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How to Write the Princeton University Essays 2023-2024

Princeton has two prompts that are required for all applicants, as well as three short-answer questions that give you just 50 words for your response. There is one other prompt, focused on your academic interests, which will be different depending on if you are applying for a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science in Engineering. Finally, Princeton has a somewhat unusual requirement—a graded paper to be submitted with your application.

Because Princeton is one of the most competitive schools in the country, you want to be sure that each of your essays, plus the graded paper you submit, will help you stand out from other applicants who have superb academic and extracurricular resumes. In this post, we’ll break down how you should approach each prompt so you can be sure that your essays maximize your chances of acceptance.

Read these Princeton essay examples to inspire your writing.

Princeton University Supplemental Essay Prompts

All applicants.

Prompt 1: 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? (500 words)

Prompt 2: 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? (250 words)

More About You Prompts (50 words each)

Please respond to each question in 50 words or fewer. There are no right or wrong answers. Be yourself!

What is a new skill you would like to learn in college, what brings you joy, what song represents the soundtrack of your life at this moment.

Graded Paper: Princeton requires you to submit a graded written paper as part of your application. You may submit this material now or any time before the application deadline. If you choose not to upload the required paper at this time, you may mail, e-mail, or upload your paper through the applicant portal. Detailed instructions for our graded paper requirement can be found here . (1-2 pages)

Bachelor of Arts Applicants

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), bachelor of science in engineering 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. (250 words), all applicants, prompt 1, 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 (500 words).

Brainstorming your topic:

This prompt essentially boils down to its last sentence—how has your lived experience shaped you? Now, that is an incredibly open-ended question, which you could use as a road into just about any topic. That freedom, combined with a pretty long word count, means that the brainstorming process is crucial to writing a strong response. If you don’t already have a clear sense of what you want to say, your essay may end up all over the place.

One good way to focus your brainstorming is through the prompt’s attention to conversations. You’re likely going to share similar things with your peers at Princeton as you do with your friends and family right now. So, questions like the following may help you start figuring out what you want to write about:

• Which stories do you tell most often?
• When you meet someone new, what are some of the first things you usually talk about?
• When you give advice, which experiences do you draw on?

Hopefully, thinking through these slightly more targeted questions will give you some ideas about what you might want to include in your essay. Remember, you have space to work with here, so you don’t have to zero in on just one thing like you would for a shorter prompt. That being said, you also want to make sure that your essay is organized, so you also don’t want to be trying to fit in ten different things.

Rather, select one experience, or 2-4 experiences that are clearly related , to use as the foundation for your essay. Once you have a general structure for your essay, you can then connect bigger picture takeaways to it, which ensures that your essay is cohesive.

For example, maybe you choose to focus your essay on an ice fishing trip you took with your grandfather, and the lessons you learned about patience and the value of cross-generational relationships. Alternatively, you could write about your tradition of getting an owl-themed trinket anywhere you go on vacation, and how this small, seemingly silly routine has given you something consistent across different periods of your life.

Tips for writing your essay:

As noted above, for this prompt, brainstorming is more than half the battle. If you have a clear game plan before you start writing, actually getting the words down will hopefully be more about finding the right phrasing and crafting smooth transitions than actually generating content.

You do want to make sure that, like in any college essay, you’re utilizing the “show, don’t tell” strategy. In other words, rather than telling something to your reader directly, describe a moment or situation that illustrates the point you’re trying to make. To see the benefits of this approach, compare the following two excerpts from hypothetical essays:

Excerpt 1: “For as long as I can remember, I’ve collected owl trinkets on family vacations. In 2009, I got my first one, a ceramic burrowing owl from Tucson, Arizona. The most recent addition to my collection was a dense, bronze owl from Athens, who I was especially excited about since owls are the symbol of Athena, the patron goddess of that city.”

Excerpt 2: “As my family enters the small, dimly lit shop at the end of one of Athens’s many winding streets, my eyes immediately lock onto the shelves upon shelves of owls. Huge, marble ones that cost hundreds of euros, and tiny, wooden ones as spindly as a toothpick. After much deliberation, I select a dense bronze fellow who is barely an inch high. I can already envision how he’ll look on my desk at home, lined up next to all the other owls I’ve collected over the years.”

These two excerpts give us basically the same information, but the first presents it to us in a very dry, factual way. The second, on the other hand, drops us right next to the writer as they pick out their latest owl, and includes vivid descriptions that make this excerpt much more engaging to read.

Particularly since you have 500 words at your disposal, you should see this essay as an opportunity to show off your creative writing ability with a stylistic flourish here and there. That being said, in your early drafts, don’t focus on this kind of finer detail. Make sure you have a personal, informative, cohesive essay first, then take the time to add the cherries on top later.

Mistakes to avoid:

As we hinted at in the brainstorming section above, the biggest potential pitfall with this essay is that between the open-ended prompt and the high word count, you may end up adrift, without any clear focus point to anchor you. To avoid that happening, don’t just rattle off a bunch of vague, Hallmark card lessons. Instead, follow the strategies laid out in the previous two sections to ensure that the points you make are clearly connected to your own personal experiences.

The other thing you want to be sure to avoid is repeating information that can already be found elsewhere in your application, namely in your Common App essay. If you already wrote about your owl collection there, you want to pick something else to focus on here. You only get so many opportunities to share your personality with Princeton’s admissions officers, so don’t waste one by telling them things they already know.

All Applicants, Prompt 2

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 (250 words).

Keep in mind that the keyword is “story”—this prompt is not an invitation to list all of your achievements in community service as you will on your resume. Rather, Princeton is asking for a deeply held part of your identity through which you’re motivated to perform civic engagement and service. We’ll cover some specific points below, but we also have a detailed blog post on writing service essays that you’ll find useful as well.

Also note that this prompt is a bit more focused on Princeton itself, so devote about 30-40% of your writing to specific programs at Princeton that align with your interests. We always recommend spending a good hour snooping around a college’s website, clicking through links and looking at the different clubs, classes, programs, institutes, and communities. Also check out Princeton’s webpages for service and civic engagement .

A trusty table can be of good help while you brainstorm:

Focus on one interest or concern. Here, less is more—focusing on one key experience or aspect of your identity shows more thought and effort than copying and pasting several experiences. And for this prompt, it’s most effective to focus on the service work about which you can write the most and or to which you can relate the most.

For instance, a student wanting to study literature might help make sandwiches for charity every month, but she probably has a more immediate connection to being a weekly reader and Bible study leader at her church.

Don’t turn your brain on autopilot or regurgitate the prompt. This prompt uses a lot of “admissions-speak,” which should serve as a signpost to direct you, not as suggested wording to include in your response.

“Intersect,” for example, has become an important—but increasingly robotic—buzzword in recent years. Try to avoid repeating it, and instead opt for words with more emotional resonance: “find a home [at Princeton],” “delve into the research [at Princeton],” etc. The same goes for “service” and “civic engagement”—repeat them too much and you’ll start to sound like you’re using the prompt as a crutch. Besides, there are more vivid words at your disposal.

As always, be specific. Pick not just a broad issue (“helping the homeless”), but also a subset of the issue that actually seems manageable (“making sure that the homeless have access to Internet and library services”). From there, look for potential classes offered at Princeton, and student organizations involved in similar missions. It may be worth citing current student activism projects you find on Princeton’s website, and discussing how those same opportunities would allow you to apply your skills in the best way for you personally.

All Applicants, More About You Prompts (50 words each)

“There are no right or wrong answers.” (Alexa, play “Why You Always Lying?”)

There is a wrong answer, and it’s a category—“boring.” In fact, the more unique and genuine your answer is, the more you can break away as a contender. And because you have such a short word limit, you can even add a little mystery. This is the right place for that, too—it’s the end of your application, and a thought-provoking or fascinating answer will just remind your reader that “We have to interview this applicant to find out more.”

For example, a lackluster answer to the “soundtrack” question might be sensible and logical, but flat: “Since I’ve been sick and stuck in quarantine, ‘Circles’ by Post Malone summarizes my repetitive experience.” Well, it’s passable as small talk. But it’s self-contained and doesn’t elicit any curiosity.

A better answer will entertain, provoke a chuckle, frighten, intrigue —any verb you want your reader to have. Recontextualize a song. Pick a weird one. Send your reader to YouTube to look it up. For example, “Early in his career, David Bowie wrote a song about being stalked by a magical gnome . It is friendly, but harasses Bowie. Does it come in peace, or with malice? It is, like both, inescapable. Its voice plays in my dreams. I fear gnomes now.” The weirdness there commands attention.

You can also demonstrate uniqueness by redefining or recontextualizing a word in the prompt. For example, you could write about a niche type of joy, like schadenfreude (well, maybe not that one), fear/excitement, or watching fire. You could redefine “song” to include birdsong, or the indistinct chatter, easy listening music, and whirring of coffee machines at your favorite coffee shop.

A word on the “skill” question: it may be helpful to address a shortcoming or skill gap, then cite the skill and how it will improve your life. Doing so can prove that you’re not going for pure quirkiness or trying, superficially, to be a Manic Pixie Dream Freshman. For example, “juggling!!!” itself might seem a little vacuous, but can be easily deepened by expansion: “juggling as part of the team would help me overcome my fear of performing and presenting in front of crowds.”

Overall, use these “More About You” questions to showcase another part of your story, personality, or character that you didn’t have the chance to showcase before. When answering this prompt, it can also be helpful to astral-project yourself into another student or someone who’s assessing you as a potential friend.

With this outside perspective in mind , look over your answers: would you want to grab lunch or share a dorm with the person who has written them? Would you be inspired to befriend the engineering major who answers the first “More About You” question with yet another example of her love of engineering? Or would you rather befriend the engineering major who answers the same question with her love for candlemaking and Dolly Parton? The main point is that answering these prompts successfully takes a degree of self-awareness and quirkiness.

All Applicants, Graded Paper

Princeton requires you to submit a graded written paper as part of your application. you may submit this material now or any time before the application deadline. if you choose not to upload the required paper at this time, you may mail, e-mail, or upload your paper through the applicant portal. detailed instructions for our graded paper requirement can be found here . (1-2 pages).

Unlike with the other essays, Princeton isn’t assessing your personality and interests from the graded written paper you’re submitting. Rather, this paper will give the admissions officers insight into your academic capabilities as a student. While the admissions officers can already see your physical grades and reports from teachers, this is a unique chance for you to showcase your talents for conveying an academic idea in writing—a crucial skill you’ll need in college and in life.

We have an entire post dedicated to the requirements for the paper, tips for choosing your paper, and instructions for submitting it. You can read it here !

Bachelor of Arts Applicants, Prompt 1

This essay is only required for those who have indicated on their application an interest in pursuing a Bachelor of Arts.

This prompt somewhat fits into the “Why This Major?” essay archetype . The main difference is that rather than being asked about one specific major, you’re being asked about your general academic interests. This prompt is intended to get a sense of your passion and thirst for knowledge. Princeton only wants to admit the most intellectually curious students, so your essay should convey your academic passions and how you’ll explore them at Princeton.

You want to be sure your essay reveals meaningful emotional reasons for wanting to pursue the fields you want to explore. Asking yourself these questions will help you explain why you’re interested in your chosen topic(s):

• What are specific examples of concepts or things that you enjoy in this field?
• What positive skills or traits are exemplified by this field?
• How might majoring in/studying this topic serve your life and/or career goals?
• What is your state of mind or the emotional experience you have when you explore this topic? Why do you find that state or experience appealing?

Note: The above questions are phrased in a singular way, but the prompt does allow you to talk about multiple areas of study. If you’re interested in multiple things, you should consider writing about them in this essay. Bear in mind the 250-word limit, though, so don’t get too carried away with the number of areas you choose.

After you’ve figured out why you’re interested in your chosen field(s), you can start writing. A good essay will introduce the field(s), articulate your core reasons as to why you’re interested in the field (ideally through anecdotes or specific examples from inside and outside the classroom), and explain how this field might help you in the future.

Here are some examples of responses that include all of these elements:

1) A student who is interested in geosciences might write about how he has grown up by the beach and spent his whole life surfing. He could describe how he became fascinated with how the largest waves he loved to surf were formed.

He might then discuss the independent research he’s done on the tectonic plates, and his study of topographical maps of the Pacific Ocean floor to find the best locations for waves in California. Finally, he would explain how understanding the physics, chemistry, and biology of the ocean can help him predict areas at risk of climate crises as a future environmental consultant.

2) A student who is interested in politics could write about her experience volunteering for her local representative’s campaign. She could describe how she offered to run the social media accounts for her representative since she has an eye for graphic design.

Through attending strategy meetings, reading policy briefs, and speaking to constituents, the student got an inside look at what it means to be a representative, which sparked her interest in politics. After her experience in local government, she got very excited to learn the intricacies of national government and public relations in her classes. She feels that these classes will prepare her to be a press secretary on the Hill one day.

3) A student who is interested in architecture might talk about the trip he took to Barcelona, where he saw the most unique architecture he’s ever seen. After his trip, he researched the architects who created some of the structures he saw. His research inspired his portfolio in art class, in which he painted a collection of houses inspired by the Barcelona style. He hopes to learn more about architectural fundamentals so he can turn his creative designs into practical structures.

Since the prompt asks explicitly about the programs offered at Princeton, make sure you include specific opportunities unique to Princeton that make it the perfect place to pursue this field. You could talk about things like these:

• The specific approach the University takes in teaching specific fields (perhaps you are fascinated by approaching biology from an evolutionary standpoint in the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology major)
• Classes or professors you are excited to have (e.g., Philosophy of Mind , or Turning Points in European Culture )
• Extracurricular opportunities that align with your interests (research projects, study abroad programs, and community service organizations, etc.)

Remember, name-dropping will get you nothing! For every resource you mention, you should have a concrete explanation as to what you hope to gain or contribute when you engage with the resource. Also, make every effort to avoid praising a subject without explaining its significance to you personally. And finally, don’t talk about how you might want to pursue a subject because it pays well or because your parents want you to pursue it.

Bachelor of Science in Engineering Applicants, Prompt 1

This essay is only required for those who have indicated on their application an interest in pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Engineering.

The key here is to be specific ; an implicit aspect of this question is “Why Princeton engineering? What makes Princeton’s engineering program different from other programs? Why would this be a better fit for you than any other?” In essence, this is sort of like the common “Why This Major?” prompt , but it’s referring to a specialized program rather than a specific major.

Rather than vaguely discussing the reasons that Princeton’s engineering program is something you wish to be a part of, mention specific resources and appeal to the philosophy of an engineering education. For instance, if there’s a particular class that interests you, don’t be afraid to directly mention it and connect the class back to your overall interest in engineering.

Extracurricular programs are another area you should definitely mention. If you’re passionate about sustainability, you could discuss your interest in the Princeton chapter of Engineers Without Borders , commenting on how you will use your membership to promote sustainable engineering. If you enjoy working with kids, perhaps Princeton Engineering Education for Kids is more appealing. No matter your interests, be sure to mention a club or organization that could allow you to pursue these interests outside of the classroom.

If you have a preferred area of specialization, such as bioengineering or chemical engineering, it would be great if you’re able to tie this back to your current passions or activities. Maybe you’re already involved in an organization at your current school that deals with these more specialized areas of engineering. If so, make sure to emphasize this, as that would allow your passion to shine through and showcase previous relevant experience.

Be warned, however, that listing all your engineering related activities can make your essay sound like a resume. Rather than simply providing a list, connect each activity to each other in order to construct a more cohesive essay. Make sure that any change in topic flows smoothly from one to the next to avoid transforming your essay into a laundry list of your achievements.

Another direction that you might take when discussing previous engineering experience is to discuss your state of mind when partaking in these activities. Perhaps working on complex engineering problems gets your adrenaline pumping, or maybe you find it quite therapeutic and relaxing. It’s always a good idea to show the admissions officers how you feel when partaking in subjects or activities you’re passionate about.

As always, remember to show Princeton another piece of yourself by highlighting your passions, interests, and goals, and by connecting these back to Princeton’s academic environment.

There are a few things you should avoid when writing this essay:

• First, don’t simply praise Princeton for being a prestigious institution. It’s not a bad thing to be nice, but you should save the limited space you have for substantive, meaningful reasons.
• Second, as mentioned before, don’t simply list your experiences without elaborating on their importance. You don’t want your essay to read more like a list than an essay.
• Finally, don’t state that you want to study engineering for the money or because your parents are forcing you to. These are seen as insincere reasons that won’t make you the most desirable applicant.

Where to Get Your Princeton Essays Edited

Do you want feedback on your Princeton essays? After rereading your essays countless times, it can be difficult to evaluate your writing objectively. That’s why we created our free Peer Essay Review tool , where you can get a free review of your essay from another student. You can also improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays.

If you want a college admissions expert to review your essay, advisors on CollegeVine have helped students refine their writing and submit successful applications to top schools. Find the right advisor for you to improve your chances of getting into your dream school!

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

How to Write the Princeton Supplemental Essays 2023-2024

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Consistently ranked one of the best schools in the country, Princeton University boasts a cozy 5:1 student-faculty ratio, an excellent financial aid program, and a broad range of study abroad opportunities for undergraduates. If you get into Princeton , you’ll be taking classes with professors at the tip-top of their fields – so now it’s just a matter of getting that acceptance letter. We’re here to show you how to write the Princeton supplemental essays, helping you give your best shot at walking through FitzRandolph Gate as a freshman in the Great Class of 2028.

For its class of 2026, Princeton reports an average ACT of 33-35 , a math SAT of 760-800 , and a reading and writing SAT of 730-780 . With the norm being top-notch standardized test scores like these – and a similarly top-notch unweighted GPA of 3.9 for previous classes – you’ll need more than just a stellar transcript to stand out. This is where your essays come in.

Princeton asks you to respond to  two long-answer  and  three short-answer prompts , for a total of five prompts in addition to your Common or Coalition App Essay. Don’t let all the writing intimidate you! Each prompt is an opportunity to tip the scales of admission in your favor, and show Princeton officials who you really are beyond your grades and test scores. With that in mind, let’s have a look at Princeton’s seven supplemental essay prompts for the 2023-2024 application cycle.

Princeton’s 2023-2024 Prompts

Short responses (50 words).

• What is a new skill you would like to learn in college?
• What brings you joy?
• What song represents the soundtrack of your life at this moment?

Essay Prompts

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  (500 words).

• 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?  (250 words)

General Tips

For the 3 short-answer prompts, you’ll need to convey a meaningful response within a tight  50-word maximum . To do this, we recommend the following tips: avoid restating the question, trim unnecessary connector words, and use colons, semicolons, and em dashes to improve concision.

The two example responses below have the same word count—but the first uses choppy, overly verbose writing, and the second cleans it up using the tips we’ve just discussed.

“A new skill that I would like to learn in college is how to analyze literature. I would like to be able to discuss books like John Locke’s Two Treatises in greater depth. This is because it interested me in high school, but I didn’t understand many of Locke’s theories.”

“John Locke’s Two Treatises on Government has confounded and intrigued me ever since I first read it in high school. At Princeton, I’d love to sharpen my literary analysis skills through discussions with my classmates—and return to writers like Locke with a new understanding of the written word.”

The long essay prompts give you more room to work with –  150 words  for the first prompt and  250  for the other two—but choppy sentence structure, run-ons, and unnecessary fluff will confuse your reader no matter the length of the essay. As such, you should always strive for concision, even with the longer prompts.

To ensure a well-rounded application, try to write your essays on topics you haven’t mentioned in other prompts or your transcript. Admissions officials may start to see you as single-faceted if they see your coding team in your activity list, then read about the same coding team two more times in your short responses. To avoid this, vary your essay topics as much as you can—and take advantage of any prompts where you can discuss an aspect of your background that isn’t reflected in your transcript.

Finally, before we move to a prompt-by-prompt breakdown of the Princeton supplemental essays, here are two tips to keep in mind for both your short responses and long-answer essays.

One, be detailed.  For longer essays, try to go from specific anecdotes to broader themes—introductory paragraphs in particular benefit from starting on a direct quote or an engaging scene. For shorter prompts, pick responses that showcase your unique personality. Here’s an example: good food brings everyone joy, but maybe  your  favorite food is your grandma’s red velvet recipe that you love making with her, even if you can’t quite get it right yourself.

Two, make sure you’re always telling admissions officials about  you .  This may seem like obvious advice, but many applicants get swept away in explaining the technical aspects of a topic that interests them or describing a school’s resources without connecting them to their own aspirations. Instead of telling admissions officials their School of Public and International Affairs is impressive, tell them why you’re dying to take that one class that aligns perfectly with your interests. Instead of flatly stating that conversations on healthcare are important, tell your reader how a conversation  you  had completely changed your perspective.

With these higher-level tips out of the way, let’s move on to a prompt-by-prompt breakdown of the Princeton supplemental essays.

Princeton’s Short Responses

What is a new skill you would like to learn in college  (50 words).

For this prompt,  specificity is crucial —the more niche the skill you describe, the more interesting and unique your response. For instance, perhaps you want to pick up writing as a skill. But what kind of writing? Academic? Journalistic? Poetry? Narrowing your scope to a laser-focus will show admissions officials you’ve thought about your answer, and truly intend to pursue this skill once you’re on campus.

Another tactic is to focus on an extracurricular. Perhaps you want to learn bird-recognition through Princeton’s surprisingly active birdwatching community, or gain new knowledge about fashion by contributing to  TigerTrends . For this approach, you might try skimming through Princeton’s list of student organizations to see if any interest you.

“I want to be funny—and not just dad-joke funny, but gut-bustingly hilarious at all times. As soon as auditions open, I’d love to try out for Fuzzy Dice or Quipfire and take up improv comedy, so I can overcome my stage fright and start thinking on my feet.”

No matter the skill you choose, your response should show admissions officials your willingness to learn through the resources you find at college. Pay attention to the word “new,” and steer clear of skills you already have or that relate to activities you’ve already discussed. Picking a skill you’re completely unfamiliar with will reflect that you’re unafraid to improve yourself by trying new things.

What brings you joy?  (50 words)

This is an especially open-ended prompt, which leaves you free to  interpret it in a way that’s genuine and personal to you.  Your answer could be an object, an activity, a piece of media, a memory, or even a person that makes you happy in your day-to-day life. As always, detail is the key to a unique response—everybody likes a nice view, but only you know the joy of monthly hikes with your dad to the waterfall in the woods outside your hometown.

If you’re having trouble coming up with a specific answer to this prompt, consider the following questions: what do you do to cheer yourself up when you’re feeling down? If you had a spare $100 to spend on a hobby, what would you buy? Do you have strong feelings about your favorite color, or favorite food? As long as you can convey it in 50 words (and it’s appropriate), don’t be afraid to pick something strange—an unconventional answer will only help your essay stand out.

What song represents the soundtrack of your life at this moment?  (50 words)

This one can be a bit tricky.  Be creative,  and make sure to show your reader  why  the song you choose reflects your life. It doesn’t have to be a serious classical number either—your little brother’s enthusiastic but slightly off-beat mixtape might represent your life in a more personal way than Beethoven’s 5th Symphony.

You might also draw from movie soundtracks, or even a sound that people wouldn’t normally consider a song, such as a crackling campfire. Think about a song that will grab your reader’s attention—unless you have an interesting reason for choosing it, a consistent breaker of the Billboard Hot 100 likely won’t stand out. In contrast, saying you relate to the  Super Mario Bros . death jingle or the opening bars of the  Star Wars  theme will certainly pique some interest.

Princeton’s Essay Prompts

This prompt is a bit long, so let’s start by breaking it down. You’ll want to do three things here: one, reflect on a lived experience that shaped who you are today; two, explain why it shaped who you are; and three, illustrate how you’ll bring this lived experience as a new perspective to Princeton’s campus community. With a 500-word maximum, you’ll have time to expand on the lessons you’ve learned— but specificity is still key here. Instead of a laundry list of lessons, try picking one that’s central to who you are, and craft your narrative around that.

Here are some example categories you might reflect on:

• Formative experiences, in school or otherwise
• Important aspects of your background or identity
• Core values and beliefs
• Challenges you’ve overcome
• People or relationships that impacted you
• Sources of inspiration

Above all, Princeton often looks for students who can have respectful, open conversations with their peers even when those conversations challenge their beliefs. This prompt reflects that value— pay particular attention to the words “challenge” and “respectful.” You might write about the time you were halfway through an argument with a high-school classmate and realized you were completely wrong, or a career panel you attended that blew your life plans out of the water. If you can show admissions officials you have a unique perspective to bring to campus, and you’re open to other perspectives that might change your mind, you’ll go a long way toward convincing them you’re the kind of student they’re looking for.

Princeton has a longstanding commitment to service and civic engagement. Tell us how your story intersects (or will intersect) with these ideals.  (250 words)

This is another prompt where you might find yourself touching on topics you’ve already mentioned elsewhere – namely, any volunteering experience you might’ve listed in your activity transcript. However, bear in mind that you shouldn’t just be listing these experiences again in slightly more detail. Instead, try to  present a compelling narrative  about your beliefs regarding community and civic service, and how you came to believe them.

For instance, you might feel strongly that every citizen should exercise their right to vote. How did you first adopt this ideal? How have you furthered it in your own community? Have you volunteered for any voter outreach programs, or platformed information about voter registration on your social media? How did that work continue to shape your belief in being an active voter?

Even if you’ve already mentioned some of these activities in your transcript, providing the full narrative of your experience will give admissions officials a much deeper understanding of your commitment to service. You can craft this narrative by highlighting two things – one, how you gained your current beliefs, and two, how you’ve concretely demonstrated those beliefs in your volunteer work and activities.

Finally, you might also consider mentioning some volunteer opportunities you’re interested in at Princeton. Your conclusion would likely be the best place to include this—if you wrap up your essay by stating how you plan to carry your ideals forward into the future, explaining how you would do so at Princeton specifically could make a perfect endpoint for your narrative.

If you need help polishing up your Yale supplemental essays, check out our  College Essay Review  service. You can receive detailed feedback from Ivy League consultants in as little as 24 hours.

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Princeton Supplemental Essays 2023-24 – Prompts and Advice

August 24, 2023

Although Princeton has withheld admissions statistics for the Class of 2027, citing concerns with student anxiety levels, their last reported acceptance rate was 4.4% for the class of 2021-22. However, even if the acceptance rate has gone up (or down) a percentage or two since, it doesn’t change much—when applying to an Ivy like Princeton, even applicants with perfect GPAs and test scores need to find a way to stand out from a pack of equally credentialed teens. Fortunately, the Princeton supplemental essays provide just such an opportunity. These compositions present the chance for wannabe Tigers to showcase superior writing ability. This is an opportunity to craft responses that are authentic, honest, compelling, and potentially needle-moving to the admissions office.

(Want to learn more about How to Get Into Princeton? Visit our blog entitled:  How to Get Into Princeton: Admissions Data and Strategies  for all of the most recent admissions data as well as tips for gaining acceptance.)

Below are Princeton’s essay prompts for the 2023-24 admissions cycle with accompanying advice about how to tackle each one:

Princeton Supplemental Essays – Your Voice

1) 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?   (500 words or fewer)

Essentially, Princeton is trying to uncover how your personal experiences will impact what kind of academic and social community member you might be. As such, this prompt wants you to discuss: 1) a specific aspect of your lived experience 2) what you learned and how you might engage with others as a result of that lived experience. “Lived experience” is broad and could include:

• Your role in your family.
• Your role in your social group.
• A challenge you’ve faced.
• A formative experience or realization.
• Important aspects of your upbringing.
• Cultural, religious, community influence.

Princeton Supplemental Essays (Continued)

Once you’ve chosen a particular direction, think about what you’ve learned from the experience and what you think others could learn from you. This is a chance to show that you are an open-minded, curious, and humble young person who is willing to learn and grow from their experiences. For example, perhaps growing up on military bases with a parent who was frequently deployed taught you about the importance of putting yourself out there to find a supportive community.

Perhaps you also learned that you have to be intentional about creating said community, which can be a difficult proposition in an increasingly technological and social-media-centric world. It’s also taught you not to take the relationships in your life for granted. As a result, you hope to model the importance of in-person connections and friendships—and the importance of putting a significant amount of effort into those friendships—even when it may feel easier to connect virtually.

This year, Princeton has doubled the length of this essay, giving you ample space to explore a particular aspect of your identity. You’ll just want to ensure that whatever topic you choose is completely unique from your Common App personal statement.

Princeton Supplemental Essays – Service and Civic Engagement

2) 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?   (250 words or fewer)

Remember, the admissions committee has already seen the  President’s Volunteer Service Award  and the number of hours you volunteered at multiple nonprofit organizations. This shouldn’t be a recap of already-presented information. Rather, applicants should strive to share issues close to their hearts. We encourage you to share specific details about a time (or two) when you were civically engaged or volunteered on a community service project. Why was this experience important to you? Why and how did it cement the values of service and civic engagement? For example, perhaps you started making blankets for a local hospital during COVID, which evolved into a thriving extracurricular club that now has fifteen other members. Whatever you decide, you’ll want to demonstrate a deep-rooted and genuine connection to service. Moreover, consider including a Princeton-specific resource or two that will allow you to continue pursuing meaningful engagement.

Princeton Supplemental Essays – More About You

Please respond to each question in 50 words or fewer. There are no right or wrong answers. Be yourself!

