Princeton University

Princeton University was founded in 1746, which makes it the fourth oldest university in the country. It is located in a suburban area of central New Jersey with about 30,000 residents in the cute, surrounding town. There are very close ties between the university and the town. You will see in my pictures that the town is right outside the gates of campus. The university actually gives students $150 a year to spend in the local restaurants. Princeton is home to 5500 undergraduates and 3000 grad students. It is a liberal arts university, and 75% of their classes have less than 20 students. The big lectures are 200-300 students. They have a preceptorial system with engaging discussions by faculty and grad students that complement the large lecture style classes. There are also seminar classes that are capped at 15 students. All students do research in their first year, and it culminates with their senior thesis. They will go from being a consumer of knowledge to being a producer of knowledge. There is strong mentorship all throughout this process.