Princeton University (2024-2025)

[sudden sky]

Nah but like fr fr do you think it deserves number one

[humble stream]

idk i think for me personally its probably one of the institutions that suits my needs most

but i could see an argument for most other schools being number one too

[sudden sky]

In what ways?

[humble stream]

i got the sense that the advising and adjustment period was really good and the location/environment is ideal for me

plus they offer the major i want as an individual degree and not a concentration of biology lol

[sudden sky]

That being?

[humble stream]

also i like the flexibility

[humble stream]

ecology and evolutionary biology

[sudden sky]

SAME

[humble stream]

GOATED

[sudden sky]

They are one of the very few institutions that have disease ecology and medical entomology researchers as faculty who actually teach courses on those subjects to undergrad

Plus they will be prime opportunities for undergraduate research 😼

[humble stream]

ong go tigers

[sudden sky]

Princeton actually used to be my least favorite Ivy (because it’s in New Jersey and I’m a hater strictly for the comedic value) and then I actually began looking at it and now it’s probably my favorite or second favorite

[humble stream]

what's your other favorite?

[sudden sky]

Dartmouth

[humble stream]

validdd

[old turtle]

When I went to Princeton, it wasn't considered number 1. I think Harvard was #1 back then. As far as undergrad focus, you can't beat Princeton.

As you gain more perspective, there's good and bad things about Princeton. Many of those things come hand in hand. Less clinical research... But that's because there's no med/dental/vet school

Physics and math are top notch. But within sub fields there's still strengths and weaknesses as well

Honestly, what's important is if you think it's a good fit for you

Rather than, "it's number 1, therefore I should go"

I guess that's not easy to know a priori, but you can do your best

[pulsar crest]

mine went to my high school

i think they purposefully pair up interviewers like that

[twin adder]

yes duh...

[old turtle]

Unless the regional officer knows everyone in the area, it probably wasn't intentional. They also try to avoid the appearance of bias, but that's up to the interviewer to determine

[pulsar crest]

My parents have their tax return online, do they have to print all like 30 and sign it? And is signing the first page enough? Never heard of sending a signed tax return

[old turtle]

yes.

[humble stream]

yeah i had to do that 😭

[pulsar crest]

Can they print/sign only the first 2 pages then submit the rest digitally?

@humble stream is that what ur parents did

[humble stream]

im pretty sure my parents printed out the whole thing bc they didnt wanna merge pdfs but if youre able to only print the pages you need to sign i dont see why not

[bleak current]

i did my princeton interview yesterday! if anyone has questions i can try to answer

[small zephyr]

How was it and what did yall talk about

[pulsar crest]

@bleak current wondering the same ^

[jolly wasp]

omg how did it went

btw if my parents dont have any tax return(international student), just the non-filer form and their monthly income statements for 2023 would be enough right

[ionic terrace]

This seems like something that you should probably ask the admissions office through email

[jolly wasp]

I actually did, waiting for a response rn

[old turtle]

The admissions office gives a little bit of guidance and a lot of flexibility, so everyone is going to get interviewed differently

[bleak current]

i think it went really well! my interviewer was more formal about it and wanted to stay within the time we had reserved so i tried to stretch it as long as i could, we ended up going over anyways lol

definitely before the interview have a “why princeton” response ready to go because that was the first thing she asked me

[sudden sky]

Ewwww formal interviews sound like an L

All of my interviews have lowkey just been me chatting

[bleak current]

yeah i just tried to be enthusiastic about what resources princeton had and tried to lighten the atmosphere by cracking jokes and what not and it was definitely more casual by the end of it haha

[sudden sky]

Good

I hope my Princeton interviewer is fun

[pulsar crest]

Financial aid

[jolly wasp]

If my parents can't receive their payrolls in English, will it create a problem if I submit them in Turkish(I already uploaded them in Turkish but the financial aid office just doesn't return back to me rn ım so stressed)

I submitted their non-filer statements with signatures and monthly payrolls in 2023 as income statements(their only income source is their wages so payrolls must be enough)

[twin adder]

yeah this is standard

i think they give a list of standard questions

but dont force it you can just be like its an excellent school and name some programs

obv a lot a people wanna go to pton

[old turtle]

They actually don't give us a standard list of questions. What we have to do is write a report afterwards based off of 2 prompts

[vague heron]

i still havent gotten my interview

should i email admissions 🌚

[median zealot]

No

[twin adder]

dont do that

[vague heron]

2 hours later

[placid trench]

Hands down yes

[sudden sky]

How come

[placid trench]

Well I did an intern there for 2 summers and I just felt that the vibe was on point, everyone was super nice/a little bit nerdy, campus is beautiful, and theres so many events there like you could just stroll in there and they let you take food and stuff

[twin adder]

LMAO

omg two summers interning at princeton

i dont really think people here are nerdy for the most part

[old turtle]

https://tenor.com/view/suhgenre-jccthangs-gif-24975871

[twin adder]

im lowkey a horrible stuednt

i just get by

[placid trench]

That’s why I said a bit lol

[twin elm]

Just got an interview email lol. Was getting scared for a sec

Too bad its over zoom though. I was really looking forward to an inperson one

[pulsar crest]

Is there any confirmation on what day decisions will be sent out?

[humble stream]

i wish 😔

[pulsar crest]

It was December 15 last year which is a Sunday this year

I am not tryna get rejected on a Sunday night

[humble stream]

im pretty sure they try not to release on weekends

maybe its the 13th before that..?

[pulsar crest]

Harvard is supposedly the 12th

And last years was a Friday

[humble stream]

friday the 13th decision date would be

[humble stream]

i mean based on similar schools yales is the 17th so idk whats up or down anymore

[pulsar crest]

Earlier is better so I’m motivated to do my damn RD applications instead of pretending I’ll get in

[humble stream]

ikr

im doing them anyway now to distract myself 😔 🙏

[median zealot]

Last year rea came out on Thursday

[pulsar crest]

Idk why I thought it was December 15

If it was the 14th then 13th def seems possible

Or 12th even

[placid trench]

Manifesting

[median zealot]

They will tell you the week of

[old turtle]

You can't control the outcome. If you get in, great. If you don't - you have to do more applications. If you fear the negative outcome, take that effort and put it into your RD applications

[jolly wasp]

same

mine is virtual too

[finite minnow]

i turned in pfaa late will it reflect poorly on my application

[twin adder]

no

finaid is a different department!

dont worry about it

[finite minnow]

😭 thank god

[twin adder]

lmao you guys can chillax

they arent that mean

[old turtle]

I didn't submit financial aid until after my decision... By policy, they literally don't care

[heavy breach]

https://www.cs.princeton.edu/grad/m.s.e.-track

ah yes princeton using both "advisor" and "Adviser" 😭

[twin adder]

we like to keep an open mind at princeton

[heavy breach]

schrödinger's spelling

[twin adder]

yall if you delete ur classes off ur google calendar they dont exist

fun fact

im a full time ponderer and building admirer here

[old turtle]

favorite spot?

