my princeton essay

Princeton-specific Questions

In addition to the Coalition Application ,  Common Application  or the QuestBridge Application , Princeton University requires you to answer Princeton-specific questions. Below you will find the questions for the 2023-24 application cycle. Depending on which degree you wish to pursue at Princeton (A.B., B.S.E. or undecided), you will answer one of the two academic prompts, then there are three additional sections meant to help us get to know you even better.

First-Year Essay Questions

Please note: Princeton also requires you to submit a graded written paper as part of your application.

For A.B. Degree Applicants or Those Who Are Undecided  

As a research institution that also prides itself on its liberal arts curriculum, Princeton allows students to explore areas across the humanities and the arts, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. What academic areas most pique your curiosity, and how do the programs offered at Princeton suit your particular interests? (Please respond in 250 words or fewer.)

For B.S.E Degree Applicants  

Please describe why you are interested in studying engineering at Princeton. Include any of your experiences in or exposure to engineering, and how you think the programs offered at the University suit your particular interests. (Please respond in 250 words or fewer.)

Your Voice  

• Princeton values community and encourages students, faculty, staff and leadership to engage in respectful conversations that can expand their perspectives and challenge their ideas and beliefs. As a prospective member of this community, reflect on how your lived experiences will impact the conversations you will have in the classroom, the dining hall or other campus spaces. What lessons have you learned in life thus far? What will your classmates learn from you? In short, how has your lived experience shaped you?  (Please respond in 500 words or fewer.)
• Princeton has a longstanding commitment to understanding our responsibility to society through service and civic engagement. How does your own story intersect with these ideals? (Please respond in 250 words or fewer.)

More About You  

Please respond to each question in 50 words or fewer. There are no right or wrong answers. Be yourself!

• What is a new skill you would like to learn in college?
• What brings you joy? 
• What song represents the soundtrack of your life at this moment?

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College Info , College Essays

Got your heart set on Princeton—the #1 ranked university in the US ? Then you'll need to learn how to write amazing Princeton essays for your Princeton Supplement, a key part of your application for admission.

In this detailed guide, we go over the different types of essays you'll be required to write for your Princeton application and provide you with some expert tips on how to write your most effective and unique essay possible.

Feature Image: James Loesch /Flickr

What Are the Princeton Essays?

The Princeton application requires five essays and three short answers from all applicants. One of these essays must answer a prompt provided by the Common Application , Coalition Application , or QuestBridge Application (depending on which system you choose to submit your Princeton application through).

The other four essay prompts , as well as the three short answer prompts, are part of the Princeton Supplement . The Princeton Supplement also requires an Engineering Essay from applicants who have indicated on their applications an interest in pursuing a BS in Engineering (B.S.E.). Students applying to the Bachelor of Arts (A.B.) degree program and those who are undecided must submit a supplemental essay as well.

Below, we'll look at each prompt in the Princeton Supplement. So let's get started!

While the Princeton supplement is submitted electronically, you might find that brainstorming the old fashioned way (with pen and paper!) helps you get your ideas organized.

The Bachelor of Arts/Undecided and the Bachelor of Science and Engineering Essays

Your first long essay is 250 words long and is assigned based on what you plan to major in. You will only need to answer one of these prompts .

The first prompt is for Bachelor of Arts (A.B.) degree and undecided applicants to respond to. If you are applying for the A.B. degree program or if you put undecided on your application, you must respond to this essay prompt in the first section of the supplement.

The second prompt is for Bachelor of Science and Engineering (B.S.E.) applicants to respond to. All applicants who indicate they'd like to pursue a bachelor of science in engineering degree must respond to this prompt. Next, we'll break down what each prompt is asking you to do and how to respond to it.

The good news is that both prompts are versions of the "Why This College?" essay, which is a pretty common essay to encounter on college applications. If you want more info on how to answer this type of question more generally, be sure to check out this article .

The A.B. Degree and Undecided Applicants Prompt

For A.B. Degree Applicants or Those Who are Undecided:

As a research institution that also prides itself on its liberal arts curriculum, Princeton allows students to explore areas across the humanities and the arts, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. What academic areas most pique your curiosity, and how do the programs offered at Princeton suit your particular interests? (Please respond in 250 words or fewer.)

This question is asking you to make a case for why you'll be an excellent fit as a liberal arts student at Princeton . You can make your case in your response to this prompt by showing that you understand the value of the liberal arts education that Princeton offers, and that you've thought about how Princeton's programs fit your academic and future goals.

In addition to asking you to show how Princeton is a good fit for you, this prompt is really asking you to highlight why you are a good fit for Princeton. Everyone knows that Princeton is highly competitive, so your response to this prompt is your chance to show that you'll bring valuable intellectual interests and perspectives to the Princeton community as well.

What Makes A Good Answer?

#1: Show how you're unique. Are you excited to geek out about the connections between critical human geography and twenty-first century Arabic literature? To explore the relationships between psychology and social media? If you've got a weird, quirky, or unique set of academic interests, this is the place to go into detail about them. A good answer to this question will nail down one or more specific academic areas that you get genuinely pumped about and why you're interested in them. This is your chance to show the thought processes behind your choice to pursue an A.B. degree at Princeton...or why you put "undecided" on your application.

#2: Connect to Princeton's program offerings. You could name specific professors you hope to work with who share your interests, courses you'd be thrilled to take, or special program offerings you hope to participate in (like study abroad or research opportunities). In order to make your response to this part of the question genuine, you'll have to do your research on the programs you're interested in and really know your stuff. This will show admissions counselors that you're interested in going to Princeton because it's a good fit for you, not because it's ranked #1 on college lists.

#3: Be honest . Your response should make it clear that you've spent a lot of time thinking about your academic interests. Make sure you're telling the truth: don't pick an academic area just because you think it's impressive. To show your sincerity, make sure you're being specific about why you're interested in the area you're writing about. This will help your passion come across on the page.

What Should You Avoid?

#1: Avoid generalities. You don't want to respond to this question with general fields of study or disciplines. For instance, saying that "history" or "art" piques your curiosity won't be specific enough. Instead of "history," you could say, "I'm curious about how war monuments and memorials in the U.S. impact the communities they 're located in." Above all, you want to describe specific issues, questions, or perspectives in your areas of academic interest that you hope to explore when you become a student at Princeton.

#2: Don't focus on past achievements. This question isn't the place to talk about your academic achievements and awards from high school. Here's why: Princeton admissions isn't necessarily looking to learn about why you're good at the subjects you're interested in. They want to understand why you're curious about those areas and why you want to study them at Princeton.

3 Tips For Answering This Prompt

#1: Start with your interests. Start by brainstorming which academic interests you want to talk about. You might have to think for a little while! If you know you want to major in African American Studies, take some time to write out the historical, political, and economic issues and questions that get you excited about majoring in this field. Let the specific aspects of the fields of study you're considering be the foundation for your answer.

#2: Do your research. Once you've brainstormed the specific aspects of your major or possible majors that you're most curious about, head over to Princeton's website to search for more information. If it's African American Studies, comb through every sentence on that major's website. Look into the interests of professors in this department, courses they teach, and events hosted by the department. You can even talk about your interest in working with specific professors or taking specific courses in your response.

#3: Be specific. The more specific you can be about your academic interests, the more likely your answer is to appeal to Princeton admissions. You don’t have to have your entire degree plan mapped out, but you do need to show that you're already thinking carefully about how you'll forge your path forward as an independent thinker and intellectual citizen once you start at Princeton.

The B.S.E. Degree Applicant Prompt

For B.S.E Degree Applicants:

Please describe why you are interested in studying engineering at Princeton. Include any of your experiences in, or exposure to engineering, and how you think the programs offered at the University suit your particular interests. (Please respond in 250 words or fewer.)

This prompt is specific for applicants who want to major in engineering at Princeton. Essentially, this prompt is asking you to highlight the factors in your background and experiences that have influenced you to pursue engineering.

More specifically , this prompt wants you to explain why Princeton engineering is the program for you.

#1: Showcase your background. A good answer to this question will explain why you're interested in engineering. For instance, maybe you grew up in a city that experiences earthquakes, so you want to study civil engineering to make buildings safer. Or maybe your parents and grandparents are engineers and you're passionate about carrying on the family legacy. Whatever your story, telling some of it will provide important context for your interest in engineering.

#2: Connect your interest to Princeton. Admissions counselors want to know why Princeton engineering is the only program for you. For example, say you want to focus on engineering for health professions. During your research, you read that Princeton students are developing new personal protective equipment for healthcare workers. This essay is a perfect place for you to explain that you want to join this research project! Making connections to real people, courses, and proj ects wi ll show that you're excited about the unique opportunities provided by Princeto n engineering .

#3: Share your research interests. In addition to stating a specific subfield of engineering that you're interested in (if possible), a good response to this prompt will describe your interest in key issues or questions pertaining to the subfield of engineering you want to stud y. For example, if you hope to become a chemical engineer who works with cruelty-free cosmetics, describe that research interest here. While it's important to be flexible, and it's okay if you don't have your whole future with engineering planned out, being able to describe some of your vision for your future in Princeton Engineering is a crucial part of a good response.

