Princeton University

Located in New Jersey, Princeton University is one the country’s prestigious Ivy League colleges. Founded in 1746, the country’s fourth-oldest college was known for years as the College of New Jersey. The name “Princeton University” was adopted in 1896, with the university designation indicating the expanded number of courses and degrees available.

The university boasts a rich history–in fact, the campus’s Nassau Hall was, at one point, the capitol of the United States. Today, the school is dedicated to both undergraduate education and its research capabilities and enrolls approximately 2,000 graduate students and 7,000 undergrads.

Faculty and Students at Princeton University

Princeton’s faculty has won a slough of awards, including Nobel Prizes. Past winners include John Nash, Toni Morrison, and U.S. President Woodrow Wilson. In addition, 15 current or former faculty members have won the National Medal of Science. All Princeton faculty members are encouraged to work closely with undergrads to develop their interests and form working relationships–this is made possible by the 5:1 student to faculty member ratio.

Student life at Princeton University is lively and diverse. For the first two years, students are required to live on campus in one of five dormitories. Additional housing is available for upper classmen who also wish to live on campus (a surprising 97 percent of them chose to do so). Creative activities are sponsored and encouraged; the facility at 185 Nassau Street hosts fiction and poetry readings while student-run Theatre Intime produces musicals and plays.