[twin adder]

so many

im in sakrid coffee rn near rockefeller

the seats outside firestone are a stellar view of the church

but the admissions office area is really nice and the upperclassmen housing is stunning

and chancellor green can be nice at night

[old turtle]

they like to keep that area around chancellor green dark. It's a mood

[twin adder]

cannon green when its warmer and sunny

and east pyne seats inside the quad are great

since you can sit in a corner and see all four walls of the building

[old turtle]

I was in First college -> Cuyler -> Bloomberg + MOL, so I spent most of my time downcampus

[twin adder]

im in buter

never saw first

but hope to be up campus near the admissions office next year

[old turtle]

oh, so like.... Edwards/Dod? Those usually go to seniors quickly

Brown Co-Op would be a nice way to guarantee living up campus if thats your speed

one of my favorite spots is the sunroom in the art museum. Only open during business hours, but amazing light, especially in the winter

another great spot outdoors used to be the back yard of Charter with the wind blowing through the pines. The construction has ruined some of those view, but it's still nice

I didn't bring my camera to reunions. Maybe I should the next time

[twin adder]

finished the paper i was working on

pton is a war but i win a battle once in a while

[twin adder]

no idea what theyre called im a lowly soph

[humble stream]

crazy to think that someone could have read my app already

hope i made it to committee

[lofty aspen]

Princeton please accept me

[humble stream]

real

rea is such a scam (i fell for it)

[west light]

fr

[west light]

Tips for Princeton interview?

[old turtle]

Be yourself

[humble stream]

whats the food like at princeton

ive had breakfast on nassau st but how are the dining halls?

[old turtle]

It's gotten better since I was there, but I thought it was pretty good. I think no matter what, you can get a little tired of the dining hall food routine (also applies when adulting as well)

[humble stream]

is there a lot of variety?

[old turtle]

Plenty of variety

[twin adder]

LMAO

[twin adder]

no need to worry

you should worry about making it grass

[median zealot]

very good

this is stuff I usually have

[humble stream]

wait that looks sooo good 😭

[west light]

MY GOD

[south harbor]

Shii

[jolly wasp]

Woww

[old turtle]

fuck, which dining hall is that? They got fancy plates now instead of generic white plates....

do they still have the grill section for burgers/grilled chicken/grilled cheese?

[twin elm]

yeh was really nice when I went

i think they even had ice cream

[twin adder]

its good although

it gets old

[twin adder]

every dining hall has ice cream!

[twin elm]

Ooh!

[humble stream]

this sealed the deal princeton is my #1 bae 🤞

[twin adder]

it gets old and its too sweet

not to be a soph downer

[humble stream]

😔

[old turtle]

I remember the dining hall ice cream being soft serve, right?

[lofty aspen]

omg

i am so getting in

[bleak current]

this looks immaculate i would absolutely fall victim to freshman 15

[median zealot]

choi dining hall (yeh and new college west)

[median zealot]

that is true

if you go too often then it will inevitably get old

[median zealot]

dude the ice cream here is so good

[median zealot]

of course

always available at roma

[old turtle]

after awhile, just always bent spoon

[twin adder]

pton is my #1 bae too

[humble stream]

woah qhasti mod???

[old turtle]

people keep saying that, I'm not sure why it's a big deal....

[humble stream]

im so used to seeing you pink

it matched your lacroix

[old turtle]

that's true. Maybe I should find a green one

[pulsar crest]

My school counselor said my school only sends mid year transcripts even though we have a quarter marking period system. Is it gonna be weird if I don’t send my finalized first quarter grades? Idk how I would

[median zealot]

You’re not required to send first quarter grades

[south hamlet]

Yh thats fine my school has a quarter system but only sends out yearly

[vague heron]

is there a way to find out if my interview report was sent

[old turtle]

no.

[west light]

is there a last day for interviews? i got an email from them really late and my interviewer hasnt been so prompt on responding when im trying to coordinate an interview

[old turtle]

report deadline is december 1

for ED

if they don't get a report in, it's not the end of the world. Your application is still the application

[west light]

ah ok i dont think it will get that delayed

[old turtle]

if they're reaching out now, you're probably fine

[west light]

hey sort of a weird question but if my application hasnt been thrown into the trash yet

where would it be now

2nd reading? committee? completely unknown?

[pulsar crest]

I think it could be any of them depending on if you’re one of the first regions they read

I do wonder when all the applications are done being read though because I doubt they would read up until the last day before announcing decisions and risk delaying

[west light]

i just wanna know how the little words i typed out are doing

are they on a desk waiting to be read

in the trash awaiting the landfill

[old turtle]

e-wasted

honestly, if you're worried about it, work on your RD applications

as I said earlier, report deadline for interviewers is 12/1. ED decisions come out what... 12/13-12/16? They aren't going to re-read all the applications + interviews. They've probably made a first pass by then, so the interviews will likely only impact borderline cases

[twin adder]

lmaoo im getting dinner with an ao tomorrow

ill ask

jk

[twin adder]

i think they are read in pdf's or on computers

waste of paper to print

id guess

[twin adder]

it prolly fluctuates

and in committee they need to have more ao's read it

[twin adder]

dont worry about it

its your interviewers fault if they dont send it

so if they somehow dont do it, it cant really be held against you

[humble stream]

does anyone know if they request first quarter grades do they notify you as well?

[old turtle]

presumably, they would ask your school, and if your school has some sort of permissions process, then you'll be notified. You could ask the admin

[humble stream]

my school's policy is that i have to request sending the grades otherwise they wont do it, even if theyre the one getting the request and not me so i was just wondering if i would even know to put in the request

[old turtle]

huh, if that's a standard policy, sounds like you have to send the grades to schools rather than them requesting it

just as an overall thing

[west light]

Are first quarter grades the same as mid year?

[snow pewter]

Eerie

[old turtle]

Someone may or may not have put a Princeton t-shirt on the John Harvard statue and gotten photographic evidence

maybe I should've posted this in the Harvard megathread

naaaah

[snow pewter]

Oh thats john harvard LMAO

[safe wren]

people have done worse to that statue

would not be the first time trash was thrown on it

[old turtle]

the whole touching of the foot thing makes no sense to me... but superstition

[humble stream]

my princeton interview was awesomesauce

[jolly wasp]

mine is on sunday ım a little anxious

[jolly wasp]

do you have any advices

[humble stream]

don’t be nervous!! going into it i def was because i get a lot of social anxiety but just think of it as a conversation, my interviewer was really good at blending questions into conversation so it didn’t really feel like an interview at all

[jolly wasp]

do they look at your application before the interview or just asking general questions

for some schools ı heard that they actually look at your application so if thats the case ıll prepare for it

[humble stream]

i dont think they see your application because my interviewer asked what i was interested in studying

so be prepared to talk a little bit about what you wanna do and what you currently do

[jolly wasp]

okay tysm

[humble stream]

good luck!! i know qhasti interviews so he might have some input as well :)

[jolly wasp]

that'd be awesome

[old turtle]

All we get is a name and an e-mail address. Nothing else.