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

You can be straightforward, offbeat, or highly creative on this one—all with equal effectiveness. The straightforward answer would be something directly related to Princeton’s programmatic or extracurricular offerings. Discussing particular character traits, work habits, or social goals you hope to pursue—like networking or meditating—are fair game as well. If you really hope that college is when you finally take the time to pursue a new hobby, go ahead and share those aims in this space. It could be anything: crossword puzzles, stand-up comedy, yoga, genealogy, journaling, cooking, sewing, etc.

2) What brings you joy? 

What brings you great pleasure and happiness? Universal experiences of joy like family, a beautiful sunset, a place, a hobby, a tradition, or your cat or dog curled on your lap are perfectly acceptable answers here. However, you could also talk about dreams for the future, more bittersweet moments, abstract thoughts, moments of glorious introversion, or a time that you  unexpectedly  felt joy.

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

As Plato wrote, “Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything.” Music can express emotions that are beyond words. What stirs up deep feelings of connection within your soul? Be honest. It doesn’t have to be Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in D Minor. Rather, it might be a piece by Lady Gaga, Kendrick Lamar, or Lana Del Ray. Don’t be afraid to share what music you genuinely connect with even if it isn’t “high-brow.” In addition, be sure to include a brief “why.”

Princeton Supplemental Essays – Degree-Specific

Depending on whether you are applying to an A.B. or B.S.E. program, you’ll need to answer an additional essay question:

A.B. (or Undecided) Essay

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 250 words or fewer.)

B.S.E. Essay

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 250 words or fewer.)

For both essays, you’ll want to discuss your personal experiences in relation to your academic interests as well as why Princeton will the optimal place to pursue them. Let’s break this down:

• Which academic/engineering areas are you most drawn to, and why? What experiences have you had? How have you engaged with your interest areas up to this point? This should be fairly brief—a paragraph at most.
• Why will Princeton be the best fit for you? Stay focused on academic programs/offerings here, which could include academic departments , professors ,  research opportunities , internship programs ,  courses , degree structure/curriculum , etc. Be sure to discuss how you plan to take advantage of your chosen resources.

Princeton Supplemental Essays – Graded Paper

In addition to the essays noted above, you’ll also need to submit a graded paper as part of your application . Princeton recommends that your paper be between 1-2 pages in length, so don’t go crazy and send them your 25-page English paper. Ideally, the paper will be as recent as possible—junior year is preferable. Moreover, your English and/or history teacher will be an excellent resource who can help you decide which of your papers best represents your writing ability and will be the most advantageous to include. Keep in mind that you’ll also need to submit the paper’s grade as well as your teacher’s comments, so it should go without saying that you’ll want to send Princeton a paper that you’ve excelled on.

How important are the Princeton supplemental essays?

Princeton rates the essays as being a “very important” factor in their evaluation process. The essays are listed alongside GPA, the rigor of high school coursework, class rank, extracurricular activities, recommendations, talent/ability, and character/personal qualities.

Want personalized essay assistance with you Princeton supplement essays?

Lastly, if you are interested in working with one of College Transitions’ experienced and knowledgeable essay coaches as you craft your Princeton supplemental essays, we encourage you to  get a quote  today.

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College Info , College Essays

Got your heart set on Princeton—the #1 ranked university in the US ? Then you'll need to learn how to write amazing Princeton essays for your Princeton Supplement, a key part of your application for admission.

In this detailed guide, we go over the different types of essays you'll be required to write for your Princeton application and provide you with some expert tips on how to write your most effective and unique essay possible.

Feature Image: James Loesch /Flickr

What Are the Princeton Essays?

The Princeton application requires five essays and three short answers from all applicants. One of these essays must answer a prompt provided by the Common Application , Coalition Application , or QuestBridge Application (depending on which system you choose to submit your Princeton application through).

The other four essay prompts , as well as the three short answer prompts, are part of the Princeton Supplement . The Princeton Supplement also requires an Engineering Essay from applicants who have indicated on their applications an interest in pursuing a BS in Engineering (B.S.E.). Students applying to the Bachelor of Arts (A.B.) degree program and those who are undecided must submit a supplemental essay as well.

Below, we'll look at each prompt in the Princeton Supplement. So let's get started!

While the Princeton supplement is submitted electronically, you might find that brainstorming the old fashioned way (with pen and paper!) helps you get your ideas organized.

The Bachelor of Arts/Undecided and the Bachelor of Science and Engineering Essays

Your first long essay is 250 words long and is assigned based on what you plan to major in. You will only need to answer one of these prompts .

The first prompt is for Bachelor of Arts (A.B.) degree and undecided applicants to respond to. If you are applying for the A.B. degree program or if you put undecided on your application, you must respond to this essay prompt in the first section of the supplement.

The second prompt is for Bachelor of Science and Engineering (B.S.E.) applicants to respond to. All applicants who indicate they'd like to pursue a bachelor of science in engineering degree must respond to this prompt. Next, we'll break down what each prompt is asking you to do and how to respond to it.

The good news is that both prompts are versions of the "Why This College?" essay, which is a pretty common essay to encounter on college applications. If you want more info on how to answer this type of question more generally, be sure to check out this article .

The A.B. Degree and Undecided Applicants Prompt

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 250 words or fewer.)

This question is asking you to make a case for why you'll be an excellent fit as a liberal arts student at Princeton . You can make your case in your response to this prompt by showing that you understand the value of the liberal arts education that Princeton offers, and that you've thought about how Princeton's programs fit your academic and future goals.

In addition to asking you to show how Princeton is a good fit for you, this prompt is really asking you to highlight why you are a good fit for Princeton. Everyone knows that Princeton is highly competitive, so your response to this prompt is your chance to show that you'll bring valuable intellectual interests and perspectives to the Princeton community as well.

What Makes A Good Answer?

#1: Show how you're unique. Are you excited to geek out about the connections between critical human geography and twenty-first century Arabic literature? To explore the relationships between psychology and social media? If you've got a weird, quirky, or unique set of academic interests, this is the place to go into detail about them. A good answer to this question will nail down one or more specific academic areas that you get genuinely pumped about and why you're interested in them. This is your chance to show the thought processes behind your choice to pursue an A.B. degree at Princeton...or why you put "undecided" on your application.

#2: Connect to Princeton's program offerings. You could name specific professors you hope to work with who share your interests, courses you'd be thrilled to take, or special program offerings you hope to participate in (like study abroad or research opportunities). In order to make your response to this part of the question genuine, you'll have to do your research on the programs you're interested in and really know your stuff. This will show admissions counselors that you're interested in going to Princeton because it's a good fit for you, not because it's ranked #1 on college lists.

#3: Be honest . Your response should make it clear that you've spent a lot of time thinking about your academic interests. Make sure you're telling the truth: don't pick an academic area just because you think it's impressive. To show your sincerity, make sure you're being specific about why you're interested in the area you're writing about. This will help your passion come across on the page.

What Should You Avoid?

#1: Avoid generalities. You don't want to respond to this question with general fields of study or disciplines. For instance, saying that "history" or "art" piques your curiosity won't be specific enough. Instead of "history," you could say, "I'm curious about how war monuments and memorials in the U.S. impact the communities they 're located in." Above all, you want to describe specific issues, questions, or perspectives in your areas of academic interest that you hope to explore when you become a student at Princeton.

#2: Don't focus on past achievements. This question isn't the place to talk about your academic achievements and awards from high school. Here's why: Princeton admissions isn't necessarily looking to learn about why you're good at the subjects you're interested in. They want to understand why you're curious about those areas and why you want to study them at Princeton.

3 Tips For Answering This Prompt

#1: Start with your interests. Start by brainstorming which academic interests you want to talk about. You might have to think for a little while! If you know you want to major in African American Studies, take some time to write out the historical, political, and economic issues and questions that get you excited about majoring in this field. Let the specific aspects of the fields of study you're considering be the foundation for your answer.

#2: Do your research. Once you've brainstormed the specific aspects of your major or possible majors that you're most curious about, head over to Princeton's website to search for more information. If it's African American Studies, comb through every sentence on that major's website. Look into the interests of professors in this department, courses they teach, and events hosted by the department. You can even talk about your interest in working with specific professors or taking specific courses in your response.

#3: Be specific. The more specific you can be about your academic interests, the more likely your answer is to appeal to Princeton admissions. You don’t have to have your entire degree plan mapped out, but you do need to show that you're already thinking carefully about how you'll forge your path forward as an independent thinker and intellectual citizen once you start at Princeton.

The B.S.E. Degree Applicant Prompt

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 250 words or fewer.)

This prompt is specific for applicants who want to major in engineering at Princeton. Essentially, this prompt is asking you to highlight the factors in your background and experiences that have influenced you to pursue engineering.

More specifically , this prompt wants you to explain why Princeton engineering is the program for you.

#1: Showcase your background. A good answer to this question will explain why you're interested in engineering. For instance, maybe you grew up in a city that experiences earthquakes, so you want to study civil engineering to make buildings safer. Or maybe your parents and grandparents are engineers and you're passionate about carrying on the family legacy. Whatever your story, telling some of it will provide important context for your interest in engineering.

#2: Connect your interest to Princeton. Admissions counselors want to know why Princeton engineering is the only program for you. For example, say you want to focus on engineering for health professions. During your research, you read that Princeton students are developing new personal protective equipment for healthcare workers. This essay is a perfect place for you to explain that you want to join this research project! Making connections to real people, courses, and proj ects wi ll show that you're excited about the unique opportunities provided by Princeto n engineering .

#3: Share your research interests. In addition to stating a specific subfield of engineering that you're interested in (if possible), a good response to this prompt will describe your interest in key issues or questions pertaining to the subfield of engineering you want to stud y. For example, if you hope to become a chemical engineer who works with cruelty-free cosmetics, describe that research interest here. While it's important to be flexible, and it's okay if you don't have your whole future with engineering planned out, being able to describe some of your vision for your future in Princeton Engineering is a crucial part of a good response.

#1: Avoid discussing awards and achievements. Avoid talking about awards, competitions, or other academic achievements if possible. Princeton admissions can find out those details from other parts of your application. Instead, showcase the passion behind your interest in engineering. Instead of describing achievements, describe moments of inspiration in your story that have led you to pursue engineering at Princeton.

#2: Don't skip the context. You don't want to describe your specific interests in engineering without connecting them to what Princeton has to offer. Make sure you describe specific courses, professors, or research projects. Do your research and make sure your interests coincide with the possibilities Princeton provides.

Tip #1: Start with the research. It will be tough to write a meaningful response to this prompt if you haven't done some serious research about the B.S.E. program at Princeton. Get really acquainted with the B.S.E. program's website. Gather the info you need to incorporate information about professors you want to work with, research projects you'd like to work on, and courses you're eager to take.

Tip #2: Focus on your experiences. Incorporating your background with engineering is important to a good response here, but you need to be strategic about what details you include. Describe the moment your interest in engineering began, the most exciting experience you've had with engineering, or what gets you pumped about studying engineering at Princeton. Revealing where your interest in engineering comes from can help prove that the B.S.E. program is a good fit for you.

Tip #3: Be specific. State the subfield of engineering that you're interested in and/or what engineering issues pique your curiosity. Princeton wants to know that you already have a vision for how you'll be an active engineering student!

The Your Voice Supplement

The "Your Voice" supplement section consists of two required, approximately 250 word essays. The prompts for these essays (below) are asking you to give Princeton admissions a sense of how your past and ongoing experiences shape the kind of student you will be at Princeton.

In other words, the "Your Voice" supplement is asking you to show evidence that you live out values that fit with Princeton's values. So, to answer these two required questions, start thinking about points in your ongoing story that reflect your commitment to having hard conversations and serving others. We'll get into the specifics of how to write about your story in response to each prompt next.

Prompt #1: The Difficult Conversation Prompt

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? (500 words or fewer)

The first of the required "Your Voice" supplements is asking you to show that you're capable of engaging in civil discourse with others on campus —even when the topic of conversation is tough to talk about or goes against your own beliefs and values. For this essay, you’ll need to pick an experience or two from your life that has helped shape the way you interact with all sorts of people, even those you disagree with on things.

Describing these experiences and the lessons you’ve learned from them will help show that you’re prepared to respect and listen to others on campus who don’t have the exact same perspectives on things as you. A good response to this prompt will also show that you can push through uncomfortable situations and learn new things from others, and that you can help others around you do the same. 

#1: Share a real experience. Thinking of a challenging experience that seems meaningful enough to include in an application essay might feel...well, challenging. Nevertheless, you want your story to be as truthful as possible .

Princeton Admissions knows that you probably didn't change the world from one difficult conversation or situation. What they want to know is that you're willing to have tough conversations and listen to others with different viewpoints than your own. So, pick a memory of an experience that challenged you, taught you a lesson, or helped you grow. More specifically, make sure it’s an experience that has helped prepare you for the different perspectives and challenges you’ll encounter from others on campus. Try and recall as many details about what happened as you can, and draft a description of the situation that’s as true to real events as possible. 

#2: Be thoughtful. Did you learn something new during the experience(s) or lesson(s) you're writing about? Explain what you learned from it in your response! For instance, perhaps you learned that being a nonjudgmental listener can help others feel more comfortable with listening to what you have to say. Whatever you learned, make sure you describe it in your response. This will show Princeton Admissions that you're open to learning and growing.

#3: Show you're forward thinking. How will the knowledge you gained from this experience (or experiences, if you choose to write about more than one) shape your behavior as a Princeton student? Think about what college is like: you'll encounter students, faculty, and staff from all over the world. This means you'll be in constant contact with different values, cultures, and ways of thinking about the world. Princeton wants to know that you're prepared to participate in this environment in positive ways!

#1: Don't disparage anyone. Even if the conversation or experience you're describing was incredibly frustrating, don't insult the other people who were involved. Instead, show empathy toward the people you interacted with. Princeton Admissions wants to know that you're a person who can extend empathy to many different kinds of people to be a good student and citizen.

#2: Don't brag. Don't brag about what you accomplished. Instead, focus on what you learned from the conversation --even if you think that the other people involved were totally wrong and you were totally right. Admissions counselors want to know that you learned from your experience.

2 Tips For Answering This Prompt

Tip #1: Pick an experience or lesson that impacted you. You should definitely write about an experience that was meaningful to you, rather than one that you think is impressive or controversial. This is your chance to show how you’ve made the most of your unique experiences—you’re giving Princeton an idea of who you are, what you’re capable of, and how this all came to be. Take time to reflect on tough situations you’ve encountered and lessons you’ve learned before drafting your response. 

Tip #2: Connect the topic to college life. While you obviously need to describe the topic of your experience, how you handled it, and what you learned from it, a crucial part of your response is how it prepared you to be an engaged, ethical member of the Princeton community. Be sure to focus part of your response on explaining how what you learned will guide your life as a Princeton student. Whichever experiences or lessons you choose, you’ll need to explain how you can use what you’ve learned to have respectful and insightful conversations with people across Princeton’s campus. 

This is a chance to tell your story and show how committed you are to being a good citizen.

Prompt #2: The Service and Your Story Prompt

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? (250 words or fewer)

This supplement prompt is asking you to show your commitment to serving others and/or being an engaged citizen —and you'll need to describe a specific experience or idea that demonstrates this commitment.

When the prompt asks "how does your own story intersect with these ideals," it means that you should think of real things you've done or real values you hold that motivate your civic engagement. This is a key part of the story you'll have to share in your response.

#1: Tell a story. Basically, the prompt is assuming that who you are and what you value will motivate how you serve others and participate as an engaged citizen. To answer this prompt effectively, then, think about telling the story behind your decision to serve or fulfill your civic responsibilities in a specific way.

#2: Connect it to your local life. The decisions we make about our community involvement are often personal. For instance, maybe someone in your family recovered from cancer as a child, so your story with service involves gathering donations for a pediatric cancer care center in the region where you live. Think about the personal connections that you've made, then include them in your response.

#3: Consider the future. Maybe you don't have much experience with service or civic engagement yet, but you have a big vision for how you'll serve and engage in the Princeton community. This prompt is a chance to describe the details of that vision. Alternatively, if you have existing experience with service and civic engagement and want to continue serving in similar ways at Princeton, share your ideas about how you'll accomplish that. Service and civic engagement are lifelong commitments—describing your ideas about how you'll serve in the future will show that you're prepared for that commitment.

#1: Don't be condescending. While it's likely that the people you've served in the past learned things from you, don't focus your response on describing how wonderful you are . Instead, focus on how your service and civic engagement experiences have refined your values and helped you become a better human, which is what Princeton admissions wants to hear about.

#2: Avoid delusions of grandeur. If you decide to include a description of how you hope to serve once you get to Princeton, don't get too carried away. For example, you probably aren't going to get every single Princeton student registered to vote...but you can probably make some progress. Be realistic about your ideas for how you'll serve in the future. Princeton admissions just wants you to show dedication to service and civic engagement. They don't expect you to solve all of the world's problems.

Tip #1: Tell a story. It's important to coach your answer in the form of a story. Describe who you served, what the service looked like, and why you decided to serve in this way. If possible, connect it to your background, your identity, or your values. Turning your service experience into a story for Princeton admissions will make it more memorable.

Tip #2: Describe the impact. Princeton Admissions doesn't just want to know the story of your past experience with service—they also want to know how the experience continues to impact you today. Describe what you learned from the experience, how it changed you, and how it shapes your current actions and values.

Tip #3: Connect it to your future. Connect your story about your service to your vision for your life as a student at Princeton. This will let admissions know that you'll also be an exceptional student outside of the classroom in the Princeton community.

The "More About You" Short Answer Supplements

The "More About You" short answer section of the Princeton Supplement is your last chance to show who you are: the real person behind all of the stats, scores, and successes that the rest of your application showcases. In fact, the instructions for this required portion of the supplement are clear: "There are no right or wrong answers. Be yourself!"

This means that, in 50 words or fewer, you'll need to give admissions counselors a clearer picture of the "you" behind the application. All three of the "More About You" short answer questions are required, and each one gives you a chance to provide a little more context for your desire to be a student at Princeton.

#1: The New Skill Prompt

What is a new skill you would like to learn in college? (50 words)

To answer this question, all you need to do is describe a skill that you want to learn in college! There are a couple of different ways that you could interpret this prompt. Just remember: answer honestly.

For starters, you could think of the prompt as asking about a skill that you want to learn from your actual college courses . If this is the path you choose, you could write about how you want to learn to produce a podcast, to lead a Socratic Seminar, or to write a winning elevator pitch. Connecting the skill you want to learn to your areas of academic interests is a solid strategy.

Alternatively, you could think more generally about any skill you want to learn during your time in college ! For example, maybe you struggle with public speaking, and you want to learn to share your ideas more clearly in your classes and your extracurriculars. Writing about skills that are more oriented towards exploring your identity, background, or interests outside of academics is perfectly fine here too.

Whatever skill you decide to write about, it's important to briefly explain why you want to learn that skill. For instance, if you were writing about learning to bake like your grandmother, you might explain that this skill has been passed down in your family for generations, and you'd like to pass it down as well. If you want to learn how to produce a podcast, maybe you'd explain that you were searching for an interesting podcast on Marxist economics, but couldn't find one that had good production quality, so you want to learn how to produce one yourself.

#2: The Joy Prompt

What brings you joy? (50 words)

The same principles go for this prompt: write your response about something that genuinely brings you joy. It could be an activity, a person or relationship, or an experience you've had. To answer this question, simply describe the thing that brings you joy.

A good answer to this question will identify one specific thing that brings you joy, then describe it with gusto. For example, if the thing that brings you joy is building model planes with your little brother, briefly tell the story of why that experience brings you joy. Maybe you like the challenge of focusing on small details, or perhaps your joy comes from building something with your hands.

Briefly giving these specific details will show how the thing that brings you joy reflects your values and identity --both of which will give more clues as to the kind of person you'll be as a student at Princeton.

#3: The Soundtrack of Your Life Prompt

What song represents the soundtrack of your life at this moment? (50 words)

This short answer is fun! Keep your song selection relatively clean, of course, but otherwise, just think of a song that you're literally listening to on repeat right now , or pick a song that symbolizes your current experience. Then explain why!

For example, maybe you'll write about "Inner Child" by BTS because getting ready to leave home for college in the midst of so much has made you reflect on your younger years. Or, if you've literally listened to "my future" by Billie Eilish one thousand times since its release, briefly write about why you can't stop hitting repeat.

Don't overthink this prompt: the music we love reveals things about our personality and how we cope with the realities of our lives. Just be real, and you'll show Princeton admissions another facet of your genuine personality and how you process the world.

How to Write a Great Princeton Essay: 4 Key Tips

To wrap up, here are some final tips to keep in mind as you write your Princeton essays and any other essays for college applications.

#1: Be Specific

A vague essay is certain to squelch your chances of getting into Princeton, so make sure you're being as specific as possible in your writing.

For example, if you're writing about somebody who inspired you, touch on the little quirks or traits they have to help the admissions committee more easily visualize this person, such as their subtle mannerisms, the way they handled stress, or their perseverance in a difficult situation.

Remember that you're writing about something real, whether that's a person, event, object, or experience. Your aim should be to make the subject of your essay feel as real to your readers as it did and does for you.

Other ways to ensure that you're being specific enough in your essay are to use common literary devices such as anecdotes, dialogue (an actual conversation you had with someone), imagery, and onomatopoeia. These not only add color to your writing but also paint the subject of your essay in a more effective, relatable way.

Lastly, I recommend getting somebody else to read over your essay (which I talk about more in tip 4); this person can let you know if your writing isn't specific enough and if too much is left to be implied.

#2: Be Honest and Use Your Voice

The whole point of writing an essay for a college application is to show the admissions committee who you are. In short, what makes you you ? This is why it's so critical to use an authentic voice in your Princeton essays.

For example, if you love making people laugh (and think humor is one of your defining traits), then it might be a good idea to include a joke or two in your personal essay.

However, don't exaggerate anything that happened to you or any feelings you might have —the admissions committee will more than likely be able to see through it. Remember that you want your voice and feelings to come across strongly but also (and more importantly) authentically.

Don't claim in your engineering essay that you've liked engineering since you were 3 years old if you only recently developed an interest in it. Lying about or exaggerating anything in your essay will simply make you seem insincere and, yes, even immature. So avoid it!

#3: Write Well and Avoid Clichés

You'll need to be a decent writer if you're hoping to get into Princeton—one of the most selective universities in the US ! On the technical side, this means that your Princeton essays should have no grammatical, spelling, or punctuation errors.

If you're unsure about a certain grammar rule, such as how to use a semicolon correctly, feel free to consult our SAT grammar guide for a quick refresher.

Writing well also means varying up your sentence lengths and styles (in other words, don't start every sentence with "I," even though you're likely talking about yourself).

On the more stylistic side, your essays should really grab your audience's attention—and keep it throughout. Therefore, you'll need to come up with a unique way to hook your readers from the beginning. For example, you could start with a piece of dialogue that someone said to you once (I'd avoid famous quotations, though, since these can come across really clichéd).

Alternatively, you could start with a memory, opening a description with a strong emotion you had, a sound you heard (using onomatopoeia would be a good idea here), or powerful, sensory images of the setting.

As a final tip, make a conscious effort to avoid clichés. These include quotations that have been quoted to death and phrases or idioms that are often overused. Using clichés indicates laziness to the reader and a lack of authenticity in your voice and storytelling.

For example, instead of writing, "I woke up at the crack of dawn," you could write something like "I woke up as soon as the sun began to peek over the horizon" (if you're the poetic type) or even just "I woke up at dawn" (if you're more like Hemingway).

Here is a lengthy but useful list of clichés to avoid in your writing .

Remember that you're ultimately telling a story with your essays, so don't be afraid to get creative and use a variety of literary techniques!

#4: Proofread, Proofread, Proofread!

The final step before you submit each of your Princeton essays is to edit and proofread it.

Editing isn't a one-step process. After you finish your rough draft, put your essay away and take it out again a few days or even weeks later to get a fresh perspective on what sounds good and what comes across awkward, unclear, or irrelevant. Do this step numerous times. At this time, you should also be checking for any typos, grammar errors, etc.

Once you've done a few editing sessions on your own, give your essay to someone you trust, such as a teacher, counselor, or parent, and have that person look it over and offer any feedback or corrections. Getting another set of eyes to look at your essay can help you catch smaller mistakes you might've failed to notice; it also gives a clearer sense as to what kind of impression your essay will likely leave on the Princeton admissions committee.

What's Next?

If you're applying to Princeton through the Common Application, you'll need to write an essay that answers one of the Common App prompts . Our in-depth guide goes over all the current prompts and gives you expert tips on how to answer them.

You can also check out our guide on how to choose a Common App prompt if you're struggling with deciding on the best one for your college application.

Not sure what your chances are of actually getting into Princeton? Calculate them with our own college acceptance calculator , and read up on how to submit a versatile college application .

Hannah received her MA in Japanese Studies from the University of Michigan and holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Southern California. From 2013 to 2015, she taught English in Japan via the JET Program. She is passionate about education, writing, and travel.

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How To Answer Princeton's 2023/24 Supplemental Essays: Tips & Insights

What's New in 2023/24

What Are Princeton's Essay Prompts?

Your Voice Questions

More About You Questions

Academic Interests Questions

Dive into Princeton's 2023/24 supplemental essay prompts, understand the nuances behind each question, and get expert insights on crafting standout responses. Our guide offers a comprehensive breakdown, from understanding Princeton's ethos to tailoring your narrative for maximum impact.

Princeton’s 2023/24 Supplemental Essay Updates: What's Changed?

Securing a coveted spot at Princeton University, with its estimated acceptance rate hovering around 5.82% or potentially even lower, is a monumental achievement. In such an intensely competitive arena, your supplemental essays become a vital instrument in highlighting your distinct narrative and compatibility with Princeton's ethos.

Each year, elite institutions like Princeton meticulously adjust their application process to ensure they obtain a holistic perspective of their prospective students. For the 2023/24 admissions cycle, Princeton has introduced several significant alterations to its supplemental essay questions.

New Prompts Address Your Academic Interests

Previously, there wasn't a dedicated prompt focusing on academic interests. The current cycle, however, has introduced distinct prompts for A.B. Degree Applicants and B.S.E Degree Applicants . These questions invite students to delve into their academic passions and articulate how Princeton's esteemed programs resonate with their academic goals, all within a 250-word framework.

An Updated “Your Voice” Prompt

In the prior cycle, applicants were prompted to probe challenging conversations and the insights they yielded. The updated prompt emphasizes Princeton's cherished values of community and respectful dialogue . Applicants are now encouraged to introspect on their life experiences and how the lessons they've learned from their experiences will shape their contributions to campus life, all encapsulated within a 500-word limit.

The Essay on Service Ideals and the “More About You” Sections Remain Mostly Unchanged

The essay on Princeton's service ideals remains but is now distinct, with a 250-word boundary.

The "More About You" section remains steadfast, retaining its trio of short-answer questions that probe into personal aspirations and reflections, each capped at 50 words.

These modifications underscore Princeton's evolving admissions strategy, emphasizing a deeper comprehension of applicants' academic leanings and the diverse experiences they'll infuse into the university's vibrant community.

What Are Princeton’s Supplemental Essay Prompts for 2023/24?

For the 2023/24 application cycle, Princeton University has meticulously crafted specific supplemental essay prompts to delve deeper into the profiles of its applicants alongside the Common App or Coalition App questions. These prompts aim to uncover your academic inclinations, personal narratives, and how you envision your journey at Princeton.

“Your Voice” Questions

Princeton cherishes its diverse community and the countless voices that enrich campus conversations.

• Lived Experiences: 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? (Please respond in 500 words or fewer.)
• Service Ideals: 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? (Please respond in 250 words or fewer.)

“More About You” Questions

These succinct questions provide a snapshot of your personality, aspirations, and current reflections.

• Skill Acquisition: What is a new skill you would like to learn in college? (50 words)
• Joy: What brings you joy? (50 words)
• Life's Soundtrack: What song represents the soundtrack of your life at this moment? (50 words)

Additional Prompts

Tailored to understand your academic aspirations and how they align with Princeton's offerings.

• For A.B. Degree Applicants or 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 250 words or fewer.)
• 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 250 words or fewer.)

With an acceptance rate estimated at around 5.82% , Princeton's application process is undeniably competitive. These prompts offer applicants a unique opportunity to showcase their academic passions, personal growth, and the distinct perspectives they'll bring to the Princeton community.

Looking for inspiration? Dive into these Princeton essay examples to see what successful applications look like!

How to Answer Princeton’s “Your Voice” Questions?

“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”, - 500 words or fewer.

Princeton values a diverse student body, not just in terms of demographics but also in experiences and perspectives. The university believes that each student's unique journey enriches classroom discussions, group projects, and the overall campus environment. This prompt seeks to understand the depth of your experiences and how they've shaped you as an individual .

Diving Deep into Personal Experiences

Begin by selecting one or two pivotal moments or experiences in your life. These could be:

• Challenges you've overcome and the resilience they've instilled in you.
• Unique opportunities you've had and the insights they've provided.
• Personal or family stories that have significantly influenced your worldview.

Reflect on these experiences in terms of events, the emotions they evoked, and the lessons they imparted.

