<p>Why did you choose this school over other great schools like Yale, Harvard, Stanford, etc.?</p>
<p>Cauz Princeton is sexy</p>
<p>I had originally planned on ED to Princeton, and then I kind of changed my mind. I wasn't (and am still not) sure that Princeton is right for me. The one thing, however, that keeps drawing me back to Princeton over other ivies is their incredible financial aid, which will be a big factor in my decision. Even with the HFAI and YFAI, I would still have to pay about $3000-$6000 a year at those schools. At Princeton, those loans become grants.</p>
<p>visiting is a good way to decide for sure, magnus.</p>
<p>just don't drink anything in an open container, god knows there might be a graduate student nearby.</p>
<p>A good measure of how satisfied the students were with their experience is to see what percentage contribute to their Alma Mater after graduation. If you'll check the U.S. News website you'll be able to see that over 60% of those graduating from Princeton give back to their school in any given year. The comparable figures at Princeton's primary competitors including Harvard, Yale and Stanford are well under 50%. Harvard's is about 47%. Here's a link:</p>
<p>looks like someone needs help on their admissions essay... ;)</p>
<p>does that number include graduate school alumni? If so, then comparing harvard/yale versus princeton would be disingenous since the former contain a far larger number of graduate/professional students, a group who historicall contribute less than college alumni. I wonder then if there was any difference between the contribution rates of undergraduate alumni between these institutions. I think probably not.</p>
<p>no, it does not include graduate or professional alumni. there really is a meaningful difference in the undergraduate alumni giving rates. here is what u.s. news has to say:</p>
<p>"Alumni giving. The average percent of [<em>]undergraduate[</em>] alumni of record who donated money to the college or university. Alumni of record are former full- or part-time students that received an undergraduate degree and for whom the college or university has a current address. [<em>]Graduates who earned only a graduate degree are excluded.[</em>] Undergraduate alumni donors are alumni with undergraduate degrees from an institution that made one or more gifts for either current operations or capital expenses during the specified academic year. The alumni giving rate is calculated by dividing the number of appropriate donors during a given academic year by the number of appropriate alumni of record for that year. These rates were averaged for the 2003 and 2004 academic years. The percent of alumni giving serves as a proxy for how satisfied students are with the school."</p>
<p>Crimsonbulldog</p>
<p>I think Mrnews is correct. U.S. News now excludes all graduate student data in its reported figures for their undergraduate rankings survey. In the past they INCLUDED graduate data which greatly skewed the figures in favor of large graduate institutions like (what appear to be your favorites based on your name) Harvard and Yale. When they included the graduate faculty larger institutions like H and Y significantly improved their student/faculty ratios and their library resources statistics. For this reason (as I understand it) they are now careful to include data only for the undergraduate colleges and not for the graduate schools. By the way, I know that you are correct about graduate alumni not giving as frequently as undergraduate alumni, but that is not the issue here.</p>
<p>Crimsonbulldog. This is one of those areas where Princeton wins. Along with endowment per capita. Probably a correlation...</p>
<p>scottie: I get to visit in mid-October, and I'm probably going to hang out with a student and go to his classes. I'm pumped.</p>
<p>Princeton's great. I think it's one of those schools that has something for everybody.</p>
<p>Did I mention that coming here was the best decision I have ever made? The people here seem like the healthiest people I've ever met. They are all extremely intelligent while at the same time maintaining interests ranging from athletics to theater to anything you can think of and often many of those things combined. In addition to the student body, I have found all of my teachers to be very approachable. For instance I happened to be walking by the spanish deptarment and decided to see if i could arrange a meeting with the dept. director to talk about classes. I was not suprised when I found him in a meeting with another professor. What suprised me was that he was extremely apologetic for asking me to wait a mere 5 minutes before he could talk to me, even while I was trying to apologize for dropping by un-announced. </p>
<p>This semester I got a job working in the rare books and manuscripts department with maps that are often over 100 years old. I was sorting some today and found a newspaper from 1847. I am continually impressed with the way the university makes opportunities like this available to the undergraduate body, even a lowly freshman such as myself.</p>
<p>//endrant</p>
<p>It was love at first sight. Visting, as said before, really got me hooked. I mean my grandfather was in love with princeton himself. He grew up around there, and it was crazy about the school. The day before I went up it was funny. He made me watch all these movies that referenced Princeton, and read this side of paradise. And it wasn't like the family push that you didn't like. I realyl like the programs at pton. The history is one of the best in the nation, and i myself am a history geek. also the architecture. it was just for me. but then again it may not be perfect for you. you have to find a school that fits most of your criteria.</p>
<p>Lets be honest - if you go one of Big Threes (HYP) or Big Fives (S M, included), </p>
<p>1) you will get a comparably good education in a comparably great learning environment
2) ur parents would be very proud, which makes u feel also proud</p>
<p>Unless ur folks are flushed with money, u and/or your parents would prolly be taking out some loans to pay for ur college.</p>
<p>But Princeton does not require u to take out any student loans nor force your parent to take home equity loans</p>
<p>What they ask from your family is a very reasonable, modest amount.</p>
<p>Take note:</p>
<p>If ure from middle class family, like me :) , Princeton has the best fin aid program Period - No other IVY school comes close.</p>
<p>In conclusion, why bother even considering to apply to other two or four?</p>
<p>Go tiggress</p>
<p>What are classes like?</p>