[humble stream]

would you advise sending a thank you email after an interview? my interviewer told me he wasnt supposed to contact me after the interview was over so im not expecting a response

[old turtle]

you can send it, they'll read it, but not respond

well, I have no idea what your interviewer will do, but that's what I think we're supposed to do

[humble stream]

yeah i highly doubt he'll answer and idm but i sent one anyway thanks

[pulsar crest]

My schools first quarter grades are finalized, but my counselor says I shouldn’t send them to Princeton because only mid year grades officially update the transcript at my school. But Princeton says they recommend sending first quarter grades if possible, and we still have the actual grades. Should I try to find a way to send them with my school counselor or not worry about it unless I’m requested to send my first quarter grades? He’s also not that knowledgeable

[placid trench]

Apparently pton matched a lot of people from my school with interviewers who graduated from my school

Very nice of them

[jolly wasp]

my interview went amazing🥳

[humble stream]

congrats!!!

[jolly wasp]

it was like a chat actually, nothing too serious so ı loved it

[jolly wasp]

is it a bad sign that nearly half of the interview was about me having triplets, my house's garden and our common favorite shows and movies with the interviewer

ım just anxious right now like was it too casual

[old turtle]

Nope, talking about what you're passionate about is what makes you interesting!

[west light]

My interviewer cancelled on me thrice

[old turtle]

did they reschedule 4 times?

[west light]

Waiting for the 4th time

but yeah I think the reports due next week so idk

[old turtle]

I wouldn't worry about it. Life is complicated. Is it remote now?

[west light]

I hope it doesn't get rushed and turns out bad

[west light]

Yup

[old turtle]

yeah, they want them in by 11/28 with a 12/1 hard deadline

[west light]

Went from in person to remote

[west light]

I see I hope it works out

before 1st

[old turtle]

I've been assigned interviews late and just did them remote instead of in person. Admissions office has no preference

[west light]

That's true but I feel I'd cook in person vs remote

Welp whatever

Do you know if princeton has a specific day they like announcing early decisions?

I've read (probably unreliable sources) that

Most ivies release early on the Thursday of the 2nd week of dec

[pulsar crest]

Mine responded

[median zealot]

This is how it’s been for the past few years so you could probably expect something around then

but no guarantees

[frosty umbra]

the food is so much better than any other colleges

we also have late meal which sells sushi, salad bowls, and many other good stuff

but you can get it for free as a freshman

[pulsar crest]

^ please help

[median zealot]

you probably don’t have to worry about it

[old turtle]

dude, late meal is free??!?!?!

or do you mean you use points that you already paid for?

[twin adder]

yeah follow the pton admissions office guidelines in any case

[frosty umbra]

you're not wrong

lmao

*except im on fin aid so it's still free for me

[twin adder]

yeah its like

included

in a normal dining plan

[twin adder]

its by location really

like regionally blocked

[dusk forge]

for a major like physics is only the AB degree offered? I don't really understand the ab vs bse thing since common app lets you choose any major regardless of that

[old turtle]

AB and BSE graduating requirements are different. BSE requires 36 courses, AB is 34 (though I think that's going up). Except for CS, reach departure offers either a BSE or AB. You can go AB or BSE in CS. Course requirements are different for both. Physics is AB only. I think it's just check box ambiguity.

[white marten]

What is happening in the admissions process rn

[median zealot]

Wdym

[white marten]

Like is it in committee, etc

[median zealot]

Probably?

I don’t think anyone here knows lol

[dusk forge]

ok so i HAVE to apply for AB? as in if i checked the BSE box and wrote that essay i would get flat out rejected 🤔

[old turtle]

The physics department only gives ABs. I wouldn't worry about mixing it up in an essay. It's an easy mistake to make.

[west light]

Sitting in interview meet

5 mins to go

🤞

[west light]

Nice interviewer, nice interview, fumbled a bit in the beginning but he was lowk a chill guy

[snow pewter]

Yay!

[snow pewter]

LOL

[west light]

Lmao

[dusk forge]

for the 500 word princeton essay on lived experiences, are u supposed to talk about what you will do with this at princeton? Some guides online say you should while others dont

[humble stream]

i added a little bit at the end of my essay but it wasn't a big focus of mine

[old turtle]

Isn't the focus of the essay on community?

[dusk forge]

it asks how your experiences have shaped you, but doesnt explicitly say what are you planning to do at princeton with these experiences

[old turtle]

What's the whole prompt?

[gritty spindle]

i mean

it says this ". As a prospective member of this community, reflect on how your lived experiences will impact the conversations you will have in the classroom, the dining hall or other campus spaces. "

so when i was writing, i assumed they wanted to know about how my community/background would impact the princeton community so i wrote about it

it also asks what will your classmates learn from you so it seems safe to assume they want to know what you'd do at princeton

[west light]

Same, thats how I approached it

Just remember lived experiences can mean a lot of stuff, not just your race/ethnicity etc

[twin adder]

bse is the engineering degree

physics isnt engineering

[finite minnow]

has pton annouced when theyre releasing decisions yet

[west light]

Seeing how it's usually been on the second Thursday of December

Probably 12th

[finite minnow]

hopefully its that early 🙏

bc normally princeton is same day as yale and yales releasing on the 17th this yr

[old turtle]

I think the lived experiences question is great because it allows you to differentiate yourself separately from external characteristics.

[jolly wasp]

so less than 2 weeks

😭

[west light]

Then it's most likely then ig

[twin elm]

im so cooked

i hope i can just get in or ill have to do like a billion other apps. Some ppl at my school are saying that even if they get into an ivy ea theyre still gunna send out apps to all of them. like whyyyyyyy

mit yale and pton all have generous aid packages so are they just trying to flex or something?

[gritty spindle]

lmaooo i remember running this stuff too

yall got it gl

[gritty spindle]

smh prestige whores

[old turtle]

what a waste of time, money and effort

[twin elm]

i heard it will negatively affect the chances of everyone else applying rd. is that true?

lol see tiger=tears of joy, no tiger=despair

[old turtle]

if 1000 ED/EA admitted kids did it maybe. But one? The schools are going to fill their classes either way.

[pulsar crest]

Pretty sure they did same day as Harvard last year which is on the 12th this year

I think it’s more likely they stick to doing it on a Thursday than match Yale’s

[twin elm]

even though its unlikely, i hope its on friday bc I would hate going to school and have everyone asking to know about acceptances

[tough juniper]

I don’t think I’ve ever seen it on a Friday

Thursday, December 12, 2019
Thursday, December 16, 2021
Thursday, December 15, 2022
Thursday, December 14, 2023

Dunno what happened to my 2020 log lmfao

[white marten]

Eurgh

[old turtle]

pattern is pretty definitive for 12/12/2024

back in the ancient times, I got my letter on a Wednesday priority mail

[white marten]

Teehee I’m nervous

[old turtle]

If nervous, work on RD. But I think you've mentioned that you've already submitted a bunch of applications. Go.... For a run?

