#20 Princeton University (Princeton)
Basic Infomation:
World Position: No. 20
Nature of University: Private
Research Findings: Very High
Number of students: 8,305
Number of Teachers: 1,050
Number of international students: 1,912
Overview:
Princeton University, referred to as "Princeton", is one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in the United States. Princeton University was founded in 1746 and moved to Princeton, New Jersey, on the east coast of the United States in 1896. It is one of the 14 founding institutions of the American Association of Universities and a member of the famous Ivy League. It is the world’s top private institution. The research university ranks No. 1 in the US Best University Rankings by US News throughout the year.
The Christian Church Dawn Presbyterian Church founded the school in Elizabethtown, New Jersey in 1746. It was the fourth institution of higher learning established during the American colonial period, and it was named "College of New Jersey (College of New Jersey)." In 1747, the school moved to New Jersey, and in 1756 to the scenic city of Princeton (between Philadelphia and New York), and was officially renamed "Princeton University" in 1896.
Princeton’s main campus occupies 500 acres, one-quarter the size of Harvard University. Princeton University has approximately 180 buildings, including 10 libraries. The campus is famous for its spectacular greenery and the splendid architecture of some iconic buildings, such as the Lewis Library designed by Frank Gehry. The main campus was rated as one of the most beautiful campuses in the United States by New York's Travel+Leisure magazine. Most Princeton students live, eat, study, work and relax on campus. Its student population is relatively small, with a total enrollment of less than 10,000, and international students account for 12% of undergraduates.
Princeton is one of the most important research universities in the world, having trained two American presidents James Madison and Woodrow Wilson. Other outstanding graduates include Michelle Obama, actors Jimmy Stewart and David Duchovny, Google chairman Eric Schmidt, and Apollo astronaut Pete Conrad.
Princeton was founded by the Shin Kong Presbyterian Church to provide training for its ministers. After the American Civil War, the academy expanded in scale and the curriculum was thoroughly reformed. Around the turn of the 20th century, it officially became a university and opened a prestigious graduate school.
Today's Princeton University offers undergraduate and graduate education in the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and engineering, and offers many professional degrees.
The Ivy League school guarantees that all undergraduate students can get accommodation during the four-year degree program and is committed to building a diverse campus community. The residential college offers a variety of academic, social, cultural, and entertainment programs. Students have many opportunities to participate in interests other than academic research, whether it is writing for literary publications, studying the science of beekeeping, or singing a cappella group.
The university is within easy reach of New York City and Philadelphia, and the "Dinky" shuttle train provides regular one-hour service to these two cities.
Studying in Princeton, surrounded by natural beauty and architectural treasures, allows students to perform at their best. Many alumni, faculty and staff have won Nobel Prizes, and the university has consistently ranked among the top ten in the world. Admissions are blind, and through a combination of grants and university work, few students are heavily in debt-although 60% of freshmen receive financial aid.
As of 2019, Princeton University has trained 2 U.S. presidents, 12 U.S. Supreme Court justices, and many U.S. congressmen. As of October 2020, among Princeton University’s alumni, professors and researchers, 69 Nobel Prize winners (10th in the world) and 15 Fields Medal winners, the world’s highest mathematics prize, have been produced (No. 3 in the world), 14 Turing Prize winners, the world’s highest computer award (No. 4 in the world)
About Undergraduate:
Princeton undergraduates follow liberal arts courses that are broad and deep. Students apply to the entire university, not to individual departments, courses or schools. After enrollment, students can choose to study for a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Engineering. In each degree program, students can choose from 37 different majors and 53 inter-departmental certificate programs.
In the first two years of Princeton, undergraduates explore courses and complete one or two courses in seven general areas. Undergraduates attend a semester writing seminar and must also be proficient in a foreign language.
In the spring of the sophomore year, students choose a direction to become the focus of the juniors and seniors. Engineering students choose their major at the end of the first year, but must complete at least seven Princeton Humanities and Social Sciences courses.
Princeton’s teacher-student ratio is 5:1, which encourages close involvement with undergraduate teaching. Another core principle of undergraduate teaching is discipline: hold a small discussion group once a week to discuss the topics in the course lectures and reading materials.
As an Ivy League school, only the most academically gifted people can enter Princeton University. Statistics confirm this: only 6.1% of applicants were admitted to Princeton for the 2021 class.
However, the application is very simple. Candidates submit an online application through general application, joint application or general university application. With it, applicants can also send Princeton supplementary materials, including short answer questions and essay questions, as well as application fees. Then, the school asks for official school transcripts and reports, two recommendation letters from teachers, a recommendation letter from a school counselor, and a mid-year school report.
There are also standard requirements for SAT composition and subject tests, as well as additional English language requirements for people whose first language is not English.
For the 2017-18 school year, tuition, college fees, and room and board expenses for students are $63,600 per year. Little beer is not, but thankfully Princeton’s financial aid program is quite substantial. Princeton University has a no-loan policy, which means that loans are replaced by student grants that do not need to be repaid-this also applies to international students.
The average grant for 2021 graduates is slightly more than $50,000, and more than 80% of recent graduates graduated without debt.
About Postgraduate:
Princeton University offers advanced degrees spanning the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and engineering. Undeniably, the focus is on doctoral education across these disciplines, emphasizing original and independent scholarship.
However, there are a limited number of master's degree programs in the fields of architecture, engineering, finance, public affairs, and public policy, which are designed to prepare students for careers in public life and professional fields. The Princeton Graduate School enrolls approximately 2,600 students in 42 academic departments and programs. In a typical year, more than 11,000 admission applications can be accepted, 319 doctoral degree holders and 170 master graduate students can be awarded.
Princeton Graduate School’s acceptance rate is roughly the same as other Ivy League schools, at 12%. Applicants must hold a bachelor's degree and can apply for admission in the fall of the next academic year from September to December.
The application process is similar to that of other institutions. You need to submit a statement of academic purpose, resume, letter of recommendation, university transcript, $90 application fee, GRE test scores, and statement of financial resources. Some programs also require a writing sample. For international students whose first language is not English, there are additional standard requirements because they must submit TOEFL or IELTS scores.
The tuition fee for one academic year is the same for all regular enrolled graduate students and will increase every year. From 2017 to 2018, the tuition and expenses of the Princeton Health Plan totaled US$48,940 per year. The cost of living, including housing, food, and personal expenses, is an additional cost, estimated at $30,300 per year.
For all doctoral students, the college provides full tuition and miscellaneous fees in the form of scholarships, bursaries or external funding during the normal enrollment period. In addition, based on the college’s estimated cost of living, doctoral candidates have an annual allowance.
However, for master students, there is no such inter-school mutual assistance, so you may need to apply for a loan or external financial support. International students may find themselves in a similar situation and may have to resort to private loans or apply for private student loans through banks, credit unions or other lending institutions.