Influence on Conversations and Interactions

Reflect on how your experiences will shape various facets of your Princeton journey:

• Classroom Discussions : Your unique perspective, derived from your experiences, can add depth and a fresh viewpoint to academic debates.
• Casual Chats : In dining halls or dorm lounges, your stories might inspire, enlighten, or offer a different perspective to peers.
• Group Activities : The skills and insights you've acquired can be beneficial in collaborative endeavors.

Additionally, delve into the key lessons your experiences have taught you. Whether it's values like empathy, resilience, or specific skills, consider how these lessons will benefit you and enrich your interactions with peers.

Envisioning Your Contributions to Princeton

Reflect on how your experiences will guide your contributions to the Princeton community. This could be in terms of:

• Clubs or organizations you plan to join or initiate.
• Community service or outreach programs you aim to be a part of.
• Research or academic projects that your experiences have inspired.

By detailing these, you showcase a proactive approach to making a positive impact at Princeton.

Personal Growth and Shaping

Conclude by addressing the final part of the prompt: how your lived experience has shaped you. Reflect holistically on your journey, considering the amalgamation of experiences, lessons, and insights and how they've molded your character, aspirations, and worldview.

Princeton's first prompt is an invitation to share your personal journey and its significance. It's an opportunity to highlight how your unique experiences have shaped you and how they'll influence your contributions to the Princeton community. Approach this essay with introspection, authenticity, and a clear vision of your future at Princeton.

“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?”

- 250 words or fewer.

Princeton's dedication to service and civic engagement is deeply rooted in its ethos. The university believes in nurturing individuals who excel academically and contribute positively to society . This commitment is reflected in various campus programs, initiatives, and student-led organizations that aim to make a tangible difference in the community and beyond.

Mapping Personal Experiences to Princeton's Ideals

Begin by reflecting on your personal experiences where you've engaged in service or civic activities. Consider:

• Pivotal moments or experiences that shaped your values and dedication.
• Direct and indirect ways you've helped others or contributed to organizations with a service mission.
• Influences, whether individuals or events, that steered you towards these ideals.
• Challenges faced, lessons learned, and the impact of your service activities.

Connect these experiences to similar initiatives or groups at Princeton, showcasing how you can continue and expand upon these endeavors at the university.

Intersecting with Princeton's Ideals

After narrating your personal journey, draw explicit parallels between your experiences and Princeton's commitment to service:

• Match your past experiences with clubs or groups at Princeton that share a similar mission or serve a similar population.
• Reflect on how your values and lessons from personal experiences align with Princeton's ideals.

Identifying Opportunities at Princeton

Research specific clubs, organizations, or programs at Princeton that align with your service experiences. You demonstrate a proactive approach and genuine interest in contributing to Princeton's service-oriented community by pinpointing where your skills and passions could be applied . Envision how your past experiences will influence future contributions to the university's community and its mission. Conclude with a forward-looking statement on what you hope to accomplish at Princeton.

Crafting a Unique Narrative

Every applicant will be addressing the same prompt. To make your response stand out:

• Delve into personal stories or experiences that have shaped your commitment to service.
• Reflect on challenges faced, lessons learned, and the impact of your service activities.
• Consider how your unique perspective can bring a fresh approach to service and civic engagement at Princeton.

Princeton's second prompt is an opportunity to showcase your dedication to service and how it aligns with the university's core values . Remember, every applicant will be addressing the same prompt. To make your response stand out, intertwine your personal journey with Princeton's ideals, creatively interpret the prompt's underlying themes, and provide a clear vision of your future contributions. Approach this essay with introspection, authenticity, and a clear vision of your future at Princeton.

How to Answer Princeton’s “More About You” Questions?

“what is a new skill you would like to learn in college”, - 50 words or fewer.

At its core, this prompt seeks to understand your aspirations beyond the traditional academic curriculum. Princeton values holistic growth, and this question is an invitation to share a personal or professional skill you're eager to acquire during your college years.

1. Reflecting on Personal and Professional Growth

Consider skills that align with the following:

• Personal passions or hobbies you've always wanted to explore.
• Professional aspirations that require a specific skill set.
• Interdisciplinary interests that bridge your major with another field.

2. Connecting the Skill to Princeton's Resources

While the prompt doesn't explicitly ask for it, it's a good idea to tie your desired skill to resources available at Princeton subtly. Whether it's a specific club, workshop, or course, showcasing your awareness of Princeton's offerings can be a plus.

3. Crafting a Unique Response

Given the brevity of the answer, it's crucial to be concise yet impactful. Avoid generic answers. Instead:

• Share a brief backstory if there's a compelling reason behind your choice.
• Highlight how acquiring this skill aligns with your broader goals or values.

The first "More About You" prompt is a window into your aspirations outside the standard academic trajectory. Approach it with a mix of personal authenticity and a nod to how Princeton can facilitate this learning journey .

“What brings you joy? ”

This prompt seeks to uncover a more personal side of you. It's an invitation to share what genuinely makes you happy, offering a glimpse into your personality, values, and passions.

Reflecting on Genuine Happiness

Consider moments or activities that:

• Evoke a sense of contentment or excitement.
• Align with your personal values or passions.
• Have consistently been a source of happiness over the years.

Going Beyond the Surface

While it might be tempting to provide a straightforward answer, try to delve a bit deeper:

• If reading brings you joy, is it a specific genre or the act of immersing yourself in another world?
• If it's spending time with family, is there a particular tradition or shared activity that stands out?

Relating to the Princeton Experience

Though not explicitly required, subtly connecting your source of joy to potential experiences at Princeton can be impactful. For instance, if nature brings you joy, you might look forward to peaceful moments at the Princeton University Art Museum's outdoor spaces.

The second "More About You" prompt offers a chance to showcase your individuality and what truly resonates with your heart. Approach it sincerely, and don't hesitate to share simple joys that hold profound meaning .

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

This prompt is an opportunity to convey your current emotional, mental, or situational state through the medium of music. It's a chance to share a snapshot of your life, encapsulated in a song, providing insight into your feelings, aspirations, or experiences.

Reflecting on Your Current Phase

Before selecting a song, introspect on your current life phase:

• Are you in a period of transition, growth, or self-discovery?
• Are there challenges you're facing or milestones you've recently achieved?
• What emotions dominate your daily life?

Choosing the Song

When selecting a song:

• Ensure it genuinely resonates with your current state.
• Consider lyrics, melody, and the overall mood of the song.
• It doesn't have to be a popular or well-known track; it just needs to be authentic to you.

Explaining Your Choice

While the song title might be self-explanatory to you, provide context:

• Share why the song resonates with your current life phase.
• Discuss specific lyrics or musical elements that align with your feelings or experiences.
• Relate it to recent events, aspirations, or personal growth.

The third "More About You" prompt uniquely expresses your current state of mind and life phase through music. Choose a song that genuinely mirrors your feelings or experiences, and offer context to make your choice relatable and insightful.

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How to Answer Princeton’s Academic Interests Questions?

“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”.

Given that this prompt is for A.B. Degree Applicants or those undecided, it's crucial to convey an open-minded and exploratory approach to learning. Princeton's liberal arts curriculum is designed for students to discover and hone their interests over time.

Identifying Your Academic Interests

While you might be undecided or open to various disciplines:

• Highlight subjects or topics that have intrigued you in the past.
• Discuss experiences or projects that have given you a taste of these interests.
• Mention if there are interdisciplinary areas that you're curious about.

Researching Princeton's Offerings

Before addressing how Princeton's programs align with your interests:

• Dive deep into Princeton's course catalog , faculty research, and departmental offerings related to your interests.
• Identify specific courses, professors, or research opportunities that align with your academic goals.

Drawing Connections

Now, bridge your personal interests with Princeton's offerings:

• Discuss how specific programs or courses at Princeton can further your academic exploration.
• Mention any unique Princeton initiatives, research opportunities, or academic resources that particularly resonate with your goals.

Envisioning Your Academic Journey at Princeton

Reflect on how Princeton's environment will enhance your academic growth:

• How will the blend of research and liberal arts at Princeton shape your academic trajectory?
• Are there interdisciplinary opportunities at Princeton that you're eager to explore?

This prompt is an opportunity to showcase your current academic curiosities and your eagerness to explore and grow within Princeton's diverse academic environment . Emphasize your open-mindedness, curiosity, and the potential for discovery at Princeton.

For B.S.E Degree applicants only

“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.”

Begin by articulating your intrinsic motivation or the initial spark that drew you to engineering. Was it a childhood fascination, a particular project, or an influential figure in your life?

Your Engineering Journey So Far

Detail your experiences and exposure in the realm of engineering:

• Highlight specific projects, internships, or research endeavors you've undertaken.
• Discuss challenges faced, innovative solutions devised, or key learnings from these experiences.
• Mention any relevant coursework, competitions, or extracurricular activities that further solidified your interest.

Why Princeton's Engineering Program?

Dive deep into what makes Princeton's B.S.E program stand out for you:

• Are there specific courses, labs, or faculty members aligned with your interests?
• Does Princeton offer unique interdisciplinary opportunities, research facilities, or collaborations that resonate with your engineering aspirations?

Synergy Between Your Interests and Princeton's Offerings

Draw connections between your past experiences and future endeavors at Princeton:

• How will your previous engineering exposure benefit from and contribute to Princeton's B.S.E program?
• Are there specific areas within engineering that you're keen to explore further at Princeton?

Envisioning Your Engineering Future at Princeton

Reflect on your potential trajectory:

• How do you see yourself growing and evolving as an engineer at Princeton?
• Are there specific communities, clubs, or initiatives at Princeton that you're eager to join or lead?

This prompt allows B.S.E Degree Applicants to showcase their dedication to engineering and how Princeton's program aligns with their aspirations . By revealing a strong area of engineering passion and curiosity and intertwining past experiences with future goals at Princeton, applicants can craft a compelling narrative that underscores their fit for the program.

General Guidelines for Answering Princeton's Supplemental Essay Questions

• Research and Specificity : Princeton's prompts often delve into your connection with the university's ethos, programs, and community. Ensure you mention specific courses, professors, research opportunities, or student organizations that align with your interests. Demonstrating detailed knowledge indicates genuine enthusiasm and thorough research.
• Show Self-awareness : Princeton appreciates students who possess introspective qualities. When discussing academic interests, personal experiences, or future aspirations, always circle back to personal growth, lessons learned, or insights gained.
• Diversity of Thought : Princeton, renowned for its diverse student body, values varied perspectives and experiences. Emphasize the unique viewpoints, experiences, or backgrounds you bring to the table, showcasing how they'll enrich the Princeton community.
• Be Authentic : Authenticity is key. While it's tempting to craft responses you believe the admissions committee wishes to see, genuine narratives resonate more profoundly. Discuss genuine passions, challenges, and aspirations.
• Quality Over Quantity : Given the word constraints, prioritize depth. Instead of briefly touching upon multiple points, delve deeply into a few, providing insight and clarity.
• Narrative Storytelling : Engage your reader through vivid storytelling. A well-narrated experience or reflection can be more impactful and memorable than a mere listing of facts.
• Proofread and Revise : Ensure your essays are polished. Beyond grammar and syntax, ensure your narrative is coherent, concise, and effectively communicates your message. Seek feedback from trusted individuals for fresh perspectives.
• Connect to the Bigger Picture : Relate your responses to your potential contributions to the Princeton community and how Princeton's offerings align with your goals. This showcases your forward-thinking and eagerness to be an integral part of Princeton's legacy.
• Embrace the Challenge : Remember, these essays are an opportunity to provide a more comprehensive view of who you are beyond grades and test scores. Embrace the challenge, and use this platform to convey why you and Princeton are a perfect match.

Princeton's supplemental essays offer a window to showcase your individuality, aspirations, and alignment with the university's values. By intertwining personal narratives with Princeton's offerings and ethos, you can craft compelling responses that underscore your fit and potential contributions to the Princeton community.

For further insights, consider exploring these Princeton essay examples to discern what makes an application stand out!

Final Thoughts

Embarking on the journey to Princeton is not just about academic prowess but crafting a narrative that resonates deeply with Princeton's ethos and the admissions committee. Your supplemental essays are a window into your character, aspirations, and the unique contributions you'll bring to the Princeton community.

Every Princeton aspirant has a distinct story to tell. This is your invaluable chance to share yours. Approach your essays with authenticity, introspection, and a genuine passion for the narrative you're weaving.

If you're unsure whether your essay truly captures your essence or stands out amidst the myriad of applications, our essay review service is here to guide you. Our seasoned experts will provide a meticulous review and very personalized feedback, ensuring your essay resonates with Princeton's admissions officers. For added inspiration, delve into our ebook , which showcases essays from students who've secured spots at top-tier institutions. And for those targeting Princeton, our compilation of successful Princeton essay examples will provide crucial insights.

For those just beginning their college application journey, consider scheduling a free consultation with our seasoned college counselors. We're dedicated to assisting you in creating an application that maximizes your chances of joining the ranks of Princeton's esteemed alumni. Your dream of becoming a Princeton Tiger is within reach, and we're here to support you at every juncture.

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Key Resources & Further Reading

• Everything you need to know about US Application Supplemental Essays
• Acing your College Application Essay: 5 Expert Tips to Make it Stand Out from the Rest
• How to Tackle Every Type of Supplemental Essay
• 2023-24 Common App Essay Prompts
• What are the Most Unusual US College Supplemental Essay Prompts?

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How to write the Princeton supplemental essays (2023-2024)

Bonus Material: PrepMaven’s 50+ Real Supplemental Essays for Ivy+ Schools

Last year, Princeton admitted just 5.6% of applicants, meaning that if you want a shot at an admission for the 2023-2024 cycle, your application has to be just about perfect. 

One element of the Princeton application that many students struggle with is the Princeton writing supplement. It’s tricky to know exactly how to approach these supplemental essays: what can you write to stand out from the thousands of other applicants? What exactly are Princeton admissions officers looking for?

Fortunately, at PrepMaven, we’ve helped thousands of students craft compelling college application essays. It doesn’t hurt that many of our expert tutors have been admitted to Princeton themselves, and so they know exactly what works. 

In this guide, we’ll break down the 2023-2024 Princeton writing supplement, explaining exactly what you need to do to maximize your chances at a Princeton acceptance. 

As you read on, check out our free resource linked below: it contains real, successful examples of supplemental essays written for Princeton and other top schools. 

Download 50+ Real Supplemental Essays for Ivy+ Schools

Jump to section:

• Princeton 2023-2024 supplemental essay prompts 
• How to write Princeton’s first essay
• How to write Princeton’s second essay
• How to write Princeton’s third essay

Princeton’s 2023-2024 short answer questions

Princeton’s 2023-2024 supplemental essays .

This year, Princeton has three fairly intensive supplemental essays and three short answer questions. 

The supplemental essays are as follows: 

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 250 words or fewer.)  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 250 words or fewer.) Your Voice (all applicants) 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?  (Please respond in 500 words or fewer.) 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? (Please respond in 250 words or fewer.)

The first thing to notice is that these essays all fall into well-known categories of the college essay. 

The first prompt, which will vary slightly depending on whether you’re applying to the engineering school or not, is simply a “Why Major?” essay, which asks you to explain your academic interests. 

What’s the key to a successful “Why Major?” essay for Princeton? We’ve written a comprehensive guide on this essay type here that covers all the ins and outs of what schools really want when they ask this question. 

The second prompt is one you’re likely to see from just about any school, and is a version of a Community/Diversity prompt. 

The third prompt is a classic Service essay prompt, which you can also think of as an Extracurricular essay with a slightly more specific focus. 

Read on below for break-downs of each of these prompts!

How to write Princeton’s first essay: “Why this major?”

The key to answering this supplemental prompt about your intended area of study is to answer three key questions: 

• What specifically are you interested in?
• Why , using specific details from your life, are you interested in that subject?
• How , using the specific resources available at Princeton, will you pursue that subject?

Now, if you’ve read our guide on how to write Why Major essays, then you likely already know that you should have a basic template you reuse anytime a school asks you this question. If you’ve already written a Why Major essay for another school, you should be able to save a lot of time by reusing the basic structure of that essay, and simply replacing the school-specific portions. 

If you don’t already have a template, here’s what it should look like: 

• Start with a brief anecdote from your life or academic question that interests you. 

The anecdote should show where your interest comes from, the moment you realized you wished to pursue this subject, or simply dramatize an important learning experience related to your chosen field of study. 

You can use this portion of the template for any school that asks a Why Major supplemental. 

• Use that anecdote to launch into a discussion of why the subject matter interests you/why you want to pursue it as a major. 

Do you want to study biology? Explain what about it fascinates you: what are the burning questions you hope to answer? What about the process of research or lab work speaks to you? Is there a practical purpose you hope to achieve through your study?

More of a humanities person who wants to study art history? The same rules apply: what about art history captivates you? Where does this passion come from? Why is it something you’d dedicate your life (or at least 4 years) to exploring?

Whatever your major, the rules of the game are basically identical: convincingly convey your passion for a particular subject to the admissions officers at Princeton, and they’ll be far more likely to see you as someone who will seriously pursue your interests–which is, of course, what they’re looking for. 

As with the anecdote, you can reuse this portion of the essay for any school with a similar prompt.

• Explain how you’ll use specific resources at Princeton to pursue your academic interests. 

This is the school-specific portion of the essay, which you’ll have to modify for every school you apply to. And the first step here is research: identify specific, unique offerings of Princeton University that you hope to take advantage of. 

Your best friend here will be the departmental website of the program/major to which you’re applying. Invest time in exploring that website: you’ll find all the information you need about curriculum, research, and work opportunities there. 

Then, you’ll take this specific information and focus on 1-2 key points at the end of the essay, favoring depth over breadth. Don’t just rattle off the first 10 things you see on the website: pick just a couple and spend a few sentences on each, explaining how the particular resource aligns with your academic interests and goals. 

Why do it this way? Well, the goal here is to: 

• Show Princeton you’ve done your research
• Convince the Princeton admissions committee that you really do think they’re a great fit for you. 

By picking just a few specifics and connecting them with your own interests and story, you’ll be able to do both of these things without coming off as inauthentic. 

Some great things to focus on would be: 

• Research programs
• Work/internship/coop opportunities
• Unique curricular offerings
• Unusual minors or specializations
• Service learning opportunities 
• Thesis/honors opportunities

While you’re doing all this, there are a few things you should avoid writing in the Princeton Why Major essay. Some of the Don’ts we list below are just too cliche; others are actually red flags for college admissions committees. 

Don’t: 

• Reference money as a primary reason for your major choice.
• It’s fine to be undecided! But even then you should discuss what kinds of things interest you and why. 
• Randomly Princeton name-drop professors or classes just because you came across them on the website.
• Forget to include a specific story, question, or hook to get the reader interested.

And that’s it! Do all of the above, and you’ll have the first of Princeton supplemental essays locked down tight–plus, you’ll have a great template for any other schools that ask the same question. 

Ready to get started? A great resource to begin with is our collection of real, successful supplemental essays. For stellar examples of the “Why Major” essay, check out the last supplemental essay for Princeton, as well as the first sample essay for UPenn. 

How to write Princeton’s second essay: Diversity/community

Here’s the second supplemental prompt:

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?  (Please respond in 500 words or fewer.)

If you haven’t already, you’ll soon come to recognize this essay prompt, as well as the language of “lived experience,” which will come up more and more often. The Oxford dictionary has a pretty straightforward definition here , but all that “lived experience” really means is your first-hand experience of the world, as opposed to things you may have read, heard, or learned. 

At heart, this kind of prompt is asking you to discuss how–based on specific elements of your life–you view your role as a potential member of Princeton’s diverse community. We call this the Diversity/community essay, because those are really always two sides of the same coin. 

With the Princeton Diversity/community essay, there are 2 basic options for structuring your response:

• Discuss community through the lens of your identity. 
• Discuss community through the lens of other events/activities/pursuits in your life. 

Which path you take will actually be easy to decide: 

If your identity (racial, ethnic, gender, sexual, religious, etc.) has significantly influenced your worldview or experiences, go with option 1. 

In other words, if you know you have something meaningful to say about how your identity has shaped you, that should structure your response. This might mean writing an essay about how discrimination or systemic biases have affected you or your family; it could just as well, however, mean writing about specific experiences you’ve cherished as a member of a particular culture. 

A few great examples from recent essays we’ve worked on: 

• An essay that focuses on a student’s biracial background and how she learned to use others’ ignorant/racist comments as opportunities for starting difficult conversations. 
• An essay exploring how a first-generation immigrant served as a translator for his parents. 
• An essay from a young woman exploring how she navigated the contradictions between her feminist views and the emphasis on tradition within her religion. 

If your identity has not significantly experienced how you view the world, go with option 2. 

If you don’t feel particularly connected to a specific identity, or if you can’t think of specific ways that your identity has affected you, you should instead focus on other elements of your life that have shaped your view of community. 

Think about what you want out of a community: then, think about what aspect of your life (an extracurricular, a hobby, a social circle) has shaped that desire. Tell that story. It may sound a bit tough to thread that needle, but it really isn’t so bad: here are a few really successful topics from recent students in response to this kind of prompt:

• An essay about how a student’s participation in yearly music recitals with strangers shaped how he views community as a place for everyone to share their gifts/talents. 
• An essay from an avid hiker about how his experiences maintaining hiking trails taught him to think of community as a shared, daily effort in the service of others. 
• An essay from a student who moved countries multiple times reflecting on what in each place contributed to creating a cohesive community. 

All the examples are different, but share one thing in common: using your personal experiences to reflect on your role in a diverse community. 

For successful examples of Diversity/community essays, check out the first Princeton essay and the first three UMich essays in the free collection below!

How to write Princeton’s third essay: Service

Princeton’s third supplemental essay is an essay on the topic of service and community engagement–another fairly standard kind of supplemental essay you’re almost certain to see pop up again! 

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? (Please respond in 250 words or fewer.)

You’ll notice the word count here is much shorter than that of Princeton’s second supplemental essay, so you’re really just going to have enough time to tell a short story and then reflect on why/how service matters in your life. 

This essay can be quite difficult if you haven’t directly engaged in service-oriented work. If you have, then your job is a lot easier: as with the other essays, tell the story of the service you’ve done, then reflect on the lesson you learned. Ideally, work in a brief discussion of how you plan to continue this kind of service at Princeton. 

If you don’t have anything that’s directly related to service, you might want to interpret the prompt more broadly: formally or informally, how has your life been affected by service? Have you or your family benefited from someone else’s service? Have you had obligations or responsibility to family or loved ones? Do you feel strongly about a particular social issue? 

Any and all of those would work. For now, though, we recommend taking a look at a real response to this prompt below, which helped get one of our star tutors into Princeton. 

Over the pandemic, I tutored two middle school boys. Now, I love kids, but middle schoolers are not my number one favorites. They are often dismissive of authority and it’s very hard to hold their attention for longer than two minutes. So working with them on Zoom for an hour became my new challenge. I tried many tactics. When fun warm-ups, writing prompts, and Zoom games all failed, I was officially stumped. I couldn’t understand why they found me so uninteresting. I decided to pay closer attention to the passions they mentioned. Instead of imposing my own ideas, I listened to what they had to say. It turned out Lucian loved running. Getting him to read was like pulling teeth, but I found a Jason Reynolds book called Ghost, part of a series about a track team. We would spend ten or fifteen minutes at the beginning of each session reading it aloud to each other, and while he seemed to be engaged, I couldn’t tell exactly how much he was enjoying it. But when we finally finished, he asked me shyly, “What did you say the next one was called?” Sajiah proved to be tougher to please. He wasn’t swayed by any books I suggested to him, no matter the topic. He often hummed or rapped while working, which I found to be endlessly annoying, until I started listening to the actual words. I Googled the lyrics and noticed that he particularly enjoyed Grandmaster Flash and Afrika Bambaataa. So we began a project investigating the origins of hip hop, and created a website as the final product. He loved finding out more about the music he listened to every day, and I loved seeing him so happy with his work. I don’t pretend I saved the world by helping these boys, but I am proud of the creative way I found projects and topics they genuinely enjoyed investigating. I hope to continue working with children as a form of civic engagement throughout college and beyond; if I can help students like Sajiah and Lucian, it’ll be well worth it.

There’s a few key things to notice with this essay. 

First, it’s about a small, simple act of service. You don’t need to have started a non-profit or spent years volunteering: something as simple as tutoring two students can work perfectly well for this Princeton essay. 

Second, it treats this act with the appropriate level of seriousness. If your act of service isn’t on a large scale, don’t try to make out as if it is: something as simple as “I don’t pretend I saved the world by helping these boys, but I am proud of the creative way I found projects and topics they genuinely enjoyed investigating” will feel much more honest and convincing. 

Finally, this essay is a story. All the best essays are! Don’t just give us the broad strokes: really show us the details of whatever service work you’ve done. Once you’ve shown Princeton’s admissions officers that story, they’ll be far more likely to believe that you actually do take service seriously. 

The third Princeton supplemental essay doesn’t have to be difficult: stay honest, stay direct, and tell your story. 

To read other responses to this very prompt (and many other sample supplemental essays), download our collection below. And if you’d like the guidance of one of our expert tutors (some of whom wrote the very essays in that packet), just contact us . 

In addition to the three essays above, Princeton asks you to respond to three short answer questions, each in a bite-size 50 words or fewer. The questions are below: 

What is a new skill you would like to learn in college? What brings you joy?  What song represents the soundtrack of your life at this moment?

For these, the simplest advice is best: be yourself. Don’t overthink these! While the longer essays are quite important and will require multiple drafts and redrafts, you won’t need to put the same level of work into these short answer questions. 

You should, however, use up the 50-word limit they give you. Don’t just give Princeton a one-word answer to these questions. Instead, use the opportunity to show them as much of your personality and character as you can within 50 words, ideally by explaining each of your answers. 

So, for short answer prompt 1, don’t just say, “I want to learn public speaking skills.” Instead, elaborate on why : the explanation is always more interesting than the answer itself. 

The same applies to the other questions: convey your passion, tell us an anecdote, or just show us how your mind works. These are low stakes, but still worth your careful time and attention–this is Princeton, after all. 

If you’re applying to Princeton, the place to start is our comprehensive guide to the Princeton application for the 2023-2024 cycle , which you can find here. That guide doesn’t just cover what Princeton’s application requires of you: it uses the latest statistics and insights from our own Princeton undergraduate tutors to walk you through exactly what you’ll need to do to have a shot at Princeton.

Once you’re ready to start writing supplemental essays for Princeton and your other schools, we have two main pieces of advice. 

First: read real, successful sample supplemental essays that helped get students into Princeton and other hyper-selective schools. Most people don’t really know what schools like Princeton actually want from the supplemental essays, and the best solution is to spend lots of time reviewing sample essays. We’ve collected dozens of these essays in the free resource below. 

Second: get expert help. Whether you’re a brilliant writer or just an okay one, you’ll benefit tremendously from the advice of someone who’s already successfully navigated the college application process. Our college essay coaches aren’t just writing experts who can make your essay shine: they’re trained to know exactly what schools like Princeton expect to see . 

Check out the free sample essays below, and, when you’re ready to start writing, contact us to get paired with a college essay expert. 

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Unpacking the Princeton Supplemental Essays 2023-2024

August 24, 2023

Princeton has consistently held that coveted number one spot in the US News Ranking of Best National Universities for the last few years. Of course, your grades, test scores and extracurricular activities are extremely important but do not underestimate the power of well-written supplemental essays. To help guide you through the Princeton supplemental essays 2023-2024 , I have outlined each of the prompts, ways to strategize your answers to them, and additional tips for your responses. 

Prompts for the Princeton Supplemental Essays 2023-2024

While none of the questions explicitly ask why you want to attend Princeton (because let’s face it, almost everybody wants to attend Princeton), they do help the school gauge your areas of interest, your academic and extracurricular strengths, and the ways through which you’d contribute to the campus community. Let’s take a closer look at each of the Princeton prompts and some strategies to approach them.

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.).

This is the closest the university gets to a “why Princeton” essay. Admissions officers don’t just want to know why you’re applying to Princeton generally; they expect you to go into specific detail about Princeton’s academic offerings. You can talk about multiple interests across the humanities, arts, natural sciences, and social sciences.

Notice that this type of essay should mainly cover academics. Princeton’s clubs and student organizations may make it an alluring place for you, but the question explicitly asks about your choice of study. Look through the college website and think about what you can write that won’t be common in other students’ essays. Is there an English professor whose writing resonates with you? Would a particular psychology or sociology class perfectly fit in with your 10-year plan? Remember that admissions officers are trying to figure out how you’d make the most of your experience on the Princeton campus. So, write elaborately about how you would take advantage of the curriculum and give them a sense of the ways in which you’d make a valuable addition to the classroom.

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.).

This  essay is required if you’ve indicated Bachelor of Science in Engineering as a possible degree on your application, and with good reason. Princeton wants to know whether you are genuinely interested in the field of engineering, and specifically in the Princeton School of Engineering’s offerings. This is a much more standard supplemental essay prompt than the one before. Most engineering programs will require a similar essay, so don’t write a response that could be substituted for an application to any other school. Your answer must be as specific as possible to Princeton’s engineering offerings. 

Don’t go overboard with all the reasons you’re interested in studying engineering. Focus on one or two of your most impactful activities and experiences, such as working in an engineering lab over the summer or building a robot at school. Again, you must be specific! Shallow motivations won’t win over Princeton’s admissions officers. If you want to excel with this question, you need to research concrete examples of what appeals to you. For example, you could talk about how working with the Princeton Engineering Education for Kids student organization combines your love for engineering and working with children. 