[west light]

Time to finish my RD apps and pray for the best for the rest of my life 🙏

[vague heron]

same 🤑🤑🤑🤑

the only ones i like rereading are the short takes

[old turtle]

Kinda surprised how many people here applied to Princeton

[twin elm]

Same

I know for me it was bc their rotc detachment has been very active in recruiting and sending people for visits

Which made me choose princeton over any other school when applying ea

But also a lot of ppl at my school have applied bc they only saw the #1 ranking which doesnt make sense bc us world and news report ranks using strange criteria

[old turtle]

I agree. I think rankings are rather arbitrary. You can't really quantify undergraduate experience and support, and I think that's where Princeton excels.

[twin elm]

also dont they consider the graduate schools which skews the undergrad rankings? because some schools have strong undergrads but weak graduate schools but are ranked low becauase of it

[jolly wasp]

totally same ı especially loved my soundtrack choice and my reasoning

but not sure about the service civic engagement one tho

just hope for the best atp

[white marten]

so many people applied rea

im cooked

[south harbor]

Ye ngl

Damn

[vague heron]

and their long ass community essay

[jolly wasp]

ı think the prompt was too broad in the community one they could be more exact

are you guys from us or int

[white marten]

us

[vague heron]

same

[pulsar crest]

Yeah, it’s called the community essay, but the whole setup is about expanding perspectives and having conversations, and then they top it off with “how has your life experience shaped you?” which is super vague

They’re probably gonna read hundreds of different interpretations of the prompt

[old turtle]

Numerically, I don't think they can include graduate schools in their rubric (whatever the hell that might actually be....)

[median zealot]

No

[gilded bear]

What are you guys doing for the graded paper?

All the good ones I have are way over 2 pages

[old turtle]

If you read carefully, those are guidelines

[gilded bear]

Yeah but I'm way over

Like 9 pages I'm not sure if they'd read that

[old turtle]

They're just going to skim it. They aren't reading the 2 page ones either

[gilded bear]

Oh alright

Do you think something for an AP Exam would be fine?

Not really sure about the confidentiality with that

[old turtle]

Does it meet the guidelines?

What I'm trying to say is... Meet the guidelines, don't stress too much

[gilded bear]

Alright

[gilded bear]

Well I'd have to ask my teacher to grade it because it was only graded by CollegeBoard

I have other ones I could use but they're handwritten

[old turtle]

Does it fit the guidelines?

[gilded bear]

I'm pretty sure but I need to find them and legibility is questionable

Thanks though

I think I'm overthinking this

[humble stream]

was princeton your first choice for undergrad (or whenever you attended princeton im not sure)

[old turtle]

Yes. Thought about Stanford since my sister was there, but pretty much all Princeton

[humble stream]

im doing my best to channel my anxiety into rd apps but i feel myself getting more burnt out by the minute 💀

[left tapir]

are princeton application rea results basically already done? thinking of updating the AOs

[humble stream]

what made you decide princeton over stanford? just curious lol

[old turtle]

I got in early. It was ED back then, so I got in and that was that

[west light]

bro 😭😭😭 same

[old turtle]

Go for a walk

Don't worry about it. That's typical. There's artists that had to be barred from their own galleries because they kept going back and touching it up after completion. Nothing is "perfect"

[old turtle]

It feels super important now, but it won't be in a year

[ionic terrace]

The secret is not opening your application after you submit it

Forget you applied until the decision date

[median zealot]

that's what i did

I just pretended I never applied and did all of my rd apps

[old turtle]

It's a process

You get a lot more used to failure later over the course of your life 😅

[gilded bear]

How do I even do this community essay 😭

[snow pewter]

Omg fr
What will they learn from me??? 😭

[gilded bear]

Like bro I'm truly drawing a blank here

[white marten]

I actually read mine and it was decent tbh

[white marten]

What makes the way you grew up unique

Are you a child of immigrants, from a strange place, dealt with a weird life situstion

I wrote about what it’s like to live in my town

And then tied it back to the perspective can contribute

[gilded bear]

But the issue is there's so many of those people who are gonna write about the same thing

Of course, I'm a member of a ton of communities. Of course, my experiences will shape my college experience. But, the struggle is finding something that's actually unique.

Like, sure I'm an immigrant but there's many international applicants so that doesn't mean much

[twin elm]

i feel like it wasnt the struggle itself thats supposed to be unique

its how you plan to use it to contribute to the princeton community

[snow pewter]

mm ok i think maybe i have an idea but the contribution part might be meh

[twin elm]

that q cooked me on the interview tho

bc they kinda phrased it like "students at princeton are all the best in the nation at something.... what are you the best at that will make you fit into that category of student"

[snow pewter]

i would despise that question

[twin elm]

like i get theres always a how would you contribute but when its phrased like that, Im sure theres gotta be someone in the history of princeton thats better than me at any thing i can think of

[white marten]

My interviewer never once asked me what I’d contribute to Princeton or why I wanted to go

[twin elm]

whaaaa

[white marten]

He didn’t ask me any questions about the university

We just talked

[twin elm]

i wish it was like that

mine were what i would contribute and what challenges I faced

and why i thought princeton would be better than schools like stanford or yale

[white marten]

At one point he threw in a “it’s pretty obvious why you want to go” which confused me a lil bit but pop off interviewer

Or something to that effect

[twin elm]

lmaooooo

[white marten]

I don’t think he was accusing me of prestige whoring

Because the whole thing was an insane glazefest

But maybe that’s his style

[twin elm]

lol ive done a bunch of interviews because of my west point application and rotc but ive never had an interview like the princeton one lol

it was zoom so maybe thats why it was so awkward but sometimes he would just stare at me

[white marten]

He said he “rarely gets to do this” so he was super excited

[white marten]

Mine was zoom too

We talked for almost an hour

About everything istg

[twin elm]

yea mine was abt that long but a lot of it was me asking questions

[white marten]

I asked two questions

[twin elm]

cuz princeton approaches a lot of things differently

[white marten]

I asked one question about support for incoming rural students to which he didn’t have an answer

And I asked another question about the nature of how students interact and if it’s a constructive environment to learn in

[twin elm]

yea i did a culture one as well

[white marten]

And he said that while Princeton used to be a very dog eat dog, competitive place it has become very very cooperative lately

Oh I suppose I asked three

[twin elm]

but i asked about like languages and study abroad but my guy didnt do those

[white marten]

I asked how he made friends at Princeton

[twin elm]

i asked about how competitive it was between students but all i got was that its just like any other school lol

[white marten]

And he explained how you’re sorted into houses and you take your gen ed classes solely within those houses and that’s kind of your crew

[white marten]

He told me it was a very very cooperative environment and your first level of support for anything will be your peers

[twin elm]

yea its kinda sad if you dont like yours and it never changes

[white marten]

Which was nice to hear

[twin elm]

its kinda like hogwarts lol

[white marten]

Well once you start your major classes you start mixing and mingling

[twin elm]

but dont residential colleges never change?

