Princeton University - Academics

Quick Stats

College Prowler Take

The level of Princeton’s academics makes it one of the best schools in the nation for undergraduate education, if not the best. Princeton professors place an emphasis on personal accessibility, and no graduate students are allowed to lead lecture courses. What results is an institution focused upon the education of undergraduates, not the research of professors. Each week, Princeton professors hold office hours so that students may stop by to discuss upcoming assignments or misunderstood lecture topics. The policies of each professor vary, but students generally do not have to make appointments to go to office hours. Some professors even ask students not to send e-mail but instead to stop by office hours to facilitate interaction out of the classroom. But, professors do respond to e-mail quickly and are happy to answer questions that students may have.

While some students gripe about some of Princeton’s academic requirements, including a diverse selection of distribution requirements, demanding independent work both junior and senior years, and mandatory weekly preceptorial sections, it is these features of the undergraduate education at Princeton that make students here some of the best prepared for graduate work and demanding jobs. Princeton’s rigorous academic demands encourage independent thought and efficiency. Even though the work is demanding, there is an extensive network of tutors and a staff of well-trained Writing Center advisers who ensure that no one is left behind.
 

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Students Speak Out

Anonymous says:

Our academic programs are... Our academic programs are first-rate, and many of our professors are highly regarded in their fields. Also, because of Princeton’s commitment to undergraduate education, the professors are accessible to students. Of course, some of them are quite dull, but that is the exception. The academics are hands-down outstanding. It’s primarily an undergraduate institution, so the professors are there for us. Professors are required to have a certain number of office hours, so students can drop by at any time during those times to talk about class, papers, etc. Most professors have more than the required hours. 12345 Academics Report

Anonymous says:

It’s nothing short of phenomenal.... It’s nothing short of phenomenal. Everyone is at the top of his or her field. Granted, some don’t teach as well as others, but you can kind of find that out in advance and schedule your classes around it. You can check out the student guide online to find our student reviews on the professors. 12345 Academics Report

Anonymous says:

Outstanding! Princeton is all... Outstanding! Princeton is all about the undergrad program. The classes are great, and the professors actually teach them. You can really get to know your professors if you make the extra step to try to meet them and do things like going to their office hours. That is the best part! 12345 Academics Report

Anonymous says:

Overall, the professors vary from... Overall, the professors vary from good to bad. The math department is notorious for bad instructors in introductory classes. Most are in-between, approachable, and at least try to help out the students; unfortunately, at schools like Princeton, you’ll often find that the best professors in terms of research and fame are not always really good at transferring their knowledge to students. So sometimes, there ends up being a fair amount of self-learning and collaboration with other students in study groups. 12345 Academics Report

Spartacus says: Princeton University 2013 Undecided

Incomparable A+ Princeton professors are nothing short of brilliant. Your teacher may be (probably will be) pioneers in his or her field. However, some lecturers have their shortcomings, and academic prowess is no guarantee of a good lecturer. Nevertheless, Princeton students are privileged to be the recipients of a vigorous intellectual experience. The workload though is nothing short of Herculean. 12345 Academics: February 11, 2010 Report

Facts

Did You Know?

Princeton University’s sixth president, John Witherspoon, was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence.

James Madison, Class of 1771 and former president of the United States, became the first president of the Alumni Association of the College of New Jersey in 1826.

Woodrow Wilson, Class of 1879 and future president of the United States, served as thirteenth president of the University in June 1902 and revolutionized the academic program through his inventive “preceptorial” system, which is still in use today. Additionally, he instituted the distribution requirements for undergraduates in order to create more well-rounded students.

In May 1970, Colleges around the nation adopted the “Princeton Plan” (fall recess) in response to the student unrest following the Cambodian incursion in Southeast Asia.

Five members of the Princeton faculty were recipients of the Nobel Prize in physics, two in economic studies, two in economic sciences and one each in literature and medicine.

After Princeton’s founding, it was widely speculated that there was a curse on the University’s presidents, as there were five presidents in the first twenty years of the University.

Princeton is one of the only American institutions to mandate a senior thesis, which has been a requirement for graduation since 1925.

Princeton’s Honor System has been in place since 1893, when students, who were dissatisfied with faculty proctoring of examinations, called for a system similar to the ones at the University of Virginia and William and Mary. Even today, there are no proctors in exams, and students must sign the honor code at the end of every assignment and exam.

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