Admissions officers are looking for students who are passionate about their major, involved community leaders, and truly interested in Princeton. This essay is a great chance to show that you check all of the boxes.

1. 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?  (Please respond in 500 words or fewer.)

Princeton wants to know how students will engage in classroom discussions and conversations during meals and or in hallways. The difficult topic you address isn’t limited to academics—it could be about sports, books, music, movies, television, or politics (although I would tread the latter department carefully). You could have been on the more generally agreed-upon side of a common debate, or you may have held a controversial view. The important part isn’t what happened, so focus instead on the latter parts of the question. Dedicate most of your essay to discussing what insight you gained from the conversation, how you’ve acted since, and how you would bring this knowledge to Princeton.

Be careful while answering this prompt, especially if your viewpoint on the topic can be seen as controversial. With a topic like this, it’s easy to get carried away with your writing, especially if you have a lot of feelings on the matter. You only have 250 words at hand, so remember that your goal here is to talk about why this anecdote stands out to you and how it has shaped you. Allow admissions officers to learn more about you, and make sure you haven’t written anything that can offend or harm any individual or group of people.

2. 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? (Please respond in 250 words or fewer.)

This prompt is geared towards understanding students' involvement in community engagement and service. If you're passionate about community work and have dedicated yourself to improving your community, this is the place to expand on it. Write about any initiatives or work you have done to positively impact your community, or if you have demonstrated your passion for service and have been recognized for it. For example, if you received a Girl Scout Gold Award, this is the place to include it.

Remember that Princeton is one of the most selective universities in the world. Simply writing about a service trip abroad, or single community service participation won't do. When you write about this topic, think about what you're genuinely passionate about when it comes to community involvement, and how you have conveyed sustained commitment towards it.

More About You

Please respond to each question in 50 words or fewer. there are no right or wrong answers. be yourself.

• What is a new skill you would like to learn in college?
• What brings you joy? 
• What song represents the soundtrack of your life at this moment?

These questions might throw you off a little. After all, how can you figure out what Princeton is even looking for? Don’t panic. You definitely don’t have to come up with responses that you believe are super deep and intellectual. Don’t mention that your favorite song is a jazz or classical piece if you think these sound impressive even though you don't actually like them. As cheesy as it sounds, the question states that you should be yourself. Admissions officers want to get to know you. 

You don’t have to force yourself to be extra witty, but if you can come up with fun or clever answers to questions that allow for it, such as, “what brings you joy,” that’s great! But let it come to you naturally. Admissions officers have had years of experience reading answers to questions like these. They know if you’re trying to guess what you think they want to hear. At the same time, think about what other applicants would say. Avoid super common answers so that you can stand out as memorable. Your answers should be unique to you and your tastes.

Additional Tips for Writing the Princeton Supplemental Essays 2023-2024

• Be authentic . Every step in your application should be genuine . Don’t write about topics or issues that you believe a Princeton admissions officer might want to see. In fact, those answers might just end up being too cliché and not work against you instead. Admissions officers will appreciate it much more if they can feel organic passion and commitment for the things that you’ve described.
• Don’t repeat your personal statement or your activities list. The goal  is to provide further information on who you are and what you’re all about. There’s no point in repeating what you’ve said on the rest of your application because admissions officers want each component to add something new. Princeton has even specified on the longer essay prompt that you must not repeat your personal statement. If you can’t follow these instructions, your application is basically on its way to the reject pile. You don’t want to lose before your essays have even been read!

The Princeton supplemental essays 2023-2024 might be difficult because unless you’re applying to the School of Engineering, you don’t get a chance to elaborate on why you believe Princeton is the right school for you. However, there are ways you can convey to admissions officers that you’re a great fit for the school by bringing out characteristics that the school values and highlighting them in your essays. Don’t underestimate the difference powerful supplements can make. If you're seeking expert advice on how to effectively strategize your supplemental essays, sign up for a free consultation today with one of our college admissions experts.

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How to Write the Princeton Supplemental Essays - Examples

Reviewed by:

Former Admissions Committee Member, Columbia University

Reviewed: 9/28/23

College application building means you’ll need to write many supplemental essays. If you’re wondering how to write the Princeton essays, read on! 

Applying to Princeton is a monumental, thrilling, and intimidating task. As one of the Ivy League schools , Princeton strives to accept the best of the best. But it takes more than just good grades and excellent test scores to attend Princeton. 

Part of the application process includes writing Princeton supplemental essays. Keep in mind that these are required and not optional essays .   

This article will outline the essay prompts and pass along several writing tips so you’re fully prepared to answer Princeton supplements and impress Princeton’s admissions team.

Purpose of the Princeton Essays

When applying to universities, the admissions team only knows what you give them. Princeton judges your application based on your: 

• High school transcripts
• Test scores
• Extracurricular activities
• Personal statement
• Supplemental essays

It’s hard to determine who you are based on grades, so these essays provide insight into the character that admissions committees value. The essays allow you to “speak” directly to the admissions committee and show why you deserve to attend Princeton. 

Every university wants to feel special, know that you chose to apply for a specific reason, and know that your application was intentional, not a fluke. You don’t get the opportunity to talk to the admissions team right off the bat, so you use the essays to show why you deserve to attend Princeton. 

Each prompt allows you to express yourself and explain the following: 

• How Princeton fits in with your interests
• Your educational expectations 
• Your dreams and career goals 
• How an education from Princeton will help you achieve these goals 
• How you’ll contribute to the community

Princeton also wants to know your expectations, dreams, how it can help you achieve those dreams, and what kind of mark you’ll leave on it. 

Avoid writing your essays to cater to what you think the admissions committee wants to read. Admissions officers want to see your true self , so devote a healthy amount of time to these essays to give yourself the best chance of acceptance. Use this opportunity to show your true personality.

Princeton Essay Prompts & How to Answer Each of Them 

For the most part, each student answers similar questions about themselves. Princeton’s supplemental essay prompts range from 50 to 250 words , and the prompts aim to uncover more about you. Let’s explore each Princeton essay prompt in a little more depth. 

Essay Prompts

The first Princeton essay prompt you’ll answer depends on what track you plan to take . If you’re undecided or want to pursue liberal arts, you’ll respond to the first prompt, while engineering hopefuls will respond to the second: 

A.B. Degree and Undecided Applicants

1. “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.)” 

B.S.E. Degree Applicants

2. “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.)” 

If you plan to answer the first prompt, it’s okay if you’re unsure what major to pick. It’s a difficult decision to make, and Princeton understands that. 

To make it easier for you, Princeton wants to know what topics interest you and how Princeton fits into those interests. They want to know why you chose Princeton by understanding what aspects of the school appeal to you. 

It can be tricky knowing how to start your essay . First, conduct some college research to determine Princeton’s programs to ensure the university is a good fit for you. This is your opportunity to: 

• Share your interest areas 
• Explain how you’ve cultivated your interest so far 
• Relate your interests to Princeton’s offerings 

If you’ve been interested in engineering, the second prompt will be fairly easy to answer. These supplemental essays are your chance to discuss your dreams and share any anecdotes that nurtured your interest in engineering. Use this opportunity to talk about your goals and how Princeton fits in with those plans.

Additional Questions 

Princeton asks you to respond to the following prompts: 

1. 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?  (500 words or fewer.)

2. 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? (250 words or fewer.)

So, how do you write the second Princeton essay?

For the first prompt, share your life experiences that have shaped your perspectives and beliefs. Explain how these experiences will contribute to meaningful conversations with classmates in various campus settings. Consider what lessons you've learned and how your classmates can benefit from your unique background.

For the second prompt, discuss your personal connection to Princeton's commitment to service and civic engagement. Describe how your own experiences align with the university's values and ideals in this regard.

Princeton Short Answer Questions and How to Write Them

In addition to your essays, there are three short questions you must answer: 

• “What is a new skill you would like to learn in college?
• “What brings you joy?
• What song represents the soundtrack of your life at this moment?”

Each Princeton short answer question response must be 50 words or less, and the essay topics allow more room for creativity. Don’t be afraid to have a little fun answering these! Here are some tips on how to write concise answers that showcase your personality: 

• Think about what you’d love to learn in college (Maybe you want to learn an instrument or a language?) 
• There’s, of course, no correct answer to what brings you joy. Do you love spending time with friends and family? Do you collect rocks? Or maybe you love immersing yourself in a new book?
• Have fun with the music prompt; think about what your theme song would be to give you more ideas!

Remember, you should be honest with these answers. Writing what you think the admissions committee wants to hear can come across as insincere. If you’re a fan of fantasy books, there’s no need to say you’re “a fanatic for classic literature.” Try to be yourself and remember these tips when writing your college essay . 

Common Mistakes to Avoid

When you write your Princeton Supplemental Essays, it's important to steer clear of common errors. This section highlights these mistakes to help you sidestep them effectively.

​​Lack of Authenticity

One of the most common mistakes applicants make is failing to be authentic in their essays. This can happen when you choose the wrong essay topic . 

It's essential to resist the temptation to write what you think the admissions committee wants to hear. Instead, be genuine and allow your true personality, values, and experiences to shine through in your essays.

Generic Responses

Another pitfall to avoid is submitting generic or clichéd responses that could apply to any college. Your Princeton essays should demonstrate a deep understanding of the university and how it uniquely aligns with your academic and personal goals. Be specific in highlighting what Princeton offers that resonates with you.

Not Answering the Prompt

Ensure that you directly address the prompt in each essay. Each question serves a specific purpose, and your responses should align with those purposes. Avoid straying off-topic or writing about unrelated experiences.

Ignoring Word Limits

Respect the word limits provided for each essay. Going significantly over or under the word limit can reflect poor attention to detail and the inability to follow instructions. Adhere to these limits carefully.

Lack of Proofreading

Failing to proofread your essays can be detrimental to your application. Typos, grammatical errors, and poor sentence structure can detract from the overall quality of your essays. Take the time to proofread meticulously, and consider having someone else review your work for errors and clarity.

Too Much Focus on Academic Achievements

While it's important to discuss your academic interests and achievements, avoid turning your essay into a laundry list of accomplishments. Instead, delve into your motivations, passions, and the impact of your academic pursuits on your personal growth and goals.

Being Overly Formal

You don't need to employ overly formal language or rely on a thesaurus to impress the admissions committee. Write in your natural voice, and avoid trying to sound like someone you're not. Authenticity and clarity should be your primary goals.

Writing in Vague or General Terms

In your essays, be specific and concrete in your descriptions. Use examples, anecdotes, and personal experiences to illustrate your points. Avoid vague or general statements that lack depth and specificity.

Neglecting to Reflect

The Princeton essays often require reflection and introspection. Don't merely recount events or achievements; explain how they have shaped your values, perspectives, and future aspirations. The admissions committee is interested in understanding your personal growth.

Not Seeking Feedback

Seeking feedback from teachers, counselors, or peers is invaluable. They can provide insights and suggestions to improve your essays, helping you refine your ideas and make your writing stronger.

Overloading with Information

Avoid overwhelming the reader with too much information. Instead, focus on a few key experiences or ideas and explore them thoroughly. This allows for a more in-depth and meaningful discussion.

Being Negative

Maintain a positive and constructive tone throughout your essays. Avoid dwelling on negative experiences or criticizing others. Emphasize your resilience and ability to learn and grow from challenges.

Writing Last-Minute

Starting your essays well in advance is crucial. Rushed essays are more likely to contain errors, lack depth, and fail to reflect your best work. Give yourself ample time for multiple drafts and revisions.

Neglecting Princeton-Specific Research

Show that you've done your homework about Princeton by referencing specific programs, professors, or opportunities that align with your interests. Tailor your essays to demonstrate a genuine connection between your goals and what Princeton has to offer.

Disregarding the Personal Essay

The personal essay provides insight into your character and values. Don't underestimate its importance in the overall application. Use this essay to share meaningful experiences, passions, or values that define you.

Remember that the purpose of the Princeton essays is to help the admissions committee understand who you are as an individual and how you would contribute to the Princeton community. Be thoughtful, genuine, and reflective in your writing to make a lasting impression.

6 Simple Tips for Writing the Princeton Essays

Now that you know what the Princeton essay prompts are, you’re ready to learn tips about how to write the Princeton University supplemental essays . 

Tip #1: Determine Your Track

Whether pursuing a liberal arts degree or interested in engineering, you should determine what career path you want to take. Ensure you answer the correct prompt for the first supplemental essay. 

Tip #2: Conduct Research

Ensure that Princeton offers the degree you wish to pursue. You wouldn’t want to write an essay about a major that Princeton doesn’t offer. You should also research the extracurriculars offered to see if there are clubs or offerings that interest you. You could use that as an opportunity to contribute to the school’s culture.

Tip #3: Choose Your Words Wisely

Keep in mind that your responses should range from 50 to 250 words. This word count is barely two paragraphs, so you want to make sure you concisely answer the prompt. Avoid overly sophisticated sentence structures and language. Also, remember to end your essay in a strong and memorable way, leaving a lasting impression on the reader.

Tip #4: Be Yourself

Remember that some of these prompts are supposed to be fun, so let your personality shine through! The admissions team wants to get to know you. A little honesty and creativity can help you stand out. Be honest to stand out from the other applicants. 

Tip #5: Proofread

Be sure to proofread your essays to ensure there aren’t any grammatical or spelling mistakes. Remember that this is your way of proving you deserve to attend Princeton. You don’t want to discredit your argument by making mistakes. They can distract admissions committees from your message! 

Tip #6: Ask for Help

Don’t be afraid to ask friends, family members, or even teachers to read through prompts to ensure that your answers are concise and easy to understand. If you want to truly elevate your writing, an admissions consultant can evaluate your essays the way admissions committee members would. 

Another set of eyes can also help find errors that you might have missed. 

6 Princeton Supplemental Essay Examples From Admitted Students With Feedback

If you’re feeling stumped and unsure what your essay should look like, check out these Princeton supplemental essay examples that worked . Try to draw inspiration from these essay examples . However, remember to make your essays your own. Infuse them with your unique personality while sticking to the prompt. And remember, practice makes perfect! 

“Briefly elaborate on an activity, organization, work experience, or hobby that has been particularly meaningful to you.”

“For the past five years, I have participated in a service group called CTeen (Chabad Teen Network). It is comprised of about twenty-five Jewish teenagers from surrounding high schools. Every Sunday morning we have breakfast and class with our rabbi. We discuss current events and world dilemmas from a Jewish point of view. These discussions have deepened my understanding of Judaism and brought me closer to other members of CTeen. Through CTeen I have met many of my closest friends. My chapter annually travels to Brooklyn for a shabbaton in Crown Heights with 200 other CTeen chapters from around the world. Every year during this time I am imbued with the dedication of my community to our faith, and I experience a heightened connection to both Judaism and my friends. As president of my CTeen chapter and member of the International CTeen Leadership Board, I continue to be impacted by the authentic ideas and dedicated people I meet.”

Princeton Essay Example #1 Feedback

This student wrote about the service group they’re involved with to show their connection to a community. 

The student talks about the group and how they serve their community, perfectly embodying Princeton’s ideals. It’s also a unique experience that sets them apart from other candidates. Consider the time you’ve served your community and how it shaped you. 

The student’s response also shows their leadership skills and capacity to reflect on how being a part of the service group continues to shape them. The last sentences show the student’s openness to growth. 

“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? (Please respond in about 250 words)”

“Last summer, I participated in molecular biology research at Boston University. Surrounded by 39 other high school seniors, I perceived with new clarity how an inquisitive, curious mind must interact in an unapologetic manner. Entering lectures about the basics of molecular biology, most of us initially thought we knew a great deal about biology. I quickly realized my naivete, and once I accepted my own ignorance, I settled into a passive absorption mode. The looks on all our faces told the same story. Well, all of ours except Kelsey’s.

Brilliant and inquisitive, Kelsey exhibited no fear raising her hand and boldly asking questions. Even during the portions of the lectures when we were simply reviewing concepts of biology, she never ceased to question the current topic. The first few times she asked questions, I thought she had little background knowledge so she just needed clarification. Yet as the first week progressed, I realized that not only did she have the background information required for this course but also the grit and determination needed for success in research. The levels of her questions stumped our lecturer at times, and he responded, “I’ll have to get back to you on that one.”

Often, I just wanted to yell, “PUT YOUR HAND DOWN!!!” as my tolerance for her constant inquiry began to erode while sitting through her questions and their subsequent answers. Due to her deep and thought-provoking questions, she became the class pariah; not necessarily because she was annoying but because of her resolute and indefatigable inquisitiveness. She was insatiable in her pursuit of knowledge, like a ribosome clinging to the endoplasmic reticulum.

Yet as the course progressed, I finally began to notice the value of Kelsey’s questions. She asked questions of importance, questions researchers must ask themselves every day. Her inquiries were thoughts no one else my age seemed to have. The depth and breadth of her ideas fascinated me, especially given that she was only sixteen. Kelsey’s questions made me realize the importance of questioning preconceived notions. Subsequently, I became aware of my own willingness to challenge concepts that were accepted and taught as seemingly concrete, and I recognized the danger of blindly absorbing information without disputing it. Seeing the scholarly nature of Kelsey’s intellectual curiosity, I began to emulate her queries during the final few weeks of the program. Not only did I get more out of the lectures, but I also gained the experience necessary to question ideas and facts and search for answers, a vital skill in every academic realm.

As a student with an interest in the sciences, I ask questions that may not have an obvious answer. As someone who strives for knowledge, I am willing to do research if what I am asking has no answer, but I do not simply possess an affinity toward knowledge. I wish to create it. Most young people cite coaches, teachers, or other adults as influential; however, for me, a peer-modeled approach to learning also has merit.”

Princeton Supplemental Example #2 Feedback 

This student aptly discusses how an interaction changed their perspective on asking questions in a class. Although the student’s initial reaction to the student does not paint the writer in a positive light, their ability to reflect and understand the value of curiosity shows their ability to question their preconceived notions. 

This response shows the writer’s capacity to learn and grow when presented with new information and realizations. They now take the initiative to ask tough questions: a valuable quality in the next generation of academics and leaders. 

“Tell us about a person who has influenced you in a significant way. (250-650 words)”

“Last summer I participated in molecular biology research at Boston University. Surrounded by 39 other high school seniors, I perceived with new clarity how an inquisitive, curious mind must interact in an unapologetic manner. Entering lectures about the basics of molecular biology, most of us initially thought we knew a great deal about biology. I quickly realized my naivete, and once I accepted my own ignorance, I settled into a passive absorption mode. The looks on all our faces told the same story. Well, all of ours except Kelsey’s.

Brilliant and inquisitive, Kelsey exhibited no fear raising her hand and boldly asking questions. Even during the portions of the lectures when we were simply reviewing concepts of biology, she never ceased to question the current topic. The first few times she asked questions, I thought she had little background knowledge so she just needed clarification. Yet as the first week progressed, I realized that not only did she have the background information required for this course but also the grit and determination needed for success in research. The levels of her questions stumped our lecturer at times and he responded, “I’ll have to get back to you on that one.”

Often I just wanted to yell, “PUT YOUR HAND DOWN!!!”, as my tolerance for her constant inquiry began to erode while sitting through her questions and their subsequent answers. Due to her deep and thought-provoking questions, she became the class pariah; not necessarily because she was annoying but because of her resolute and indefatigable inquisitiveness. She was insatiable in her pursuit of knowledge, like a ribosome clinging to the endoplasmic reticulum.

Yet as the course progressed, I finally began to notice the value of Kelsey’s questions. She asked questions of importance, questions researchers must ask themselves every day. Her inquiries were thoughts no one else my age seemed to have. The depth and breadth of her ideas fascinated me, especially given that she was only sixteen.

Kelsey’s questions made me realize the importance of questioning preconceived notions. Subsequently, I became aware of my own willingness to challenge concepts that were accepted and taught as seemingly concrete, and I recognized the danger of blindly absorbing information without disputing it. Seeing the scholarly nature of Kelsey’s intellectual curiosity, I began to emulate her queries during the final few weeks of the program. Not only did I get more out of the lectures, but I also gained the experience necessary to question ideas and facts and search for answers, a vital skill in every academic realm.

Princeton Supplemental Essay Example #3 Feedback

This essay effectively engages Princeton's prompt by sharing a compelling story of Kelsey's influence. Beginning with a captivating narrative from a research program, it shows how Kelsey's curiosity, initially perceived as an annoyance, transformed the author's perspective. 

Concrete examples and the author's self-awareness add depth. It consistently ties Kelsey's impact to the prompt's theme of significant influence within the word limit, making it a strong response. 

Example #4 

“Princeton has a longstanding commitment to service and civic engagement. Tell us how your story intersects (or will intersect) with these ideals. (250-300 words)”

“I sat down, playing a few test notes on the old upright piano. The guests started filing in, and their warm smiles and kind eyes made me feel right at home. For this concert, I was performing the Mendelssohn piano concerto solo with the Debakey Orchestra at Amazing Place, a care center for patients with dementia. Though we volunteered at many hospitals, this performance was especially meaningful to me. 

We took our bow and began our performance, my fingers flying across the black keys in G minor and dancing gracefully in E-flat major. As I concluded the final notes of the piece, I was moved by not only the audience’s applause but, more importantly, by their personalized reactions. As most of the audience were patients who suffered from mild to moderate dementia, I was extremely touched to hear from them that my music had brought them joy and sparked past memories even through their daily struggles.

One resident, a retired piano teacher, told me that my performance reminded her of why she loved music, more specifically, teaching the art. It warmed my heart to know that I had a memorable, positive impact on her life. Partly due to this experience, I am inspired to continue bringing my music to my community at and around Princeton - whether it be to senior citizens at Atrium of Princeton, patients at Princeton Hospital, or my fellow classmates in Richardson Auditorium - just like I have with the Debakey Orchestra and Houston Orchestra on Call. Music is a powerful and therapeutic experience for many, and I am excited to combine my interests in both the art form and medicine during my time at Princeton.”

Princeton Supplemental Essay Example #4 Feedback 

The essay is successful in conveying the student’s powerful and moving experience performing for patients with dementia. The use of descriptive language and sensory details helps to create a vivid picture of the scene, and the author's personal reflections on the experience are heartfelt and inspiring.

To improve this essay, the author could’ve provided more context on their background and how it relates to their interest in combining music and medicine. 

This could help the reader better understand the author's motivations and goals, and how their experiences have led them to pursue this path. However, the essay is well-written and engaging overall.

“Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story. (250-650 words)”

“People love to ask why. Why do you wear a turban? Why do you have long hair? Why are you playing a guitar with only 3 strings and watching TV at 3 A.M.—where did you get that cat? Why won’t you go back to your country, you terrorist? My answer is…uncomfortable. Many truths of the world are uncomfortable. A couple of examples are that an equal number of pets are euthanized as are adopted each year and that cats roam the streets at night because they are actually looking for owners with better food. One of those statements is a horrible truth, and the other is a thought I had in the shower. Either way, the point still stands. 

Uncomfortable truths are just that, uncomfortable. The answer to ‘Why won’t you go back to your country, you terrorist?’ is the most uncomfortable answer I can give, barring the current status of aboriginal street cats. Sikhs like myself have borne the brunt of the backlash through our forced subjection to hate crimes, bullying, and job discrimination. In [Date], a misguided gunman took the lives of six Sikhs who were praying peacefully in their house of worship in Oak Creek, Wisconsin. Their families, through their tears, asked the nation, like I continue to ask myself, “Why?”

The uncomfortable truth is that as a society, we have not found a solution to the growing trend of extremism and hate crimes—we failed at the whole “freedom of religion” clause in the Bill of Rights. The media tells us that these crimes are carried out by individuals who are ignorant and motivated by hate. I would personally call them losers, but that would solve none of the underlying system problems that have grown from anti-immigration rhetoric. When my cousin joined the US Army, he was told that he’d have to cut his beard and hair. Every time I tell that part of the story, I can’t help but guffaw at how ridiculous it sounds. My then eleven-year-old angst came to a climactic fruition hearing those words—it was a call to action.

I helped to gather signatures for a petition to Robert Gates, then Secretary of Defense, pleading with him to allow Sikhs to serve without having to cut our hair. We garnered over 15,000 signatories, receiving generous media attention. We called and convinced our local congressional offices to support this issue. I created a Facebook page to help spread awareness and helped to organize fundraisers to help fight this ban on our articles of faith. Our message is simple. Through service, we can push back against both hate and intolerance. But, if the largest employer in the U.S. does not allow us to serve with our articles of faith, then we will continue to be victimized as outsiders, contrary to the founding principles of our nation.

I’m proud to say my cousin deployed to Afghanistan as the first Sikh to be granted a religious waiver in nearly a generation. He saved countless lives as a doctor on the front lines of war and was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for his efforts. But, (there’s always a but) Sikhs today still face a presumptive ban. Despite being in perfect—for the army’s sake—physical condition, I cannot join the US Army because of my hair.

So now the uncomfortable story that was the uncomfortable answer to an uncomfortable question comes to an uncomfortable ending. And, like all great, uncomfortable answers, I never really answered the main question. I don’t have the answers to why people do the hateful things they do. But by wearing my turban proudly every morning, by answering questions when they come up, by being willing to talk about everything that is wrong, I become a personification of what is right. My solution to the systemic problem starts with me.”

Princeton Supplemental Essay Example #5 Feedback

This essay effectively delves into the author's personal experience as a Sikh facing discrimination and hate crimes. It artfully uses storytelling to emphasize the importance of religious freedom and tolerance in society. While compelling and well-written, it could benefit from a more explicit connection to the prompt, which asks for something meaningful in the author's background, identity, interest, or talent. 

“What song represents the soundtrack of your life at this moment? (50 words)”

"Imagine" by John Lennon encapsulates the current soundtrack of my life. It’s a timeless song - its message of unity and hope resonates deeply in today's world. As I navigate through challenges and changes, this song inspires me to envision a better future and work towards it with optimism and empathy. 

Princeton Supplemental Essay Example #6 Feedback

This response effectively conveys the choice of "Imagine" by John Lennon as the soundtrack of the author's life. It provides a clear explanation of why the song resonates with them, emphasizing its timeless message of unity and hope. The connection between the song and the author's life is well-articulated, making for a concise and meaningful response.

FAQs: Princeton Secondary Essays

Here are our answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about Princeton secondary essays. 

1. How Many Supplemental Essays Does Princeton Require?

Princeton University requires four supplemental essays from first-year applicants. Undergraduate applicants also have to answer three short questions and the Common App essay. 

2. How Important Are the Supplemental Essays for Princeton?

Because Princeton uses a holistic approach to the admissions process, your essays carry a lot of weight in your admissions decision. The Princeton secondaries provide you the opportunity to showcase your individuality, personality, and interests beyond your test scores, grades, and academic achievements. 

3. How Long Should Princeton Essays Be?

Each Princeton essay prompt defines the number of words your essay should be. When it comes to admissions essays, you should try your best to stick to the brief. If your essay is ten words over or under, this is typically fine, but we highly recommend keeping it as close to the word count as possible. 

4. What Is the Deadline for the Princeton Supplemental Essay?

For Single-Choice Early Action applicants, the deadline to submit the Princeton Supplemental Essay, along with the Coalition Application or Common Application, is November 1st. 

Regular Decision applicants have until January 1st to submit their Princeton Supplemental Essay and application. Please ensure you meet these deadlines and check the official Princeton University admissions website for any updates or changes.

Final Thoughts 

Essays can be stress-inducing, especially when they determine your acceptance into your dream school. You want to show you have goals and dreams that Princeton can help you achieve. It can be difficult to know where to start, but you’ll have a foolproof plan for tackling these essays if you follow these guidelines. 

As long as you stay true to yourself and set yourself apart from other candidates, you should have no problem writing amazing Princeton supplemental essays. Good luck and happy writing!

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Princeton Supplemental Essays 2023-24

If you’re wondering how to get into Princeton, the Princeton supplemental essays play a major role in the admissions process. In this Princeton essay guide, we’ll go over each of the Princeton supplemental essay prompts and other Princeton requirements. We’ll also discuss where to find Princeton essay examples. However, before we dive into the Princeton essays, let’s learn a bit more about Princeton and go over some important admissions facts.

Princeton University is located in Princeton, New Jersey and is home to just over 5,000 undergrads. Currently the top-ranked university in the country, Princeton combines all of the best aspects of a well-rounded liberal arts college and a high powered research institution. It is one of the eight Ivy League schools and, as such, has an equally competitive application process . Below, we’ve provided some quick facts about the Princeton supplemental essays, including the Princeton acceptance rate, deadlines, and requirements. So, keep reading our Princeton essay guide for more details and tips!

Princeton Supplemental Essays: Quick Facts

Princeton essay guide facts.

• Princeton acceptance rate: 4%— U.S. News ranks Princeton as a highly competitive school.
• Common Application
• Coalition Application
• QuestBridge Application
• Early Action (Restrictive): November 1st 
• Regular Decision : January 1st 
• Transfer Application : March 1st 
• 1 full-page (~500 word) essay
• 2 half-page (~250 word) essays
• 3 short answer (~50 words) essays
• Princeton application note: In addition to submitting their Princeton supplemental essays, students are required to submit a personal statement essay and a graded written paper .
• #1 Princeton Essay Tip: Some of the Princeton supplemental essay prompts are complex and multifaceted. Taking the time to fully understand the prompt will help you connect and fully flesh out your ideas, ensuring you write the best Princeton supplemental essays possible.