[white marten]

I don’t think so but I’m not sure

Princeton isn’t enormous so you can probably pretty easily make cross-college friends

Esp if you join clubs and stuff

Like if I get in I’m auditioning for the PUO

And joining the astronomy club

[twin elm]

yea i asked about the eating clubs too

[white marten]

I didn’t ask

I felt it wasn’t important

I don’t care so much about frat life

[twin elm]

i thought it was something unique to princeton that i didnt rly understand

[white marten]

It’s just frats but with a fancy name basically

I’ll have better things to do tbh

If I get in

[twin elm]

yea lol

[white marten]

Gotta stay cautiously positive

[twin elm]

lol sometimes i get too confident and i gotta remind myself to be realistic

[white marten]

It’s hard for me because everyone I’m around gasses me up all the time

Even here

[old turtle]

You meet people in a lot of different ways. The people in your room, your RA group, your residential college are simply the closest people to you geographically on campus. Socially, there's the people in your classes, social and cultural groups, random people you meet as friends of friends.

Eating clubs are where people party on Thursday and Saturday nights. Some require social connections to get into, some are open to all. Sophomore year, you sign in (non selective) or bicker (selective) to join an eating club.

You eat there junior and senior year

[twin elm]

its not as intense as greek life at other schools right

[old turtle]

Having not experienced Greek life, I have no idea.

I joined a sign in club. It was fun and stress free

[twin elm]

like wdym party

is it like hanging out?

[old turtle]

But I imagine someone trying to get into Ivy or Cottage would have to figure shit out

[twin elm]

or do ppl drink a ton of alcohol

[old turtle]

You drink as much as you want to, hang out. Play pool, dance, talk, pong, video games. Whatever

[twin elm]

because i heard it has a large affect on your social life so i dont wanna be a recluse lol but im also not into heavy partying (if i get in ofc)

[old turtle]

Find a dark corner with a friend etc.

[twin elm]

also i heard each one kinda fits its own niche?

[old turtle]

I didn't party before college. My most memorable hangouts were playing pool with friends with a few beers

[twin elm]

thats cool lol

[old turtle]

There always a range of what works for you

[twin elm]

is there stuff to do other than nyc and nassau st?

also how stressed are the students there

[old turtle]

While I was there, I never really went to Philly or NYC. The kids who did tended to be from those cities. For me, there was more than enough stuff for me to do on campus

[old turtle]

Stress levels are very much so self imposed. A lot of the time, the worst pressure is the pressure you put on yourself

There's always mental support services. When I was there, there was a little bit of a stigma around it, but there was some stat floating around that 75% of students visit counseling services at least once. I would be surprised if it wasn't much higher now. Mental health awareness is MUCH higher now

[twin elm]

also i saw that theres grade deflation at princeton, does it is really impactful for your college experience?

[old turtle]

I was there when they first introduced grade deflation. It affects the early large classes more than it affects junior /senior level seminar classes. Your transcript comes with a letter talking about grade deflation policies

Ultimately, almost nobody graduates with a 4.0. Valedictorian is a faculty vote and it's kids who take 6-7 courses a semester, etc.

GPA matters if you're going med school /law school. Not so much in other areas?

Maybe finance?

[twin elm]

for me, rotc summer programs are calculated with gpa playing a big part but i dont think they account for grade deflation

[old turtle]

I have friends who did rotc, but they never mentioned the summer program

[twin elm]

i meant more like selection based on competing for slots like airborne school

[old turtle]

If you're interested in med school, then I think you have to optimize for grades.

[twin elm]

like theres the oml (order of merit list) that is also used to determine what branch you get into based on your rank

[old turtle]

Sorry, don't know anything about that

[twin elm]

its ok lol. the main thing is just the gpa expectation

[old turtle]

Yeah, like you try not to take too many hard courses at the same time, that sort of thing

[twin elm]

also does anyone know what comp sci / comp e is like at princeton

[old turtle]

My best friends were CS or EE. I think everyone works hard regardless of major

[twin elm]

any complaints from them about their major or anything like that?

[old turtle]

Not really. Mostly difficult late night problem set sessions

[twin elm]

that good then

[old turtle]

Like, the coursework it's difficult. I think the professors give like 8 hours a week per class. But 8 hours of work for a professor isn't 8 hours for a student. Multiply that for 4-5 courses and do it in STEM

[white marten]

Damn

40 hours+ per week

[median zealot]

Ya basically

I still have time to do all of my club stuff but it’s still like

working most of the time

[woeful trout]

are y'all able to set good boundaries between work and fun or is it kinda blurred?

[median zealot]

It really depends on the person

I personally am able to balance it but I’m also a freshman so there’s still a long road ahead of me

but if you establish good habits and surround yourself with healthy people I think it’s fine

obviously some people are built different and they’re unbothered by the grind but idk I want to enjoy my time here with other people lol

[woeful trout]

icc that makes sense ty

[jolly wasp]

ı just cant its a hobby atp opening the app and overthinking about it

[old turtle]

if you're in STEM and you're lucky, it's 40+ hours a week. Much longer if you want to grind out those A's and have a life

so presuming you're an engineer and taking 5 course semesters, that's 48+ hours out of the 168 hours in a week

[ionic terrace]

What classes are you taking

[hard palm]

Oof

That does sound fun, in a way tbh

But sounds like having a job + involved in clubs + classes would be very hard

[white marten]

hopefully the goal is to not need a job

but thats not feasible for everyone

40 hours per week seems like a lot now, and it still is, but consider it when you no longer have an 8 hour school day + extremely long obligations like jobs

the majority of your day will be consumed with work but i dont think it will feel as hectic and insane for most people

for me its gonna feel hectic and insane because my course rigor is... idaho

[humble stream]

any indication on questbridge when decisions will be out?

[white marten]

they were today

[white marten]

already happened

[humble stream]

i meant rea decisions

not questbridge

as in was there any indication on the qb acceptance letters when the rea decisions will officially be released

[white marten]

no

why would they say that in QB

[humble stream]

multiple schools have done that

[white marten]

but its all but confirmed to be Dec 12

[humble stream]

columbias is now like the 18th or something

revealed in qb

so i was wondering if princeton indicated any particular day that rea would be released

[vague heron]

this was princeton’s

no decision date unfortunately

[humble stream]

damn theyre too mysterious

[vague heron]

nonchalant and shit 🤦‍♂️

[hard palm]

Yeah I would definitely need a job... Never said anything about sleeping though

I would choose anxiety tbh

I would focus better being anxious than crushed

Valid lol

[median zealot]

algorithms and data structures, linear algebra, physics, writing seminar

everyone gets absolutely fucked in writing sem

[jolly wasp]

is there an official release date now?

[median zealot]

They’ll tell you the officially release date only a few days before the results

[tough juniper]

QB letters said early December iirc

So I’d bet on sooner than later

[old turtle]

Ha, everybody gets to learn how to write all over again as a freeshman in writing seminar

[white marten]

Sounds soul crushing

Which means I’ll love it

Freshman bonding time crying over writing

[old turtle]

more likely Physics 105, but same difference

[white marten]

I heard people were receiving Q1 grade requests, is this true?