#1: Avoid discussing awards and achievements. Avoid talking about awards, competitions, or other academic achievements if possible. Princeton admissions can find out those details from other parts of your application. Instead, showcase the passion behind your interest in engineering. Instead of describing achievements, describe moments of inspiration in your story that have led you to pursue engineering at Princeton.

#2: Don't skip the context. You don't want to describe your specific interests in engineering without connecting them to what Princeton has to offer. Make sure you describe specific courses, professors, or research projects. Do your research and make sure your interests coincide with the possibilities Princeton provides.

Tip #1: Start with the research. It will be tough to write a meaningful response to this prompt if you haven't done some serious research about the B.S.E. program at Princeton. Get really acquainted with the B.S.E. program's website. Gather the info you need to incorporate information about professors you want to work with, research projects you'd like to work on, and courses you're eager to take.

Tip #2: Focus on your experiences. Incorporating your background with engineering is important to a good response here, but you need to be strategic about what details you include. Describe the moment your interest in engineering began, the most exciting experience you've had with engineering, or what gets you pumped about studying engineering at Princeton. Revealing where your interest in engineering comes from can help prove that the B.S.E. program is a good fit for you.

Tip #3: Be specific. State the subfield of engineering that you're interested in and/or what engineering issues pique your curiosity. Princeton wants to know that you already have a vision for how you'll be an active engineering student!

The Your Voice Supplement

The "Your Voice" supplement section consists of two required, approximately 250 word essays. The prompts for these essays (below) are asking you to give Princeton admissions a sense of how your past and ongoing experiences shape the kind of student you will be at Princeton.

In other words, the "Your Voice" supplement is asking you to show evidence that you live out values that fit with Princeton's values. So, to answer these two required questions, start thinking about points in your ongoing story that reflect your commitment to having hard conversations and serving others. We'll get into the specifics of how to write about your story in response to each prompt next.

Prompt #1: The Difficult Conversation Prompt

Princeton values community and encourages students, faculty, staff and leadership to engage in respectful conversations that can expand their perspectives and challenge their ideas and beliefs. As a prospective member of this community, reflect on how your lived experiences will impact the conversations you will have in the classroom, the dining hall or other campus spaces. What lessons have you learned in life thus far? What will your classmates learn from you? In short, how has your lived experience shaped you? (500 words or fewer)

The first of the required "Your Voice" supplements is asking you to show that you're capable of engaging in civil discourse with others on campus —even when the topic of conversation is tough to talk about or goes against your own beliefs and values. For this essay, you’ll need to pick an experience or two from your life that has helped shape the way you interact with all sorts of people, even those you disagree with on things.

Describing these experiences and the lessons you’ve learned from them will help show that you’re prepared to respect and listen to others on campus who don’t have the exact same perspectives on things as you. A good response to this prompt will also show that you can push through uncomfortable situations and learn new things from others, and that you can help others around you do the same. 

#1: Share a real experience. Thinking of a challenging experience that seems meaningful enough to include in an application essay might feel...well, challenging. Nevertheless, you want your story to be as truthful as possible .

Princeton Admissions knows that you probably didn't change the world from one difficult conversation or situation. What they want to know is that you're willing to have tough conversations and listen to others with different viewpoints than your own. So, pick a memory of an experience that challenged you, taught you a lesson, or helped you grow. More specifically, make sure it’s an experience that has helped prepare you for the different perspectives and challenges you’ll encounter from others on campus. Try and recall as many details about what happened as you can, and draft a description of the situation that’s as true to real events as possible. 

#2: Be thoughtful. Did you learn something new during the experience(s) or lesson(s) you're writing about? Explain what you learned from it in your response! For instance, perhaps you learned that being a nonjudgmental listener can help others feel more comfortable with listening to what you have to say. Whatever you learned, make sure you describe it in your response. This will show Princeton Admissions that you're open to learning and growing.

#3: Show you're forward thinking. How will the knowledge you gained from this experience (or experiences, if you choose to write about more than one) shape your behavior as a Princeton student? Think about what college is like: you'll encounter students, faculty, and staff from all over the world. This means you'll be in constant contact with different values, cultures, and ways of thinking about the world. Princeton wants to know that you're prepared to participate in this environment in positive ways!

#1: Don't disparage anyone. Even if the conversation or experience you're describing was incredibly frustrating, don't insult the other people who were involved. Instead, show empathy toward the people you interacted with. Princeton Admissions wants to know that you're a person who can extend empathy to many different kinds of people to be a good student and citizen.

#2: Don't brag. Don't brag about what you accomplished. Instead, focus on what you learned from the conversation --even if you think that the other people involved were totally wrong and you were totally right. Admissions counselors want to know that you learned from your experience.

2 Tips For Answering This Prompt

Tip #1: Pick an experience or lesson that impacted you. You should definitely write about an experience that was meaningful to you, rather than one that you think is impressive or controversial. This is your chance to show how you’ve made the most of your unique experiences—you’re giving Princeton an idea of who you are, what you’re capable of, and how this all came to be. Take time to reflect on tough situations you’ve encountered and lessons you’ve learned before drafting your response. 

Tip #2: Connect the topic to college life. While you obviously need to describe the topic of your experience, how you handled it, and what you learned from it, a crucial part of your response is how it prepared you to be an engaged, ethical member of the Princeton community. Be sure to focus part of your response on explaining how what you learned will guide your life as a Princeton student. Whichever experiences or lessons you choose, you’ll need to explain how you can use what you’ve learned to have respectful and insightful conversations with people across Princeton’s campus. 

This is a chance to tell your story and show how committed you are to being a good citizen.

Prompt #2: The Service and Your Story Prompt

Princeton has a longstanding commitment to understanding our responsibility to society through service and civic engagement. How does your own story intersect with these ideals? (250 words or fewer)

This supplement prompt is asking you to show your commitment to serving others and/or being an engaged citizen —and you'll need to describe a specific experience or idea that demonstrates this commitment.

When the prompt asks "how does your own story intersect with these ideals," it means that you should think of real things you've done or real values you hold that motivate your civic engagement. This is a key part of the story you'll have to share in your response.

#1: Tell a story. Basically, the prompt is assuming that who you are and what you value will motivate how you serve others and participate as an engaged citizen. To answer this prompt effectively, then, think about telling the story behind your decision to serve or fulfill your civic responsibilities in a specific way.

#2: Connect it to your local life. The decisions we make about our community involvement are often personal. For instance, maybe someone in your family recovered from cancer as a child, so your story with service involves gathering donations for a pediatric cancer care center in the region where you live. Think about the personal connections that you've made, then include them in your response.

#3: Consider the future. Maybe you don't have much experience with service or civic engagement yet, but you have a big vision for how you'll serve and engage in the Princeton community. This prompt is a chance to describe the details of that vision. Alternatively, if you have existing experience with service and civic engagement and want to continue serving in similar ways at Princeton, share your ideas about how you'll accomplish that. Service and civic engagement are lifelong commitments—describing your ideas about how you'll serve in the future will show that you're prepared for that commitment.

#1: Don't be condescending. While it's likely that the people you've served in the past learned things from you, don't focus your response on describing how wonderful you are . Instead, focus on how your service and civic engagement experiences have refined your values and helped you become a better human, which is what Princeton admissions wants to hear about.

#2: Avoid delusions of grandeur. If you decide to include a description of how you hope to serve once you get to Princeton, don't get too carried away. For example, you probably aren't going to get every single Princeton student registered to vote...but you can probably make some progress. Be realistic about your ideas for how you'll serve in the future. Princeton admissions just wants you to show dedication to service and civic engagement. They don't expect you to solve all of the world's problems.

Tip #1: Tell a story. It's important to coach your answer in the form of a story. Describe who you served, what the service looked like, and why you decided to serve in this way. If possible, connect it to your background, your identity, or your values. Turning your service experience into a story for Princeton admissions will make it more memorable.

Tip #2: Describe the impact. Princeton Admissions doesn't just want to know the story of your past experience with service—they also want to know how the experience continues to impact you today. Describe what you learned from the experience, how it changed you, and how it shapes your current actions and values.

Tip #3: Connect it to your future. Connect your story about your service to your vision for your life as a student at Princeton. This will let admissions know that you'll also be an exceptional student outside of the classroom in the Princeton community.

The "More About You" Short Answer Supplements

The "More About You" short answer section of the Princeton Supplement is your last chance to show who you are: the real person behind all of the stats, scores, and successes that the rest of your application showcases. In fact, the instructions for this required portion of the supplement are clear: "There are no right or wrong answers. Be yourself!"

This means that, in 50 words or fewer, you'll need to give admissions counselors a clearer picture of the "you" behind the application. All three of the "More About You" short answer questions are required, and each one gives you a chance to provide a little more context for your desire to be a student at Princeton.

#1: The New Skill Prompt

What is a new skill you would like to learn in college? (50 words)

To answer this question, all you need to do is describe a skill that you want to learn in college! There are a couple of different ways that you could interpret this prompt. Just remember: answer honestly.

For starters, you could think of the prompt as asking about a skill that you want to learn from your actual college courses . If this is the path you choose, you could write about how you want to learn to produce a podcast, to lead a Socratic Seminar, or to write a winning elevator pitch. Connecting the skill you want to learn to your areas of academic interests is a solid strategy.

