Do I Have to Fill Everything Out Again for Princeton Financial Aid Reddit

How hard is it to get into Princeton? Learn strategies and review sample Princeton supplemental essays

learn how to get into princeton

"My son... who was advised by you...
has been accepted by Princeton University. ...
Thank you for all your help."
PARENT OF A STUDENT ACCEPTED TO PRINCETON UNIVERSITY

"I wanted to thank you and Jordan for all your help and guidance through the application process. ... As of now, he is more inclined towards Princeton..."
PARENT OF A STUDENT ACCEPTED TO PRINCETON UNIVERSITY

Part 1: Introduction

As you consider the prospect of your child attending an Ivy League or Ivy Plus school, Princeton University, one of the oldest and most prestigious of the Ivies, has probably crossed your mind.

On Princeton's leafy campus, Gothic towers and dormitories stand alongside colonial-era Nassau Hall, where George Washington once drove out British troops, and where Congress met in 1783, briefly making it the United States' capitol. Beyond its stately beauty and rich history, Princeton's campus is brimming with vibrant student life: a long running athletic tradition, eating clubs—posh alternatives to dining halls—and even the oldest touring collegiate musical-comedy ensemble in the nation.

What might a student admitted to Princeton expect? They can study with National Book Award winner Joyce Carol Oates or Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Tracy K. Smith. They can take courses in economics or physics or mathematics with one of the 27 Nobel Laureates currently on faculty, or study in the unique Woodrow Wilson School, which teaches a multidisciplinary approach to public policy.

They can spend a summer abroad as part of the International Internship Program, researching nanobiology in the Czech Republic or sustainable development in the Brazilian Amazon. They'll access Princeton's network of alumni—professionals with positions in America's most esteemed financial institutions and museums and state-of-the-art laboratories.

And though sometimes people think about Harvard first among the Ivies, it's Princeton that's been ranked at #1 in U.S. News and World Report's college rankings for the past 11 years straight. So if your child is an ambitious and big dreamer, read on to learn more about creating a successful strategy to get into Princeton.

Princeton University ranking

Princeton is situated at or near the top of Ivy League rankings:

• Forbes: 3

• Niche: 5

• U.S. News and World Report: 1

• Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education: 8

Where is Princeton?

Princeton is located in Princeton, New Jersey—a small town about an hour's drive from Philadelphia and an hour and a half from New York City.

A special shuttle train, known as "the Dinky," takes students directly from Princeton to the Princeton Junction Station, where commuter trains can be taken to Newark, New York City, Philadelphia and other urban centers.

Princeton setting

Suburban. Princeton is a quiet town of historic districts and colonial-era houses and churches. As the site of a key Revolutionary War battle, and the home of presidents and signers of the Declaration of Independence, it is a town steeped in American history.

But there are also plenty of local shops and eateries. Hoagie Haven, a sandwich shop, is a favorite among Princeton students, and Palmer Square offers dining and shopping options.

Princeton student population

• Undergraduate students: 5,267

• Graduate and professional students: 2,946

Princeton acceptance rate

Below are the admissions statistics for the class of 2025:

• Applications: 37,601

• Acceptances: 1,498

• Matriculants: 1,345

• Acceptance rate: 4.0%

(Suggested reading: Ivy League Acceptance Rates)

Princeton scholarships and tuition

Princeton's 2021–2022 cost of attendance (i.e., tuition, room, board, and fees) is $77,690.

Princeton has need-blind admissions and covers 100 percent of demonstrated need without loans. Among recent Princeton grads, 83 percent graduated with zero student debt. For those who did elect to take on loans, the average amount owed at graduation was $9,400.

62 percent of the class of 2025 received financial aid, and the average grant amount was $62,200.

Who gets into Princeton?

To help you evaluate your child's odds of getting into Princeton, we've compiled important statistics related to successful Princeton applicants.

• Princeton average high school GPA: 3.92

• Princeton average ACT score:

  • 25th percentile: 32

  • 75th percentile: 36

• Princeton average SAT Evidence Based Reading and Writing score:

  • 25th percentile: 710

  • 7th percentile: 800

• Princeton average SAT Math score:

  • 25th percentile: 740

  • 75th percentile: 800

• International students: 14%

• First-generation students: 22%

• Among the class of 2024, 25% are Asian American, 10% are African American or Black, and 9% are Hispanic or Latino. Presumably, around 37% are white.