[twin adder]

omg questbridge out

how exciting

[twin adder]

haha its not so bad

just research writing

[twin adder]

yeah i totally agree

if you need help with an assignment reaching out to a classmate is a normal step

[twin adder]

lmfaoo get in first lil bro😭

[twin adder]

you can party without drinking

[white marten]

I won’t trust

[twin adder]

the eating clubs are just another thing

voluntary engagement

[white marten]

I figured

Shame that I won’t ever get to try it out

[twin adder]

not with that attitude😭

[white marten]

People tell me I’m too confident and then I put on the brakes and people tell me I’m too negative

Argh

[twin adder]

haha the reak answer is it doesnt mater

matter

[white marten]

We’ll see what happens

[twin adder]

how you feel

[white marten]

Precisely

[twin adder]

the nihilist would say just dont bother agonizing over it

[white marten]

Yeah

We’ll see

[twin adder]

i think work ur rd apps

it has no utility to worry over a decision out of your hands now

[white marten]

Yep that’s what I’ve been doing

Focusing pretty heavy on Caltech

[twin adder]

what r u applying to pton for?

ah cal t

[white marten]

Physics

[twin adder]

i know some kids in my year who got caltech rea

and then didnt go in favor of pton LOL

[white marten]

Dang

[twin adder]

all that caltech commitment for nothing

[white marten]

I’ve got nobody else around me to look at in terms of applying to top schools

So I’m a little excited and a little nervous at the same time

[twin adder]

yeah i was the only one in my city to go to pton😭

my year

[elfin sedge]

Has anyone gotten the q1 request?

[twin adder]

and there were like 3 kids in my county i think

[white marten]

Nobody from my school has gone to a T20 since 1994

[twin adder]

thats good

physics here is goated

[white marten]

I think QB people might have

[twin adder]

and very rigorous

[white marten]

That’s why I applied lol

[elfin sedge]

Ohh okay

I applied REA

[twin adder]

oppenheimer pilled ...

[white marten]

Yeah me too

[elfin sedge]

Same here

[white marten]

If they send them they’ll probably do it this week, I doubt they would’ve last week

Because of the holiday

[elfin sedge]

Yeah I saw ppl got it around December 5

Last year

[white marten]

Fingers crossed

But I’m not sure how much of an indicator for success that is

[twin adder]

no thats just sandard

standard

[white marten]

They may just want to know how you’re doing in your current year courses

[elfin sedge]

And this year results are coming out earlier right?

[white marten]

I figured

[twin adder]

dont do portal astrology

[white marten]

🗣️ 🔥 that’s what I’m saying

[elfin sedge]

Oh it doesn’t matter?

[twin adder]

in retrospect i shouldve just submitted apps and lived my life

[elfin sedge]

Good luck yall btw

[white marten]

Although my counselor might not get one because she already filled out the Q1 optional report on common

[twin adder]

waiting for decisions was so debilitating

😭

[elfin sedge]

It’s so scary 😭

[white marten]

I’m not scared just… anxious

[twin adder]

thats a form of fear

[elfin sedge]

Yeahh that’s what I meant

[white marten]

I want it to be over at any cost

[twin adder]

just wait til you get to college and still feel just as empty💯

[elfin sedge]

Do you like it at Princeton?

[twin adder]

oh yes lol

love it

[elfin sedge]

That’s great!

[twin adder]

the university treats us as adults and with a lot of freedom

[white marten]

I’m gonna love it anywhere I go tbh

I’m plotting to form a secret undergraduate intermural physics research group

[twin adder]

its a fascinating social experiment

to bring this group of kids together

[old turtle]

🤣 we crazy

[white marten]

I’m assuming you’ve got all sorts of people there

[twin adder]

yeah the point is to bring together vastly different people

[white marten]

I love vastly different people

[twin adder]

my roommate is like in a completely opposite discpline as me

and opposite social vibe

he's like a usaco platinum guy LMFAO

[white marten]

Vastly different people is my favorite thing about working in public service

[twin adder]

and did hella olympiads

[white marten]

I had never even heard of olympiads until this year 😢

I did cooler stuff 😎

[twin adder]

thats good

olympiads can be shallow in effect

[white marten]

Well I mean it’s cool to me

Idk if they’ll think it’s cool but it’s whatever

Anyway lunch period is over so see ya

[twin adder]

lmfaoo i mean

it feels bad rn

once youre an old sophomore like me youll realize its like 1/14 of your grades and GPA total

and it wont feel so important

[old turtle]

and if you're even older and got a D in writing seminar, it doesn't matter because I'm writing 2-3 scientific papers/grants a year

[twin adder]

lmfao i got a B+ and

its the only B i've ever gotten

out of 9 pton classes

[old turtle]

there's some quote from some smart person that goes something like, "don't worry if you struggle with class, I assure you I was worse"

[twin adder]

LMAO

[white marten]

Fit matters

Would she be a good fit?

I mean legacy helps

[tough juniper]

I will ping this thread once I find out

If y’all find out before I do feel free to ping me with proof or message @pine dawn

You can also email me the proof

That’s new this year!

[humble stream]

i know especially at a time like this when it feels like you're being assessed of 'merit' or 'worthiness' to go to a certain university it's easy to be insecure (college admissions isnt a meritocracy anyway), but don't sweat it-- both of you have traits that can't be compared or quantified, and schools can be looking for different things to fit their instutional needs

and even if you dont get in, these amazing qualities you have and things youve done will still lead you to successful in life wherever you end up

[humble stream]

its something i definitely have to remind myself too lol

[white marten]

@sonic dome I would like to add that she may be rejected for having qualities an already admitted applicant reflect, and you could be accepted for just being you. Don’t take it as a poor reflection on yourself, take it as a “there just wasn’t enough room”

[pulsar crest]

What time do decisions usually release?

Last year it was like 7pm right

[white marten]

Yes

EST

[jolly wasp]

its 3 am in my local time zone

[white marten]

dont get too excited

rejection is nigh

thats okay

it means they simply didnt have room for you; another school might

yep

youre more than likely an extremely qualified applicant

youll land somewhere, we all will

it may takes some time but, we will

[twin elm]

Im def not unique enough

[white marten]

Depends

The university could choose you for something you don’t expect

[vague heron]

this process is so stupidly random

[twin elm]

I think its best i dont think abt it

Princetons is esp random lol

Sometimes pll get into all ivies but princeton

[pulsar crest]

And some get into only Princeton

[twin elm]

Yea i saw those

So weird

[pulsar crest]

Institutional priorities or something

[twin elm]

Itd be so cool to sit in on admissions lol

Prolly would make a lot of ppl mad tho

[white marten]

I don’t think it’s random

They want the most diverse class possible

If your qualities overlap significantly with someone they already have you might get rejected

And fit is ignored but incredibly important

Would you thrive there or implode under the pressure?