Alternatively, you could think more generally about any skill you want to learn during your time in college ! For example, maybe you struggle with public speaking, and you want to learn to share your ideas more clearly in your classes and your extracurriculars. Writing about skills that are more oriented towards exploring your identity, background, or interests outside of academics is perfectly fine here too.

Whatever skill you decide to write about, it's important to briefly explain why you want to learn that skill. For instance, if you were writing about learning to bake like your grandmother, you might explain that this skill has been passed down in your family for generations, and you'd like to pass it down as well. If you want to learn how to produce a podcast, maybe you'd explain that you were searching for an interesting podcast on Marxist economics, but couldn't find one that had good production quality, so you want to learn how to produce one yourself.

#2: The Joy Prompt

What brings you joy? (50 words)

The same principles go for this prompt: write your response about something that genuinely brings you joy. It could be an activity, a person or relationship, or an experience you've had. To answer this question, simply describe the thing that brings you joy.

A good answer to this question will identify one specific thing that brings you joy, then describe it with gusto. For example, if the thing that brings you joy is building model planes with your little brother, briefly tell the story of why that experience brings you joy. Maybe you like the challenge of focusing on small details, or perhaps your joy comes from building something with your hands.

Briefly giving these specific details will show how the thing that brings you joy reflects your values and identity --both of which will give more clues as to the kind of person you'll be as a student at Princeton.

#3: The Soundtrack of Your Life Prompt

What song represents the soundtrack of your life at this moment? (50 words)

This short answer is fun! Keep your song selection relatively clean, of course, but otherwise, just think of a song that you're literally listening to on repeat right now , or pick a song that symbolizes your current experience. Then explain why!

For example, maybe you'll write about "Inner Child" by BTS because getting ready to leave home for college in the midst of so much has made you reflect on your younger years. Or, if you've literally listened to "my future" by Billie Eilish one thousand times since its release, briefly write about why you can't stop hitting repeat.

Don't overthink this prompt: the music we love reveals things about our personality and how we cope with the realities of our lives. Just be real, and you'll show Princeton admissions another facet of your genuine personality and how you process the world.

How to Write a Great Princeton Essay: 4 Key Tips

To wrap up, here are some final tips to keep in mind as you write your Princeton essays and any other essays for college applications.

#1: Be Specific

A vague essay is certain to squelch your chances of getting into Princeton, so make sure you're being as specific as possible in your writing.

For example, if you're writing about somebody who inspired you, touch on the little quirks or traits they have to help the admissions committee more easily visualize this person, such as their subtle mannerisms, the way they handled stress, or their perseverance in a difficult situation.

Remember that you're writing about something real, whether that's a person, event, object, or experience. Your aim should be to make the subject of your essay feel as real to your readers as it did and does for you.

Other ways to ensure that you're being specific enough in your essay are to use common literary devices such as anecdotes, dialogue (an actual conversation you had with someone), imagery, and onomatopoeia. These not only add color to your writing but also paint the subject of your essay in a more effective, relatable way.

Lastly, I recommend getting somebody else to read over your essay (which I talk about more in tip 4); this person can let you know if your writing isn't specific enough and if too much is left to be implied.

#2: Be Honest and Use Your Voice

The whole point of writing an essay for a college application is to show the admissions committee who you are. In short, what makes you you ? This is why it's so critical to use an authentic voice in your Princeton essays.

For example, if you love making people laugh (and think humor is one of your defining traits), then it might be a good idea to include a joke or two in your personal essay.

However, don't exaggerate anything that happened to you or any feelings you might have —the admissions committee will more than likely be able to see through it. Remember that you want your voice and feelings to come across strongly but also (and more importantly) authentically.

Don't claim in your engineering essay that you've liked engineering since you were 3 years old if you only recently developed an interest in it. Lying about or exaggerating anything in your essay will simply make you seem insincere and, yes, even immature. So avoid it!

#3: Write Well and Avoid Clichés

You'll need to be a decent writer if you're hoping to get into Princeton—one of the most selective universities in the US ! On the technical side, this means that your Princeton essays should have no grammatical, spelling, or punctuation errors.

If you're unsure about a certain grammar rule, such as how to use a semicolon correctly, feel free to consult our SAT grammar guide for a quick refresher.

Writing well also means varying up your sentence lengths and styles (in other words, don't start every sentence with "I," even though you're likely talking about yourself).

On the more stylistic side, your essays should really grab your audience's attention—and keep it throughout. Therefore, you'll need to come up with a unique way to hook your readers from the beginning. For example, you could start with a piece of dialogue that someone said to you once (I'd avoid famous quotations, though, since these can come across really clichéd).

Alternatively, you could start with a memory, opening a description with a strong emotion you had, a sound you heard (using onomatopoeia would be a good idea here), or powerful, sensory images of the setting.

As a final tip, make a conscious effort to avoid clichés. These include quotations that have been quoted to death and phrases or idioms that are often overused. Using clichés indicates laziness to the reader and a lack of authenticity in your voice and storytelling.

For example, instead of writing, "I woke up at the crack of dawn," you could write something like "I woke up as soon as the sun began to peek over the horizon" (if you're the poetic type) or even just "I woke up at dawn" (if you're more like Hemingway).

Here is a lengthy but useful list of clichés to avoid in your writing .

Remember that you're ultimately telling a story with your essays, so don't be afraid to get creative and use a variety of literary techniques!

#4: Proofread, Proofread, Proofread!

The final step before you submit each of your Princeton essays is to edit and proofread it.

Editing isn't a one-step process. After you finish your rough draft, put your essay away and take it out again a few days or even weeks later to get a fresh perspective on what sounds good and what comes across awkward, unclear, or irrelevant. Do this step numerous times. At this time, you should also be checking for any typos, grammar errors, etc.

Once you've done a few editing sessions on your own, give your essay to someone you trust, such as a teacher, counselor, or parent, and have that person look it over and offer any feedback or corrections. Getting another set of eyes to look at your essay can help you catch smaller mistakes you might've failed to notice; it also gives a clearer sense as to what kind of impression your essay will likely leave on the Princeton admissions committee.

What's Next?

If you're applying to Princeton through the Common Application, you'll need to write an essay that answers one of the Common App prompts . Our in-depth guide goes over all the current prompts and gives you expert tips on how to answer them.

You can also check out our guide on how to choose a Common App prompt if you're struggling with deciding on the best one for your college application.

Not sure what your chances are of actually getting into Princeton? Calculate them with our own college acceptance calculator , and read up on how to submit a versatile college application .

Hannah received her MA in Japanese Studies from the University of Michigan and holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Southern California. From 2013 to 2015, she taught English in Japan via the JET Program. She is passionate about education, writing, and travel.

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How to Approach Princeton's Essays (with Real Princeton Essay Examples from 2023)

Kate Sliunkova

AdmitYogi, Stanford MBA & MA in Education

20 min read

Introduction:

When it comes to college applications, writing the perfect essay can make all the difference. And for those applying to Princeton University, crafting standout essays is a must. But what sets a Princeton essay apart from the rest? In this article, we'll explore tips and tricks for nailing each of Princeton's essay prompts, along with examples from successful applicants. Whether you're just starting to brainstorm or putting the final touches on your essays, read on for expert advice on how to impress the admissions committee at one of the most prestigious universities in the world.

Princeton's Essay Prompts

250 word essays (princeton's "your voice" essays):.

• At Princeton, we value diverse perspectives and the ability to have respectful dialogue about difficult issues. Share a time when you had a conversation with a person or a group of people about a difficult topic. What insight did you gain, and how would you incorporate that knowledge into your thinking in the future? (250 words)
• Princeton has a longstanding commitment to service and civic engagement. Tell us how your story intersects (or will intersect) with these ideals. (250 words)

Princeton's Extracurricular Essay:

• Briefly elaborate on an activity, organization work experience, or hobby that has been particularly meaningful to you. (150 words)

50 Word Essays (Princeton's "More About You" Essays):

• What is a new skill you would like to learn in college? (50 words)
• What brings you joy? (50 words)
• What song represents the soundtrack of your life at this moment? (50 words)

Princeton's Degree-Specific Essays:

For ba / undecided applicants:.

As a research institution that also prides itself on its liberal arts curriculum, Princeton allows students to explore areas across the humanities and the arts, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. What academic areas most pique your curiosity, and how do the programs offered at Princeton suit your particular interests? (250 words)

For BSE Applicants:

Please describe why you are interested in studying engineering at Princeton. Include any of your experiences in or exposure to engineering, and how you think the programs offered at the University suit your particular interests. (250 words)

How to Write Princeton's Essays:

Princeton's "your voice" essays:, princeton's difficult conversation essay:.

"At Princeton, we value diverse perspectives and the ability to have respectful dialogue about difficult issues. Share a time when you had a conversation with a person or a group of people about a difficult topic. What insight did you gain, and how would you incorporate that knowledge into your thinking in the future?" (250 words).

When approaching this prompt, it's important to reflect on a time when you engaged in a conversation about a challenging topic. Choose a topic that you are passionate about or have experience with, and be sure to highlight your ability to listen actively to others' perspectives.