Please note that essay requirements are subject to change each admissions cycle, and portions of this article may have been written before the final publication of the most recent guidelines. For the most up-to-date information on essay requirements, check the university’s admissions website.

How many supplemental essays do you need for Princeton?

Princeton admissions requires students to submit six Princeton supplemental essays. While that may seem like a lot, the Princeton supplemental essays are actually more manageable than you think. In this Princeton essay guide, we’ll walk you through each of the Princeton essay prompts. 

The Princeton essays vary in length, with the longest at 500 words and the shortest only 50. Additionally, the Princeton essay prompts cover a variety of topics, including your major interest, personal impact, and civic engagement. This Princeton essay guide will provide all six Princeton supplemental essay prompts. We’ll also discuss strategies for each Princeton essay.

In addition to the Princeton supplemental essays, you’ll submit your personal statement and a graded written paper. We’ll review each of these requirements later in this guide.

What are the Princeton essay prompts?

The Princeton essay prompts are also referred to as First-Year Essay Questions . The six Princeton supplemental essays fall into three categories:

• Degree-specific 
• More about you

In the next section, we’ll review the prompts for each of the Princeton supplemental essays. We’ll also go over each of the Princeton supplemental essay prompts in detail and give you tips for writing your own Princeton essays.

Degree-specific

Depending on your chosen degree, you will respond to one of the below degree-specific prompts.

A.B. Degree Applicants/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 250 words or fewer.), 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 250 words or fewer.).

All applicants must answer the following Princeton supplemental essay prompts about personal impact and civic engagement.

Supplemental Essay Prompts

1. 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  (please respond in 500 words or fewer.), 2. 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 (please respond in 250 words or fewer.), more about you.

These are the short answer Princeton essay prompts. All applicants are required to answer the following prompts.

Short Answer Prompts

1. what is a new skill you would like to learn in college, 2. what brings you joy , 3. what song represents the soundtrack of your life at this moment.

Now, let’s unpack how to approach each Princeton essay. First, we’ll take a closer look at the degree-specific Princeton supplemental essay.

Princeton Supplemental Essays – For A.B. Degree/Undecided Applicants

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 250 words or fewer).

Students who apply to Princeton under either an A.B. Degree or Undecided program will respond to the above prompt. 

But before we dig into the rest of our Princeton essay guide, let’s discuss the difference between an A.B. and B.S.E. degree! 

A.B. Degree Program

Princeton offers two types of degrees: A.B. and B.S.E. On your Princeton application, you’ll indicate which type of degree you’d like to pursue. The majority of Princeton students complete an A.B. degree in their chosen discipline. A.B. stands for Bachelor of Arts, so it’s similar to a B.A. you might receive at another university.

Princeton offers 30+ areas of study, including fields in the humanities, social sciences, languages, and natural sciences. On your application, you’ll also indicate your primary academic area of interest.

When responding to this Princeton supplemental essay prompt, you’ll want to include Princeton-specific details. For example, let’s say you want to write your Princeton supplemental essay about economics . You might start by discussing what about economics most interests you. Then, you can mention specific courses you’re excited to take or certain faculty you’re excited to learn from. Or, perhaps you’re interested in research and want to highlight one of the economics department’s many research centers , like the Princeton Program in Public Finance.

Princeton Supplemental Essays 2023-24 – For B.S.E 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 250 words or fewer), what is a b.s.e. degree .

Students interested in pursuing a degree in engineering will earn a slightly different degree. B.S.E. stands for Bachelor of Science in Engineering. Specific areas of study include:

• Chemical and Biological Engineering
• Civil and Environmental Engineering
• Computer Science
• Electrical and Computer Engineering
• Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
• Operations Research and Financial Engineering

While the requirements are slightly different, A.B. and B.S.E. degrees are quite similar—and so are their Princeton essay prompts! In this Princeton supplemental essay, you might mention specific opportunities within your chosen concentration, like these mechanical and aerospace engineering research areas . You can even discuss engineering-focused student organizations you want to join, like Princeton Racing Electric or Engineers Without Borders .

One slight difference between the A.B. and B.S.E. prompts is that this one asks you to include past experiences related to engineering. So, if you conducted an engineering-related research project for your school’s science fair or spent a summer at an engineering camp, highlight those experiences here.

Next, we’ll discuss the Your Voice Princeton supplemental essays. First, we’ll look at the personal impact Princeton essay. Then, we’ll dive into the civic engagement Princeton essay.

Princeton Essay: Personal Impact

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 (500 words or fewer).

This is the longest and also the most complex of the Princeton supplemental essays. The simplest way to answer a multi-question prompt like this is to think of it as three connecting parts.

First, think about your life experiences. What aspects of your life have had the biggest impact on you? Is it something to do with your personal identity? Perhaps your socioeconomic status or religious background? Or maybe it has to do with your role in your family or the community you grew up in?

Then, consider how this life experience has shaped you. What lessons have you learned? Moreover, how did these circumstances or environments help you grow mentally, emotionally, or spiritually? What values do you hold thanks to these life experiences?

Finally, consider how you’d bring these lessons or personal qualities to Princeton’s campus. How will they impact your discussions in class and the way you interact with your peers?

Princeton Essay Prompt: Civic Engagement Essay

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 (250 words or fewer).

This Princeton supplemental essay prompt is fairly straightforward. You’ll want to touch on experiences where you’ve given your time for the betterment of others. This includes experiences like volunteer work, voting, or community service. Essentially, you’ll want to show how you’ve taken action to help address issues that affect the greater public and community.

Like in your other Princeton supplemental essays, you’ll want to tell a story, not just list your accomplishments. Let’s say you volunteered at a local community garden. How did you get involved? Why is the work you did important to you? Finally, how does the work you did benefit the community (socially, environmentally, etc.)?

The Your Voice Princeton supplemental essays are two of the most important essays of your Princeton application because they touch on your character. Make sure you give yourself plenty of time to write these, then save some extra brainpower for the short response essays! 

Princeton Short Response Essays

Lastly, we have the shortest Princeton essays of our Princeton essay guide. Although we’ve noted each of the short response questions as their own Princeton essay, remember they’re not full-length essays. Your responses to each of the short answer Princeton essay prompts must be 50 words or fewer, so they’ll only be a few sentences long.

In addition to being the shortest of the Princeton supplemental essays, the short response Princeton essays are also the most fun! These questions are all about being yourself and capturing who you are outside of your academic interests.

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

In this Princeton supplemental essay, you’ll want to be sure you’re discussing a new skill, not something you already do. You could mention you want to learn how to play ultimate frisbee or learn the science of beekeeping (things you can get involved in through Princeton student organizations ).

What brings you joy?

This Princeton supplemental essay can be about anything. Whether it be cooking new recipes, listening to music, reading a good book, or spending time with your family. Maybe it’s even visiting a historical battlefield or doing parkour! Here’s a tip for writing this Princeton supplemental essay: if you smile while writing about it, you’ve likely landed on the right topic.

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

For music lovers, this could either be the easiest or hardest Princeton essay question to answer. Just like the other short answer Princeton supplemental essays, there are no wrong answers. Choose a song you connect to and let the admissions team know why it resonates with you.

Now that we’ve gone over the prompts for the Princeton supplemental essays, let’s talk about actually writing them. Up next, we’ll go over some tips for writing a Princeton supplemental essay.

How do I write my Princeton Supplemental Essay?

In the next section of our Princeton essay guide, we’ll discuss how to write a Princeton supplemental essay. Let’s dig in. 

Writing Princeton supplemental essays is just like writing other college essays. Compelling Princeton supplemental essays require students to be thoughtful and honest, crafting a story with a critical eye and their own personal flair.

Before you start drafting your Princeton supplemental essays, try to have a brainstorming session for all of the Princeton essay prompts. By laying out all of your ideas, you can imagine the narrative the admissions team will glean from reading all of your essays together rather than focusing on each individual Princeton essay. Each of your Princeton supplemental essays should capture something unique about you rather than repeat information found elsewhere in your application.

Remember, the first draft of your Princeton supplemental essays isn’t going to be perfect—nor should it be! Use your first draft to get your ideas out, then think about how you can organize them. Especially in your longer Princeton supplemental essays, you’ll want to start with a hook, build to a point, and by the end answer the question of “why this matters.”

More Princeton Requirements

If you’re making a plan for how to get into Princeton, be sure you’ve covered all of the Princeton requirements. Besides competing your Princeton essays, there are a few other things to include on your Princeton checklist :

• Your completed application (this includes your personal statement essay, the Princeton supplemental essays, a graded written paper, and your application fee or waiver)
• Official transcript and school report (sent by your school counselor or other school official)
• 2 teacher recommendations (an additional counselor recommendation is requested, but not required)
• Midyear school report

Students also have the option to submit standardized test scores, include an arts supplement, and complete an interview as part of the application process. Keep reading our Princeton essay guide to learn more about some of the optional and required elements of a Princeton application.

Standardized Test Scores

Submitting SAT and ACT scores is optional for all applicants. Princeton has extended their test-optional policy for the 2023, 2024, and 2025 fall admissions cycles. If you are a strong test taker, submitting high SAT or ACT scores for consideration can help your application stand out. However, your application and chances of admission will not be negatively impacted if you choose not to submit them. If you’re not sure whether to include your test scores or are still deciding whether to take the SAT/ACT, read our article on Standardized Tests in a Test-Optional Environment .

Completing an alumni interview is optional for all applicants. Students can choose to opt in or out of the interview when they submit their Princeton supplemental essays. Not every student is guaranteed to receive an interview, and they will be conducted in person or virtually depending on availability. Additionlly, as interviews are optional, your application will not be at a disadvantage if you choose to opt out or if you do not have the opportunity to conduct an interview.

Arts Supplement

Including an arts supplement is optional for all applicants. Students who have devoted significant time and excelled in certain artistic areas can submit an arts supplement. Areas of interest include:

• Architecture
• Creative Writing
• Theater/Music Theater
• Visual Arts

If you choose to include an arts supplement, you will indicate your intention to submit along with your Princeton supplemental essays. You can then submit your materials, along with a résumé if needed, to your Princeton Applicant Status Portal.

Graded Written Paper

Submitting a graded written paper is required for all applicants. Princeton admissions will use this piece of writing to understand your ability to express your thoughts and ideas in an academic setting. This contributes to their holistic assessment of your application. The graded written paper also helps the admissions team determine if you will thrive in Princeton’s challenging courses and what kind of contributions you’ll make in the classroom.

If you’re still not sure what makes a good written paper, don’t worry! The next section of our Princeton essay guide has Princeton’s guidelines as well as tips for choosing the right written paper.

Tips for Choosing a Graded Written Paper

As one of the Princeton requirements, deciding which graded written paper to submit is an important choice. Princeton admissions provides the following guidelines for submitting a graded written paper. 

Papers appropriate for submission should:

• Be expository writing (paper, essay, research paper, essay exam), not creative writing
• Be something you wrote for an academic course during your last three years of high school (preferably for an English, social studies, or history course)
• Be graded (you’ll want to include the grade you received as well as the grading rubric and any teacher comments if provided)

Your graded paper does not have to be exceptionally long; 1-2 pages is sufficient. When considering which of your written papers to select, remember it also does not have to be an A+ paper. If you believe your paper shows a moment of growth or understanding, it can have a lower grade. Admissions is more interested in the quality of your writing and how you express your ideas than the grade it received. 

Does Princeton care about essays?

Yes, as one of the best colleges in the country, Princeton cares about your essays. In this section of our Princeton essay guide, we’ll take a closer look at the role your Princeton essays play in the Princeton admissions process. 

The Princeton supplemental essays allow the admissions team to see your achievements in context. They want to understand how you’ve taken advantage of the opportunities available to you and how you’ve grown despite any obstacles you’ve faced.

Along with your graded written paper, each Princeton essay allows you to demonstrate your writing abilities (a skill you’ll need to succeed in many of your college courses). Beyond that, they let you share a more complete picture of who you are and what you care about. Your Princeton essays allow you to craft your personal narrative and will help add depth and resonance to your application.

If your grades and graded written paper show your commitment to learning, your Princeton supplemental essays show your commitment to your family, your community, and your personal interests and development. And, unlike your grades or test scores or list of extracurricular achievements, your Princeton essays let you tell your story in your own voice. 

Now, we’ve almost reached the end of our Princeton essay guide. Keep reading for a few more tips and resources to help you write your Princeton supplemental essays!

5 Tips on How to Write the Princeton Supplemental Essays

We’ve covered a lot of details in our Princeton essay guide. Specifically, we’ve gone over the Princeton acceptance rate, application deadlines and requirements, and the Princeton supplemental essay prompts. 

Before we close out our Princeton essay guide, we want to leave you with five tips to help you tackle the Princeton supplemental essays:

1. Start brainstorming early

A successful Princeton supplemental essay starts with a compelling topic. Not sure what to write about? Check out our guide on 8 common college essay topics .

2. Details, details, details

Specificity gives your writing texture and will help your Princeton supplemental essays stand out from the crowd. If you’re worried your experiences aren’t unique, specific and personal details will add depth and authenticity.

3. Use your own voice

Don’t worry about writing an essay you think admissions wants to read. Your Princeton supplemental essays are your opportunity to let admissions learn who you are, not who you think they want you to be.

4. Address all aspects of the prompt

The Princeton supplemental essay prompts are intentionally designed for the admissions process. So, make sure your responses answer the question at hand.

5. Don’t forget to proofread!

Editing for spelling, grammar, and punctuation will make your Princeton supplemental essays polished and easy to read. That means admissions can focus on your story. 

For more tips on writing the Princeton supplemental essays, check out our guide on how to write better essays . If you’re looking for writing inspiration and a student’s take on the application process, check out a Princeton graduate’s Princeton Application Story . In it, she details how she approached the Princeton essays as well as handling being deferred EA before finally being accepted.

More Princeton Resources from CollegeAdvisor

Still looking for more guidance on how to get into Princeton? CollegeAdvisor has countless resources to help you conquer the Princeton application. Check our Princeton Essay Guide from 2022-2023 and our Princeton Essay Guide from 2020-2021 to get more ideas about how to write your essays. We also have Princeton essay examples and Ivy League Essay Examples to help you learn what a strong Princeton essay looks like. These include extracurricular activities essays as well as Princeton essays. 

You can also look to resources like our guide to writing an extracurricular activities essay for more Princeton essay examples. While the current Princeton supplemental essay prompts don’t include an extracurricular activities essay, you’ll encounter similar prompts throughout the admissions process. If you feel confident about approaching the Princeton supplemental essays but want more guidance on writing your personal statement, see these 10 Exceptional Common App Essay Examples .

For more information on what it’s like to overcome the Princeton acceptance rate and attend Princeton University, watch our Princeton Panel and read our how to get into Princeton guide here . 

Finally, if you want personalized support in the admissions process, click here to schedule a free meeting with our team and learn how one-on-one advising can help your applications stand out. 

We hope you’ve learned a lot reading our Princeton essay guide and feel ready to take on the Princeton supplemental essays—good luck!

This essay guide was written by Stefanie Tedards. Looking for more admissions support? Click here to schedule a free meeting with one of our Admissions Specialists. During your meeting, our team will discuss your profile and help you find targeted ways to increase your admissions odds at top schools. We’ll also answer any questions and discuss how CollegeAdvisor.com can support you in the college application process.

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Princeton Supplemental Essays 2023-2024

By Eric Eng

Unlike the broader prompts of the Coalition Application, Common Application, or the QuestBridge Application, Princeton’s supplemental essays for 2023-2024 are meticulously designed to uncover the multifaceted nature of each applicant. These essays are an opportunity to converse with the admissions committee to share your story, perspectives, and the diverse experiences that have shaped you.

As you prepare to articulate your thoughts, remember that these essays are a platform to demonstrate your academic interests and your potential to contribute to the vibrant Princeton community. We’ll delve into the nuances of Princeton’s supplemental essays for 2023-2024, offering insights and strategies to help you craft responses.

How Many Supplemental Essays Does Princeton Have?

The structure of Princeton’s supplemental essays for 2023-2024 is tailored to elicit a broad spectrum of responses, ensuring that each applicant can showcase their unique background and interests. All applicants must answer two essay prompts .

Applicants for the A.B. degree, as well as those who are still undecided, are required to respond to a distinct application prompt. Similarly, students applying for the B.S.E. degree also have their specific prompt to address.

Additionally, all applicants must respond to short-answer questions to uncover more personal and creative aspects of their character. These questions are brief yet profound, allowing a glimpse into what drives you, what you cherish, and how you perceive the world.

What are the Princeton Supplemental Essays 2023-2024?

Princeton University seeks to gain a more comprehensive understanding of prospective students by requiring them to submit a series of supplemental essays. These essays are intended to provide insight into students’ unique perspectives and experiences in addition to their academic achievements.

Essay Questions

• 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?  (Please respond in 500 words or fewer.)
• 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? (Please respond in 250 words or fewer.)

Essay Question- 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 250 words or fewer.)

Essay Question- 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 250 words or fewer.)

Short Answer Questions (50 words or fewer)

• What is a new skill you would like to learn in college?
• What brings you joy?
• What song represents the soundtrack of your life at this moment?

How to Write the Princeton Supplemental Essays 2023-2024?

Writing Princeton’s supplemental essays for 2023-2024 is an exercise in introspection and articulation. It’s about delving deep into your experiences and emerging with insights that resonate with authenticity.

Remember that these essays are your opportunity to speak directly to the admissions committee, to make them see the world through your eyes, and to convince them of your potential to thrive and contribute at Princeton.

Princeton Essay Question 1

Question 1 of Princeton’s Supplemental Essay 2023-2024 focuses on community and personal growth. It asks you to reflect on how your lived experiences will influence the conversations you will have within the Princeton community.

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?  

This question is not just about what you have experienced but, more importantly, how these experiences have shaped your perspectives, values, and interactions with others. It’s an opportunity to showcase your ability to engage in meaningful dialogue, your willingness to learn from others, and your capacity to contribute to a diverse and dynamic community.

Understanding Princeton Essay Question 1

To effectively address Princeton Essay Question 1, it’s crucial to grasp its underlying intent. This prompt gauges your self-awareness, empathy, and ability to contribute to a diverse community.

It’s about understanding the value of different perspectives and how your unique experiences can enrich the collective conversation at Princeton. Reflect on moments in your life that have shaped your worldview. Consider how these experiences have prepared you to engage with and learn from people with different backgrounds and beliefs.

Brainstorming Your Response: Princeton Essay Question 1

Crafting a response to Princeton Essay Question 1 requires deep introspection and a clear understanding of how your experiences have shaped you. This question is an opportunity to reflect on your journey and how it has prepared you to contribute to Princeton’s diverse and intellectually stimulating environment. Here’s a guide to help you brainstorm effectively:

• Identify Pivotal Moments : Begin by recalling significant events or experiences in your life that have had a profound impact on your perspective or values. These could be challenges you’ve overcome, achievements you’re proud of, or moments of revelation. The key is to focus on experiences that have been transformative in shaping your worldview. Reflect on why these moments were pivotal and how they redefined your understanding of yourself and the world around you.
• Reflect on Lessons Learned : Every significant experience teaches us something. Delve into what these pivotal moments taught you about yourself, others, and the broader world. This is not just about the events but the insights you gained from them. Did they make you more empathetic, resilient, or open-minded? Understanding these lessons is crucial in demonstrating your capacity for growth and reflection.
• Connect to Community Engagement : Consider how your lessons have influenced your approach to interacting with diverse groups and engaging in community discussions. Princeton values students who can contribute positively to its community. Highlight how your experiences have equipped you to engage with people from different backgrounds, contribute to meaningful discussions, and foster an inclusive environment.
• Personal Growth Insights : Reflect on how these experiences have contributed to your personal growth and understanding of different viewpoints. This is about showcasing your journey towards becoming a more well-rounded individual. Discuss how your experiences have expanded your perspectives, challenged your preconceptions, and enhanced your ability to understand and appreciate diverse viewpoints.
• Future Contributions : Finally, think about how you can apply these lessons and insights to enrich conversations at Princeton. This is where you connect your past experiences and growth to your future potential. Illustrate how your unique perspectives and insights will contribute to the Princeton community, both in and out of the classroom. Show how your journey has shaped you and prepared you to make meaningful contributions to the conversations and experiences at Princeton.

Structuring Your Answer for Princeton Essay Question 1

When structuring your response to Princeton Essay Question 1, start with a compelling narrative that draws the reader into your world.

Begin with a specific personal story or experience that serves as a foundation for your essay. This anecdote should vividly illustrate the critical knowledge you’re discussing and set the stage for the insights you’ve gained. In the body of your essay, delve into the lessons learned from this experience. Be reflective and analytical, showing how these lessons have shaped your perspective and approach to community engagement.

Finally, conclude by connecting these insights to your potential contributions to the Princeton community. Highlight how your experiences and the lessons you’ve learned will enable you to engage in meaningful conversations and bring a unique perspective to campus discussions. Remember, the goal is to create a cohesive narrative that answers the prompt and showcases your ability to reflect, learn, and contribute in a community setting.

Princeton Essay Question 2

Question 2 of the Princeton Supplemental Essay 2023-2024 application cycle delves into social responsibility and civic engagement, core tenets of the university’s ethos. This prompt asks you to reflect on and articulate how your journey aligns with these ideals.

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? 

In 250 words, you are invited to explore and share instances from your life that demonstrate your commitment to service and engagement in societal issues. This question is an opportunity to showcase your understanding of and participation in activities that contribute to the greater good.

Understanding Princeton Essay Question 2

To effectively address Princeton Essay Question 2, it’s essential to understand what the university is seeking. This prompt is not merely a query about your community service experiences; it’s an invitation to demonstrate your comprehension of and commitment to societal responsibility.

Princeton is looking for students who recognize the importance of civic engagement and actively incorporate these values into their lives. This question seeks to uncover how you have applied the concept of service in your actions and how these experiences have shaped your perspective on societal responsibilities.

It’s an opportunity to show how your personal story intersects with the broader narrative of community service and civic engagement, highlighting your potential to contribute to Princeton’s culture of social responsibility.

Brainstorming Your Response: Princeton Essay Question 2

When approaching Princeton’s second essay question, which focuses on your commitment to service and civic engagement, it’s essential to delve into your personal experiences and reflect on how they align with Princeton’s values. This essay will showcase your dedication to societal contributions and how these experiences have shaped your perspective and aspirations. Here’s a guide to help you brainstorm effectively:

• Reflect on Meaningful Experiences : Start by identifying moments or activities in your life where you actively engaged in community service or civic engagement. These experiences range from volunteering at local organizations to participating in community projects or advocacy work. The key is to focus on experiences that were meaningful to you and had a significant impact on your understanding of service and community. Describe these moments in detail, emphasizing why they were important and how they resonated with your values.
• Personal Motivations : Reflect on what drives your commitment to service. This could stem from personal values, a desire to make a difference or experiences that have inspired you to help others. Understanding and articulating your motivations is crucial as it gives depth to your actions and shows a genuine commitment to civic responsibility. Explain how these motivations align with your broader life values and how they have guided your choices and actions in community service.
• Impact and Learning : Consider your service activities’ impact on the community and yourself. Discuss how your involvement has benefited others and what you have learned from these experiences. This could include gaining new perspectives, developing empathy, or understanding community needs better. Highlighting the mutual impact underscores the significance of your engagement and shows your ability to reflect on and learn from your experiences.
• Challenges Overcome : Reflecting on challenges you faced during your service activities and how you addressed them can provide insights into your problem-solving skills and resilience. Discuss any obstacles you encountered, whether logistical, interpersonal, or emotional, and how you overcame them. This demonstrates your commitment to service despite difficulties and your ability to adapt and persevere in challenging situations.
• Future Aspirations : Finally, contemplate how these experiences have influenced your future goals regarding civic responsibility. Discuss how your engagement in service and civic activities has shaped your aspirations, whether it’s continuing community service, advocating for change, or incorporating these values into your future career. This shows a forward-looking perspective and a continued commitment to contributing positively to society.

Structuring Your Answer for Princeton Essay Question 2

When structuring your response to Princeton Essay Question 2, begin with a compelling introduction that sets the stage for your narrative.

Start with a specific instance or story that epitomizes your commitment to service and civic engagement. This anecdote should be engaging and reflective of your more profound understanding of societal responsibilities.

In the body of your essay, expand on this experience, detailing your motivations, challenges, and the impact of your actions. Be reflective and honest, showcasing how these experiences have shaped your perspective and commitment to societal issues.

Conclude by tying your personal story to your future aspirations, illustrating how your experiences have prepared you to contribute to and benefit from Princeton’s culture of service and civic engagement. Remember, this essay is an opportunity to demonstrate your understanding of and commitment to societal responsibility, aligning your narrative with Princeton’s values.

Essay Question for A.B. Degree Applicants or Those Who Are Undecided

The Princeton essay question for A.B. degree applicants or those who are undecided is a thought-provoking prompt that invites you to introspect and articulate your academic curiosities and aspirations.

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?

This question is not merely about listing your interests; it’s an opportunity to demonstrate how your intellectual pursuits align with the unique educational offerings at Princeton. As a renowned research institution with a solid liberal arts curriculum, Princeton offers diverse academic disciplines.

Understanding Princeton Essay Question for A.B. Degree Applicants or Those Who Are Undecided

To effectively respond to this essay question, it’s crucial to understand what Princeton seeks. This prompt gauges your passion for learning and how well you have explored and understood your academic interests. It’s an opportunity to showcase your intellectual curiosity and how it drives your pursuit of knowledge.

Princeton is looking for students with apparent academic interests and an understanding of how these interests fit into a broader educational context. This essay should reflect your ability to connect your interests and the specific academic programs and resources offered at Princeton.

Expressing Academic Curiosities

Concerning Princeton’s supplemental essays for 2023-2024, expressing your academic curiosities is not just about listing your interests; it’s about weaving a narrative that demonstrates your passion for learning and how it has evolved .

This is your opportunity to delve deep into the subjects that ignite your intellectual fire and explain why they captivate you. Perhaps the intricate puzzles of mathematics, the rich tapestries of history, or the cutting-edge advancements in biotechnology draw you in.

Whatever your interests, the key is to convey them in a way that reflects a genuine enthusiasm for knowledge and discovery. It’s also important to reflect on how these interests have shaped your academic journey. Have they influenced your choice of courses, extracurricular activities, or personal projects?

This introspection shows Princeton’s admissions committee what you are passionate about and how these passions have driven your educational choices and experiences, painting a picture of a dedicated and curious learner.

Brainstorming Your Response: Princeton Essay Question for A.B. Degree Applicants or Those Who Are Undecided

When tackling the Princeton essay question for A.B. degree applicants or those who are undecided, it’s crucial to convey a clear and passionate understanding of your academic interests and how they align with what Princeton University offers. This essay is your chance to demonstrate your intellectual curiosity and how Princeton’s unique educational environment can nurture and develop your academic pursuits. Here’s a structured approach to brainstorming your response:

• Identify Your Academic Interests : List the subjects or fields most captivating your intellectual curiosity. These could range from broad disciplines like biology or history to more specific areas of interest like renewable energy or medieval literature. The key here is to delve into why these subjects intrigue you. Is it the complexity, the potential for innovation, or the historical significance that draws you in? This step is about laying the foundation of your essay by clearly defining what drives your academic passions.
• Research Princeton’s Programs : Once you’ve identified your interests, the next step is to research how they align with Princeton’s offerings. This involves looking into specific courses, departments, professors, and research opportunities related to your interests at Princeton. For instance, if you’re interested in environmental science, explore Princeton’s environmental studies program, notable faculty members in that department, and any unique research initiatives or projects. This research will inform your essay and demonstrate to the admissions committee that your choice of Princeton is well-considered.
• Personal Experiences : Reflect on personal or academic experiences significantly shaping your interests. This could include specific classes that piqued your interest, projects you’ve undertaken, extracurricular activities, or real-world experiences that have influenced your academic direction. Discussing these experiences provides context to your interests and shows how they have evolved. It also offers insight into your learning journey and how you have pursued your passions.
• Future Goals : Consider how studying your areas of interest at Princeton will help you achieve your long-term academic and career objectives. This is where you connect your current interests with your future aspirations. Explain how Princeton’s educational environment and resources will support your goals. Whether preparing for a specific career path or furthering your understanding in a particular field, this section bridges your present interests with your future ambitions.
• Unique Offerings : Finally, consider what unique aspects of Princeton’s curriculum, culture, and resources particularly appeal to your interests. This could be anything from Princeton’s interdisciplinary approach, specific courses that are unique to the university, opportunities for undergraduate research, or the overall academic environment. Highlighting these aspects shows that you deeply understand what Princeton offers and how it stands out from other institutions in nurturing your academic interests.

Structuring Your Answer: Princeton Essay Question for A.B. Degree Applicants or Those Who Are Undecided

When structuring your response to this essay question, start with a clear and engaging introduction that outlines your primary academic interests. This introduction should list these interests and hint at why they fascinate you.

In the body of your essay, delve into how these interests have developed over time. Discuss any relevant experiences, such as projects, readings, or encounters, that have shaped your academic journey. Then, transition into how Princeton’s specific programs, courses, and resources align with and can further these interests. Be specific in your references to Princeton’s offerings, showing that you have researched and understand how the university can uniquely support your academic pursuits.