They can tell from the app

There’s a certain element of randomness regarding who’s app gets seen first, when it’s seen, what mood the AO is in, etc, but that can be said for job interviews and anything evaluation based in life

But if you’re in, you’re in for a good reason. If you’re out, you’re out for an equally visible reason, even if it’s just “you probably wouldn’t like it here” or “we have someone like you already”

[old turtle]

last year I interviewed 5 kids. 2 were extremely good/strong, but they didn't get in. Later I found out they got into Harvard and MIT. The one kid I interviewed remotely for early, didn't really connect, and he got in. I think at the end of the day, Princeton is a geographically insular research university. It might feel random from the few individuals you know about as high schoolers, but I'm sure there's a rhyme and reason about it internally.

[twin elm]

Would princeton not be a good school to rea then

Bc it would be better to raise chances for other schools when princeton accepts based on their criteria (not just stats)

[white marten]

I’m sure the school has some sort of secret list or guidelines for the class they’re trying to build which is why we high schoolers think it’s random

[white marten]

Most schools probably have institutional “wish lists” to fill

I think REA is perfect for that tbh

Now this is purely speculative but here’s how I think it could go:

Accepted: you were a kind of person on the wish list
Deferred: definitely worthy, but you don’t necessarily satisfy an institutional priority, so you will be checked against RD applicants to see
Rejected: no chance in hell/definitely not going to distinguish yourself in RD (intls and demographics with high applicant volumes)

[twin elm]

Actually yea it does make sense

Bc if they compare with ppl they alr accepted wouldnt being looked at first before rd help

[white marten]

I think so

RD is for what they have left on their wish list plus whoever else they can fit

Now again

PURELY speculative

But it would make sense if it was decided this way

[old turtle]

I mean, think about it - Princeton has a classics department. There are undergrads in that department, right?

[white marten]

To me at least

[old turtle]

religion, art and archaeology etc.

[white marten]

Yeah

[old turtle]

history/english/politics are going to be popular no matter what. STEM is hot for the past 20 years

anthropology/sociology/psychology, there's what - 50 departments?

1500 undergrads per class minus athletes minus some legacy, then you need to keep some small departments alive

there was a population studies department, there was a statistics department (Tukey if anyone's heard of the Tukey test, used to run that department)

[jolly wasp]

How many internationals do they accept in rea generally

[white marten]

I’m assuming those small departments are institutional priorities

People interested in those majors get a little more attention

[old turtle]

no idea. I think the Daily Princetonian ran a freshman survey, so you can look there

[median zealot]

about 10% of the class is international but thats like 150 people internationals from the entire world

so not very many people from a given country

[old turtle]

all the information is there if you care to look

[white marten]

I believe intls were 13% of the class of 28

[pulsar crest]

Makes sense but since FGLI students are an institutional priority, I do wonder if Princeton already accepts enough from QuestBridge’s match instead of REA

[old turtle]

I think FGLI has been a problem at Princeton. So has certain demographics. I don't know if it's gotten better. I know the SCOTUS decision made things more complicated if they wanted to make those demographic goals a priority

[snow pewter]

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? (250 words or fewer)*
how much didyou guys write about the academic area vs programs at princeton

[west light]

Wait what criteria

Why did I not know anything about this 😭😭

[twin elm]

I meant like whatever the aos use when reviewing applications. I dont think anyone outside of then knows exactly what it is

[white marten]

I wrote about the diversity of the physics program and how its many unique class would help me hammer down one interest or concentration in the field

[west light]

Does anyone know princeton early decision date from questbridge

[white marten]

No but it’s highly speculated to be Dec 12th

[snow pewter]

So u wrote the entire thing about princeton programs?

[white marten]

I covered that but also talked about where my interest in the major came from

[snow pewter]

Was it like 50/50

[west light]

Yale is 17th Columbia is 18th

Would rather cry on 12th than a week before Christmas tbh

[white marten]

Kinda like an introduction into how the program fits me

Don’t put too much stock in my app lol I’m definitely getting rejected

[snow pewter]

Oh 😭 dont say that

[white marten]

I’m preparing for it

Anything else is a pleasant surprise

[warm panther]

who got Q1 grade reqs from princeton

[white marten]

Nobody brother give it a rest

[warm panther]

i physically cannot

bro can you dm me if you find anything out?

[warm panther]

how many do you think got in rea?

[median zealot]

Hard to tell

[warm panther]

im from the middle east

this is what gpt gave me

For 18 to 60 applicants, 2 to 8 Middle Eastern students are likely accepted through REA at Princeton.

im cooooooooked

nah hopefully all goes well

[tough juniper]

They didn’t give one

[white marten]

Probably about 7-800 based on past data

[median zealot]

Maybe but they don’t release early admission statistics anymore

[old turtle]

hey look, there's a hint in the short answers

[old turtle]

why would you trust what GPT makes up out of thin air? Nobody knows the answer

[warm panther]

i dont at all

[warm panther]

you mean 7-8??

~220 intls accepted last year, ur saying only 8 were intl in REA?

i think thats too low

[old turtle]

I think the 7-800 means 700-800 people are accepted REA

[warm panther]

also guys

[warm panther]

ah okayyy

yo guys

Was watching a video where ex-AOs go over an application, and a student's 1490 and lack of advanced math was ultimately their downfall (their prediction of a rejection), at Princeton.

I have a 1530 superscore (790M) and my highest single sitting is 1480. Most T10s take self-reported, so they will only see my SS. The problem here is I applied to Pton, which asks me to SEND my scores, so they'll see what I said earlier.

How does this impact me for Princeton? For context, I've taken 12 APs (4 this year), all 4s & 5s with all AP STEMs taken except AP Biology, Physics C: E&M, and AP Stats.

i'm intl too

princeton does superscore but again yeah

so idk

[old turtle]

If you sent your application in already, there's nothing you can do. If you're stressed, work on your RD applications

[warm panther]

i know but this actually mentally prepares me

if it negatively impacts my application, ill be primed for a rejection

lowering my expectations

[south harbor]

It won’t

[old turtle]

not really. It's just a waste of your time

[south harbor]

790m is above median

[warm panther]

yes but my highest is 1480 w a 690r

[south harbor]

They superscore tho

So

[warm panther]

but again they apparently superscore but ask to send sat scores which is really dumb

[south harbor]

🤷‍♂️

[warm panther]

you applied rea?

[south harbor]

Ye

[ionic terrace]

Why is this thread so active

[old turtle]

I mean, maybe they want to make sure that people aren't lying on their applications

[old turtle]

anxious applicants

[warm panther]

out of what country if u dont mind me asking

[south harbor]

US

[warm panther]

why dont all the other ivies do though

[ionic terrace]

This thread seems especially active to me though

Compared to the others

[subtle summit]

Just be prepared for anything

[warm panther]

am already

[subtle summit]

Life will continue I promise

[warm panther]

i got into tamu so i feel like a weight is lifted to an extent

[old turtle]

no idea. Princeton can do Princeton. Each school has their own individual policies of their own choice

[warm panther]

but i really want to get into a top top school

[warm panther]

alr then

are you an alum?

