<p>Since I'm unable to visit either campus, I'm wondering if you guys can give me your input on which sounds like a better fit for me. If there's something I forgot to mention please ask. Thanks!</p>
<p>ACADEMICS:</p>
<p>I plan to major in either Mathematics or Astronomy/Astrophysics with a concentration in pre-dental.</p>
<p>I would prefer a campus with an intellectual tone.</p>
<p>I'm looking for close interaction with professors.</p>
<p>A non-competitive but intense environment would be ideal.</p>
<p>SOCIAL LIFE:</p>
<p>I'm not into the drinking or partying scene, so I would prefer a school where these things don't rule campus life. However, if that isn't possible, I would prefer a school where I can do lots of EC and activities outside of campus.</p>
<p>Wouldn't want a big Greek scene.</p>
<p>I want a school with rabid school spirit. Students should LOVE their school and not be afraid to say it.</p>
<p>LOCATION:</p>
<p>I love the outdoors and would like a beautiful campus and surrounding area with easy access (i.e. <1 hr drive) to fishing, hiking, and camping. </p>
<p>I would like there to be a medium sized city ( >= 100,000 people) within an hour away.</p>
<p>I'd prefer the campus to be set aside from the surrounding city and feel like a seperate entity.</p>
<p>lol, gotta love that: they're both perfect! Doesn't help much, but I suppose that puts me at easy that neither would be a bad choice...any questions you have that I could answer to try and get a better profile on me?</p>
<p>Lotus, academic interest in physics and math practically screams Princeton. These are two of the top programs at Princeton, two of the top programs in the world. You will have not only intellectual classmates, but some stunningly brilliant ones. </p>
<p>Otherwise, it may depend upon how you order your wants and needs. Princeton, for instance, is a little over an hour (not less than an hour) away from NYCity (which of course is not medium sized) with a train station right at the edge of campus, and with college-sponsored trips to theatre (Broadway) and concerts, etc. There is a huge variety of ec's, events, lectures (experts and luminaries in countless fields) --all sorts of activities and things to do and to be a part of, including many community volunteering opportunities, arts groups (dance, a cappella, instrumental etc), and athletics at all levels. There is drinking, but there are plenty of non-drinkers and substance-free housing so you can definitely find kindred classmates. </p>
<p>Do you have a size preference?
Princeton has about 1200 students in each class, whereas Swat has a total of about 1500 I believe. Maybe partially because of their respective sizes, Princeton has a wide variety of viewpoints represented, whereas Swat is more politically homogeneous. (So you might decide which is more comfortable for you, size and politics-wise.) There is close interaction with profs at both schools. Among opportunities for this at Princeton: freshman seminars, small classes or precept groups, and close interaction with profs who advise and oversee research for the junior papers and senior theses.</p>
<p>Both have beautiful campuses. You could spend a lot of time on treed paths in and around them. I'm not up on the proximity to fishing and camping, but Princeton has a very popular pre-orientation program, Outdoor Action, that has a week of hiking and camping (canoeing, etc) at various levels of expertise. You're bound to meet some fellow nature lovers amongst your classmates on that trip.</p>
<p>The Princeton campus backs to a small lake, and trees and walking trails. In front it opens to the town of Princeton, which is very walkable with lots of shops and restaurants. There are some pricey shops but also bookshops, a movie theatre with first-run movies, foreign films and documentaries, a great record/music store, banks and a cvs pharmacy, a little army and navy, a natural foods store, and all sorts of food from ice cream to pizza to pancakes to Indian to elegant. On campus there is a big bookstore (with much more than books) and there is the Wa (a food store), and of course Frist, which is the campus center. There is a bus that runs regularly to route 1 (a few minutes drive) which has bigger stores like Target and lots of hotels. I can't remember if there is a Walmart.</p>
<p>"closely knitted educational envorn"<br>
Are you currently a Princeton student, Bangoo? Just wondering, because most Princetonians I know have close-knit groups of friends from their residential colleges, extra-curricular involvements, and/or seminars precepts and classes. Granted, at a very small school you may get to know everyone there, which is perhaps what you mean.
Princetonians in general have tons of school spirit and pride, and as alumni they continue to be very active and giving. It's a "work hard, play hard, love my school forever" sort of place.</p>
<p>1) Swat has one of the highest PhD production rates for undergraduates schools in the country. I think it is fair to say Pton sends more to professional schools (law, med. business).
2) Swat kids live in the same series of dorms for 4 years and eat out of one (a good one) cafeteria for 4 years.
3) The college confidential expert for Swat is interestedad. Ask him the difference.
4) Swat dropped football a few years back. I think Swat would not be described as a 'rabid sports' school although they have respectable div 3 teams in many sports.</p>
<p>When I say "rapid school spirit" I'm not necessarily referring to sports. Rather, students should feels that "School X is the BEST school for me possible (i.e. I wouldn't have gone to Yale or Williams if I had the chance) and the really like their school. I say this as a requirement because it's pretty popular in my HS to bash our school pretty badly, and that's getting a bit boring.</p>