Princeton University - Computers

Quick Stats

College Prowler Take

One Princeton professor started his first lecture by saying, “Princeton students have the worldwide reputation of being both voracious readers and avid writers.” He then proceeded to assign several thousand pages of reading for the semester in addition to three papers and a final exam. While this course is definitely the exception rather than the rule, it emphasizes the role of Princeton’s workload on the average student’s daily life. Many students will find themselves using computers for the whole of their classowork, printing over 700 pages to campus printers, free-of-charge, and reading many reserve readings on laptops rather than waiting in line in the library’s Reserve Room.

The University provides students with access to 24-hour computer support resources, including residential computer consultants who live in the dorms and are able to help students work out computer problems, such as a virus, before they have to bring their computers to a technician. For students who opt not to bring a computer, however, all hope is not lost. There are 24-hour computer clusters all over campus. Generally, the computer labs are not crowded except around major deadlines, such as the infamous “Dean’s Date,” the deadline at the end of the semester for all written work. Some students will hide in the clusters during these intense periods leaving only to eat and shower. For normal assignments, the cluster computers are more than adequate. Students can even save work to a personal, password-protected network drive, which allows them to work on different computers across campus. Short of giving computers away to students, it is hard to believe that the University’s computer system could get much better.

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Students Speak Out

PriAM says: Princeton University 2015 Other

Bring your own computer—it's just... Bring your own computer—it's just more convenient. There is wireless all over campus, so it's nice to have your own laptop. 12345 Computers: February 25, 2009 Report

PriAO says: Princeton University 2016 History

The computer network at Princeton... The computer network at Princeton is excellent. There are so many computer clusters that students can use that tend to not get crowded. Most students do bring their own laptops, and often they buy them through a program the school sponsors called the Student Computer Initiative. 12345 Computers: February 25, 2009 Report

Prihp says: Princeton University 2016 Other

Students usually bring there own... Students usually bring there own computers, though there are many labs around the campus that are not crowded. 12345 Computers: February 25, 2009 Report

PriAP says: Princeton University 2016 Undecided

The whole campus has wireless... The whole campus has wireless Internet. I strongly suggest getting a laptop. It will make your note taking, paper writing, and life in general much easier. The computer labs generally aren't too crowded. I've always found a computer easily when I needed one. Don't worry about bringing a printer because you can print over the network to the cluster printers. 12345 Computers: February 19, 2009 Report

Anonymous says:

With its own technology office,... With its own technology office, the University invests a lot of money and time in the quality of its computer facilities. Most buildings have some form of computer cluster or print station, and a campus media lab allows students to go and learn how to use electronics, such as a digital camcorder, to enhance their work. 12345 Computers Report

Facts

Did You Know?

Princeton’s Student Computer Initiative offers discounted desktop and laptop computers, both Windows and Mac, to students. Each student can take advantage of the prices once during his or her four years at Princeton.

Princeton’s Department of Public Safety offers laptop registration in an effort to curb the rampant computer theft of the past few years.

The Office of Information Technology (OIT) offers “H-Drive” access to students so that undergraduates can access their files from any computer on the campus network.

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