• The most popular plans of study at Princeton are economics, the Woodrow Wilson School (a multidisciplinary major focused on public policy), and computer science.

Part 2: Princeton admission requirements

Princeton academic requirements

Like every Ivy League or Ivy Plus university, Princeton is seeking students with superb grades and test scores. Admissions officers also hope to see a robust interest in a limited number of clubs and extracurricular activities. This means that it's not so much a matter of being well-rounded, but rather participating in one or a handful of passionate pursuits. Princeton wants to see that your child has made interesting and intense commitments to themselves and their community, and lived up to those commitments.

It's also important that your child take advantage of whatever academic opportunities they're afforded. This means taking IBs or APs and other advanced courses, as well as foreign language classes. Most Princeton candidates have also participated in some form in the visual or performing arts.

Princeton's admissions website states that if possible, students are expected to complete the following coursework:

• English: 4 years (including continued practice in writing)

• Math: 4 years (including calculus for students interested in engineering)

• Foreign language: 4 years of a single foreign language

• Laboratory science: At least 2 years (including physics and chemistry for students interested in engineering)

• History: At least 2 years

In addition, most successful applicants have studied some amount of visual or performing arts.

Princeton application requirements

Here is a checklist of what your child will need to assemble for their application. Princeton accepts the Common Application, the Coalition Application, and the Universal College Application.

• Common App Essay

• Princeton supplement

• Optional in 2021–2022: ACT or SAT test scores

• Optional: IB, AP, or AICE test results

• 2 teacher letters of recommendation

• 1 counselor recommend

• School report, transcript, and midyear senior year report

• A graded written paper ("a paper you have written, preferably in the subjects of English or history")

• TOEFL, IELTS or PTE Academic scores ("If English is not your native language and you are attending a school where English is not the language of instruction…")

• Optional: Arts Supplement, if your child has excelled in creative writing, film, photography, theater, visual arts, etc.

Part 3: Applying to Princeton early action vs. regular decision

Your child may apply to Princeton in one of two ways: single-choice early action and regular decision.

To apply via single-choice early action, students must submit all materials by November 1st. Once a decision has been reached, admission will either be denied, offered or deferred. If admission is deferred, your child will be reentered into the pool of regular decision applicants. Early action applicants are notified of the admissions office's decision in mid-December.

Princeton, like most schools in the Ivy League, has a higher acceptance rate among those who apply early. This does not suggest, however, that your child will have a "better chance" of getting in by applying early, since early applicants tend to be more prepared and better qualified than the regular decision pool, overall.

To apply via regular decision, students must submit all materials by January 1st. Regular decision applicants are notified in mid-March.

Should my child apply to Princeton early?

Early action is a good fit if Princeton is your child's top choice and their application is ready. If their grades could stand to be improved, or they need more time to strengthen test scores, we recommend waiting to apply regular decision.

(Suggested reading: Early Action vs. Early Decision: Pros and Cons and What Your Child Should Do)

Part 4: 2021–2022 Princeton supplemental essays (examples included)

Beyond the Common App personal statement, Princeton requires applicants to answer several short answer and essay questions. Princeton's supplemental essays give the admissions office a more personal and comprehensive portrait of each applicant. They also provide students with an opportunity to stand out as a unique and promising candidate among other candidates who will have similarly high GPAs and test scores.

While we've provided sample essays that respond to the Princeton supplemental essay questions below, we also encourage you to look at additional college essay examples and Ivy League essays.

First, let's meet a few students, all of whom are closely based on or composites of students we've worked with in nearly 20 years of advising college applicants.

• Michelle has an avid interest in physics and astronomy. She's taken Advanced Placement physics and other science classes, and she's even taken an Intro to Astronomy course at her local community college. The practical application of scientific concepts is also of interest to Michelle, and she thinks she may end up deciding to major in engineering. She also loves theater, especially musical theater, and hopes to minor in it. She's gone to theater camp since she was a kid, and taken voice lessons. Recently, she wrote a play about a physicist who builds a time machine and brings Einstein back to the present.

• Atif is an aspiring poet and writer. He's attracted to Princeton because of its esteemed English department faculty. Throughout his high school years, he attended youth writing workshops and summer camps for writers, and one of his poems won a Scholastic Art and Writing Award.