[subtle summit]

See you alr have an amazing school you’re chilling

[warm panther]

yes thankfully

would be so much happier w a pton acceptance

you know the sad thing is like

not sad but

i put my best foot forward for that school

like my application couldnt have been any better except for like a single grammar mistake

recs and essays and all that were the best i could do

[subtle summit]

Ofc but things will be fine either way

Even if it’s not immediately

[subtle summit]

That’s great! You’ve done all you could

[old turtle]

pretty sure they don't care about that. Proves you didn't use chatGPT honestly

[warm panther]

and if i dont get in i feel like i wont get in anywhere else because i gave pton the best and it wasnt enough

but i know all this is luck

[subtle summit]

Nah that’s not true

[warm panther]

so it isss what it isss

[warm panther]

ikik

[subtle summit]

I wouldn’t say that

[warm panther]

it was on the resume upload lol

[warm panther]

well

it was diffwerent instutiuonal priorities

[subtle summit]

Your writing drastically improves from rea to rd

[old turtle]

Every school is looking for fit. Princeton either way has no influence on other school results

[subtle summit]

I mean whatever makes you sleep better

[subtle summit]

^

[warm panther]

im coping

youre all right

[warm panther]

yes

[old turtle]

chiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiil

[warm panther]

that hard part is i have 4 other schools

14*

to write

and i have finals in a week

and i need to keep As

i just finished UCs and now i need to keep running this marathon

[subtle summit]

When I got rejected from my rea school and deferred ea I was convinced I wouldn’t be going to college lol but here I am

[subtle summit]

There’s a WW side dw

[warm panther]

but if i hear good news next week im only applying to like 3 schools

[subtle summit]

If you get in you can stop

[warm panther]

yes exactly

[subtle summit]

If you don’t you have motivation and/or anxiety

[warm panther]

@old turtledyk anything about the quarter 1 grade request princeton makes each rea round

for some reason this year it hasnt been done

unless for QB

[old turtle]

if nobody knows, how would I know?

apparently, nobody else here who applied got it

that should answer your question

as an alum, I have no inside connections, I'm just here to answer questions because I feel like it

and apparently play hs therapist

[subtle summit]

Do you interview

[old turtle]

yes

[west light]

So true

It's hard to get into the flow initially

Princeton has been my worst application so far, and I'm kind of happy about that

Atleast I improved

[old turtle]

I remember writing at least 12 drafts in my Princeton application

hmm, 10. I still have them 😅

I made up the last 2 out of pure imagination

[twin adder]

yeah its always 7pm est

[twin adder]

omg lol

i mean i just edited on the same google doc

but i certainly did many edits

[old turtle]

let's just say that google docs didn't exist back then. I write this way now, I'll write something, and when I want to make extensive changes (mainly large deletions), I create a v2

that way if I want to recover entire paragraphs etc., I can just do that

it's like mental checkpointing

[twin adder]

thats right

its like 700

this wouldnt change so much from year to year

[twin adder]

its not random

this is cope

[white marten]

I think I hit 8-9

You people seriously need to find other schools to get excited about

[twin adder]

LOL

naw i was a princeton stan from sophomore year forth

commit to the bit

[white marten]

I was memeing around last night and looked at the Northeastern physics department and they have a cooperative undergrad-grad dark matter research team

That excited me and I ended up applying for the hell of it since northeastern doesn’t hav essays

[twin adder]

i think 1500+ is fine

i mean i had above 1550 but

i dont think that was that important

[white marten]

Find a hobby that isn’t obsessing over borderline portal astrology sheesh

[white marten]

And raw sat score doesn’t matter, your score in school context matters

[twin adder]

naw the raw score matters

[white marten]

A 1490 in a less opportunistic high school will mean a lot even though it doesn’t have the shiny 15 attached to it

[twin adder]

like yeah if you are from a realtly underprivileged area or school theyll be a bit more forgiving

but consider the median for submitted scores is like 1570 now for these schools

cuz its optional

[white marten]

There’s a bias there

Really the median is probably closer to 1520-1530

Biggreen always says to check the pre covid data sets

[twin adder]

for accepted students? depends heavily on whether u factor athletes

cuz they have way lower SAT scores

if its just nonhooked/recruited studnets its prolly like

1550-1580

LOL

not very forgiving

[white marten]

Ngl my 750 in math looks hella bad until you see it in context

[hot zephyr]

Actually this makes a lot of sense thinking about it. I heard Yale was focussing on their data science for the past few years? Don’t know how true that is but that would make sense.

[twin adder]

yeah yale doesnt like how the good stem kids go to the rest of HYPSM

so they started giving likely letters and stem scholarships for strong students

[white marten]

That’s cool

[twin adder]

i know RSI kids who got yale likelies

its just like, they want to capture better stem talent

[white marten]

Yale is on my list if I don’t get into Princeton, provided, I am probably not going to get into either

But I’m good enough to try

[twin adder]

thats fine

its not damning

its just you need to be competent and compelling otherwise

[white marten]

Not many opportunities to do that unfortunately

Just a product of where I live

I took online calc when no other senior did this year

[twin adder]

i dont think thats an excuse, theres plenty of stuff you can do on your own

has nothing to do with your school

[white marten]

Math classes definitely have to do with your school

[twin adder]

i meant like ecs

[white marten]

Well yeah I have plenty of great ECs

[twin adder]

are not constrained, you can do whatever you want

[white marten]

Robotics team captain, community stem outreach stuff like that

[twin adder]

nice

i was an orientation leader and one kid in my group was a robotics kid

he got like silver at worlds or something LOL

and was an international

super cracked

[white marten]

I wrote a nice little essay about the robotics camps I do for local kids to help build interest in stem around here

Yeah our team isn’t cracked because we’re from the middle of nowhere but we do lots of stem outreach

I do lots of public speaking for fundraising

And when I was made team captain we placed fifth at our regional last year which was an all time high

Unfortunately it’s probably not enough but eh whatever

I know I made an impact and the goal of these things was never to get me into college anyway

[twin adder]

yeah it happens

same w harv and yale tho, its not just pton

i mean i got into multiple ivies

but its definitely not a ubiquitous phenomenon amongst my classmates

[hot zephyr]

Honestly that’s so based. I’m ngl, when I was starting hs my goal was to do things to get into a good college, but I ended up falling in love with a lot of the activities I did

[twin adder]

yeah i think thats the real value!

[white marten]

I never have had the intention of doing something for the app

[twin adder]

it helps make you a better person and realize your potential

[white marten]

Which is probably ironically why I’ll get rejected because I could’ve done more 💀

I’m fine with that tbh

[twin adder]

i mean by the end of college apps i was so tired i didnt even care that much in the moment

[white marten]

I’m not a sweat and if they don’t want me that’s too bad

[twin adder]

😭

and it was just a nice little treat and reward to get into some ivies

[white marten]

Precisely

[twin adder]

the real acceptance was the friends we made along the way...

[white marten]

I think I still have a chance but it would definitely be an upset if I get in

[white marten]

And the impact we made on our communities :)))

[hot zephyr]

Yeah it makes balancing ecs and classes so bearable when you actually like doing them

So honestly that’s a good thing

[twin adder]

im in class rn😭

struggling to pay attention

[hot zephyr]

LMAO

[white marten]

I’ve also worked in public service for two and a half years so that might look good tbh