Mailing Address: Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544
2008 Rank: 23
2006 Rank: 38
Matriculation Rate of African Americans: 92%
Average GPA: 3.9
Total Enrollment: 4,790
African American Enrollment: 415
Number of Applications: 18,942
Acceptance Rate: 10
*Average SAT Score: Reading: 690-790; Math:700-790; Writing 690-780
Black Student Group(s): Black Student Union, Black History Month Planning Committie
Summer Programs: Freshman Scholars Institute
Application Deadlines: Regular Decision: Dec. 15
Acceptance Letters Sent Out: March
Financial Aid/Deadline(s): Jan.1
Costs: Tuition & Fees: $33,920; Room & Board: $5,980; Books & Supplies:$3,395
*25th Percentile-75th Percentile
ADMISSIONS Q&A
What are you looking for in a student?
Princeton University looks for students who we think will take advantage of the academic and extracurricular opportunities at Princeton and contribute to the campus community. We offer many resources to our undergraduates – access to a world-class education; funding for service projects, research and study abroad; and contact with many distinguished visiting faculty, lecturers and alumni. We look for students who will commit their time and energy in engaging these opportunities. Admission decisions are made independent of a student’s financial need, which will be met through grants and work-study if the student is admitted.
What advice do you have for students who might fall short of minimum requirements, but still want to attend?
Princeton does not have minimum requirements for admission. We evaluate each student’s entire academic record, from grades to test scores to teacher recommendations, in evaluating a student’s ability and dedication to learning. While most admitted students are in the top 10 percent of their graduating class, Princeton welcomes students who, in addition, have unique talents, achievements and backgrounds. On their applications, students should relay all of their strengths, academic and otherwise.
What advice do you have for applicants?
Pay attention to your academics, and focus on building a sustained commitment to your extracurricular activities. With academics, we look at your transcript course by course and consider the difficulty of your classes in the context of what is offered at your school, so take the most challenging classes available to you. As soon as possible, review our standardized test requirements, and be sure to keep track of application deadlines. Also, let the admission staff know about your specific talents and achievements–in the arts, athletics, service or some other realm. Finally, make sure you apply for financial aid if you think you may not be able to cover the full cost of tuition, room and board, since Princeton has a generous need-based financial aid policy that allows students to graduate debt-free.
What kind of opportunities do you have for non-traditional – transfer, international – students?
Princeton does not offer transfer admission, so any student who has enrolled as a full-time degree candidate at another college or university is considered ineligible for admission. International students, however, are an integral part of our campus community. About 10% of our undergraduates are