Conclude by tying together your interests and Princeton’s offerings, illustrating a clear and thoughtful connection between the two. This conclusion should leave no doubt that Princeton is the ideal place for you to grow intellectually and achieve your academic goals. Remember, this essay is an opportunity to showcase your interests and ability to make informed and meaningful connections between your educational journey and what Princeton offers.

Essay Question for B.S.E Degree Applicants

The Princeton essay question for B.S.E. degree applicants is a focused prompt that seeks to understand your interest in engineering and how it aligns with the opportunities at Princeton University.

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. 

This question is not just an inquiry about your interest in engineering as a field; it’s a request for a narrative that combines your past experiences, current passions, and future aspirations in engineering. In a concise 250-word response, you are encouraged to weave together your journey in engineering – be it through academic pursuits, personal projects, or extracurricular activities – and articulate how Princeton’s engineering program aligns with your goals.

Understanding Princeton Essay Question for B.S.E Degree Applicants

To effectively respond to the B.S.E. degree essay question, it’s essential to understand what Princeton seeks to learn about you. This prompt aims to gauge your genuine interest in engineering and your knowledge of what makes Princeton’s engineering program distinct and suited to your aspirations.

It’s an opportunity to showcase your understanding of engineering and how your experiences have shaped your decision to pursue this path. The admissions committee is looking for candidates who can demonstrate a clear connection between their past experiences in engineering, their current academic and career goals, and the specific aspects of Princeton’s engineering program that appeal to them.

Demonstrating Passion for Engineering

When responding to Princeton’s supplemental essays for 2023-2024, particularly for those aspiring to join the B.S.E. program, demonstrating a genuine passion for engineering is crucial. This passion goes beyond a mere interest in the subject; it’s about showing a deep, intrinsic motivation and enthusiasm for engineering.

Your essay should reflect a clear understanding of what engineering means to you and how it resonates with your personal and professional aspirations. It’s about conveying your excitement for the field and your commitment to pursuing it as a career.

To effectively demonstrate this passion, focus on specific aspects of engineering that fascinate you. Whether it’s the potential for innovation, the challenge of problem-solving, or the opportunity to contribute to societal advancement, your essay should clearly articulate why engineering is not just a choice but a calling for you.

Brainstorming Your Response: Princeton Essay Question for B.S.E Degree Applicants

When preparing your response to the Princeton essay question for B.S.E. degree applicants, it’s essential to articulate your passion for engineering and how Princeton’s program aligns with your aspirations. This essay is an opportunity to showcase your experiences, interests, and goals in engineering and how they connect with the unique educational opportunities at Princeton. Here’s how you can structure your brainstorming process:

• Personal Engineering Experiences : Begin by reflecting on any significant experiences you’ve had in engineering. This could include hands-on projects, internships, participation in competitions, or research endeavors. Describe these experiences in detail, focusing on what you learned and how they fueled your passion for engineering. Whether it was building a robot, interning at a tech company, or conducting a research project, these experiences demonstrate your practical engagement with engineering and provide a solid foundation for your essay.
• Specific Interests in Engineering : Identify the areas within engineering that particularly excite you and explain why. Are you fascinated by renewable energy robotics or passionate about biomedical engineering? Delve into the reasons behind your interests – the potential impact on society, the intellectual challenges they present, or personal experiences that have drawn you to these fields. This step defines your engineering passions and how they have shaped your academic and career aspirations.
• Princeton’s Engineering Program : Research and highlight specific aspects of Princeton’s engineering program that align with your interests. Look into courses, professors whose work you admire, labs conducting groundbreaking research, or unique resources and facilities available at Princeton. This is your chance to demonstrate that you understand what Princeton offers and how it supports your engineering ambitions.
• Connection to Future Goals : Think about how studying engineering at Princeton will help you achieve your long-term career aspirations. Whether you aim to innovate in sustainable energy solutions, contribute to cutting-edge technological advancements, or lead in engineering, discuss how Princeton’s program is a stepping stone towards these goals. This section should bridge your interests and experiences with your future career plans, showing a clear trajectory that Princeton can help facilitate.
• Personal Growth and Development : Finally, consider how your experiences have prepared you for the rigors and challenges of an engineering program at an Ivy League university like Princeton. Reflect on the skills and knowledge you’ve gained from your experiences and how they have equipped you to succeed in a demanding academic environment. This could include problem-solving skills, teamwork, resilience, or a strong work ethic. Highlighting these aspects shows that you are passionate about engineering and ready to thrive in Princeton’s challenging yet rewarding program.

Structuring Your Answer: Princeton Essay Question for B.S.E Degree Applicants

When structuring your response to the B.S.E. degree essay question, begin with a compelling introduction highlighting your passion for engineering. This could be a brief anecdote or a statement that captures your interest in the field.

In the body of your essay, elaborate on your experiences in engineering, focusing on those most influential in shaping your decision to pursue this path. Be specific in detailing these experiences and how they have prepared you for further study in engineering. Next, connect these experiences to the aspects of Princeton’s engineering program that appeal to you. Show that you have researched and understand how Princeton’s resources, faculty, and opportunities align with your interests and goals.

Conclude by summarizing how Princeton’s program is the ideal fit for your engineering aspirations, tying together your past experiences, current interests, and plans. This conclusion should reinforce your enthusiasm for engineering and your conviction that Princeton is the best place for you to grow and succeed in this field. Remember, this essay is an opportunity to showcase your passion for engineering and your thoughtful consideration of how Princeton will help you achieve your academic and professional objectives.

Short Answer Questions

The short answer questions for the Princeton Supplemental Essays 2023-2024 application cycle present a unique challenge and opportunity within college admissions. Unlike the longer essay prompts, these questions require succinct yet impactful responses, each limited to 50 words or fewer.

These questions are designed to glean insights into your personality, interests, and perspectives in a concise format. They ask about a new skill you wish to learn in college, what brings you joy, and a song that represents your life’s current soundtrack.

Understanding Princeton Short Answer Questions

Understanding the intent behind Princeton’s short answer questions is critical to crafting effective responses. These questions are not just about brevity but depth and authenticity compacted into a small package. Each question aims to reveal different facets of your personality and preferences.

The question about a new skill you wish to learn in college probes your aspirations and openness to growth. The inquiry about what brings you joy seeks to uncover what you value and find meaningful. The question about a song representing your life’s soundtrack is an invitation to express your current state of mind or life phase creatively. These questions collectively offer a snapshot of who you are beyond academic achievements and extracurricular involvements.

Personal Insights

Personal insights are pivotal when crafting responses for Princeton’s 2023-2024 supplemental essays. These essays are not just a test of your writing skills or academic prowess; they are a window into your personality, values, and the unique perspectives you bring to the table.

This is your chance to let the admissions committee see the person behind the grades and test scores. It’s about sharing your story, passions, and the experiences that have shaped you. Whether it’s reflecting on a significant challenge you’ve overcome, a moment of epiphany, or a personal achievement, these insights should give a clear picture of who you are and what you stand for.

They should reveal your character, your motivations, and how your experiences have prepared you for the academic and social environment at Princeton. Remember, the goal is to connect with the reader on a human level, showing them a glimpse of your world and inviting them to see things from your perspective.

Brainstorming Your Response: Princeton Short Answer Questions

When addressing the Princeton short answer questions, it’s crucial to provide concise yet meaningful responses that glimpse your personality, interests, and aspirations. These questions are designed to understand you better as an individual beyond your academic achievements and extracurricular involvements. Here’s how you can effectively brainstorm your responses:

• New Skill : Reflect on a new skill or area of knowledge you’re eager to explore in college. This could be something that complements your major, a hobby you’ve always wanted to pursue, or a skill that aligns with your career aspirations. Think about why this particular skill fascinates you. Is it the challenge it presents, its relevance to your future goals, or simply the joy of learning something new? Your choice of skill and the reason behind it can reveal a lot about your interests, your approach to learning, and your openness to new experiences. This response should give a sense of your curiosity and how you wish to grow during college.
• Joy : Consider moments, activities, or experiences that bring genuine happiness or contentment. This could range from a cherished hobby, time spent with loved ones, to a particular accomplishment. Reflect on why these experiences are meaningful to you. Is it the sense of peace they bring, the fulfillment of personal passions, or the connections they foster with others? Your response should illuminate what you value most and what keeps you motivated and inspired. It’s an opportunity to show Princeton what lies at the core of your happiness and how these joyful experiences have shaped you.
• Soundtrack of Life : Choose a song that resonates with your current life phase, emotions, or aspirations. This isn’t just about picking a favorite tune; it’s about finding a piece of music that holds significant meaning for you at this point in your life. Consider why this song stands out – does it encapsulate your feelings, reflect your experiences, or represent your hopes for the future? Be prepared to explain its significance, as this can offer a unique insight into your personality, life journey, and perspective on the world. This response allows you to connect with the admissions committee more personally, using music as a universal language to express aspects of your identity.

Structuring Your Answer: Princeton Short Answer Questions

Structuring your answers to Princeton’s short answer questions requires a balance of clarity, conciseness, and creativity.

Start each response with a direct answer and a brief explanation or example that adds depth. For the new skill question, identify the skill and briefly explain why it interests you or how it aligns with your plans. When discussing what brings you joy, be specific and personal; this is an opportunity to share a glimpse of your life and values. Choose a track with personal significance for the song question and briefly describe why it represents your current life phase.

Remember, each response should stand alone as a clear and thoughtful reflection of your personality and experiences. The goal is to give the admissions committee a richer, more rounded understanding of who you are in just a few words.

In conclusion, the journey of crafting Princeton’s supplemental essays for 2023-2024 is both a reflective and strategic process. These essays are a unique opportunity for you to showcase your individuality, intellectual curiosity, and the value you can bring to the Princeton community.

They are about impressing the admissions committee with your achievements and aspirations and presenting a genuine, multi-dimensional portrait of who you are. As you reflect on your experiences, interests, and goals, remember that each essay is a piece of a giant puzzle that collectively illustrates your story.

The key is approaching these essays with thoughtfulness, creativity, and sincerity, ensuring each response stands out and complements the others to present a cohesive and compelling narrative of your journey.

Summarizing the Key Takeaways for Writing Princeton’s Supplemental Essays

The key takeaways for writing Princeton’s supplemental essays for 2023-2024 revolve around authenticity, depth, and clarity. First and foremost, be authentic in your storytelling. Let your unique voice and perspective shine through in every essay.

Secondly, delve deep into your experiences and thoughts. It’s not just about what happened but how these experiences have shaped you and your worldview. Be introspective and reflective, offering insights that go beyond the surface.

Lastly, clarity is crucial. With the word limits imposed, it’s essential to be concise yet powerful in your expression. Every word should serve a purpose: to evoke emotion, illustrate a point, or reveal something new about you. Remember, these essays are a chance to add color and context to the numbers and lists on your application, providing a fuller picture of who you are.

Final Tips on Authenticity, Coherence, and Ensuring the Essays Collectively Present a Well-Rounded Picture of the Applicant

As a final piece of advice, focus on authenticity, coherence, and presenting a well-rounded picture of yourself through Princeton’s supplemental essays for 2023-2024. Authenticity is about being true to yourself and your experiences. Don’t try to mold your essays to what you think the admissions officers want to hear. Instead, share your true self, genuine interests, and real aspirations.

Coherence is about ensuring that your essays, while they cover diverse topics, still weave together a consistent and clear narrative about you. They should complement each other, adding a new layer to your profile.

Lastly, aim to present a well-rounded picture of yourself. Cover different facets of your personality and life – your intellectual side, personal growth, passions, and aspirations. This holistic approach will help the admissions committee see you as a student and a valuable future member of the Princeton community.

Call to Action

Consider this a call to action as you begin crafting Princeton’s supplemental essays for 2023-2024. This is not just an application requirement; it’s an opportunity to make your voice heard and your story known. Approach these essays with the seriousness and creativity they deserve.

Remember, these essays are more than just words on a page; they are a mosaic of your experiences, beliefs, and aspirations. They are your chance to stand out in a pool of highly talented individuals and to show Princeton why you are a perfect fit for their community.

So, take a deep breath, gather your thoughts, and dive into this process enthusiastically and confidently. Your journey to Princeton starts with these essays, and how you craft them could shape the next few years of your academic and professional life.

Encouraging Students to Start Early and Seek Feedback on Their Essays

One of the most crucial pieces of advice for tackling Princeton’s supplemental essays for 2023-2024 is to start early. Give yourself ample time to brainstorm, write, and revise. This is not a task to be rushed. The more time you have, the more you can refine your thoughts and articulate them in a way that genuinely reflects who you are.

Additionally, don’t hesitate to seek feedback. Share your essays with teachers, mentors, or anyone whose opinion you value. Fresh eyes can provide new perspectives and valuable insights you might have missed. Feedback is a critical part of the writing process, and it can transform good essays into great ones. Remember, these essays reflect you, so take the time to ensure they are as strong as possible.

Reminding of the Importance of Proofreading and Refining Essays Before Submission

Lastly, proofreading and refining your essays before submission cannot be overstated. Princeton’s supplemental essays for 2023-2024 are your ticket to one of the most prestigious universities in the world, and they need to be flawless.

Proofreading goes beyond correcting grammatical errors or typos; it’s about fine-tuning your language, ensuring clarity of thought, and maintaining a consistent tone. Read your essays multiple times, refining them a little more each time.

Look for ways to make your language more vivid, your arguments more compelling, and your insights more profound. This meticulous attention to detail can significantly affect how your application is perceived. Remember, these essays are a testament to your dedication and ability, so give them the care and attention they deserve.

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August 23, 2023

2023-2024 Princeton University Supplemental Essay Prompts

Princeton University has released its 2023-2024 admissions essays. Some might add  alas  since Princeton was a little slower to the party than its peers in publishing this year’s admissions essay prompts. Nonetheless, they’re now out, so applicants to Princeton’s Class of 2028 can get started with their responses. So what are this year’s Princeton supplemental essays ? Let’s dive in! 

2023-2024 Princeton Essay Topics & Questions

Princeton applicants must first decide if they’re applying for an A.B. degree/undecided (an A.B. degree is a Princeton fancy term for a B.A.)  or  if they’re applying for a B.S.E. degree (a Bachelor of Science in Engineering). Their decision will determine which of the first two essay prompts they’ll need to answer. For both essays, applicants must respond in 250 words or fewer.

A.B. Degree Applicants or Those 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?

This essay prompt is a hybrid question: Why Major and Why College . As such, students should share an origin story — as high schoolers rather than as children — for their interest in their intended major, which is also ideally reflected in their activities.

Students should then transition to the unique programs, institutes, research, lecture series, activities, and more related only to Princeton. Concerning the Why College component of the essay, if a sentence can apply to a school other than Princeton, an applicant should delete it. The game is all about specifics!

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.

Just like for the A.B./undecided prompt, this question is a hybrid: Why Major and Why College. Applicants should thus include an origin story of their interest in engineering (as high schoolers) and then transition to specifics about Princeton’s engineering program that only apply to Princeton. And no, name-dropping professors and classes do not count as genuine specifics about Princeton. Professors leave and classes change. It’s about capturing the enduring specifics of a school to show an applicant has done their homework!

Your Voice Essays

Princeton then asks two essay questions of all applicants — A.B./undecided applicants as well as B.S.E. applicants. The questions, which should be answered in 500 words or fewer and 250 words or fewer, respectively, are as follows:

1. 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? 

This prompt is Princeton’s response to the Supreme Court’s outlawing of Affirmative Action . As Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in the majority opinion striking down Affirmative Action, “At the same time, as all parties agree, nothing in this opinion should be construed as prohibiting universities from considering an applicant’s discussion of how race affected his or her life, be it through discrimination, inspiration, or otherwise.”

This essay prompt is such an opportunity. And, no, students do not need to be underrepresented minorities to answer this prompt compellingly. Princeton admissions officers want to see that an applicant will appreciate their diverse community and contribute a meaningful, fresh perspective to the campus.

2. 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?

Princeton’s admissions committee has long asked a version of this question of its applicants. Former Princeton and U.S. President Woodrow Wilson, whose name no longer appears on Princeton’s nation’s service essay prompt due to his deeply problematic comments on race during his lifetime, spoke of Princeton students being in the nation’s service in his inaugural address as Princeton’s leader.

This essay marks a chance for applicants to showcase how they will contribute to the world — ideally through their singular hook, which always beats well-roundedness in elite college admissions — in one small but profoundly meaningful way.

Short Answers

Princeton then asks three short-answer prompts, which students are asked to respond to in 50 words or fewer.

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

Too many applicants write something silly here. Even in a short answer, it needs to highlight a student’s intellectual curiosity.

2. What brings you joy? 

Again, too many students write something silly, like Legos. That’s a wasted opportunity. This prompt is also an opportunity for a student to showcase how they think. Even if it’s a task that doesn’t relate to a student’s hook that brings them joy, admissions officers want to understand who they are and what makes them tick.

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

Applicants should briefly explain why the song is meaningful to them right now. And ideally, the song choice will also showcase how a student wishes to leave their mark on the world.

Graded Paper

In addition to the aforementioned essay prompts, applicants must submit a graded paper to Princeton.

Students should make sure their thoughts are clearly articulated in the paper. The ideas and the quality of a student’s writing are ultimately much more important than the teacher’s grade. So applicants shouldn’t just submit a paper because they got an  A . And it’s ok if the teacher offers constructive criticism in their comments! Doing so can even make you more human and, thus, more likable.

Ivy Coach’s Assistance with Princeton Essays

If you’re interested in optimizing your case for admission to Princeton University’s Class of 2028, fill out Ivy Coach ’s consultation form , indicate you’re a senior applying to Princeton, and we’ll be in touch to outline our college counseling services .

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How to Respond to the 2023-2024 Princeton Supplemental Essay Prompts

Ginny Howey is a former content writer at Scholarships360. Ginny graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in May 2022 with a degree in Media and Journalism (Advertising/PR focus) and minors in Entrepreneurship and Spanish. Ginny’s professional experience includes two summers as a writer intern at global creative consultancy BCG BrightHouse. More recently, Ginny worked as a content marketing intern for Durham-based software engineering bootcamp Momentum, where she gained SEO skills. She has also written freelance articles on emerging tech for A.I. startup Resultid.

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When applying to an Ivy League institution such as Princeton University, the stakes can feel especially high. You will likely feel pressured to stand out among so many qualified applicants applying to a school with a 4% acceptance rate . Fortunately, Princeton includes a variety of questions in their supplemental essays. This series of prompts is advantageous because it allows you to share multiple perspectives. Your answers should give admissions a better picture of who you are and the dynamic things you bring to the table. 

Let’s walk through how best to approach each essay. 

Breaking down each of the Princeton supplemental essays

The first prompt will differ depending on what kind of degree you are trying to pursue . Both iterations address your academic interests, what influenced those curiosities, and how you can further explore them at Princeton. Keep in mind A.B. degree is the same as a Bachelor’s of Art, just in Latin. B.S.E. is a Bachelor’s of Science in Engineering. 

Related:  How to write an essay about yourself

Prompt #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)

This prompt is pretty straightforward. Think about what subjects you have been most drawn to throughout your schooling. Next, trace back where you formed that interest or how you have engaged it. Did your nightly routine of reading bedtime stories ignite your love for creative writing? Are you pursuing Asian studies after your experiences traveling? 

Once you have nailed down what intellectually excites you and a short anecdote of its origins, connect it to Princeton. Be as specific as possible in citing how Princeton’s academics will support your goals. For instance, look into course catalogs and find a class that sounds right up your alley. Make sure your Princeton example aligns with the intellectual passion you’ve woven throughout your response.

Questions to consider: 

• When were you first fascinated by your chosen subject?
• Does Princeton offer a niche major or minor most other schools lack?
• Is there a study abroad program or other special learning opportunity that intrigues you? 

Prompt #1 (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) 

This prompt is like the first, but with a specific concentration on engineering. Do not be afraid to unleash your curiosity for the subject or brag on relevant work you’ve done. You could go for a more abstract response and describe what it is about designing and building that excites you. You might reference your knack for fixing household objects growing up. Or, you may describe engineering projects you have completed that inspired this career goal. For example, your participation in a robotics club in high school could have been instrumental in forming your enthusiasm. 

To help you outline how Princeton can further your interests, dig into its website. Is there a spotlight on students’ research that models what you’d like to explore? Is there a part of the school’s strategic plan that excites you? This track is especially competitive and focused. Aim to show admissions your zeal for engineering and back it up with examples. 

• Do you have your sights set on a particular field within engineering? 
• Have you received any accolades for engineering-related projects or classes? 
• Is there an undergraduate student organization within the engineering school that you hope to join?

“Your voice” prompts  

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? (250 words)

This question instructs you to share a particular situation, what you learned from it, and how you are applying those insights going forward. Keep in mind that “diverse perspectives” can reference those with differing political views, socioeconomic statuses, sexual orientations, ethnic backgrounds, and more. 

Think about a time when you’ve had to navigate tricky subjects with someone that identifies differently than you do. Did you hear about a friend’s struggles with bullying and vow to never be a bystander? Did you have to talk to your religious parents about your questions about faith?  Princeton wants to know how you can work through conflict and come out with a more accepting, informed worldview.

• Have you learned about prejudice after discussing social issues with those who belong to a marginalized group? 
• Did you overcome biased thoughts about someone and leave the conversation with greater empathy?
• What difficult conversations have you had to initiate vs. being confronted with them by others? 

Princeton has a longstanding commitment to service and civic engagement. Tell us how your story intersects (or will intersect) with these ideals.(250 words) 

This question wants to know how you have made a mark in your community. Have you volunteered consistently for a particular charity? Did you write a research paper on a social problem that has made you want to get involved? Do you plan to run for student government? Use this space to discuss a cause you are passionate about, whether advocating for animal rights or fostering financial literacy. If you have not had much experience giving back in this space, be sure to reference how you will do so once at Princeton. Be careful not to discuss the same examples in this prompt as prompt #1. 

• Has any community service you’ve done felt particularly special? 
• What problems do you wish you could solve in the world?
• What Princeton clubs or student activities interest you in the civic engagement space? 

“More about you” prompts

Please respond to each question in 50 words or fewer. There are no right or wrong answers. Be yourself! 1. What is a new skill you would like to learn in college? 2. What brings you joy? 3. What song represents the soundtrack of your life at this moment?

Trust the admissions team’s encouragement to be yourself! Do not overthink these answers and be authentic in what first comes to mind to best portray your personality. 

Have you wanted to play a new instrument or learn a new language? Do you have a “happy place” that brings you joy? Or a hobby like crochet? Has your mood been optimistic like “Walking on Sunshine,” or is there a new hit you can’t stop playing? Let these flow easily from you and have fun!

With the response limit, there is a bit of room to offer more context or explanation. Don’t feel pressured to use all 50 words, though—a simple answer is expected!

Graded written paper 

In addition to the supplemental essays, Princeton requires applicants to submit a graded written paper for consideration as a part of their application. Essentially, you will need to submit a paper that you have completed for an academic course, preferably an English or history course, during the last three years of high school. 

When selecting a graded paper, keep the following in mind: 

• Do not send a creative writing assignment, rather submit a research paper or essay exam
• The paper should be 1-2 pages in length
• The paper should include the grade as well as any comments your teacher may have provided

How to submit the graded written paper

• Option 1: Upload the graded written paper within your application materials in the Common Application or QuestBridge Application
• Option 2: Mail, email or upload the graded written paper to your Princeton applicant portal

For any questions regarding the graded written paper, visit Princeton’s website or reach out to a Princeton admissions officer. 

Final thoughts on writing the Princeton supplemental essays

Now you have broken apart each prompt and jotted down examples to reference in your answers. Before writing, be sure you are taking advantage of the variety of questions to showcase different aspects of yourself. Try not to be repetitive with anecdotes you share across prompts. 

You are likely to have too much to say once you start writing with these 250 word limits.  We suggest you get all your thoughts down and trim responses later. With proper planning, you can surely find success with the Princeton supplemental essays. We wish you the best of luck !

Also see:  All you need to know about Princeton eating clubs

Next steps for students

As you are writing your Princeton supplemental essays, be sure to check out our guides on how many schools to apply to . Make sure you prepare well and also read about how to find safety, reach, and match schools . 

With so many colleges and universities going test-optional, you might be wondering, whether or not to send your SAT/ACT scores.  Learn about what is best for you to maximize your chances for acceptance. Speaking of acceptances, once you start hearing back, we can help you create a college comparison spreadsheet to make your college choice. Finally, apply and earn all the scholarships you qualify for with our free scholarship search tool . Good luck! 

More supplemental essay guides

• Columbia University (New York, NY)
• Dartmouth College (Hanover, NH)
• University of Chicago (Chicago, IL)
• Cornell University (Ithaca,NY)
• University of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA)

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Yale University 2024-25 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

Early Action: Nov 1

Regular Decision Deadline: Jan 2

You Have: 

Yale University 2024-25 Application Essay Question Explanations

Short Answers dominate the Yale application. So, in brief, they’re looking for confidence. When an essay must clock in at under 100 words, you don’t have time to waffle. There’s no room for you to circle your main idea with broad statements. You’ve got to get straight to the point, and clearly. The successful applicant will choose precise words that can do double — even triple duty — telling your story (literally), bringing vivid details to life, and highlighting your overall intelligence.

The Requirements: 1 list; 6 short answer questions; 1 additional short essay of 400 words

Supplemental Essay Type(s):   Why ,  Short Answer , Community ,  Oddball

Short Answer Questions

Students at yale have time to explore their academic interests before committing to one or more major fields of study. many students either modify their original academic direction or change their minds entirely. as of this moment, what academic areas seem to fit your interests or goals most comfortably please indicate up to three from the list provided..

There’s only one trick to generating a straightforward list of your academic interests: be honest. If you already know what you want to major in, or have it narrowed down to a few departments, you’re set! Don’t waste time trying to strategize. Choosing anything other than your true interests would be a misrepresentation of who you are and a disservice to you and the admissions office. This assignment will no doubt be most challenging for the undecideds, but to help you narrow your focus, try to tell a story with your choices. How can you use this to reveal something about what you value and what excites you intellectually? You could try to illustrate a general inclination (art history, studio art, and American studies). Or if you really feel like you could go any direction, try to show a balance, picking majors across domains that link to each other in a way that still makes sense (biology, psychology, classics)—you’ll thank yourself when answering the next question.

Tell us about a topic or idea that excites you and is related to one or more academic areas you selected above. Why are you drawn to it? (200 words or fewer)

You’ve only got 200 words, but if you chose wisely (and honestly) in the previous question, answering this one should be a cinch. Whether you listed one or several interests, your goal is to tell a cohesive story about your intellectual curiosity. Ideally, you should try to recount an anecdote that illustrates your engagement with your chosen field, or demonstrates your ability to link seemingly disparate fields. Perhaps you’re interested in both religion and astrophysics because each offers a way for you to contemplate our place in the universe. But while you may be tempted to wax philosophical, you should beware of veering into overly abstract territory. This is a great opportunity for you to explain how your intellectual interests relate to who you are as a person. Don’t waste it!

What is it about Yale that has led you to apply? (125 words or fewer)

This is a short version of the Why essay, the mini Why. Yale wants to make sure you are psyched for the full college experience at their school. So, we’ve said it once and we’ll say it again: DO. YOUR. RESEARCH. As a top school, Yale attracts many applicants based on its reputation alone, so it won’t do you any good to go on and on about the world-class education you will receive. Yale admissions officers know — and they know you know. Locate specific opportunities within your department and related programs and centers that really make your heart sing with excitement.

And make sure you talk about yourself! Yale doesn’t need a summary of its website (even if you write about a forgotten page deep in the Math Department website). Talk about your academic and professional goals and how Yale will help you achieve them. What unexpected classes might you want to take to sate your curiosity? How will you drive yourself to succeed? Don’t forget to include details about personal growth. If you think you can accomplish this and that on campus, what experience do you have to back up those claims? What about the Yale experience will enrich your life overall? Which extracurricular activities and organizations will you take advantage of? Do they offer quidditch ? If so, you should definitely play. Figure out why you’re applying to Yale over all the other schools out there – and then deliver it with eloquence and confidence.

Applicants applying with the QuestBridge Application will complete the questions above via the Yale QuestBridge Questionnaire, available on the Yale Admissions Status Portal after an application has been received.

Applicants submitting the coalition application or common application will also respond to the following short answer questions, in no more than 200 characters (approximately 35 words):, what inspires you (200 characters or fewer).

200 characters is not a lot of characters, especially when it comes to a concept as broad as inspiration. You don’t have time to describe what the word means to you, and admissions officers don’t have time for vague answers (“nature”) or trite ones (“my mom”). First and foremost, have fun with this prompt. Think of the 200 character challenge as a game. Then, get specific. What experiences have launched some of your best ideas? Although you won’t have time to relate the whole story, you can draw upon your personal experience for a hyper-specific, memorable answer like “the color of fresh drosophila eggs” or “Goldie Hawn’s crazy eyes in Death Becomes Her .” You get the idea.