Start your essay by setting the scene, describing the context of the conversation and the people involved. Then, explain the issue being discussed and any differing opinions that arose. Show how you demonstrated respect for diverse perspectives and how you contributed to the discussion.

Next, describe the insights you gained from the conversation. Did you learn something new about yourself or others? Did the conversation change your thinking or perspective on the topic? Be specific about what you learned and how it impacted you.

Finally, discuss how you would incorporate this knowledge into your thinking in the future. What changes would you make to your approach to difficult conversations? How would you ensure that you continue to be open-minded and respectful of differing perspectives?

Remember to keep your essay concise and focused, while still showing depth and insight. By highlighting your ability to engage in respectful dialogue about difficult topics, you'll demonstrate that you embody the values that Princeton University holds dear. Here's a great example from Ryder, a current Princeton student. You can read all of his essays here.

Most people wouldn’t consider flutes and peas controversial, but at my family dinner table, they are. Years ago, my dad proclaimed flutes an inferior instrument stating, “Nobody likes the flute” (my mom does), and asking, “What great band features a flute?” (Dave Matthews Band), adding to the conversation some incendiary comments about peas culminating in the claim that “Peas are the least liked vegetable.” At the time, I couldn’t put my finger on why, but his assertions irked me. Irritated, I went to bat for flutes and peas with an inexplicable passion for all they had to offer, though neither are my favorite instrument or vegetable.

Since then, many dinnertime conversations and debates have taken place, the most volatile invariably circling back to touch on the value of flutes and peas, and I have come to understand why I have repeatedly championed their worth. When it comes to flutes and peas, my dad treats his opinions as fact—defending his views as “right” with googled information and naming as evidence a mysterious, undocumented majority of flute and pea haters. To this day, he remains convinced his opinion is irrefutably correct; those who think otherwise are brainwashed, don’t know better, or are lying.

Go ahead, call me a “flute and pea fanatic”; all I was ever fighting for was to stay open-minded. Thanks to my dad and his steadfast condemnation of flutes and peas, I watch out for opinion masquerading as fact and choose my own words carefully, believing that conflict often springs not from differing opinions, but from the way those opinions are asserted.

Princeton's Civic Engagement Essay:

"Princeton has a longstanding commitment to service and civic engagement. Tell us how your story intersects (or will intersect) with these ideals." (250 words)

To approach this prompt, first reflect on your experiences with service and civic engagement. Consider instances where you've made a positive impact on your community or participated in activities that align with Princeton's commitment to service. Begin your essay by briefly sharing your personal background or story that led you to engage in service and civic activities. This could include your upbringing, family values, or any transformative experiences that have shaped your commitment to service.

Next, provide specific examples of your involvement in service or civic-related activities. These could be volunteer work, community projects, leadership roles, or advocacy for social issues. Highlight the impact of your efforts, the skills you've gained, and any challenges you've faced along the way.

After discussing your past experiences, connect your story to Princeton's ideals by explaining how your commitment to service will continue during your time at the university. Research Princeton's service and civic engagement initiatives, such as the Pace Center for Civic Engagement or Community House, and identify programs or opportunities that resonate with your interests and goals. It also helps to briefly discuss your long-term aspirations and how your dedication to service will play a role in your future career or personal life.

Here's a great example of Princeton's civic engagement and service essay from Aileen, who got into incredible schools like Princeton, Harvard, UPenn, Dartmouth, Cornell, and Brown. You can read all of the essays that got her into those amazing schools here.

What makes a neighborhood feel like home? For me, it is cohesion, mutual dependency, and trust, but not necessarily residence: I don’t live in [Place Redacted]’s Chinatown, but it has nonetheless made an impact on me.

I became involved with Chinatown community organizations volunteering at one housing nonprofit’s annual summer film festival and neighborhood gathering. Witnessing the mutual obligation between neighbors and residents’ love for their community, I felt a connection to the neighborhood that ultimately motivated me to explore my cultural roots as an Asian-American and continue working with Chinatown organizations.

As part of a research project on economic inequality, I learned about the challenges Chinatown faces, from redlining and gentrification to language capability and racial discrimination. I became a tour guide with an organization to give college students and nearby young professionals a view of the neighborhood through an urban planning lens. I’ve continued this commitment to educating communities about the consequences of urban development and lack of awareness by holding similar conversations and workshops through school clubs.

I am so thankful to have engaged with the intricacies of a deeply connected neighborhood like Chinatown, but I am even more grateful for the skills its community has taught me. I have learned to advocate for community empowerment and reflection and combat economic inequality in a neighborhood by understanding its nuanced causes. Chinatown fostered in me the spirit of community organizing, which I will take with me for the rest of my life.

"Briefly elaborate on an activity, organization work experience, or hobby that has been particularly meaningful to you." (150 words).

When approaching this prompt, focus on an activity, organization, work experience, or hobby that has had a significant impact on your personal growth, interests, or values. Choose an experience that showcases your dedication, passion, and ability to make a meaningful contribution.

Begin by briefly describing the chosen activity or experience, providing context about your involvement. Be specific about your role and responsibilities, and explain why this experience is particularly meaningful to you. Be sure to also discuss the impact of this experience on your life. Consider the skills you've gained, the lessons you've learned, or the personal growth you've experienced as a result of your involvement. If possible, highlight any challenges you've faced and how you've overcome them, demonstrating resilience and adaptability.

Although the word limit for this prompt is short, it's crucial to convey a strong sense of purpose and passion in your response. By focusing on one meaningful experience and articulating its significance, you'll provide the admissions committee with a glimpse into your values and interests, making your application more memorable and compelling.

The incredible Princeton essay example below comes from Ryan, who got into Princeton, Stanford, Columbia, and Brown. You can read his entire college application here.

Since the cards were first dealt four years ago, I have not only become infatuated with the game of poker, but I've finally felt the warmth of genuine, requited best-friendship.

For its own sake, poker is an amazing game. A game of statistics, psychology, and luck, poker keeps objectivity enjoyable; whether through a sneaky play or just bad luck, the mathematically "correct" play is often wrong—you can't master the game.

But as much as I'm attached to poker, it'd be nothing without the "regulars": "Silverman"—the stone-cold bluffer. Jack—the sly psychologist. "Kato"—the careful calculator, and Jaden—the poker guru. Poker introduced us, but our friendships grew beyond the game: We get along like family.

I've made other friends along the way. I've grown as a student, as a friend, and even as a son over the same period. But nothing has made my life enjoyable like these four friends—through a game most see only in casinos, my dreams of authentic friendship have finally been realized.

Princeton's 50-Word Essays:

Princeton's new skill essay:.

"What is a new skill you would like to learn in college?" (50 words).

When approaching the "What is a new skill you would like to learn in college?" prompt, start by selecting a specific skill that genuinely interests you and aligns with your academic or personal goals. In one or two sentences, explain why this skill is important to you or how it might enhance your college experience. Then, briefly discuss how learning this skill at Princeton could contribute to your long-term aspirations. Throughout your response, convey enthusiasm and curiosity, showcasing your eagerness to grow and learn during your time at the university. Remember to keep your response concise yet impactful within the limited word count.

Here is a great example of Princeton's new skill essay from Gabi, who got into incredible schools such as Harvard, Yale, and Princeton. You can read all of her college applications here.

From hip-hop to choreopoem, I want to learn how to critically analyze, histioculturally deconstruct, and stylistically perform dance. Studying or daydreaming, a rhythm constantly flows through my head, and I hope to channel it through Lewis Center’s co-curricular and academic offerings.

Princeton's Joy Essay:

"What brings you joy?" (50 words).

To approach the "What brings you joy?" prompt, reflect on a specific activity, hobby, or aspect of your life that genuinely sparks happiness and fulfillment. Describe it briefly and vividly, capturing the essence of why it brings you joy. Within the limited word count, aim to convey your passion and enthusiasm, allowing the admissions committee to gain insight into your personality and values.

Below is an excellent example from Adem, who got into Princeton, Yale, Dartmouth, and Brown. You can read all of his amazing essays here!

I pedal up the steep, 4-mile long Kancamagus Highway climb. Despite being 67 miles into my ride, I still maintain my power and efficient turnover. Cycling is my secret escape, and nothing brings me more joy than spending hours on the saddle exploring backroads on a perfect fall day.

Princeton's Soundtrack Essay:

"What song represents the soundtrack of your life at this moment?" (50 words).

For the "What song represents the soundtrack of your life at this moment?" prompt, choose a song that resonates with your current emotions, experiences, or aspirations. Briefly describe the song and artist, then explain why it's significant to you at this stage in your life. Within the limited word count, aim to convey a personal connection to the song, offering a glimpse into your thoughts and feelings as you navigate this moment in time.

Below is a stellar Princeton essay example from Ryan S, who got into Princeton, UPenn, Cornell, and CMU. You can read all of his college applications here.

“Une Belle Histoire” by Michel Fugain. The guitars, trumpets, and chorus of the “Big Bazaar” mirrors my desire to explore all the unknowns. As I sing along, not understanding a lyric, I’m reminded that I may not understand everything in the present, but that’s okay.

