OVERVIEW

Princeton University is a private research university based in New Jersey. It has now over 5,000 undergraduates, over 2,000 postgraduates and more than 1,000 academic staffs studying and teaching in its 500-acre campus. With the university motto “Under God’s Power She Flourishes”, it has by far 35 Nobel Laureates, 17 National Medal of Science winners, and three National Humanities Medal winners. The university is very selective, with a rather low acceptance rate of 9%.

Princeton University was first established in 1746 in Elizabeth, New Jersey as the College of New Jersey, and later changed its name to Princeton University in 1896, 140 years after moving to Princeton. The main campus of the university is located between two municipalities, the Borough of Princeton and Princeton Township, which in total is 500 acres large. It also has campuses in Plainsboro, South Brunswick and West Windsor Township.

Princeton University offers degrees in bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate’s programs. The average freshman retention rate is 98%, which is obviously a fantastic number, and averagely as many as 90% of the students in Princeton University finished their four years’ study and managed to graduate with a degree.

The mission of Princeton University is:

Princeton University strives to be both one of the leading research universities and the most outstanding undergraduate college in the world. As a research university, it seeks to achieve the highest levels of distinction in the discovery and transmission of knowledge and understanding, and in the education of graduate students. At the same time, Princeton aims to be distinctive among research universities in its commitment to undergraduate teaching. It seeks to provide its students with academic, extracurricular and other resources — in a residential community committed to diversity in its student body, faculty and staff — that will permit them to attain the highest possible level of achievement in undergraduate education and prepare them for positions of leadership and lives of service in many fields of human endeavor. Through the scholarship, research and teaching of its faculty, and the many contributions to society of its alumni, Princeton seeks to fulfill its informal motto: “Princeton in the Nation’s Service and in the Service of All Nations.”

ACCREDITATION

Princeton University is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. Other programs and schools of this university is also accredited by relevant agencies and associations.

ACADEMICS

Princeton University has 34 academic departments that offer both undergraduate and graduate degrees, from anthropology to Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs. It also provides undergraduate certificate programs which enable students to pursue focused study.

The most popular majors and course of study for students are as follows:

1. Political Science and Government
2. Economics
3. History
4. Public Policy Analysis
5. English Language and Literature

The university is ranked No.1 among all national universities by US News.

With the student-faculty ratio being 6:1 and as many as 71.3% of all classes having less than 20 students, Princeton University has enough professors for students so that every one of them can be well instructed.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Applicants for the university are required to provide either their SAT or ACT scores before January 1 and admission interview is recommended. The deadline of application will be January 1. The application fee is USD 65. Working and volunteering experiences usually give applicants extra advantages.

COSTS AND FINANCIAL AID

The tuitions and fees for year 2011-2012 is USD 37,000. The room and board fee is USD 12,069. Students averagely spend USD 1,260 on books and supplies.

Princeton University offers scholarships, financial aids and part-time job opportunities for students to help them deal with their tuition and living expenses. There are five types of need-based scholarships/grants, which on average award freshmen with USD 35,657. This university provides five types of loans, from Direct Subsidized Stafford loans to college/university loans from institutional funds. The average financial aid package for full-time freshmen is $37,174 and About 59% of the students get financial aid, all of their needs being fully met. Financial aids for international students is also available. Princeton University also provides various part-time job opportunities to help students earn their tuitions.