<p>I appreciate your perspectives. As a junior or senior, will it cost more to be in a four year residential college than not, because of associated fees?</p>
<p>Any associated fees would be balanced out by the significantly less expensive meal plan (eating club meal plans cost some $2000 more than dining hall plans).</p>
<p>There are no associated fees for upperclassmen (juniors and seniors don't have to pay the res coll fee. However, you do have to buy a meal plan, so if you were going to go independent then it is more expensive.</p>
<p>OK, can we get back to the "happy fit" part of this thread? My daughter sounds a lot like the girl described in the first entry. After doing much research, especially in the books that have excerpts from students, I am not getting the sense that Princeton is a "happy" place. It sounds stressful, overly academic, and highly competitive. While this is great for some, I'm not sure my daughter would thrive in such an environment. Is that description true, and if it is, what percentage of the population does it apply to? Is it possible for a Princeton student to lead a "balanced" life that doesn't mean studying 24/7? Your thoughts please?</p>
<p>cxxc, I am just a parent of a soon to be princeton freshman, but I did ask princeton students and their parents the same questions. My son spent a weekend at Princeton and also asked a lot of similar questions. Students and parents alike told us how they loved Princeton and did in fact lead very balanced lives. My son said that the students seemed very happy and extremely loyal to Princeton. He actually didn't get that feeling when visiting another school.You will probably hear from some students, parents, and alumni regarding this issue, and I hope they can give you more direct examples of how they lead balanced lives at princeton.</p>
<p>From my anecdotal evidence, Princeton is one of the absolute least competitive and stressful highly selective colleges. The administration is very caring, the campus culture is very friendly, and the setting itself lends to a pretty serene feeling.</p>
<p>Now, it is academic. But it depends on your daughter's definition of "overly".</p>
<p>BTW, I am an alum - albeit an old one - and a parent.</p>
<p>cxxc--I am not exactly sure that I believe that you are for real, but nothing in this thread and nothing that I have experienced in connection with Princeton fits the "stressful, overly academic and highly competitive" description you have used. Princeton has terrific academics with caring, and often brilliant professors. The students generally enjoy the academic nature of the school, but are not overwhelmed by it. They certain do not spend all their time on academics either. I think that one of the hallmarks of most Princeton students is that they are extremely involved in extracurricular activities and manage to balance academics and extracurriculars very well. While there might be some competitiveness in the pre-med type courses, generally Princeton students study together, lend each other notes and rarely discuss grades and it is a very non-competitive atmosphere.</p>
<p>I got this impression of Princeton from reading "The Students' Guide to Colleges" which contains excerpts from "real" students. 2005 Edition. I am encouraged by what you guys are saying, however.</p>
<p>Princeton kids really are almost oddly friendly and nice.</p>
<p>And one of them is mine, so, there you go...</p>
<p>Okay, here's my little testimonial: Before I visited Princeton for the first time, I was frankly anti-Ivy. I thought the same thing--"too stressful, not fun, competitive students, I'll hate it, etc." But when I got here, people were just so friendly and normal, and while the atmostphere is by no means uber-relaxed, everyone seems to do a good job balancing doing work and having fun. I changed my mind completely, and now I'm a current freshman.</p>
<p>I have to agree with Alumother: we're oddly friendly and nice :)</p>
<p>I just have to say one thing about this thread: It's so nice to see someone finally ask about fit when it comes to picking a college, and not just the idiotic "which school is better." OP, congrats on your well deserved Princeton acceptance!</p>
<p>One thing my son likes is the late meal plan - the ability to use a missed meal for food at Frist without paying. Most days he misses either breakfast or lunch, but he always gets free 9:00 PM meal at Frist for free.</p>