Writing Princeton's Essay for BA / Undecided Applicants:

"As a research institution that also prides itself on its liberal arts curriculum, Princeton allows students to explore areas across the humanities and the arts, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. What academic areas most pique your curiosity, and how do the programs offered at Princeton suit your particular interests?" (250 words).

To approach this prompt, start by identifying the academic areas that genuinely pique your curiosity. Reflect on your passions, experiences, and future goals to determine which disciplines align with your interests. Be selective and focus on a few specific areas to provide depth in your response. Next, research Princeton's programs and offerings related to your chosen academic areas. This could include courses, majors, minors, research opportunities, or extracurricular activities. Familiarize yourself with the unique aspects of Princeton's liberal arts curriculum and how it encourages interdisciplinary exploration.

In your essay, briefly discuss your chosen academic areas and explain why they interest you. Share any relevant experiences, achievements, or personal connections that showcase your passion for these subjects. Then, demonstrate your knowledge of Princeton's programs by explaining how they suit your particular interests. Discuss specific courses, research opportunities, or resources that you are excited about and how they would enhance your academic journey. Additionally, consider mentioning any professors or ongoing projects at the university that align with your interests.

Finally, connect your exploration of these academic areas at Princeton to your long-term goals, whether they be professional or personal. Show how the university's approach to learning will equip you with the skills and knowledge necessary to achieve success in your chosen fields. By showcasing your genuine curiosity and demonstrating a deep understanding of Princeton's academic offerings, you'll convey your enthusiasm for learning at the university and illustrate how you would thrive in its intellectual environment.

The amazing Princeton essay example below comes from Kaya, who got into Princeton, Columbia, and JHU. You can read all of her essays here.

My life experiences and classwork have shaped my passion for neuroscience, psychology, and philosophy. Princeton's environment will deepen my understanding of my interests and allow me to develop new ones.

My concussions and visits with my neurologist and psychologist interested me in their fields, as I want to understand how the brain changes after trauma and how that affects behavior. Then, in junior year English, we read works by Emerson and Thoreau, and my previous tolerance of the humanities transformed into a love of philosophy. Philosophy allows for dissent and multiple interpretations, creating an ambiguity that balances the rigidity and clarity of science. The cognitive science certificate program combines neuroscience, psychology, and philosophy into one concentration, so I can explore the interconnectedness of all my interests.

Majoring in psychology gives me an opportunity to get an additional certificate in neuroscience. Instead of double majoring and taking all of the required neuroscience courses, I can just take neuropsychological classes that interest me, such as "Depression: From Neuron to Clinic" and "The Brain: A User's Guide." The psychology major also offers courses such as "The Psychology and Philosophy of Rationality" and "The Psychology of Moral Behavior," which combine my interests in psychology and philosophy.

Additionally, the "Princeternship" will allow me to apply classroom learning of psychology and neuroscience in my shadowing experiences with alumni in the field. It also gives me an undergraduate opportunity to create personal relationships with potential employers to begin my career path as a clinical psychiatrist.

Writing Princeton's Essay for BSE Applicants:

"Please describe why you are interested in studying engineering at Princeton. Include any of your experiences in or exposure to engineering, and how you think the programs offered at the University suit your particular interests." (250 words).

To approach this prompt, begin by reflecting on your interest in engineering and any experiences or exposure you've had in the field. Consider personal projects, internships, competitions, or coursework that have shaped your passion for engineering.

Start your essay by discussing why you're interested in studying engineering, highlighting any specific areas or fields within engineering that particularly excite you. Share relevant experiences or achievements that showcase your dedication to the subject. Next, research Princeton's engineering programs and resources, including majors, courses, research opportunities, faculty, and facilities. Familiarize yourself with the unique aspects of Princeton's engineering education and its interdisciplinary approach.

In your response, demonstrate your knowledge of Princeton's engineering offerings by explaining how they align with your interests and goals. Discuss specific courses, research projects, or resources that you're excited about and explain how they would contribute to your academic and professional development. Additionally, consider mentioning any professors or ongoing research at the university that resonates with your interests, showing your eagerness to engage with the academic community at Princeton.

Lastly, connect your pursuit of engineering at Princeton to your long-term aspirations. Explain how the university's approach to engineering education will equip you with the skills, knowledge, and opportunities necessary to succeed in your chosen career path. By showcasing your genuine passion for engineering and demonstrating a deep understanding of Princeton's engineering programs, you'll convey your enthusiasm for learning at the university and illustrate how you would thrive in its intellectually stimulating environment.

The incredible essay example below comes from Princeton student Lily. She also got into MIT and UPenn, and you can read all of her essays and activities here.

My parents’ focus on maintaining our Chinese restaurant meant I grew up entertaining myself with origami formed from menus and indestructible towers of cardboard boxes between a broken sink and a dusty cash register. However, Computer Science brought me to a community that supports and fuels my desire for innovation.

In eighth grade, after learning about Scratch (a platform where beginners can create and share coding projects) my classmates started gathering around each others’ desktops to test our projects. Scratch taught me block coding, but also the endless lessons contained in others’ creations. The communities it created through its website and in my computer classes reminded me I didn’t have to work alone. Unlike my origami folds, my creations were no longer limited to my little designated corner; my programs could touch the lives of people beyond our restaurant.

At Princeton, I want to learn from Assistant Professor Andres Monroy-Hernandez, a developer of Scratch. His interest in systems that emphasize consumers’ benefits resonates with my aspiration to create community-driven programs that give people who feel isolated a place to thrive with other like-minded individuals. I strive to give others the same drive that comes from participating in college engineering summer camps and HTML classes with passionate professors and students, sharing the satisfaction of explaining doppler equations to a classmate that helped me debug a Python program.

Wincing at the amounts of abandoned crab rangoons every time I cleared a table at the restaurant also sparked an innate desire to reduce waste and increase sustainability in everyday life. With the ENV certification program, I would customize the sustainability courses I take to complement my Computer Science major. Electives like Economics of Food and Agriculture will give me a deeper understanding of the economics and source of the bulk boxes of broccoli we ordered every Friday. Joining clubs like Green Dining, I would directly impact my local environment by creating programs that will analyze the amount of produced food waste.

Princeton Engineering’s focus on learning to help humanity will nurture my desire of developing programs that’ll create thriving communities and increase sustainability.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, crafting standout essays for Princeton University requires a deep understanding of the prompts, genuine self-reflection, and a clear demonstration of your passions and goals. One of the most effective ways to master this process is by learning from real-world examples of successful essays that have helped students gain admission to prestigious institutions like Princeton.

By examining these examples, you can glean insights into what makes an essay stand out, identify patterns and strategies used by successful applicants, and ultimately apply those lessons to your own writing. Fortunately, we've built out a platform that lets high school students and parents access thousands of real-world examples of successful essays and extracurriculars that have landed students at incredible schools.

You can explore this vast repository of winning essays, learn from their successes, and refine your approach to tackling essay prompts from great schools like Princeton. Ultimately, by leveraging the power of real-life examples and the expert guidance provided in this article, you'll be well on your way to crafting compelling essays that capture the attention of Princeton University's admissions committee and pave the way for your future academic success.

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Princeton Supplemental Essays 2023-24

If you’re wondering how to get into Princeton, the Princeton supplemental essays play a major role in the admissions process. In this Princeton essay guide, we’ll go over each of the Princeton supplemental essay prompts and other Princeton requirements. We’ll also discuss where to find Princeton essay examples. However, before we dive into the Princeton essays, let’s learn a bit more about Princeton and go over some important admissions facts.

Princeton University is located in Princeton, New Jersey and is home to just over 5,000 undergrads. Currently the top-ranked university in the country, Princeton combines all of the best aspects of a well-rounded liberal arts college and a high powered research institution. It is one of the eight Ivy League schools and, as such, has an equally competitive application process . Below, we’ve provided some quick facts about the Princeton supplemental essays, including the Princeton acceptance rate, deadlines, and requirements. So, keep reading our Princeton essay guide for more details and tips!

Princeton Supplemental Essays: Quick Facts

Princeton essay guide facts.

• Princeton acceptance rate: 4%— U.S. News ranks Princeton as a highly competitive school.
• Common Application
• Coalition Application
• QuestBridge Application
• Early Action (Restrictive): November 1st 
• Regular Decision : January 1st 
• Transfer Application : March 1st 
• 1 full-page (~500 word) essay
• 2 half-page (~250 word) essays
• 3 short answer (~50 words) essays
• Princeton application note: In addition to submitting their Princeton supplemental essays, students are required to submit a personal statement essay and a graded written paper .
• #1 Princeton Essay Tip: Some of the Princeton supplemental essay prompts are complex and multifaceted. Taking the time to fully understand the prompt will help you connect and fully flesh out your ideas, ensuring you write the best Princeton supplemental essays possible.

Please note that essay requirements are subject to change each admissions cycle, and portions of this article may have been written before the final publication of the most recent guidelines. For the most up-to-date information on essay requirements, check the university’s admissions website.

How many supplemental essays do you need for Princeton?

Princeton admissions requires students to submit six Princeton supplemental essays. While that may seem like a lot, the Princeton supplemental essays are actually more manageable than you think. In this Princeton essay guide, we’ll walk you through each of the Princeton essay prompts. 

