<p>Last year, my son was choosing between MIT and Princeton so he decided to do both revisits. </p>
<p>He went to MIT and had what he called “the best weekend of my life”. The students run the whole event and really throw their heart and soul into it. It shows.</p>
<p>Then he went to Princeton Preview and was really underwhelmed. His host was a really intense electrical engineer who lived in substance free housing and didn’t seem to know the meaning of “relax”. He wound up leaving a day early. (I think Princeton needs to really relook their preview weekend. It’s just not that good.)</p>
<p>In spite of all this, he still chose Princeton. I think he had the maturity to see that the impression gotten from these revisits have a lot to do with luck (weather, host assignment, etc). </p>
<p>He could not be happier. Yes, the students are intense…he wouldn’t want it any other way. But boy do they know how to have fun too. I think he has had more fun in his first year in college than he did in four years of high school!</p>
<p>I think everyone should choose the school they think is best for them and certainly Princeton isn’t for everyone. I do think that one shouldn’t turn it down based on a notion that students aren’t “warm” or don’t have fun. This couldn’t be further from the truth!</p>
<p>Regarding the public school vs. private school thing. Princeton class of 2014 enrolled 59% from Public school and another 10% for religious schools. Yale enrolled 56% from public and not sure about religious. So I think these schools are all similar in this regard. Most students did not go to a private school.</p>