If you could teach any college course, write a book, or create an original piece of art of any kind, what would it be? (200 characters or fewer)

The previous question asked you what inspires you, and this one is asking you what you can do. What are you good at? It’s time to show your stuff. Reach beyond the traditional academic areas and toward skills you may have cultivated on your own time (e.g., gardening, rock climbing, baking, etc.). Then, think about how you might share this talent with others, whether that be through a course, book, or artwork. Maybe you’ve been making TikToks reviewing your favorite YA novels for some time now. Would you teach a class on the politics of the modern heroine in YA fiction? Perhaps you could talk about marine life for hours on end. Would you write a book on the idiosyncrasies of giant isopods? There is no right or wrong answer here, so write about the subject that interests you the most!

Other than a family member, who is someone who has had a significant influence on you? What has been the impact of their influence? (200 characters or fewer)

Since you have so much to say in so few words, our advice is to summarize this person’s accomplishments succinctly and leave room to offer admissions deeper insight into their influence on you, what you value, and the kind of person you aspire to become. The person you choose to write about can be someone in your local community—a friend, a teacher, a community leader—or someone you haven’t yet had the chance to meet IRL. Maybe there is a renowned scientist who inspired you to pursue your chosen field. Perhaps an artist or thought leader has altered your understanding of what it means to be human. No matter who you choose, remember that this should say more about you than it does about them, so stay the course!

What is something about you that is not included anywhere else in your application? (200 characters or fewer)

This is one of the hardest prompts! What do they want to know?! Where do you start? Birth? School? Puberty? First, take a breath and calm down. Think about why they’re asking you this question and it will all fall into place. While many applications look similar, with impressive grades, extracurriculars, and teacher recommendations, this essay makes it so you can stand out from the crowd with your personality. Do you have a very sarcastic sense of humor? Do you make more dad jokes than your own father? Do all of your friends refer to you as the “artsy” one? Yale wants to know that you’re more than your transcripts, so take this opportunity to share a piece of yourself that they wouldn’t otherwise get to see. This prompt also lends itself to recycling previously written essays for other schools quite well, so you might want to consider revisiting it once you’ve made a dent in writing your supplemental essays for other schools.

Applicants submitting the Coalition Application or Common Application will respond to one of the following prompts in 400 words or fewer. 

1. reflect on a time you discussed an issue important to you with someone holding an opposing view. why did you find the experience meaningful.

Engaging with others in meaningful conversations about important issues can be intimidating and challenging, and the Yale admissions committee knows this. Nevertheless, we have all experienced standing up for our beliefs in some capacity, so scroll through your memory to identify a time when you had an uncomfortable conversation with friends, family, or even mere acquaintances. Maybe you engaged your grandparents in a conversation regarding the Black Lives Matter movement. Were you able to clearly communicate your perspective? What did you take away from the discussion? Perhaps you learned that one of your friends was a passive supporter of an organization that you vehemently disagree with. How did you broach the subject and what was the outcome of your conversation? You don’t need to have changed someone’s mind (or your own!) to impress admissions here. You just need to show that you’re not afraid to engage with those who may have different opinions than you. College will present you with a plethora of opportunities to meet and interact with people who are very different from you, so show Yale that you’re game to learn, listen, share, and grow.

2. Reflect on your membership in a community to which you feel connected. Why is this community meaningful to you? You may define community however you like.

“A community to which you feel connected” could be anything: your family, a club at school, your dance troupe, women in STEM… you get the idea. If you’ve been wanting to spin your 8-bit video game obsession into an essay, this prompt is offering you the opportunity to describe your community of old-school gamers. Whatever community you choose, remember to define your place within it. Who are you to your fellow community members? How does being in this community add to your life or identity? Why is it meaningful? As always, try to be as concrete as possible as you develop your story, giving examples as you go. Just brainstorming your topic may remind you of a video you made or photo you took that you can use as a jumping off point. You might even consider digging through old photos and notebooks as a way to brainstorm!

3. Reflect on an element of your personal experience that you feel will enrich your college. How has it shaped you?

This is a fabulous prompt because it’s just about as open-ended as it gets. If the other two essay prompts didn’t speak to you, this one is here to save the day! Yale wants to know what has made you into the person you are today. What you focus on here can really run the gamut, but it should be something that you feel will help you to contribute to Yale’s community in a unique way. Is there anything you can teach your classmates about your hometown, traditions, culture, identity, race, or ethnicity that they might not already know? What has influenced your identity? What do you believe and how will your worldview bring something of value to the community at Yale?

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Moscow on the Hudson

November 20, 2019, roberto hasbun.

Princeton offers a variety of different seminars that travel abroad during the fall break and spring break. I recently got the opportunity to travel to Russia for an urban studies seminar called “Moscow on the Hudson”. It was an enriching experience filled with daily walking tours around the city, discussions about famous landmarks and an understanding of the rich history behind Moscow.

During class we read literary and cultural texts pertaining to urban studies in order to understand the physical construct of both New York City and Moscow. We focused on a specific topic every week, all the way from religious institutions to public housing. We first traveled to New York City and visited different parks which we later analyzed during our in-class discussions.

In preparation for the trip to Moscow, I purchased a travel guide and made sure to pack my winter jackets for the cold weather. Once we arrived, we settled in and got ready for a week of intensive walking tours. We got to visit a cemetery where important literary and political figures were buried, The Cathedral of Christ the Savior (which was formerly a giant swimming pool), Zaryadye Park (a modern park that opened in 2017) and other fascinating sites.

Surprisingly, the highlight of the trip was riding the metro. Moscow’s metro shines in comparison to New York City’s sometimes unpredictable subway system. It is easier to navigate, cleaner and each station is embellished with beautiful architecture which makes the metro a tourist attraction itself. Each station is different from the rest, so you never get bored by the changing underground scenery.

In between the walking tours and later at night, we got to indulge on different cuisines. I must admit, I was not a fan of Russian food, since the options are limited for vegetarians like me. I did enjoy drinking tea and experiencing a new food culture. My favorite international cuisine was definitely Georgian food. Our first and last dinner on the trip was, in fact, at a Georgian restaurant, and I simply couldn’t get enough of it.

Reflecting back on this trip, the major takeaway was my increased understanding on how Moscow came to be and a new lens with which I will approach cities I visit in the future. I visited sites and locations that I would have never considered going to if I were traveling by myself, learned how different groups of people inhabit the same space and started to think about the challenges faced by most modern cities, such as economic inequality.

This experience has been one of the highlights of my undergraduate career, and it wouldn’t have been possible without Princeton’s generous funding. I am also grateful to both of my professors for their active engagement and planning throughout the trip!

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Office of International Programs

Advice by department and certificate, information for.

Exchange Students

Click on the links below to find out how particular departments build study abroad into their curricula. We've also included information for students who are pre-med.

Here you'll find information about where students have studied in the past, recommendations for how to plan your academic program, contact information for the departmental representative, and, in most cases, contact information for peer advisers who can give you advice based on their own experience.

You can search for all study abroad options by visiting the Global Programs System . The Office of International Programs encourages all students interested in studying abroad to make an appointment with a study abroad adviser to discuss options.

The African American Studies department strongly encourages all AAS concentrators to study abroad for one semester.

The best times for AAS majors to study abroad are sophomore and junior spring. Early concentration is open to spring semester sophomores who have completed the prerequisite for entry into the department by the end of the fall semester of sophomore year. It allows students to make an early start on independent work and is especially useful for students planning to study abroad junior year.

Students planning to spend abroad a semester should seek advice from the Departmental Representative.

Suggested Programs

AAS majors can study abroad through a variety of programs. Below are some suggestions from your study abroad advisers:

• SOAS University of London
• Institut d'Etudes Politiques in Menton and Paris, France
• University of Cape Town, South Africa
• University of Manchester, England

African American Studies Program Options

AAS Director of Undergraduate Studies

Kinohi Nishikawa [email protected] (609) 258-6494

The Program in African Studies strongly encourages concentrators to study in Africa.

The Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department (in collaboration with the School of Engineering, the Program in African Studies, and Kenyan institutions) offers a spring semester in Kenya for juniors. Through the Tropical Biology Program in Kenya , Princeton faculty and Kenyan scholars teach a sequence of four courses that involve total immersion in the tropics.

Princeton also has an affiliation with the University of Cape Town to enable undergraduate study in South Africa for a semester or a year. Students are also welcome to study at other African universities, including Rhodes University, where a summer course is offered. In addition, the Program in African Studies offers Princeton in Dar es Salaam during the summer (an intermediate Swahili language-based program).

Students interested in working in Africa for either a year after graduation or during a summer can apply to Princeton in Africa for internships. Princeton in Africa , an independent support organization of the University, was established in 2000 and seeks to encourage American/African collaboration, to provide effective assistance to the world's most underserved continent, and to create a constituency committed to the emergence of Africa as a full partner in the developed world.

AFS and HMEI sponsor first and second year students to undertake internships in Africa on Sustainable Development to experience firsthand issues associated with conservation and improving human livelihoods.

AFS Program Manager

Timothy Waldron 8-9400

With its emphasis on the comparative study of culture and society, the Department of Anthropology strongly encourages students to participate in both formal study abroad programs and independent or sponsored international research projects.

Anthropology majors (or prospective majors) planning to study abroad are encouraged to consult early with a departmental representative. In order to accommodate study abroad, the Department is flexible about the scheduling of core courses. That said, since ANT 301, the spring course on field methods, is strongly recommended for fieldwork (and normally required for senior thesis fieldwork funded by the Anthropology Department), students who develop an interest in anthropology early in their matriculation and anticipate field research as part of their independent work are encouraged to take ANT 301 during the sophomore year if they plan to study abroad in their junior year spring, the term during which ANT 301 is offered. The Anthropology Department encourages students to do field research as part of their independent work, but fieldwork (whether abroad or in the U.S.) is not required.

Please see the requirements for the major for more information.

Junior Paper: Anthropology majors write one Junior Paper, due in the spring term. Normally, this is a paper based on library research. During the fall semester, students meet with their advisers to develop a topic, compile a bibliography and formulate a research question or questions for further research and analysis. In the spring, students continue to work with their advisers to complete the literature review project. If a student is abroad, advising for the JP in either semester can be conducted via e-mail.

Field research: Although some anthropology majors utilize their study abroad experiences in the classroom and library as the basis for their senior year independent work, others choose to design and undertake an independent field research project outside of their “abroad” classroom. Such projects are not part of an established study abroad program, but may involve extensions of the student’s stay overseas in the same location or nearby. Fieldwork projects are planned independently by students with their advisers.

You can find additional information on the Anthropology Department's website .

Anthropology majors can study abroad through a variety of programs. Below are some suggestions from your study abroad advisers:

• Academic Programs Abroad
• Danish Institute for Study Abroad (DIS) - Copenhagen
• Goldsmiths,  University of London
• IES Abroad Granada - Study in Granada
• University College London (UCL)

Anthropology Program Options

ANT Director of Undergraduate Studies

Dr. Onur Günay [email protected]

Architecture concentrators normally complete study abroad during the spring semester of the junior year.  Students interested in study abroad should attend a meeting with the Departmental Representative and Program Coordinator early in the fall to begin planning.  Students must be in good academic standing with adequate degree progress to be approved for study abroad.

Architecture majors can study abroad through a variety of programs. Below are some suggestions from your study abroad advisers:

• Danish Institute for Study Abroad (DIS)
• Center for University Programs Abroad (CUPA), Paris, France

Architecture Program Options

ARC Director of Undergraduate Studies

Cameron Wu [email protected]

The Department of Art and Archaeology strongly encourages study abroad, as foreign study can greatly enrich any student’s program in the major. Normally two pre-approved courses per semester can count toward departmental requirements. Students can study abroad in either or both semesters of the junior year or the fall of senior year. Students complete independent work abroad under the supervision of a departmental faculty member while they are away.

Many students choose to study in non-English speaking countries, thereby strengthening their ability to pursue research for the senior thesis and preparing them for possible graduate work in the field.

Students contemplating studying abroad should speak with their departmental representative as early as possible and should plan to take courses in the language of the country in which they wish to study.

For more information,  visit the Art & Archaeology department's website .

• Center for University Programs Abroad (CUPA)
• Syracuse University in Florence,  Italy
• University of Cambridge,  Pembroke College
• University of Hong Kong (HKU)
• University of Melbourne

Art & Archaeology Program Options

Many other options exist, depending upon a student’s interest. For instance, students interested in Roman art could study in Rome with the Trinity College Program. Those with an interest in Greece should consider College Year in Athens and the Arcadia Center for Hellenic, Balkan, and Mediterranean Studies in Athens. Students interested in medieval studies might look into the University of St. Andrews in Scotland or University of Oxford.

In addition, students interested in archaeology may choose to participate in overseas archaeological excavations undertaken by departmental faculty. For further information,  contact Professor Nathan Arrington .

ART Director of Undergraduate Studies

Basile C. Baudez [email protected] (609) 258-3789

For Astrophysical Science concentrators interested in a semester abroad, the department is supportive and helps in recommending places that excel in Astronomy. Some astrophysics students have studied in the UK (Cambridge, Oxford, London), Germany, Chile, and in other countries. The department helps interested students with proper course selection as well as with independent research project selection.

Although most concentrators prefer to spend their academic semesters at Princeton to benefit from all the exciting opportunities the Astrophysical Sciences Department offers, students often do summer research internships in the states or abroad--in addition to doing internships here at Princeton.

The Astrophysical Sciences Departmental Representative is always available to consult with interested students regarding the possibilities and best options for study or internships abroad.

AST majors can study abroad through a variety of programs. Below are some suggestions from your study abroad advisers:

• University College London, England
• Math in Moscow, Independent University of Moscow

Astrophysical Sciences Program Options

AST Director of Undergraduate Studies

Neta Bahcall 8-6065

Engineering students can obtain international experience through participation in the University's Study Abroad Program or through summer internships and language study abroad. Interested students should begin planning early by meeting with the associate dean for undergraduate affairs to discuss suitable programs at foreign universities.

Generally, it is best to study abroad in the spring of sophomore year due to the sequential nature of the required core courses for the chemical and biological engineering major.

Take a look at Study Abroad for Engineering Students: Frequently Asked Questions, a very useful handout put together by Peter Bogucki, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Affairs, Engineering and Applied Science.

CBE majors can study abroad through a variety of programs. Below are some suggestions from your study abroad advisers:

• University College Dublin
• University of Cantabria, Exchange in Engineering
• University of Hong Kong (HKU), Exchange in Engineering

Chemical and Biological Engineering Program Options

CBE Director of Undergraduate Studies

Jose L. Avalos [email protected] 609-258-9881

The Chemistry Department encourages students interested in studying abroad to consider opportunities either prior to entering the department (sophomore year) or during the spring semester of their junior year.

Chemistry majors interested in the study abroad program are required to meet with Dr. Robert L’Esperance, the Chemistry Department’s Director of Undergraduate Studies, well in advance to plan coursework and independent work for all semesters remaining until graduation.

For juniors choosing to study overseas during the spring semester, it is imperative that the following be in place prior to departure:

• Satisfactory completion of the Chemistry Department’s experimental lab course requirement.
• Satisfactory completion of the Fall Junior Independent Work program.
• Preapproval by the Chemistry Department as to how the Spring Junior Independent Work project will be completed at the overseas institution. Arrangements must be finalized with the faculty member at the foreign institution who will mentor the laboratory research project. The spring Junior Independent Work will culminate in a formal written paper, as per department requirements for all chemistry concentrators.
• Prearrangement of a thesis research project with a member of our faculty. This project will be started upon returning to the Princeton campus.
• Pre-approval of a chemistry course taken at the foreign institution that will count towards the eight required departmentals, should the student elect such a plan.

Early concentrators may have the leeway to study abroad for either the fall or the spring semester, depending upon the coursework and Independent Work satisfactorily completed by the end of the term prior to departure.

CHM majors can study abroad through a variety of programs. Below are some suggestions from your study abroad advisers:

• IES Abroad Salamanca - Study in Salamanca
• King's College London (KCL)
• University of Edinburgh

Chemistry Program Options

CHM Director of Undergraduate Studies

Robert L'Esperance 609-258-1307

Engineering students are encouraged to obtain international experience through participation in the University's Study Abroad Program or through summer internships and language study abroad. Interested students should begin planning early by meeting with the associate dean for undergraduate affairs to discuss suitable programs at foreign universities.

Study abroad can be used to enhance and diversify the educational experience. For many CEE students, study abroad has served as a valuable option for junior independent work and in providing research material for the senior thesis.

Courses taken during foreign study may be pre-approved for credit as departmentals by the department representative. Students considering study abroad should consult with the departmental representative as early as possible.

Take a look at  Study Abroad for Engineering Students: Frequently Asked Question s , a very useful handout put together by Peter Bogucki, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Affairs, Engineering and Applied Science.

Special Engineering Programs:

University of Oxford Exchange:   The School of Engineering offers the opportunity to participate in the Oxford Engineering Exchange Program. The program enables CEE students to spend their junior year in Oxford.

Other Suggested Programs:

CEE majors can study abroad through a variety of programs. Below are some suggestions from your study abroad advisers:

• CentraleSupelec, Engineering Exchange
• Princeton Field Semester in Kenya
• University of Cantabria,  Exchange in Engineering
• University of Oxford,  Oxford-Princeton Engineering Exchange

Civil & Environmental Engineering Program Options

CEE Director of Undergraduate Studies

Professor Ian Bourg [email protected] 609-258-4541

In the belief that travel and study in the Mediterranean are an important part of classical education, the department strongly encourages its students to participate in one of the many programs available.

The Classics Department provides  information about study abroad for classics majors  on its departmental website.

Highlighted Programs

Many departmental students spend one term of junior year at the  Intercollegiate Center for Classical Studies in Rome.  The center offers instruction in classical languages, presents lectures on ancient literature and history, and sponsors a series of trips to important museums and archaeological sites. Instruction is in English by American faculty members, and the curriculum is integrated with the Princeton undergraduate program.

Equally valuable is the summer program at the  American School of Classical Studies in Athens . The department has some funds to help meet the expenses of such summer study, and additional assistance may be available through the Program in Hellenic Studies. Students who would benefit from intensive work in the languages may apply for financial assistance to study at a Greek or Latin institute.

Other Suggested Programs

CLA majors can study abroad through a variety of programs. Below are some more suggestions from OIP's study abroad advisers:

• Hebrew University of Jerusalem
• Intercollegiate Center for Classical Studies
• Trinity College, Rome Campus

Classics Program Options

CLA Director of Undergraduate Studies

Yelena Baraz 609-258-3956 [email protected]

The Department of Comparative Literature strongly encourages its students to undertake a semester and/or a summer (or more) abroad, in order to gain fluency in their primary foreign language, learn a second foreign language, or pursue further study in the literatures and cultures of these languages.

Most students choose to study abroad for a single term during the junior year; but a year abroad is also possible. Two courses per semester abroad may be used to fulfill departmental requirements.

There are numerous opportunities for summer study abroad, some partially supported by University funds. A summer abroad can increase fluency or be an effective way to satisfy the departmental requirement of developing reading knowledge in a second foreign language. For more information about available programs, students should consult the director of undergraduate studies in comparative literature and also in the individual language and literature departments. Some departmental funding is available for summer language study for concentrators.

Special Programs

Students can spend the fall of junior year with the  Princeton English Program at University College London (UCL) , the oldest and largest of the constituent colleges of the University of London. This program is a result of the combined efforts of Princeton and UCL faculty members and offers a rigorous, exciting, and rewarding program of study at a top-ranked institution in one of the world’s great capital cities. Students take three UCL courses and the Junior Seminar in Critical Writing (ENG 300, a Princeton course taught by a Princeton professor exclusively for Princeton students). The seminar culminates in the writing of the Junior Paper.

COM majors can study abroad through a variety of programs. Below are some suggestions from OIP's study abroad advisers:

• IFSA-Butler Argentine Universities Program
• Kyoto Consortium for Japanese Studies (KCJS)
• Princeton English Program, University College London
• University of Tokyo
• Yonsei University

Comparative Literature Program Options

COM Director of Undergraduate Studies

Susana Draper 609-258-4029 [email protected]

Become a citizen of the world! Computer Science majors are allowed and encouraged to study abroad for a semester or a even a whole year.

If you plan to study abroad, it's best to start planning early.  Some upper-level computer science courses are only offered during either the fall or the spring, so going abroad during one of these semesters effectively means you cannot take the course during that calendar year.  In general, both OIP and the Computer Science Department try to be as flexible as possible in approving your curriculum, but it never hurts to get things figured out early.

Once you have decided on a study abroad program or university, bring your course information to  Brian Kernighan, COS Dept Rep for Study Abroad  to see if there are any courses that could substitute for one of your CS departmentals. If independent work is involved (e.g., for AB juniors), you will need to find a faculty advisor here, either as the direct advisor or as someone to assess work done for someone at the far end. You can take a year abroad as well, but this is more complicated, mainly because you have to find more technical courses that can count as departmentals. In any case, if you plan to study abroad, start planning early.

You can find more information about study abroad at the Office of International Programs or the  Computer Science undergraduate webpage . Questions may also be directed to  Colleen Kenny-McGinley  (8-1746), the COS undergraduate coordinator.

COS majors can study abroad through a variety of programs. Below are some suggestions from your study abroad advisers:

• Danish Institute for Study Abroad (DIS) – Copenhagen
• University of Oxford, Worcester College

Computer Science Program Options

COS Director of Undergraduate Studies

Brian Kernighan 8-2089 (COS dept rep for study abroad)

Studying abroad at a European university  is very strongly encouraged by the program. Living overseas is a critical part of gaining a perspective on a foreign society and in developing language fluency. The Contemporary European Politics & Society Program allows students to count up to two of the courses that they take at a European university toward their course requirement, if those courses pertain to modern European politics, economics, sociology, or 20th century history.

EPS Director

John Borneman 8-7368

The Program and Department of East Asian Studies encourages its students to study abroad and maintains a list of recommended study abroad programs on their website .

Students should make an appointment with the EAS departmental representative as soon as they start thinking about study abroad so that an academic program can be worked out that most suits the student.

Departmental credit:

• For students going abroad for a semester, EAS will count up to two courses toward departmentals (one of which must be a cognate).
• For students going abroad for a year, EAS will count up to four courses toward departmentals (two of which must be a cognate).

EAS will count content courses that are equivalent to EAS courses at Princeton. Exceptions will be made based on the discretion of the departmental representative.

Highlighted programs

EAS offers varied opportunities for overseas study in East Asia. Majors, certificate students, and non-majors are encouraged to take advantage of intensive summer or year-long language study and/or internships. The programs hosted by EAS are the intensive Chinese and Japanese programs in Beijing, China and Ishikawa, Japan ( Princeton in Beijing and Princeton in Ishikawa ). Upon graduation, students will normally find themselves prepared to begin graduate work at a higher level because of such foreign language experience and training. The department also encourages students to participate in extended internships or study programs in East Asia.

Scholarship aid is available to majors and non-majors for both summer and year-long programs. Students should contact the EAS Program Manager for these funding opportunities.

Intervening Year Abroad For a student whose career plans make it appropriate, EAS will encourage a year of intensive study at an approved center in Asia, usually Beijing, Kyoto, or Tokyo. To be eligible for consideration, a student completes two years' study of Chinese or Japanese by the end of junior year and must be nominated for scholarship assistance by the program committee. Upon returning to Princeton, the student makes use of Chinese or Japanese materials studied for the preparation of the senior thesis.

EAS majors can study abroad through a variety of programs. Below are some suggestions from your study abroad advisers:

• 3 Campus East Asian Studies Program
• Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK)
• National University of Singapore (NUS)
• Tsinghua University

East Asian Studies Program Options

EAS Director of Undergraduate Studies

Xin Wen 609-258-8872 [email protected]

EAS Undergraduate Program Administrator

Anna Lovett 609-258-4279 [email protected]

EEB closely integrates field, lab, and theoretical approaches. There are ample opportunities to take lab and theory courses on campus. We strongly encourage all students to take at least one intensive field course abroad, either in one of our three programs or at a foreign university.

Highlighted programs:

Semester in the Field: Panama The Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology offers a spring term in Panama in conjunction with the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute. Students take four intensive three-week courses in sequence, which can include tropical ecology and conservation, coral reef biology, anthropology, and tropical biology. Prerequisite: EEB 321.

Semester in the Field: Kenya The Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Civil and Environmental Engineering and Program in African Studies offers a four-course program, taken in three-week segments at Princeton's Mpala Research Centre in Central Kenya and at other sites within Kenya. The courses are taught in collaboration with scientists in Kenya, Columbia University faculty and Princeton faculty. The courses delve into conservation in Africa, natural history of mammals, sustainablility and field ecohydrology.

EEB majors can study abroad through a variety of programs. Below are some suggestions from your study abroad advisers:

• Princeton Tropical Biology Program in Panama
• University of Oxford, Hertford College
• University of Sydney

Ecology & Evolutionary Biology Program Options

Check out  Sabina Hlavaty's video  about her experience at James Cook University.

EEB Director of Undergraduate Studies

Robert M. Pringle 609-258-8273 [email protected]

Because of globalization, the number of students in U.S. colleges and universities who go abroad to study economics is increasing. The Princeton economics department encourages students to study abroad. However, because the study of economics is sequential (courses must be completed in a particular order), students need to plan well ahead and carefully to spend a semester or year abroad.

The best times for economics majors to study abroad are Sophomore Spring and Junior Spring. See details in the Department's document linked to above.

Because the Economics Department only rarely permits core courses to be taken abroad, and because core courses may not be postponed to senior year, potential economics concentrators planning to study abroad must complete the appropriate core courses in their sophomore year. It is almost never feasible to spend a semester abroad in the senior year.

The Economics Department provides extensive information about  preparation for study abroad for potential economics majors  on its departmental website. If you are interested in or planning to concentrate in economics, you should read this document carefully.

Princeton’s exchange with Bocconi University  in Milan, Italy, gives Princeton students concentrating or planning on concentrating in Economics the opportunity to study at one of the foremost economics and finance universities in Europe. Previous study of Italian is desirable, but not required. Bocconi offers a wide range of courses in English (more than 90 each semester), and an intensive crash course in Italian for three weeks before the beginning of each semester.

ECO majors can study abroad through a variety of programs. Below are some suggestions from your study abroad advisers:

• Bocconi University
• University of Cambridge, Pembroke College

Economics Program Options

ECO Director of Undergraduate Studies

Smita Brunnermeier 8-5016

Take a look at  Study Abroad for Engineering Students: Frequently Asked Questions (.pdf) , a very useful handout put together by Peter Bogucki, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Affairs, Engineering and Applied Science.

ECE majors can study abroad through a variety of programs. Below are some suggestions from your study abroad advisers:

• University of Oxford, Oxford-Princeton Engineering Exchange

Electrical and Computer Engineering Program Options

ECE Director of Undergraduate Studies

Prateek Mittal 609-258-0814 [email protected]

The department encourages students to consider studying abroad for a semester or a year. Courses abroad may, with approval, receive both departmental and distribution credit.

Students considering study abroad should consult the departmental representative at an early stage.

Special ENG programs:

English majors have the opportunity to  spend the fall of junior year in a special program at University College London (UCL) , the oldest and largest of the constituent colleges of the University of London. This program is a result of the combined efforts of Princeton and UCL faculty members and offers a rigorous, exciting, and rewarding program of study at a top-ranked institution in one of the world’s great capital cities. Students take three UCL courses and the Junior Seminar in Critical Writing (ENG 300, a Princeton course taught by a Princeton professor exclusively for Princeton students). The seminar culminates in the writing of the Junior Paper. **This program will not run for the 2023-2024 Academic Year**

ENG majors can study abroad through a variety of programs. Below are some suggestions from your study abroad advisers:

• Undergraduate Program in Central European Studies at Charles University (UPCES)

English Program Options

ENG Director of Undergraduate Studies

Russ Leo 609-258-6838 [email protected]

In the past, several students have studied abroad for a semester or a year while successfully completing the undergraduate certificate in finance (UCF). This requires planning ahead, including taking additional courses in your sophomore year. The UCF program does not accept summer or online courses. Additionally the program does not accept equivalents for the two cores courses ECO362 and ECO363 — they must be taken at Princeton.

You should consult with the UCF program representative about courses you wish to take for UCF credit. We approve courses taken elsewhere only if they are of comparable standards and taken at institutions of comparable quality.

You may use one course taken during your study abroad to replace one elective course and only with permission from the UCF program representative.  The official study abroad forms must be completed before you travel.

Finance certificate students may be interested in the  Economics Exchange Program with Universitá Bocconi in Milan, Italy.  The Exchange gives Princeton students the opportunity to study at one of the foremost economics and finance universities in Europe. Previous study of Italian is desirable, but not required. Bocconi offers a wide range of courses in English (more than 90 each semester), and an intensive crash course in Italian for three weeks before the beginning of each semester.

Academic Administrator

Melanie Heaney-Scott [email protected]

Director of Undergraduate Studies

Yacine Ait-Sahalia [email protected]

The department strongly encourages its concentrators and certificate students to spend as much time as they can in any country, including those in Africa, where the language(s) they study is/are widely spoken. There are several ways of doing this within the four-year undergraduate degree: by study abroad for one or two semesters, by summer study abroad, and by obtaining summer work or an internship abroad.

Both semesters are equally good times for going abroad. The main challenge students face is completing their Junior independent work ("JP"); some students prefer to go in the fall because the first JP is shorter and therefore may be more approachable to do while away from the adviser. However, French and Italian universities' fall semesters can seem short to American students because of the way the schedule is distributed (from mid-October through early February, with a recess in December). The spring semester resembles more that of Princeton's and many students elect to go then.