The Princeton essays vary in length, with the longest at 500 words and the shortest only 50. Additionally, the Princeton essay prompts cover a variety of topics, including your major interest, personal impact, and civic engagement. This Princeton essay guide will provide all six Princeton supplemental essay prompts. We’ll also discuss strategies for each Princeton essay.

In addition to the Princeton supplemental essays, you’ll submit your personal statement and a graded written paper. We’ll review each of these requirements later in this guide.

What are the Princeton essay prompts?

The Princeton essay prompts are also referred to as First-Year Essay Questions . The six Princeton supplemental essays fall into three categories:

• Degree-specific 
• More about you

In the next section, we’ll review the prompts for each of the Princeton supplemental essays. We’ll also go over each of the Princeton supplemental essay prompts in detail and give you tips for writing your own Princeton essays.

Degree-specific

Depending on your chosen degree, you will respond to one of the below degree-specific prompts.

A.B. Degree Applicants/Undecided

As a research institution that also prides itself on its liberal arts curriculum, princeton allows students to explore areas across the humanities and the arts, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. what academic areas most pique your curiosity, and how do the programs offered at princeton suit your particular interests (please respond in 250 words or fewer.), b.s.e. degree applicants, please describe why you are interested in studying engineering at princeton. include any of your experiences in or exposure to engineering, and how you think the programs offered at the university suit your particular interests. (please respond in 250 words or fewer.).

All applicants must answer the following Princeton supplemental essay prompts about personal impact and civic engagement.

Supplemental Essay Prompts

1. princeton values community and encourages students, faculty, staff and leadership to engage in respectful conversations that can expand their perspectives and challenge their ideas and beliefs. as a prospective member of this community, reflect on how your lived experiences will impact the conversations you will have in the classroom, the dining hall or other campus spaces. what lessons have you learned in life thus far what will your classmates learn from you in short, how has your lived experience shaped you  (please respond in 500 words or fewer.), 2. princeton has a longstanding commitment to understanding our responsibility to society through service and civic engagement. how does your own story intersect with these ideals (please respond in 250 words or fewer.), more about you.

These are the short answer Princeton essay prompts. All applicants are required to answer the following prompts.

Short Answer Prompts

1. what is a new skill you would like to learn in college, 2. what brings you joy , 3. what song represents the soundtrack of your life at this moment.

Now, let’s unpack how to approach each Princeton essay. First, we’ll take a closer look at the degree-specific Princeton supplemental essay.

Princeton Supplemental Essays – For A.B. Degree/Undecided Applicants

As a research institution that also prides itself on its liberal arts curriculum, princeton allows students to explore areas across the humanities and the arts, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. what academic areas most pique your curiosity, and how do the programs offered at princeton suit your particular interests (please respond in 250 words or fewer).

Students who apply to Princeton under either an A.B. Degree or Undecided program will respond to the above prompt. 

But before we dig into the rest of our Princeton essay guide, let’s discuss the difference between an A.B. and B.S.E. degree! 

A.B. Degree Program

Princeton offers two types of degrees: A.B. and B.S.E. On your Princeton application, you’ll indicate which type of degree you’d like to pursue. The majority of Princeton students complete an A.B. degree in their chosen discipline. A.B. stands for Bachelor of Arts, so it’s similar to a B.A. you might receive at another university.

Princeton offers 30+ areas of study, including fields in the humanities, social sciences, languages, and natural sciences. On your application, you’ll also indicate your primary academic area of interest.

When responding to this Princeton supplemental essay prompt, you’ll want to include Princeton-specific details. For example, let’s say you want to write your Princeton supplemental essay about economics . You might start by discussing what about economics most interests you. Then, you can mention specific courses you’re excited to take or certain faculty you’re excited to learn from. Or, perhaps you’re interested in research and want to highlight one of the economics department’s many research centers , like the Princeton Program in Public Finance.

Princeton Supplemental Essays 2023-24 – For B.S.E Applicants

Please describe why you are interested in studying engineering at princeton. include any of your experiences in, or exposure to engineering, and how you think the programs offered at the university suit your particular interests. (please respond in 250 words or fewer), what is a b.s.e. degree .

Students interested in pursuing a degree in engineering will earn a slightly different degree. B.S.E. stands for Bachelor of Science in Engineering. Specific areas of study include:

• Chemical and Biological Engineering
• Civil and Environmental Engineering
• Computer Science
• Electrical and Computer Engineering
• Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
• Operations Research and Financial Engineering

While the requirements are slightly different, A.B. and B.S.E. degrees are quite similar—and so are their Princeton essay prompts! In this Princeton supplemental essay, you might mention specific opportunities within your chosen concentration, like these mechanical and aerospace engineering research areas . You can even discuss engineering-focused student organizations you want to join, like Princeton Racing Electric or Engineers Without Borders .

One slight difference between the A.B. and B.S.E. prompts is that this one asks you to include past experiences related to engineering. So, if you conducted an engineering-related research project for your school’s science fair or spent a summer at an engineering camp, highlight those experiences here.

Next, we’ll discuss the Your Voice Princeton supplemental essays. First, we’ll look at the personal impact Princeton essay. Then, we’ll dive into the civic engagement Princeton essay.

Princeton Essay: Personal Impact

Princeton values community and encourages students, faculty, staff and leadership to engage in respectful conversations that can expand their perspectives and challenge their ideas and beliefs. as a prospective member of this community, reflect on how your lived experiences will impact the conversations you will have in the classroom, the dining hall or other campus spaces. what lessons have you learned in life thus far what will your classmates learn from you in short, how has your lived experience shaped you (500 words or fewer).

This is the longest and also the most complex of the Princeton supplemental essays. The simplest way to answer a multi-question prompt like this is to think of it as three connecting parts.

First, think about your life experiences. What aspects of your life have had the biggest impact on you? Is it something to do with your personal identity? Perhaps your socioeconomic status or religious background? Or maybe it has to do with your role in your family or the community you grew up in?

Then, consider how this life experience has shaped you. What lessons have you learned? Moreover, how did these circumstances or environments help you grow mentally, emotionally, or spiritually? What values do you hold thanks to these life experiences?

Finally, consider how you’d bring these lessons or personal qualities to Princeton’s campus. How will they impact your discussions in class and the way you interact with your peers?

Princeton Essay Prompt: Civic Engagement Essay

Princeton has a longstanding commitment to understanding our responsibility to society through service and civic engagement. how does your own story intersect with these ideals (250 words or fewer).

This Princeton supplemental essay prompt is fairly straightforward. You’ll want to touch on experiences where you’ve given your time for the betterment of others. This includes experiences like volunteer work, voting, or community service. Essentially, you’ll want to show how you’ve taken action to help address issues that affect the greater public and community.

Like in your other Princeton supplemental essays, you’ll want to tell a story, not just list your accomplishments. Let’s say you volunteered at a local community garden. How did you get involved? Why is the work you did important to you? Finally, how does the work you did benefit the community (socially, environmentally, etc.)?

The Your Voice Princeton supplemental essays are two of the most important essays of your Princeton application because they touch on your character. Make sure you give yourself plenty of time to write these, then save some extra brainpower for the short response essays! 

Princeton Short Response Essays

Lastly, we have the shortest Princeton essays of our Princeton essay guide. Although we’ve noted each of the short response questions as their own Princeton essay, remember they’re not full-length essays. Your responses to each of the short answer Princeton essay prompts must be 50 words or fewer, so they’ll only be a few sentences long.

In addition to being the shortest of the Princeton supplemental essays, the short response Princeton essays are also the most fun! These questions are all about being yourself and capturing who you are outside of your academic interests.

What is a new skill you would like to learn in college?

In this Princeton supplemental essay, you’ll want to be sure you’re discussing a new skill, not something you already do. You could mention you want to learn how to play ultimate frisbee or learn the science of beekeeping (things you can get involved in through Princeton student organizations ).

What brings you joy?

This Princeton supplemental essay can be about anything. Whether it be cooking new recipes, listening to music, reading a good book, or spending time with your family. Maybe it’s even visiting a historical battlefield or doing parkour! Here’s a tip for writing this Princeton supplemental essay: if you smile while writing about it, you’ve likely landed on the right topic.

What song represents the soundtrack of your life at this moment?

For music lovers, this could either be the easiest or hardest Princeton essay question to answer. Just like the other short answer Princeton supplemental essays, there are no wrong answers. Choose a song you connect to and let the admissions team know why it resonates with you.

Now that we’ve gone over the prompts for the Princeton supplemental essays, let’s talk about actually writing them. Up next, we’ll go over some tips for writing a Princeton supplemental essay.

How do I write my Princeton Supplemental Essay?

In the next section of our Princeton essay guide, we’ll discuss how to write a Princeton supplemental essay. Let’s dig in. 

Writing Princeton supplemental essays is just like writing other college essays. Compelling Princeton supplemental essays require students to be thoughtful and honest, crafting a story with a critical eye and their own personal flair.

Before you start drafting your Princeton supplemental essays, try to have a brainstorming session for all of the Princeton essay prompts. By laying out all of your ideas, you can imagine the narrative the admissions team will glean from reading all of your essays together rather than focusing on each individual Princeton essay. Each of your Princeton supplemental essays should capture something unique about you rather than repeat information found elsewhere in your application.