• Camila wants to study medicine and earn a certificate in global health policy. She grew up in Puerto Rico, where her father worked as a family medicine physician. After seeing the impact he made in their community, and volunteering at a local nursing home herself, she realized that she wanted to devote herself to helping under-resourced communities, especially those with aging populations.

• Lucas is passionate about public service and giving back to his community. In the neighborhood where he grew up in Chicago, Lucas played an active role in his uncle's campaign for alderman, making calls and canvassing door to door. He wants to earn a degree from the Woodrow Wilson School.

Question 1: "Why Princeton?" essays

Depending on what your child hopes to study at Princeton—engineering or anything else—they'll respond to either one of two prompts.

Option 1: For A.B. degree applicants or those who are undecided:

As a research institution that also prides itself on its liberal arts curriculum, Princeton allows students to explore areas across the humanities and the arts, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. What academic areas most pique your curiosity, and how do the programs offered at Princeton suit your particular interests? (Please respond in about 250 words.)

Here's how Atif chose to answer:

Four summers ago, I traveled to Saudi Arabia with my dad for Hajj. My camera was stolen on the first day, and so in my free time, I described the sights and sounds in my journal. I wanted to remember everything about the experience, and this forced me to be specific. To this day, when I read the entries, I have a much clearer picture than any camera could provide.

I left Saudi Arabia not only with vivid memories but also with an itch to write. At home, I started composing short stories based on my travels as well as poems that responded to my experiences of growing up Muslim American in Texas.

Last summer, I attended the Iowa Young Writers' Studio in Iowa City, a two-week summer program. For the first time in my life, I was surrounded by other poets and storytellers—kids from around the world who took writing seriously, and not just as a pastime. I was able to hone my craft and have my work read by published authors, and many of the people I met are still my friends.

I'm eager to keep developing my voice by taking Lewis Center classes from poets and writers I admire like Jhumpa Lahiri, Yiyun Lee, and Tyehimba Jess. I also want to deepen my knowledge of important literature, and I know that studying English at Princeton will not only allow me to dive into the canon, it will also teach me to think—and write—critically.

Atif tackles the prompt skillfully. Here's how:

• Atif hammers home his love of writing and literature in both halves of the answer, without flattening himself. By pointing to the time he spent honing his writing craft, he's explicitly telling Princeton he's invested in his art form. By pointing to the time he spent with his family, connecting with his culture and religious heritage, he's pointing to his life, and his subject matter.

• He doesn't overstate the experiences or make them sound pretentious. The Young Writers' Studio was not just an academic opportunity but also an opportunity to make friends and have fun doing something he loved.

• He displays knowledge of the plentiful resources that Princeton has to offer and how they will help him accomplish his goals.

Option 2: For B.S.E degree applicants:

Please describe why you are interested in studying engineering at Princeton. Include any of your experiences in, or exposure to engineering, and how you think the programs offered at the University suit your particular interests. (Please respond in about 250 words.)

Because Michelle believes she might be interested in an engineering concentration, she decided to write the engineering essay. Here's what she had to say:

All my life, I've been interested in how we travel through space and time. Some kids get excited when their favorite team wins a championship, but I'm most stoked when a new probe or robotic rover launches. I'm glued to my computer, watching its progress, just like the engineers and scientists who built them. I remember reading about the first experiments using the large hadron collider and feeling so excited that time travel had finally been achieved! Sure, the time travelers were only subatomic particles, but still. Baby steps.

What's fascinating to me about these examples is that they moved beyond theory and into the realm of practical application. At engineering camp, one instructor told us, "Scientists need to have questions, engineers need to have answers." That's always stuck with me. At the same camp, we built our own drones—it was exhilarating going from the blueprint and design stage to seeing our drone whir up into the sky.

When I visited Princeton, especially the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering labs, I witnessed an exciting environment where students valued exploration and curiosity. I especially loved that students from the Princeton Rocketry Club had designed tools for the space program—where else could undergrads work with NASA advisers and contribute directly to space exploration?

Since I was young, I've been told my ideas are fantasies and that I'm a "space nerd" who watches too much sci-fi. I'm interested in pursuing a degree in engineering because I want to turn my so-called farfetched dreams and curiosities into real designs and applications.

Here's why Michelle's response is good:

• Michelle answers each part of the question—why she's interested in engineering, what her experiences have been, and why Princeton is so well suited to her interest in engineering.

