMES about the school’s student population … I wonder if any Princeton Administrators ever peruse this site, and what they would think about this lack of either “enthusiasm” or “dissatisfaction” for the school, and/or the fact that only one student in 400 is willing to help out a family of a potential 2017 classmate… Actually, quite disheartening. (But again, thanks Alex!!!)</p>

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<p>hsmom, please calm down. Appearances to the contrary, most Princeton students have school / sleep / social lives / things to do besides lurking on CC. Also, frankly your frantic tone and the way you’ve instantly jumped to conclusions is a turn-off to replying. Princeton administrators can see for themselves if the students are happy – we live on campus, not on CC. (Though I’m sure that they sometimes check in here as well…) </p>

<p>Short answer: Yes! I am generally very happy here. So much better than high school. Then again, most places would be. Currently, I am actually unhappy, because I’m sick, but there you go. </p>

<p>Princeton has been great to me: great people, great classes, great opportunities, great fun, etc. It’s a lot of work, too, and sometimes it’s stressful. Sometimes I’m unhappy. But that’s part of life.</p>

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<p>my D loves pton. She’s happy, challenged, has lots of friends, etc. is it rigorous? Yes but that’s what she wanted.</p>

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<p>Thanks tiger14 and mrscollege. Tiger14, I hope you feel better soon. I know it’s never fun feeling ill - and especially while at college! (Just curious, if you were actually too sick to go to the cafeteria, does Princeton offer any sort of “bagged lunch” service? Don’t laugh, even if Princeton doesn’t, I know there are colleges that actually deliver food right to the rooms of sick students.)</p>

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<p>No, we don’t get wait staff to bring us food! :stuck_out_tongue: Although the dining halls are really, really close to most dorms. And you can get friends to bring you to-go food. (Bag lunches do exist but you have to pick them up, actually…)</p>

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<p>Hsmom2013, I’m going to go ahead and say it: you scare me.</p>

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<p>I agree with everything tiger14 said … Princeton students have better things to do than CC, in fact I should be doing homework. Maybe that’s why I had to stay up so late the other night … they were right when they said to not procrastinate. </p>

<p>Hsmom, I don’t think the way colleges feed the sick is a proper gauge of quality. Trust me, if your child enjoys intellectual stimulation, interesting people, and just about any extracurricular activity you can imagine - s/he will have a great time at Princeton. I have yet to find anyone who doesn’t like it. Maybe instead of judging Princeton student happiness by CC, find some alumni or read the Prince.</p>

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<p>Hsmom2013…
I am also a little scared.
You seem to be an extreme case of a “helicopter” mom.
I think you should just let your child live his/her life.</p>

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<p>You should also take into account that typically in internet forums only 1% of viewers ever say anything - just look at any other of the college forums here. It’s especially bad on CC forums like this where probably only 5% of viewers actually go to Princeton.</p>

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<p>I originally sent the below post privately to respond to another poster, but having seen a few other comments, I will actually copy/past (most of it) publicly: </p>

<p>"Please give me the opportunity to respond and explain myself.
May I ask “why do I scare you?” My question re: lunch was inadvertent (ie: was not premeditated, but was merely in response to when another poster said he was sick, and one of the schools I visited told of these bag lunches they made if kids were too sick to eat in the dining hall, which as a parent, I thought were both nice, and smart to do (as it keeps one student from getting dozens sick by eating more isolated for a few days…) - especially if we are talking about the flu or something. So, what else might I have said that put you off? Please explain, preferably via pm. Thanks</p>

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<p>I agree with alexcuad - but with the exception of online sites, how would you propose I find “actually Alum” to speak with? Neither my kinds nor I personally know any students who graduated from Princeton within the past 2 years. :frowning: If I did, I would be happy to speak to them directly.</p>

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<p>If your child applies to P, s/he will be offered an alum interview (parents are not part of the interview).</p>

<p>If your child is accepted s/he can visit campus and stay overnight in a dorm on accepted student days. </p>

<p>Right now, you could take a campus tour, led by an actual student, and perhaps get some of your questions answered, but you’d most likely be part of a large group and would not want to monopolize the discussion. </p>

<p>I am exhausted by your scrutiny of something that, sadly, may not even be available to your child. Despite attempts by “actual students” and others to answer your questions, nothing seems to satisfy you and in your disappointment you come across as condemning of an entire institution. Seems to be a bit of overkill.</p>

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<p>I strongly agree with lefthandofdog. This forum is meant to help one get a general “feel” or gestalt of the school, but in no way is it meant to be authoritative or “absolute.” This forum is not 20/20, 60 Minutes program, or a legal deposition…I really don’t understand the nature of your questions regarding the fine “nuance” and minutiae of attending this institution or any other similar institutions…it is rather presumptuous to ask such questions when your “child” has not even been admitted to this institution…I hear a loud helicopter hovering…</p>

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<p>To address a few items in this thread:</p>

<p>First, specifically to lefthandofdog and gravitas2: That’s odd - I don’t recall writing a single “negative” comment re: Princeton! I think you are truly reading “tone” that was never intended! My only “disappointment”, if you wish to deem it that, was with the lack of replies to some of my posts from current students.</p>

<p>Regardless of that, on the contrary to what a couple of you seem to think, I almost have to smile as if I had a dollar for every person to whom I’ve mentioned a positive comment re: Princeton, I’d be a VERY wealthy person, indeed. </p>

<p>I am not sure why you think inquiring about clothing, or housing, or one’s “happiness” on campus, etc. is being negative. However, if some of my comments have come off as overly critical to Princeton or its students, I do wish to apologize. Perhaps I am “scrutinizing” as a way to play “devil’s advocate” in order to learn the “whole” of Princeton, (good OR bad) rather than just the rosy picture often painted by fancy brochures, “public opinion”, etc. Furthermore, my family has visited the campus, and it’s a beautiful campus, but “culture” is much more than just Ivy buildings, and happy squirrels (anyone who has visited the campus hopefully gets that reference), and I was just trying to delve a bit deeper.</p>

<p>Lastly, if you followed my other posts, you will hopefully get that my questions re: clothes, etc. did have a logical and genuine basis. </p>

<p>(And I’d rather not signal anyone out specifically in such a public forum - even if only via a “username”, but I will make an exception here by saying that lefthandofdog, while I acknowledge that you have offered some sincere advice, I also feel you have posted some rather harsh, (and frankly, undeserving) posts that seem to criticize me personally, rather than just being critical of my comments or questions. Yes, I realize that may seem like a fine line to you, but I feel it’s an important line. In the future, especially since you don’t know me, I would ask you (as well as others) to please refrain from what feels like very personal affronts.)</p>

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<p>I apologize for any thing I may have written that was hurtful. Good luck with e admissions process.</p>

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<p>lefthandofdog - I just viewed CC and noted your apology post directly before (rather than after) mine where I addressed some of your former comments. I’m a bit confused as to how that post wasn’t seen on my computer last night before I posted; I noted there WERE some odd “malware” messages pertaining only to the CC site most of the day, but not sure how or why that would have affected the “order” of the messages. In any case, thank you - I fully accept your apology as well as your good wishes. “Good luck” regarding the admissions process is always welcomed!! :-)</p>

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<p>^^ Time-coding of CC posts was recently corrected due to that same malware issue.</p>