Remember, the first draft of your Princeton supplemental essays isn’t going to be perfect—nor should it be! Use your first draft to get your ideas out, then think about how you can organize them. Especially in your longer Princeton supplemental essays, you’ll want to start with a hook, build to a point, and by the end answer the question of “why this matters.”

More Princeton Requirements

If you’re making a plan for how to get into Princeton, be sure you’ve covered all of the Princeton requirements. Besides competing your Princeton essays, there are a few other things to include on your Princeton checklist :

• Your completed application (this includes your personal statement essay, the Princeton supplemental essays, a graded written paper, and your application fee or waiver)
• Official transcript and school report (sent by your school counselor or other school official)
• 2 teacher recommendations (an additional counselor recommendation is requested, but not required)
• Midyear school report

Students also have the option to submit standardized test scores, include an arts supplement, and complete an interview as part of the application process. Keep reading our Princeton essay guide to learn more about some of the optional and required elements of a Princeton application.

Standardized Test Scores

Submitting SAT and ACT scores is optional for all applicants. Princeton has extended their test-optional policy for the 2023, 2024, and 2025 fall admissions cycles. If you are a strong test taker, submitting high SAT or ACT scores for consideration can help your application stand out. However, your application and chances of admission will not be negatively impacted if you choose not to submit them. If you’re not sure whether to include your test scores or are still deciding whether to take the SAT/ACT, read our article on Standardized Tests in a Test-Optional Environment .

Completing an alumni interview is optional for all applicants. Students can choose to opt in or out of the interview when they submit their Princeton supplemental essays. Not every student is guaranteed to receive an interview, and they will be conducted in person or virtually depending on availability. Additionlly, as interviews are optional, your application will not be at a disadvantage if you choose to opt out or if you do not have the opportunity to conduct an interview.

Arts Supplement

Including an arts supplement is optional for all applicants. Students who have devoted significant time and excelled in certain artistic areas can submit an arts supplement. Areas of interest include:

• Architecture
• Creative Writing
• Theater/Music Theater
• Visual Arts

If you choose to include an arts supplement, you will indicate your intention to submit along with your Princeton supplemental essays. You can then submit your materials, along with a résumé if needed, to your Princeton Applicant Status Portal.

Graded Written Paper

Submitting a graded written paper is required for all applicants. Princeton admissions will use this piece of writing to understand your ability to express your thoughts and ideas in an academic setting. This contributes to their holistic assessment of your application. The graded written paper also helps the admissions team determine if you will thrive in Princeton’s challenging courses and what kind of contributions you’ll make in the classroom.

If you’re still not sure what makes a good written paper, don’t worry! The next section of our Princeton essay guide has Princeton’s guidelines as well as tips for choosing the right written paper.

Tips for Choosing a Graded Written Paper

As one of the Princeton requirements, deciding which graded written paper to submit is an important choice. Princeton admissions provides the following guidelines for submitting a graded written paper. 

Papers appropriate for submission should:

• Be expository writing (paper, essay, research paper, essay exam), not creative writing
• Be something you wrote for an academic course during your last three years of high school (preferably for an English, social studies, or history course)
• Be graded (you’ll want to include the grade you received as well as the grading rubric and any teacher comments if provided)

Your graded paper does not have to be exceptionally long; 1-2 pages is sufficient. When considering which of your written papers to select, remember it also does not have to be an A+ paper. If you believe your paper shows a moment of growth or understanding, it can have a lower grade. Admissions is more interested in the quality of your writing and how you express your ideas than the grade it received. 

Does Princeton care about essays?

Yes, as one of the best colleges in the country, Princeton cares about your essays. In this section of our Princeton essay guide, we’ll take a closer look at the role your Princeton essays play in the Princeton admissions process. 

The Princeton supplemental essays allow the admissions team to see your achievements in context. They want to understand how you’ve taken advantage of the opportunities available to you and how you’ve grown despite any obstacles you’ve faced.

Along with your graded written paper, each Princeton essay allows you to demonstrate your writing abilities (a skill you’ll need to succeed in many of your college courses). Beyond that, they let you share a more complete picture of who you are and what you care about. Your Princeton essays allow you to craft your personal narrative and will help add depth and resonance to your application.

If your grades and graded written paper show your commitment to learning, your Princeton supplemental essays show your commitment to your family, your community, and your personal interests and development. And, unlike your grades or test scores or list of extracurricular achievements, your Princeton essays let you tell your story in your own voice. 

Now, we’ve almost reached the end of our Princeton essay guide. Keep reading for a few more tips and resources to help you write your Princeton supplemental essays!

5 Tips on How to Write the Princeton Supplemental Essays

We’ve covered a lot of details in our Princeton essay guide. Specifically, we’ve gone over the Princeton acceptance rate, application deadlines and requirements, and the Princeton supplemental essay prompts. 

Before we close out our Princeton essay guide, we want to leave you with five tips to help you tackle the Princeton supplemental essays:

1. Start brainstorming early

A successful Princeton supplemental essay starts with a compelling topic. Not sure what to write about? Check out our guide on 8 common college essay topics .

2. Details, details, details

Specificity gives your writing texture and will help your Princeton supplemental essays stand out from the crowd. If you’re worried your experiences aren’t unique, specific and personal details will add depth and authenticity.

3. Use your own voice

Don’t worry about writing an essay you think admissions wants to read. Your Princeton supplemental essays are your opportunity to let admissions learn who you are, not who you think they want you to be.

4. Address all aspects of the prompt

The Princeton supplemental essay prompts are intentionally designed for the admissions process. So, make sure your responses answer the question at hand.

5. Don’t forget to proofread!

Editing for spelling, grammar, and punctuation will make your Princeton supplemental essays polished and easy to read. That means admissions can focus on your story. 

For more tips on writing the Princeton supplemental essays, check out our guide on how to write better essays . If you’re looking for writing inspiration and a student’s take on the application process, check out a Princeton graduate’s Princeton Application Story . In it, she details how she approached the Princeton essays as well as handling being deferred EA before finally being accepted.

More Princeton Resources from CollegeAdvisor

Still looking for more guidance on how to get into Princeton? CollegeAdvisor has countless resources to help you conquer the Princeton application. Check our Princeton Essay Guide from 2022-2023 and our Princeton Essay Guide from 2020-2021 to get more ideas about how to write your essays. We also have Princeton essay examples and Ivy League Essay Examples to help you learn what a strong Princeton essay looks like. These include extracurricular activities essays as well as Princeton essays. 

You can also look to resources like our guide to writing an extracurricular activities essay for more Princeton essay examples. While the current Princeton supplemental essay prompts don’t include an extracurricular activities essay, you’ll encounter similar prompts throughout the admissions process. If you feel confident about approaching the Princeton supplemental essays but want more guidance on writing your personal statement, see these 10 Exceptional Common App Essay Examples .

For more information on what it’s like to overcome the Princeton acceptance rate and attend Princeton University, watch our Princeton Panel and read our how to get into Princeton guide here . 

Finally, if you want personalized support in the admissions process, click here to schedule a free meeting with our team and learn how one-on-one advising can help your applications stand out. 

We hope you’ve learned a lot reading our Princeton essay guide and feel ready to take on the Princeton supplemental essays—good luck!

This essay guide was written by Stefanie Tedards. Looking for more admissions support? Click here to schedule a free meeting with one of our Admissions Specialists. During your meeting, our team will discuss your profile and help you find targeted ways to increase your admissions odds at top schools. We’ll also answer any questions and discuss how CollegeAdvisor.com can support you in the college application process.

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5 Princeton Supplemental Essays That Worked

Are you applying to Princeton University in 2023? Or perhaps you're a parent curious about what it takes.

If so, writing great application essays is the most effective way you can stand out.

In this article, I've gathered 5 of the best Princeton essays that worked so that you can get inspired and improve your own essays.

What is Princeton University's Acceptance Rate?

As a world-renowned college, Princeton has highly competitive admissions. Located in Princeton, New Jersey, the Ivy League school received 37,601 applications this past year and only 1,647 of those students were accepted.

That gives Princeton an overall admit rate of 4.4%, or in other words only 1 in every 18 students get accepted.

Princeton University Acceptance Scattergram

While admissions into Princeton is difficult, this only means that your application essays have more of an impact.

To have your best shot of getting admitted, it's important you write stand-out essays in response to Princeton's writing supplement.

What are the Princeton Supplemental Prompts for 2023?

This year, Princeton requires applicants to write three short essays and answer three short answer questions. Princeton also requires that you submit a graded academic paper as a part of your application.

The questions on this page are being asked by Princeton University:

Extracurricular Activity and Work Experience

• Briefly elaborate on an activity, organization, work experience, or hobby that has been particularly meaningful to you. (Please respond in about 150 words) (1-200 words)

Please respond to each question in an essay of about 250 words.

At Princeton, we value diverse perspectives and the ability to have respectful dialogue about difficult issues. Share a time when you had a conversation with a person or a group of people about a difficult topic. What insight did you gain, and how would you incorporate that knowledge into your thinking in the future? (50-350 words)

• Princeton has a longstanding commitment to service and civic engagement. Tell us how your story intersects (or will intersect) with these ideals. (50-350 words)

More About You

Please respond to each question in 50 words or fewer. There are no right or wrong answers. Be yourself!