Although the Department of French and Italian does not require students to have taken specific courses before going abroad, it encourages students to consider an advanced language and style course (FRE 307, ITA 307).

Courses taken abroad in approved programs may fulfill departmental requirements up to a limit of two courses per semester. Course credit in French and Italian can also be obtained through approved summer study abroad.

FIT majors can study abroad through a variety of programs. Below are some suggestions from your study abroad advisers:

• Berlin Consortium for German Studies
• Institut d'Etudes Politiques (Sciences Po), Paris
• Royal College of Music (RCM)
• Wellesley-in-Aix

French & Italian Program Options

Summer Programs

FIT has a  special relationship with the Institut International de Langue IS Aix-en-Provence , which offers intensive four-week language courses in French at various levels. The department has established a similar  relationship with the University of Macerata , offering intensive language courses in Italian. The department is able to provide financial support to a small number of students in each of these courses each year. FIT also maintains ties with the  Bryn Mawr College summer programs held in Avignon , in French language, literature, art, and civilization (including social, political, and economic institutions). See the departmental representative if you are interested in one of these programs.

FIT Director of Undergraduate Studies

Flora Champy 609-258-7078 [email protected]

Destinations for study abroad span the world and are open to students in all majors. Princeton accepts credit from more than 100 programs and/or universities in over 40 countries.

Suggested Programs:

GEO majors can study abroad through a variety of programs. Below are some suggestions from your study abroad advisers:

• Middlebury School in China: Hangzhou
• IFSA-Butler University of Otago

Geosciences Program Options

GEO Director of Undergraduate Studies

Adam Maloof [email protected]

German majors are encouraged to study abroad during their time at Princeton. Students should contact the departmental representative as early as possible to discuss options.

• Through the Berlin Consortium for German Studies, of which Princeton University is a member, Princeton undergraduates are eligible to spend either one semester or an entire academic year studying abroad at the Freie Universität Berlin for full Princeton academic credit. Students will pay normal Princeton tuition, and those on financial aid will continue to receive aid during their study abroad.
• The Department of German also sponsors a summer Program in Vienna  and a longstanding Summer Work Program .

GER Director of Undergraduate Studies

Thomas Y. Levin 210 East Pyne (609) 258-1384 [email protected]

Students intending to enroll in the GHP program are encouraged to study abroad, but they will need to plan their prerequisites and requirements in advance in order to complete the GHP program of study. The Program on Global Health and Health Policy has information on its website about  how to fit study abroad into a GHP certificate.

GHP Co-Directors

Andrea Graham [email protected]

Heather Howard 609-258-9709 [email protected]

C. Jessica Metcalf [email protected]

Summer study, research, internships, or semester study opportunities in Greece are strongly recommended for all Program concentrators.

Under the auspices of the Study Abroad Program, students may complement their academic work in Hellenic studies by enrolling in one or two terms at selected institutions in Greece or England. The Princeton-Oxford Exchange Program provides additional opportunities for students in Hellenic studies.

The Program in Hellenic Studies has  information about studying abroad on its website  containing contact information for selected programs and institutions. Interested students may also visit the Program office to read reports written by former participants for many of the summer study programs and courses abroad

The Program in Hellenic Studies offers a limited number of   Stanley J. Seeger Fellowships  for Princeton undergraduate students whose work would benefit from summer travel for study and/or research in Greece, Cyprus, or other Mediterranean countries relevant to the study of Classical, Byzantine, or Modern Greece. Undergraduate students from all Princeton departments are welcome to apply.

HLS Director

Dimitri Gondicas (Center Director) [email protected]

HLS Undergraduate Contact

Chris Twiname [email protected]  

Students in the History Department are encouraged to participate in those programs for foreign study approved by the University.

The History Department has the following policies related to Study Abroad:

• Sophomores intending to major in History may count one history course taken abroad toward the requirement to enter the department. The course cannot be used to substitute for the 200-level prerequisite
• Juniors majoring in the department may receive credit for up to four courses in history taken while abroad for either a full year or semester. The usual credit is 2 courses for one semester abroad and 4 courses for 2 semesters. These courses will require the prior approval of the Departmental Representative. To secure that approval students will be expected to produce some evidence of the work load and the material covered by the courses.
• Sophomores intending to go abroad in their junior year must take History 400, the junior seminar in which students write their first Junior Paper, in the spring semester before they depart. Having written their first junior paper in the spring of their sophomore year, these students will thereby be prepared to write the second while abroad or in the resident semester of their junior year (if they elect to spend only one semester abroad). Students who meet the requirements of junior independent work while at Princeton will still be expected to undertake a full course load while abroad. Moreover, study abroad should include some research work. In particular, the department encourages students to take seminars that include a research component.
• Recognizing the many difficulties of doing research without Princeton’s institutional and intellectual resources as a base, the Department will try to be flexible regarding the deadlines of submission of independent work conducted abroad. (Students must make arrangements for extension of deadlines  with the Department Representative.)

HIS majors can study abroad through a variety of programs. Below are some suggestions from your study abroad advisers:

• Boston University Madrid University Studies Program

History Program Options

HIS Director of Undergraduate Studies

Dr. Yaacob Dweck [email protected]

*Non History Majors should reach out for study abroad approval to  Michael A. Blaakman  ( [email protected] ).

The  Certificate in Humanistic Studies  encourages reflection on meaningful connections along five major trajectories: 1) Bridges within the humanities and arts; 2) Bridges between the humanities and related social sciences; 3) Intercultural studies; 4) Bridges between the humanities and the sciences; 5) Digital approaches to the humanities.

Studying abroad may enrich any one of these five trajectories. The intercultural studies trajectory recommends studying abroad specifically: "Students might illuminate their study of western culture with comparative approaches to other areas of the world, for example, or study one or more regions through different methodologies. In this pursuit, they might benefit from participating in global seminars or other opportunities for study abroad."

HUM Directors

Kathleen Crown (executive director) [email protected]

Esther Schor (chair) [email protected]  

The Program in Judaic Studies encourages students to consider studying in Israel, either for a semester or for a summer. Princeton University approves courses at  Tel Aviv University ,  Hebrew University of Jerusalem , and the  University of Haifa , providing an excellent opportunity to improve one’s knowledge of Hebrew as well as to pursue a wide variety of topics of interest.

There are other study abroad programs and a number of intensive summer language programs in Hebrew and Yiddish in Israel, Oxford, and elsewhere.

Courses taken abroad, other than elementary language, may count for up to two of the program’s course requirements with the approval of the Director.

The Program has  various funds available  to undergraduate students for support of summer work and/or study relating to Judaic Studies.

JDS Director

Leora Batnitzky 609-258-4487 [email protected]

Although not required, it is strongly recommended that students spend some time in the country whose language and culture they are studying. This can be done through an approved study abroad program or through a summer program of work and/or study. The area studies programs in East Asian, Latin American, Near Eastern, and Russian and Eurasian studies may be important resources in providing guidance, and students who are earning language certificates in these areas are urged to consult with the director of the relevant program in planning their course of study or work abroad.

Undergraduate Contacts

Contact the departmental representative in the appropriate language department

The Program in Latin American Studies (PLAS) promotes student research in Latin America and organizes a wide range of related on-campus public programming.

Students earning a certificate in Latin American Studies are strongly encouraged to spend a semester in Latin America. Up to two courses taken abroad may be counted toward the LAS certificate.

PLAS provides generous research support for undergraduate students in the form of travel and research grants.

Freshmen and sophomores are encouraged to apply for summer support via the Sigmund Scholars program , while juniors are invited to submit proposals for senior thesis research funding during the summer between junior and senior year.

LAS Director

Maria Gabriela Nouzeilles 8-8176

Each year, a few mathematics majors choose to spend a semester or a year studying mathematics at universities abroad. It is recommended that students consider studying abroad at some time during their junior year, as it is usually possible to make arrangements for junior independent work while abroad. It is somewhat harder to make arrangements for senior thesis supervision, or final examinations at the end of the senior year.

MAT majors can study abroad through a variety of programs. Below are some suggestions from your study abroad advisers:

• Budapest Semesters in Mathematics
• Math in Moscow, Independent University, Russia

Mathematics Program Options

MAT Director of Undergraduate Studies

János Kollár [email protected] 609-258-4185

Generally, the junior year, particularly the spring semester, is the easiest time to plan to go abroad in MAE.

Take a look at  Study Abroad for Engineering Students: Frequently Asked Questions , a very useful handout put together by Peter Bogucki, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Affairs, Engineering and Applied Science.

MAE majors can study abroad through a variety of programs. Below are some suggestions from your study abroad advisers:

• University of Canterbury
• University of Cape Town (UCT)

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Program Options

MAE Director of Undergraduate Studies

Michael G. Littman 609-258-5198 [email protected]

Students concentrating in molecular biology may spend part of the junior year abroad, provided that at least one core departmental course has been taken in the sophomore year and suitable arrangements are made to complete the independent work. Study abroad is most easily arranged for the fall semester.

Students interested in studying abroad should consult with the MOL Study Abroad Adviser, Professor Fred Hughson, and a study abroad adviser as early as possible, preferably during the first year.

The Department of Molecular Biology provides information about study abroad as a molecular biology majo r on its website.

MOL majors can study abroad through a variety of programs. Below are some suggestions from your study abroad advisers:

• University of Auckland

Molecular Biology Program Options

MOL Director of Undergraduate Studies

Frederick Hughson 609-258-4982 [email protected]

Destinations for study abroad span the world and are open to students in all majors. Music majors are encouraged to consider studying abroad during their time at Princeton.

Special MUS Program:

Princeton University and the Royal College of Music, London , have initiated a unique collaboration by which exceptionally talented students may qualify for a five-year, double-degree program (Bachelor of Arts from Princeton and Master of Music from the Royal College of Music) that includes study in London for the fall term of the junior year.

MUS majors can study abroad through a variety of programs. Below are some suggestions from your study abroad advisers:

Music Program Options

MUS Director of Undergraduate Studies

Gavin Steingo 609-258-4254 [email protected]

Study abroad is very much encouraged, and a number of study abroad programs are available in the Middle East. Princeton students concentrating in Arabic have participated in programs in Morocco, Syria, Jordan, and Egypt. The majority study at the American University in Cairo because of its fine reputation in Arabic teaching, either for a semester or a full year, with a select group of teachers and tutors.  Note: Study in Syria and Egypt is currently not permitted as these countries are on the U.S. State Department Warning List.

The department also makes every effort to facilitate student participation in any of a number of excellent summer intensive language study programs in the U.S. and the Middle East. The Program in Near Eastern Studies may be able to offer limited support for students who wish to take advantage of such intensive study opportunities.

The best times for study abroad are during sophomore spring semester through senior fall semester.

Students wishing to develop their knowledge of Hebrew further are able to benefit from various programs in Israel during the summer or during a semester (or year) in one of the Israeli universities, such as the Hebrew University, or Tel Aviv University.

NES majors can study abroad through a variety of programs. Below are some suggestions from your study abroad advisers:

• AMIDEAST Area & Arabic Language Studies in Jordan (Semester/Academic Year)
• AMIDEAST Area & Arabic Language Studies in Morocco (Semester/Academic Year)
• CET Intensive Arabic Language in Jordan

Near Eastern Studies Program Options

NES Director of Undergraduate Studies

Eve Krakowski 609-258-7252 [email protected]

Studying abroad is a wonderful opportunity for neuroscience concentrators. NEU courses taken abroad may be used to fulfill your concentration elective requirements. NEU majors planning to spend abroad a semester should seek advice from the Departmental Representative, as well as make an appointment with a study abroad adviser.

NEU majors can study abroad through a variety of programs. Below are some suggestions from your study abroad advisers:

• Queen Mary University of London
• University of St. Andrews
• University of Bristol

Neuroscience Program Options

Students can also use this   list of selected courses for NEU students   as a starting point. Please note that these are just samples and courses may not be offered every year.

NEU Director of Undergraduate Studies

Elizabeth Gould [email protected]

ORFE majors can study abroad through a variety of programs. Below are some suggestions from OIP's study abroad advisers:

• Aquincum Institute of Technology (AIT Budapest)
• University of Oxford,  Worcester College

Operations Research & Financial Engineering Program Options

ORFE Director of Undergraduate Studies

Robert J. Vanderbei 609-258-2345 [email protected]

Each year some junior philosophy concentrators spend one or both semesters on foreign study. The department has generally been flexible in allowing, within the limits of University regulations, departmental credit for work done abroad. If the student is planning to be away for only one semester and has a choice, the department recommends choosing spring so as not to miss the fall junior seminars here.

All students planning to study abroad, and especially those planning to be away for the entire junior year, are advised to apply to the department for early concentrator status, which is open to spring semester sophomores who have completed the prerequisite for entering the department by the end of the fall semester sophomore year, and allows the student to make an early start on independent work.

PHI majors can study abroad through a variety of programs. Below are some suggestions from OIP's study abroad advisers:

• University of Oxford, St. Edmund Hall

Philosophy Program Options

PHI Director of Undergraduate Studies

Professor John Burgess    [email protected]

Studying abroad is compatible with majoring in physics, but students need to plan carefully in order to be able to spend a semester or year abroad. The Physics Department provides  information about studying abroad as a physics major  on its website.

If you are interested in majoring in physics and spending a year/semester abroad, talk to the physics departmental representative as soon as you get to Princeton as a freshman.

PHY majors can study abroad through a variety of programs. Below are some suggestions from OIP's study abroad advisers:

• Math in Moscow (at Independent University of Moscow)
• University of Oxford; England

Physics Program Options

PHY Director of Undergraduate Studies

William Jones 609-258-4413 [email protected]

Under normal circumstances, the Department encourages students to consider studying abroad - particularly during the Spring semester of junior year. If a program is approved in advance by the Office of International Programs, the Department will credit as departmentals as many as two courses in political science or related fields when they are taken at a foreign university. Normally, the Department is willing to substitute no more than one cognate and one departmental, or two cognates, for concentrators studying abroad for one semester. 

Professor Lynn White shared the following information about studying abroad as a politics major:

"If you decide to study abroad, you will optimize your education. If you plan a senior thesis about international relations or the politics of a foreign country, this is a splendid opportunity to gather materials, languages, insights. If your main interest is in the United States, you can learn a tremendous lot abroad, by comparing foreign democratic systems with ours or by going to a non-democratic country and perceiving the extent to which many power networks everywhere (including in democratic countries, including America) are very authoritative. 

. . . Your education will be better and happier, if you realize that not quite all truth is located in New Jersey. Your Princeton friends will still be on campus when you return -- and I promise that they will later be green with envy unless they go for study abroad too. . . . Study abroad can be the best part of your education to become a citizen of the world. This experience has focused the academic and later careers of many alums, and it can do the same for you."

Additional information about studying abroad as a politics concentrator  is available on the Politics Department website.

POL majors can study abroad through a variety of programs. Below are some more suggestions from OIP's study abroad advisers:

• CIEE Liberal Arts Program in Santiago, Chile
• IFSA-Butler University of Melbourne

Politics Program Options

POL Contact for Study Abroad

Guadalupe Tuñón [email protected]

Although not a requirement, study abroad has become a regular part of the SPIA program. For 2023-204 Academic Year students are welcome to study abroad wherever they'd like for the Fall 2023 Term, but study abroad in Spring 2024 of junior year is limited to those universities at which task forces may be offered. *For the class of 2026 , students considering studying abroad in the Fall of 2024 must complete SPI 298 in the Fall 2023 semester at Princeton.

SPIA Study Abroad Programs:

In 2023-24, task forces are being offered at the following locations.

Spring 2024

• University of Cambridge, Pembroke

SPIA Director of Undergraduate Studies

Susan L. Marquis [email protected]

Paul Lipton [email protected]

The Department of Psychology strongly encourages students to study abroad. Students can study abroad in either semester of the junior year or during the fall of the senior year.

Students considering study abroad are urged to discuss their plans with the departmental representative early in the planning stages to lay out course work, obtain approvals, and set up independent work assignments. Two pre-approved courses per semester abroad can count toward the departmental course requirements.

Those juniors who study abroad in their fall semester will be exempt from the junior orientation and APA style workshops, but will be required to write one fall junior paper under the supervision of a departmental faculty member. Juniors who study abroad in the spring semester will write the required spring junior paper under the supervision of a departmental faculty member, though it is also possible for the junior to collaborate with a faculty member abroad to perform research towards completing independent work. Seniors who choose to study abroad during the fall term must be sure to  consult the department’s Human Subjects Administrator, RoseMarie Stevenson , prior to departure if they intend to perform research involving human subjects while abroad.

University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia A special University of Queensland Psychology-Princeton University Study Abroad Intensive Research Program, available in the spring. This study abroad program includes placement in research labs for junior independent work.

PSY majors can study abroad through a variety of programs. Below are some more suggestions from OIP's study abroad advisers:

• IFSA-Butler University of Sydney
• University of Manchester
• University of Queensland

Psychology Program Options

PSY Director of Undergraduate Studies

Michael Graziano 609-258-7555 [email protected]

Students pursuing a certificate in Quantitative and Computational Biology or participating in the Integrated Science curriculum may be particularly interested in Princeton's exchange program with ETH Zurich in Switzerland.

Princeton's exchange allows students to spend a semester engaging in a combination of research and course work in  ETH's Department of Biology.  ETH Zurich is one of the world's leading institutions in science and technology. The Department of Biology is one of ETH Zurich's largest departments and includes six institutes and ten independent chairs. The member institutes and professorships are engaged in a wide-ranging program of basic and applied research. The research areas encompass topics in biochemistry, biophysics, molecular and cellular biology, microbiology, neurobiology, systems biology and plant sciences on the basic research side and topics in biomechanics and sports physiology on the applied side.

For more information about Princeton's exchange with ETH Zurich, visit the  ETH Zurich page  on the OIP website.

QCB Director

Brittany Adamson 609-258-3109 [email protected]

The Department of Religion welcomes study abroad for departmental majors in their junior year. Those juniors who study abroad in their fall semester will be exempt from the colloquium, but will be required to write a fall junior paper under the supervision of a religion department faculty member. Juniors who study abroad in the spring semester will write the required spring junior paper under the supervision of a religion department faculty member. Normally, students are expected to have junior year independent work completed before the start of their senior year.

Normally, two courses taken abroad may be counted as departmentals but cannot be used to fulfill departmental area requirements. All students must consult the Departmental Representative before leaving for their study abroad program and those who intend to receive departmental credit for courses taken abroad will need prior approval.

Religion majors can study abroad through a variety of programs. Below are some suggestions from your study abroad advisers:

• Carleton-Antioch Global Engagement Program: Buddhist Studies in India

Religion Program Options

REL Director of Undergraduate Studies

Seth Perry [email protected]

Students pursuing the Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies certificate are expected to combine classwork with study abroad for a semester, year, or summer to sharpen their language skills, conduct independent research, and, in general, gain a better appreciation of at least one country and culture in Eurasia. Summer internships abroad, partly subsidized by the program or the University, are also highly encouraged.

The Program in Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies, with the Slavic Languages and Literatures Department, runs a highly acclaimed language program called  Princeton in Petersburg  at the Nevsky Institute of Language and Culture. This program is designed to enable students who complete first-year Russian on the Princeton campus to take second-year Russian over the summer and return to the campus to master third-year Russian by the end of the second calendar year. This facilitates use of the Russian language in junior and senior independent work.

The program also supports the study of third- and fourth-year Russian abroad over a summer,  thanks to the generosity of the Monty Raiser '92 Fund. The fund was established in 1993 in memory of R. Montgomery Raiser III, a Princeton student who had a strong interest in Russian affairs.

Ilya Vinitsky 609-258-1729 [email protected]

The Department of Slavic Languages & Literatures provides  information about study abroad as a Slavic Languages and Literature concentrator  on its departmental website.

For students who begin Russian at Princeton, the department has organized a  second-year course (RUS 105R-107R) for credit in St. Petersburg  that may be taken the summer immediately following the completion of RUS 102. This course is taught by Princeton faculty as well as the instructors of the Derzhavin Institute. More advanced students are urged to spend either a semester or summer in Russia.

SLA majors can study abroad through a variety of programs. Below are some suggestions from your study abroad advisers:

• Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
• Bard-Smolny Study Abroad Program, St. Petersburg, Russia*
• Middlebury School in Russia, Irkutsk, Moscow, and Yaroslavl, Russia*

Slavic Languages & Literatures Program Options

SLA Director of Undergraduate Studies

Elena Fratto 609-258-1605 [email protected]

Sociology at Princeton encompasses scholarship at the crossroads of global and international sociology. The department believes that study abroad adds a valuable dimension to the experience in Sociology as well as a possible basis for independent work in the junior and senior year. The department encourages its students to take advantage of the many fine programs in other countries that exist for Princeton students. We make every effort to accommodate these students for advising on independent work and permit them to take required courses out of sequence, either before or after the period of foreign study. Normally, as many as two courses taken during a semester or year abroad count as departmental requirements. Such courses will need pre-approval from the departmental representative.

SOC majors can study abroad through a variety of programs. Below are some suggestions from your study abroad advisers:

• Queen's University Belfast (QUB)

Sociology Program Options

SOC Director of Undergraduate Studies

Timothy Nelson [email protected]

The South Asian Studies Program encourages students to take advantage of intensive summer language programs and of the numerous opportunities to study abroad or travel in South Asia, including a semester or year abroad.

The Office of International Programs lists  approved programs for study abroad in India  during the academic year on the Global Programs System (GPS) website.

SAS Director

Benjamin Conisbee Baer 609-258-6127 [email protected]

SAS Program Manager

Sam Evans 609-258-2635

The Department strongly encourages its concentrators to spend as much time as they can in any country where their language(s) of concentration is (are) spoken. There are many ways of doing this within the four-year undergraduate degree: through study abroad for one or two semesters; through summer study abroad; and through a summer internship abroad.

Course information:  Approved courses taken abroad in one semester will normally count for up to two departmental courses. Students must complete the program abroad to the standards required by the foreign institution.

Grades awarded by foreign institutions for courses that are recognized in lieu of Princeton courses are not included in the consideration of Departmental Honors.

Students who study abroad are not exempted from independent work requirements. A departmental faculty member will serve as JP adviser while the student is abroad. The student and the adviser will keep in touch through e-mail, Skype, or any other mutually convenient method of communication.

Junior Semester/Junior Year Abroad: Students planning to spend abroad a semester or their whole junior year should seek advice from the Departmental Representative and from relevant faculty in choosing a suitable program of study.

SPO majors can study abroad through a variety of programs. Below are some suggestions from your study abroad advisers:

• Brown in Brazil: Consortium for Advanced Studies Abroad (CASA) -  Pontificia Universidade Catolica
• Brown in Cuba: Consortium for Advanced Studies Abroad (CASA) - University of Havana
• CIEE Language and Culture Program in Lisbon,  Portugal

Spanish & Portuguese Program Options

All students interested in languages are encouraged to study abroad during the summer through  Princeton in Spain ,  Princeton in Argentina ,  Princeton in Brazil ,  Princeton in Portugal , or one of the other programs recommended by the department and the Office of International Programs. The Department of Spanish and Portuguese offers a limited number of scholarships for summer programs abroad in Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking countries.

SPO Director of Undergraduate Studies

Natalia Castro Picón 609-258-2998 [email protected]

In recent years, undergraduates pursuing a certificate in theater have studied at:

• London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts (LAMDA), England

THR Director

Jane Cox 609-258-7294 [email protected]

Students wishing to achieve a certificate in Translation and Intercultural Communication will spend a year, semester, or six weeks of the summer in a Princeton-approved course of study or internship program in an area where the chosen non-English language of proficiency is spoken.

TRA Director

Karen Emmerich [email protected]

Offered through the Woodrow Wilson School's Policy Research Institute for the Region, the Urban Studies Program encourages students with appropriate background and training to study and conceptualize cities in a comparative, international perspective.

URB Undergraduate Contact

Kirby Richards [email protected]

Mario Gandelsonas 609-258-8221 [email protected]

Additional Advice

• Advice for Pre-Health Students
• Advice for Engineering Students
• Meet the Global Ambassadors

Simon A. Morrison Professor of Music

“I can explain why and how music matters then as now.”

Simon Morrison is an archival historian specializing in 20th-century Russian and Soviet music with expertise in opera, dance, film, sketch studies, and historically informed performance. Having earned unequaled access to repositories in Russia, he has unearthed previously unknown sketches, scores, letters, diaries, official documents, contracts, financial records, photographs, and other sources related to musical life from the tsars through the Soviets. He is a leading expert on composer Sergey Prokofiev, and has just published a revisionist account of the career of Tchaikovsky with Yale University press. Current projects include a history of Moscow for Knopf and a study of Shostakovich for Norton. 

His writing on popular music includes  Mirror in the Sky: The Life and Music of Stevie Nicks  (University of California Press, 2022). 

Morrison writes frequently for academic and general audiences. A contributor to the  Times Literary Supplement  and  London Review of Books , he has authored feature articles along with opinion pieces for  Time Magazine , the  New York Review of Books , and  New York Times . His biography of  Lina Prokofiev , the composer’s first wife, was prominently featured on BBC Radio 4, BBC World News television, and WYNC radio. His history of the Bolshoi Ballet, based on exhaustive archival research in St. Petersburg and Moscow, was enthusiastically reviewed in major newspapers and magazines, including the  New York Times ,  The Guardian  (UK),  Wall Street Journal , and  New Republic .

A sought-after speaker, Morrison has taught academic seminars and delivered public lectures in Israel, Hong Kong, China, Denmark, Canada, Thailand, the UK, Russia, and across the United States. He has been featured on national and international broadcasts (both radio and television) in Russia, Britain, Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and across the United States. Recent appearances include spots on American Public Radio’s signature program Marketplace, The Current on CBC (Canada), and Start of the Week on BBC television.

Morrison is actively engaged in the performing arts, most notably ballet, and has translated his archival findings into new productions. In 2005 he oversaw the recreation of the Prokofiev ballet  Le pas d’acier  at Princeton University, and in 2007 he co-produced a world-premiere staging of Alexander Pushkin’s drama  Boris Godunov , which featured Prokofiev’s incidental music and realized Vsevolod Meyerhold’s directorial concepts. In 2008, Morrison restored the scenario and score of the original version of Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet for the  Mark Morris  Dance Group. He has also consulted with renowned choreographer Alexei Ratmansky.

At Princeton, he revived the ballet  La boîte à joujoux , using a version of Debussy’s score as premiered in 1918 by the Moscow Chamber Theater, a version that included a previously unknown “jazz overture.” He oversaw the staging of John Alden Carpenter’s jazz ballet  Krazy Kat  (1921), based on the iconic comic strip; brought to light Prokofiev’s  Music for athletes/Fizkul’turnaya muzyka  (1939) for performance by undergraduate dancers; and prepared the score to Prokofiev’s incidental music for  Eugene Onegin , set to a playscript by Sigizmund Krzhizhanovsky, for a staging by Princeton faculty and students as well as a performance by the Princeton Symphony Orchestra. In 2017 Morrison developing a concert performance of Cole Porter’s pantomime  Within the Quota  for the famed Penguin Cafe Orchestra.

Under Morrison’s guidance, graduate students in musicology at Princeton have won such prestigious, competitive awards as the ACLS Dissertation Completion Fellowship, the AMS 50 Fellowship, Virgil Thomson Fellowship, Dena Epstein Award, and the Chateaubriand. They have also delivered papers at the national meetings of the American Musicological Society and Society for American Music, then graduated to tenure-track positions in musicology at selective colleges and universities.

Morrison has led student excursions to Moscow, St. Petersburg, Yakutsk, and Athens. He is a recipient of Princeton’s Howard T. Behrman Award for Distinguished Achievement in the Humanities.

Princeton University, PhD

McGill University, MA

Moscow Pedagogical Institute, Diploma in Russian

University of Toronto, B.Mus (cum laude)

Guggenheim Fellowship; ACLS Fellowship; Alfred Einstein Award (from the American Musicological Society)

• MUS 513: Topics in 19th- and Early 20th-Century Music: Abstraction
• MUS 223: The Ballet

Spring 2024

• MUS 501: Musicology as a Profession
• MUS 513: Topics in 19th- and Early 20th-Century Music: Russian Ballet
• MUS 238: Music of the Romantic Era

Spring 2023

• MUS 514: Topics in 19th- and Early 20th-Century Music: Tchaikovsky

Spring 2022

• MUS 103: Introduction to Western Music
• MUS 513: Topics in 19th- and Early 20th-Century Music: Shostakovich and His World
• MUS 240: Musical Modernism 1890-1945

Spring 2021

• MUS 514: Topics in 19th- and Early 20th-Century Music: The Ballets Russes and Ballets Súedois
• MUS 230: Music in the Middle Ages

My Work Focuses on

the musical, cultural, and political histories of the Soviet Union, Russia, the United States, and France since the late 19th century

My Other Interests Include

archival research, the history of ballet, film music, score recovery and restoration, historically informed performance, public musicology.

Mar 22, 2019

Professor Simon Morrison Inaugurates TLS Grace Notes Series

Jan 23, 2018

Simon Morrison in Playbill on Prokofiev’s “Romeo & Juliet”

Jul 3, 2017

Princeton University Performs Ballet With Rarely Heard Cole Porter Score