How to Get Into Princeton

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PI1KucH4834

When I say Princeton, you might think of a preppy, intellectual atmosphere. But believe it or not, there is sooo much more to this place than bow ties and eating clubs. For example, did you know Princeton has the lowest student-faculty ratio (5:1) out of all the Ivies? 

In today’s article, we’ll discuss how to get into Princeton using the following two pillars: service and good old fashioned conversation. Since I’m feeling generous, we’ll also take a look at a successful Princeton essay that worked, and touch upon those short-answer questions, too!

Service 

Let’s start with service. Princeton’s Motto is literally “In the Nation’s Service and the Service of Humanity”! This is so important to Princeton’s ethos that one of their main supplemental essay question is: 

Princeton has a longstanding commitment to understanding our responsibility to society through service and civic engagement. How does your own story intersect with these ideals?

My biggest piece of advice here is to thread your past high school initiatives with your future plans at Princeton. Instead of mentioning all the community service you do, narrow down and pinpoint 1-2 of the most important moments. Then connect that to unique service opportunities only found at Princeton! 

For instance, did you know at Princeton, you can serve as a volunteer firefighter? There’s even a program dedicated to funding and supporting community engagement projects called ProCES. And did you know you could win $10,000 to implement an innovative service project anywhere in the world? The Projects for Peace program is definitely a unique one – we really didn’t have anything like that when I was at Yale. 

Or maybe you’ve been working with formerly incarcerated individuals all throughout high school, and you want to expand the Students for Prison Education, Abolition, and Reform, or SPEAR program! If so, write about that! 

Conversation 

Moving onto the other, even more important, Princeton essay question. Let’s talk about conversation. 

Princeton values community and encourages students, faculty, staff and leadership to engage in respectful conversations that can expand their perspectives and challenge their ideas and beliefs. 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. What lessons have you learned in life thus far? What will your classmates learn from you? In short, how has your lived experience shaped you? 

Here, Princeton wants you to reflect on your brief existence on this Earth, share your life philosophy, and then articulate how you’ll engage with other students on campus. Easy, right? 

Actually, no. A lot of students I’ve worked with have really struggled with this question. Honestly, it’s quite daunting, like, jeez, what life lessons have I learned? But don’t worry, I’m here to help! Rather than focusing on the lesson you learned and insight you gained, let’s start with the experience itself.  

Princeton is looking for people who are able to listen and contribute to meaningful conversations, so consider a time where you’ve had to discuss a controversial issue, or perhaps a time where you were wrong and humbled by someone. 

Quick tip: rather than diving into a rather cliche topic like politics or academics, I’d try to pick something that isn’t reflected anywhere else in your application. Mention a hot take you have! Here’s an example essay to help you out: 

Superhero cinema is an oligopoly consisting of two prominent, towering brands: Marvel and DC. I’m a religious supporter of Marvel, but last year, I discovered my friend, Tom, was a DC fan. After a 20-minute vociferous quarrel about which was better, we decided to allocate one day to assemble coherent arguments and have a professional debate.

OK already here, we can see a really interesting premise! Great vocab too - Princeton loves those brainy, intellectual types, so this essay is definitely on-brand. 

One week later, we both brought pages of notes, evidence cards, and I had my Iron-Man bobblehead for moral support. Our moderator – a Disney fan – sat in the middle with a stopwatch – open-policy style. I began the debate by discussing how Marvel accentuated the humanity of the storyline – such as Tony Stark’s transformation from an egotistical billionaire to a compassionate father – which drew in a broader audience because more people resonated with certain aspects of the characters. Tom rebutted this by capitalizing on how Deadpool was a duplicate of Deathstroke, Vision copied Red Tornado, and DC sold more comics than Marvel. 

What I love here are the specific examples and proper nouns: that last sentence in particular really shows how this student paid attention to his opponent’s argument. He remembered the experience so clearly, he could reference examples like Deadpool being a copy of Deathstroke. While the majority of your essay should be about yourself, talking about others aptly communicates your humility and listening skills! 

The inevitability of diversity suggests that it is our responsibility to understand the other person and what they believe. We may not always experience a change in opinions, but we can grant ourselves the opportunity to expand our global perspective. At Princeton, I will continue this adventure to increase my awareness as a superhero aficionado, activist, and student by engaging in conversations that require me to think beyond what I believe and viewing the world from others’ perspectives. And yes, Tom is still my friend. 

That first line was honestly kind of fire: “The inevitability of diversity suggests it’s our responsibility to understand” It has a nice poetic ring to it. In normal English, this guy is saying that so many times we get into arguments trying to change someone’s mind, when really the goal should simply be awareness. 

Pretty neat takeaway! And I love that he ended with humor. Nice touch! 

Princeton Short Essays ✍️

Moving onto those Princeton short-form essays!

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

This prompt encourages creativity and originality, so don’t shy away from unusual or whimsical skills. For example, juggling, stand-up comedy, or even beekeeping can be great choices! 

If you’re interested in stand-up comedy, you might mention the Princeton Triangle Club, which is known for its student-written musicals and comedic performances. Most importantly, explain why this skill intrigues you. Perhaps juggling represents your desire for balance and multitasking, or stand-up comedy reflects your passion for making people laugh and connecting through humor. 

What brings you joy?

There are lots of different ways to tackle a question like this. One method is to describe a particularly poignant scene in your memory in excruciatingly vivid detail. Imagine the sensation of your feet in the sand during a family beach trip, the cacophony of the gulls, the sloshing of waves. Or perhaps the quiet contentment of reading a fantasy book in your favorite nook at home while sipping on some Yakult. 

Another effective approach is to use a list. For example: rocky road cookies; my dog’s thumping tail; my dad’s horrible puns. This method has the benefit of offering a wider range of examples. Whether you choose to hone in on one narrative or offer a list, make sure your answer genuinely garners an emotional response and authentically communicates what fills your life with joy.

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

Don’t overthink this one. If you like some really niche music genres (like 16th century English madrigals or 80s synthwave house), now is the time to mention that! 

Some kids worry their choice may be a little cliche, but for this particular question, cliches actually work in your favor. This is because admission officers are likely to resonate with a popular song they’ve heard of before. So don’t be afraid to write about how “Don’t Stop Believin’” captures your optimism and determination as you navigate the college application process. Or how a serene piece like Debussy’s “Clair de Lune” resonates with your introspective nature and love for tranquility. 

That’s all for now. Catch you later my dear virtual little siblings! 

Captain Kevin - out! 

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