<p>I saw a thread about this for another University, and would appreciate the perspective of existing students and parents about Princeton.
Most of the posts focus on "How can I get in?" assuming it is the best possible place to attend. What are the things about Princeton that students don't like? When is Princeton not the right choice for a student who gets accepted?</p>
<p>nothing…</p>
<p>Speaking as a Princeton parent and alum…I think the students that struggle the most at Princeton are those who have a difficult time accepting the fact that they will almost certainly get some Bs or living with the Bs they have already gotten.</p>
<p>IMO students also need to get involved in the community. It is absolutely essential to have an outlet…something fun and social that is NOT schoolwork. Most students already get this, which is why Princeton is a very social place.</p>
<p>1) Single ply toilet paper
2) *<em>*ty dorms relative to Stanford and other suburban universities
3) Too many rich white kids who are only friends with other rich white kids
4) Grade deflation
5) University is generally stingy on luxuries (which I guess is a good thing in the long run)
6) All the good classes you want to take for some reason want to start at the same time (or maybe it’s just me, but Tues/Thurs 11-12:20 is always the best classes)
7) Dining hall food is complete sh</em>
8) Rampant sleep deprivation (although not that noticeable usually)
9) Everyone’s parents are PhD’s/MD’s/etc. which is kind of annoying to me because sometimes they might look at me (I come from a disadvantaged family) and think I’m an idiot because of the way I talk and act even though I’m a Shapiro Prize winner lol.</p>
<p>@ randombetch: #6) – is this really true? That’s a shame! Is there such scheduling conflict in all departments?</p>
<p>@randombetch:</p>
<p>6) Definitely true, and that time block has been the culprit for me as well. It really varies by department though.</p>
<p>7) Whitman dining hall food is fantastic, better than all of the eating clubs I have dined at with the possible exception of Charter. We clearly have much better food on average than most schools.</p>
<p>I would say that my biggest complaint is that students frequently feel entitled and can be really self-centered. Like not coming to events unless there is free food, a free T-Shirt, etc. Also, I think that there is no accountability for students, which is also a problem when some people just don’t do their job (in ECs or whatever) and nothing happens. Or throw up in the hallway and nothing happens.</p>
<p>^ I’m sorry can someone clarify randombetch’s comment about social and economical division at Princeton (at least that is how I seem to get it).</p>
<p>Is it really true that Princeton is divided by class? I mean, since their financial aid seems so generous I thought the “rich kid syndrome” is merely a myth… </p>
<p>I really think princeton is really a great college for everyone regardless of their background… is that not true??? :)</p>
<p>In all honesty, at most of Princeton’s peer colleges you could find people saying exactly the same thing. They all mix kids from different economic backgrounds, but the overall student body is very, very affluent, and includes some really privileged people. This isn’t really a Princeton problem, it’s an elite private university problem.</p>
<p>When I went to Yale, I thought it was really egalitarian. There was practically no conspicuous consumption; you rarely knew how much money people had unless their families were really famous (and even then no one gave them a hard time about it). My wife was part of a house-sharing group her senior year that included the “junior” of a well-known member of the Yale Corporation, and the place was a hovel. There were welfare recipients who had a higher standard of living than he had. </p>
<p>But there were some people who just couldn’t stand the amount of privilege and entitlement they saw. My wife had a good friend whose parents were unionized blue-collar workers, and she just never felt comfortable at Yale. Intellectually, she was fine – she is a successful academic now – and she had lots of friends, but the atmosphere just ate at her. Finally, she transferred to Michigan and was much happier. On the other hand, there were lots of people who came from poor families who really thrived there, who felt that they had been accepted into the club and were happy about that.</p>
<p>Princeton used to have a reputation for wealth and snobbiness, but that was a long time ago, and I think it has done lots to get rid of things that contributed to that reputation. But it’s still a place (like HYS, or indeed any elite private university) where you will encounter a lot of wealth and privilege. And unless you are wealthy and privileged yourself, and comfortable with that, you would not be human if once in a while you didn’t feel some insecurity as a result. But whether that dominates your whole experience, or constitutes a fleeting moment of doubt in the middle of great times, really depends on your personal psychology.</p>
<p>^ well said.</p>
<p>Our family is part of the shrinking middle class, so my S (current junior) is somewhere in the middle between the privileged and the less so, and has never expressed any social anxiety.</p>
<p>I think the type of student who would be uncomfortable at Princeton is most likely the type of student who is unlikely to be admitted in the first place: less than highly intelligent and motivated. The place isn’t a country club; it’s a serious place of learning.</p>
<p>Oh yeah, in no way is my #3 a Princeton-specific problem. Expect it to be prevalent at all Ivy League schools.</p>
<p>I’m a grad student here but I figure I can chime in since I’ve experienced another top school (JHU) and can give some comparisons.</p>
<p>I haven’t been in the undergrad dorm rooms so I can’t speak to their size but you shouldn’t be expecting spacious rooms, no matter where you go. Besides, the dorms themselves are beautiful and each one has it’s own dining hall. The food is not perfect, but I certainly have no problems with it. And being able to go to one of 6 dining halls is quite nice, especially since every one serves something different each night and the rooms themselves are quite nice. About the rich white kids, yeah, you’ll get those at basically any Northeast elite school. Don’t associate with them if they bother you. They won’t make your life miserable. I don’t know what luxuries a previous poster referred to, but being able to download Mathematica and Matlab for free is a pretty sweet deal! Grade deflation might potentially be a problem but if it takes an incentive to work harder, so be it. Also, this is a weird complaint but it’s almost like Princeton offers too may opportunities: there’s just so many things to do and go to but there isn’t enough time. There were several speakers I wanted to see this year but the workload is heavy. One thing I have observed though, from the prospective of a grad student, is that the university seems to create cliques. That is, the “college” system and eating clubs, while certainly fostering togetherness, might seem to segment people. Again, I don’t know if this actually happens but it seems like it could. All of the grad students live and eat together, so we get to know people from other departments.</p>
<p>That said, I’ve absolutely loved Princeton so far.</p>
<p>Haha, the toilet paper yessss!</p>
<p>In all seriousness, one of my biggest “issues” is the (mostly-internal) pressure to be always DOING something - you need to remember to slow down, that it’s OK and even necessary to know your own limits. Also stress. 
But that’s only as bad as you let it be.</p>
<p>Other annoying things…people being too concerned about grades (B’s are ok, guys, seriously). Personally I don’t care about deflation. Oh, and having to take 9 courses per year as an engineer, as opposed to 8, is annoying. Meh.</p>
<p>Also I don’t like going out to the eating clubs. Not my cup of tea. Crowds, bad alcohol, noise, bleh. But I have plenty of friends and that hasn’t been a big deal.</p>
<p>Now in response to other posters: As for luxuries - really? Free software, sooo much free swag (so far I’ve received ~15 T-shirts, two pairs of sweatpants, a hoodie, a fleece, water bottles etc in two years…), free laundry, free printing…</p>
<p>Class / socioeconomic / race issues: I think Princeton is probably no worse than similar “elite” schools. I haven’t personally had any issues. A LOT of people choose Princeton because of their stellar financial aid, which definitely helps matters. Yes there are rich white kids, but most of them aren’t snobby. Typical problem: You might feel awkward if someone asks you to go on a trip during a break and you can’t/don’t want to pay for it.</p>
<p>Sleep is also not a big deal for me. If I don’t stay up late talking with my friends I can usually get 8 hours. 7 is my minimum and my only all-nighter has been for a voluntary hackathon.</p>
<p>Bottom line, Princeton isn’t perfect but I love it. :)</p>