• Michelle's writing is full of a natural energy, curiosity, and enthusiasm. She sometimes uses colloquial language ("stoked" and "sure") but also waxes charmingly eloquent on large hadron colliders and the mysteries of science. In short, she sounds like a bright teenager, not someone trying to sound stuffier than her years.

• Her "Why Princeton?" line is clear, spot-on, and believable.

• She doesn't summarize her resume or list her achievements. She knows her transcript and her GPA will demonstrate that she's a serious student and uses the essay to draw a personal connection between engineering as a field and her own lifelong interests and passions.

STEM students are often tempted to remind admissions readers of their many years of research and even publications. But contrary to what you might expect, that's a losing strategy. Tons of Princeton applicants will have 800s on the Math portion of their SATs, and may even have done complex lab research or published papers. There are other places on the application to show that off, though.

This essay is the only chance, on the other hand, for STEM applicants to demonstrate that they understand their work's relationship to society, and that they have a personal connection to their proposed field of study. If your child is a future engineer, remind them that this is their chance to show that they're not just a capable science student, but a future scientific leader.

Question 2: Extracurricular activity and work experience

Briefly elaborate on an activity, organization, work experience, or hobby that has been particularly meaningful to you. (Please respond in about 150 words.)

Camila uses this opportunity to discuss her experience volunteering in a nursing home:

When I volunteered at my hometown's only nursing home, I was assigned two of the nursing home's residents—Hector and Sylvia—and every Sunday afternoon, I sat with each of them and kept them company.

At first, I was nervous. What could I say that would match their wisdom and experience? Soon I learned that Hector loved to play guitar. Though his arthritis made it difficult to play, he pressed his calloused fingers to the fretboard and taught me new chords. Sylvia loved gardening and showed me how to plant peppers and cherry tomatoes. I learned, through these experiences, that I wanted to continue working with the elderly—that as repositories of knowledge, they are among society's most valuable resources. In a world where the aged population is the highest in our history and will continue to grow, vocations that take care of the elderly will only become more important.

What's good about Camila's response:

• She limits herself to one meaningful pursuit. She doesn't merely offer a laundry list of her extracurricular activities.

• It has a sense of narrative, with a beginning, middle and end, and a final moment of insight. There was a lesson to be learned for Camila in her volunteer experience at the nursing home, and this is why it's stuck with her. She shows that what she learned informs her current interest in public health.

• Her response is personal and specific. The key words in the question are elaborate and meaningful. That elaboration should come more in the form of good writing than information. And what makes Camila's writing good here? It's specific, including memorable and astutely-observed images—we'll remember her learning guitar chords from Hector and planting vegetables with Sylvia.

The meaningful part is harder, but your child doesn't need an epiphany. A simple lesson that they might carry forward with them will do the trick. Princeton wants to know that the hours your child is spending outside of school aren't just for show. How are they personally affecting your child's personal growth, and their plans for the future? In Camila's case, she ties her own experience of growth to her interest in public health policy, and how it relates to aging populations and the challenges they pose.

Questions 3–4: Your voice

In the two questions below, you'll have about 250 words to respond to each.

Question 3: At Princeton, we value diverse perspectives and the ability to have respectful dialogue about difficult issues. Share a time when you had a conversation with a person or a group of people about a difficult topic. What insight did you gain, and how would you incorporate that knowledge into your thinking in the future?

Here's Camila's answer:

The summer after sophomore year, I worked as a middle school science camp counselor. Three other counselors and myself were tasked with planning a series of activities exploring the skeletal system. I enthusiastically came up with ideas and started making plans.

But after a few meetings, my teammates stopped following through on their tasks. I felt frustrated, so I took some time to analyze the situation and determine what I could do. I realized I hadn't given enough space for my team members to contribute to the brainstorming process. They lacked motivation because they were pursuing my vision, not a collaboration of our ideas.

I apologized to the group and asked each member to share their suggestions. Once we incorporated everyone's input, motivation increased and we worked effectively as a team. The resulting activities were infinitely better than what I had originally imagined.

Through this experience, I learned how important it is for every team member to have a voice—not only to increase motivation but also because each person brings a unique perspective to the table. While I'm outgoing and love to jump into action, some people are quiet and more considered, and they offer something that isn't first-nature to me. It's important to me now to help foster a collaborative environment where everyone can share input and engage in the process.

What has Camila done well?

• This essay is effective because it shows a bit of vulnerability. Camila admits that she made a mistake, but also demonstrates how she recognized her error and made it right. This displays levels of self-awareness and humility, as well as an ability to grow.

• Camila also shows that while she is a capable leader, she values collaboration and the interplay of differing perspectives.

Question 4: Princeton has a longstanding commitment to service and civic engagement. Tell us how your story intersects (or will intersect) with these ideals.

Here's how Lucas responded:

What does it take to make a difference? This is the question I asked myself as I campaigned door to door for my uncle Ray's alderman election. Some people had no idea an election was happening. Others wanted to know what my uncle stood for, and even though it was hard to think on my feet, eventually, I could run through the issues with ease. A safer ward. A ward with more green spaces. Equal investment across all neighborhoods in the ward. An elected civilian police accountability council. These were the cornerstones of my uncle's campaign.

People responded to these issues, but they shared their own concerns, too. What did we plan to do about trash in the streets and overflowing dumpsters? How would we address rising rents? How did we plan to fight for funding in the schools? I wrote down these concerns and reported back to my uncle so he had a better idea of what mattered to our neighbors. This was the most important lesson I learned while campaigning: that public policy is about listening to the concerns of real citizens and adjusting your own agenda to meet those concerns.

The disparities we face today have complex causes, and the solutions are not always obvious. But canvassing for my uncle instilled in me the value of listening, not just to a handful of people, or people in power, but to everyone. By listening, we can understand all perspectives, build a network, start conversations, and crowdsource solutions. This is the insight I'll hold on to as I pursue a degree from the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs.

Here's what's great about Lucas's response:

• He begins with a hook—a rhetorical question that entices us to keep reading—and puts himself in scene. His relationship to service and civic engagement is not just hypothetical. He has direct life experience, and rather than giving us a generic summary of that experience, he makes himself a character of sorts, and we're immersed along with him. Lucas uses the tools of narrative writing to his advantage: characters, images, and scenes. These make his rhetorical question specific, and particular, and therefore memorable.

• Lucas takes the right approach by focusing on an experience, which then allows him to tell a story. And integral to a story is some sense of change. At the beginning of the essay, he doesn't know how he can affect change. By the end of the essay, he has a better sense of what's required, and it's this new understanding that will guide him into the future.

• Lucas manages to tell a personal story and illustrate the internal change and growth that admissions officers are hoping to see.

Questions 5–7: More about you

For the final three questions, Princeton writes: "Please respond to each question in 50 words or fewer. There are no right or wrong answers. Be yourself!"

You can take this to mean that your child need not be overly serious. These kinds of questions offer your child an opportunity to be playful, while still expressing genuine interests.

Question 5: What is a new skill you would like to learn in college?

Atif writes:

I would learn Persian. I love language learning, having grown up around Arabic, English, and Spanish. I've since studied Chinese and hope to become fluent. But I haven't turned to Persian, and I'm aching to. Some of my favorite poets are Persian and I'd love to translate them someday.

Question 6: What brings you joy?

Michelle offers:

Listening to musical soundtracks when I'm hanging out in my room or helping out around the house makes me happy. I love new shows like Hamilton, and I'm also a huge fan of classics like Les Miserables and Rent. Listening to them helps keep me in touch with my creativity.

Question 7: What song represents the soundtrack of your life at this moment?

Here's Lucas's answer:

Lately, I've had Neil Young's "Heart of Gold" on repeat, and I even learned to play it on the guitar. To me, it's a song about searching for joy and meaning. As I'm getting ready to leave my hometown for college, it makes me excited me for the journey ahead.

Final thoughts

It's easy to see why so many gifted students set their sights on Princeton. With its world-renowned faculty, regal campus, and vast network of alumni, attending Princeton can be a life-changing experience. By focusing on the passionate intellectual pursuits and community commitments that make applicants stand out from an otherwise well-qualified field, your child can present a strong case for admission.

THERE'S NO REASON TO STRUGGLE THROUGH THE COLLEGE ADMISSIONS PROCESS ALONE, ESPECIALLY WITH SO MUCH ON THE LINE. SCHEDULE YOUR COMPLIMENTARY 30-MINUTE CONSULTATION TO ENSURE YOU LEAVE NOTHING TO CHANCE.

murphyheamose.blogspot.com

Source: https://www.shemmassianconsulting.com/blog/how-to-get-into-princeton