What is a new skill you would like to learn in college? (1-50 words)

What brings you joy? (1-50 words)

What song represents the soundtrack of your life at this moment? (1-50 words)

Princeton requires you to submit a graded written paper as part of your application. You may submit this material now or any time before the application deadline. If you choose not to upload the required paper at this time, you may mail, e-mail, or upload your paper through the applicant portal. Detailed instructions for our graded paper requirement can be found here.

Do you wish to submit a graded written paper at this time?

Upload the graded written paper here. (0-2000 words)

Additional Information (Optional)

Please attach a document if you wish to provide details of circumstances or qualifications not reflected in the application. (0-2000 words)

5 Princeton University EssaysThatWorked

Here are 5 of the best Princeton essays that worked, inclunding responses to Princeton's writing supplement.

I've also included some Common App essays written by admitted Princeton students.

Princeton University Essay Example #1

Princeton university essay example #2, princeton university essay example #3, princeton university essay example #4, princeton university essay example #5.

Prompt: Briefly elaborate on an activity, organization, work experience, or hobby that has been particularly meaningful to you. (Please respond in about 150 words) (200 words max)

Why This Essay Works:

This essay provides good specifics that elaborate on their extracurricular activity. It is specific where possible, which helps provide context and make more compelling.

What They Might Improve:

This essay touches on the impact of this activity (connection to their religion and friendship), but it could go deeper. The takeaways in this supplement are somewhat surface-level, which is fine to start, but ideally would be expanded upon and more in-depth.

Prompt: Please tell us how you have spent the last two summers (or vacations between school years), including any jobs you have held. (200 words max)

By admitting when things are difficult, you aren't making yourself seem less capable. Instead, showing what is challenging is what admissions wants to see. Challenges are what cause growth and development, so they are important to address.

In several areas of this essay, the author could be more specific to be more engaging. Rather than saying "the research happening in the labs" they could specify what types of research they witnessed. Rather than saying "these experiences were pivotal to my passion for the sciences," they could specify how these experiences gave them a new appreciation and for what areas of science in particular.

Prompt: Tell us about a person who has influenced you in a significant way. (250-650 words)

Last summer I participated in molecular biology research at Boston University. Surrounded by 39 other high school seniors, I perceived with new clarity how an inquisitive, curious mind must interact in an unapologetic manner. Entering lectures about the basics of molecular biology, most of us initially thought we knew a great deal about biology. I quickly realized my naivete, and once I accepted my own ignorance, I settled into a passive absorption mode. The looks on all our faces told the same story. Well, all of ours except Kelsey’s.

Brilliant and inquisitive, Kelsey exhibited no fear raising her hand and boldly asking questions. Even during the portions of the lectures when we were simply reviewing concepts of biology, she never ceased to question the current topic. The first few times she asked questions, I thought she had little background knowledge so she just needed clarification. Yet as the first week progressed, I realized that not only did she have the background information required for this course but also the grit and determination needed for success in research. The levels of her questions stumped our lecturer at times and he responded, “I’ll have to get back to you on that one.”

Often I just wanted to yell, “PUT YOUR HAND DOWN!!!”, as my tolerance for her constant inquiry began to erode while sitting through her questions and their subsequent answers. Due to her deep and thought-provoking questions, she became the class pariah; not necessarily because she was annoying but because of her resolute and indefatigable inquisitiveness. She was insatiable in her pursuit of knowledge, like a ribosome clinging to the endoplasmic reticulum.

Yet as the course progressed, I finally began to notice the value of Kelsey’s questions. She asked questions of importance, questions researchers must ask themselves every day. Her inquiries were thoughts no one else my age seemed to have. The depth and breadth of her ideas fascinated me, especially given that she was only sixteen.

Kelsey’s questions made me realize the importance of questioning preconceived notions.

Subsequently, I became aware of my own willingness to challenge concepts that were accepted and taught as seemingly concrete, and I recognized the danger of blindly absorbing information without disputing it. Seeing the scholarly nature of Kelsey’s intellectual curiosity, I began to emulate her queries during the final few weeks of the program. Not only did I get more out of the lectures, but I also gained the experience necessary to question ideas and facts and search for answers, a vital skill in every academic realm.

As a student with an interest in the sciences, I ask questions that may not have an obvious answer. As someone who strives for knowledge, I am willing to do research if what I am asking has no answer, but I do not simply possess an affinity toward knowledge. I wish to create it. Most young people cite coaches, teachers, or other adults as influential; however, for me, a peer-modeled approach to learning also has merit.

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Common App Prompt #5: Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others. (250-650 words)

It's important to create a "voice" in your personal statement, so that admissions officers can imagine your character and personality. Try to write as you would speak, but refined and polished. In this essay, natural-sounding phrases like "...let me admit, I was awful..." humanizes the author and makes the reader feel like they're being spoken to.

This essay is a perfect example of how effective essays don't need to have a super unusual story to be compelling. What makes this essay's story compelling is not necessarily the topic itself (meeting distant relatives), but instead how the student reflects and makes interesting connections to broader ideas. Even seemingly mundane experiences can make for meaningful personal statements topics.

This conclusion works well by connecting to the main story of the essay. However, certain phrases like "As a global citizen" and "I am hoping to forge relationships" are potentially too generic. Instead, try taking your main idea (in this case forming connections with others) and broaden it or connect to more universal ideas.

Common App Prompt #1: Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story. (250-650 words)

Having a unifying idea is key to successful personal statements. Find your deepest idea or realization and focus your essay around that.

Find a way to showcase your achievements while connecting to broader, more universal ideas.

Connecting your ending to your beginning is a powerful way to bring your essay full circle. A great conclusion expands on your ideas introduced earlier, while leaving some room for more to be said.

These 5 Princeton essays that worked showcase great examples of responses to the Princeton writing supplement.

What did you think of these Princeton essays?

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Princeton Admitted Essay

People love to ask why. Why do you wear a turban? Why do you have long hair? Why are you playing a guitar with only 3 strings and watching TV at 3 A.M.—where did you get that cat? Why won’t you go back to your country, you terrorist? My answer is... uncomfortable. Many truths of the world are uncomfortable...

MIT Admitted Essay

Her baking is not confined to an amalgamation of sugar, butter, and flour. It's an outstretched hand, an open invitation, a makeshift bridge thrown across the divides of age and culture. Thanks to Buni, the reason I bake has evolved. What started as stress relief is now a lifeline to my heritage, a language that allows me to communicate with my family in ways my tongue cannot. By rolling dough for saratele and crushing walnuts for cornulete, my baking speaks more fluently to my Romanian heritage than my broken Romanian ever could....

UPenn Admitted Essay

A cow gave birth and I watched. Staring from the window of our stopped car, I experienced two beginnings that day: the small bovine life and my future. Both emerged when I was only 10 years old and cruising along the twisting roads of rural Maryland...

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5 Princeton Supplemental Essay Examples for

Are you looking for Princeton supplemental essay examples? You're in the right place. In this blog, we share five different Princeton supplemental essay examples to help you prepare for your own  supplemental college essays . Whether you are applying to Princeton itself or another prestigious and highly competitive institution like  Brown  or  Stanford , it is important that you ace your college essays. 

Most of the top colleges have a holistic admissions process, which is why they often require supplemental college essays in addition to your personal statement. These essays tell them a bit more about the person behind the grades and extracurriculars. It also allows them to evaluate your writing skills and get a sense of your personality. All of these things can significantly affect their decision to offer you admission, put you on the waitlist or reject your application altogether.

Reviewing different  college essay examples  is a great way to learn  how to write a college essay  because it teaches you how to tackle different types of prompts and gives you a better idea of what is expected from your essay. So, without much further ado, let's take a look at a few outstanding Princeton supplemental essays. 

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Article Contents 9 min read

Princeton supplemental essay example # 1.

Prompt: As a research institution that also prides itself on its liberal arts curriculum, Princeton allows students to explore areas across the humanities and the arts, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. What academic areas most pique your curiosity, and how do the programs offered at Princeton suit your particular interests? - 250 words.

My record for solving the New York Times crossword puzzle is 12 minutes 45 seconds. That was three years ago, and I am still trying to beat it. 

I have always loved puzzles. The kind of puzzle doesn't matter much to me - whether it is a jigsaw puzzle, a rubrics cube, a crossword puzzle, or a mathematical equation. I simply enjoy having something in front of me that requires solving, and once I pick it up, I can't put it down until I solve it.

I believe that this love for solving problems is what got me interested in maths in the first place. I find it fascinating that we can use maths equations to understand complex concepts like time and space and solve problems in various areas like engineering and economics.

I have been intrigued by mathematics since my first algebra class in middle school because it is the key to figuring out some of the world's most complex puzzles. I have participated in summer programs for high school students where the focus was on applied mathematics and enrolled in an introduction to applied Maths course at my local community college in order to build a strong foundation. 

I am excited to learn about all the different ways we can use maths to solve puzzles in various disciplines, and I believe that the flexible and interdisciplinary nature of the maths program at Princeton would allow me to explore this interest in a way that no other school can. (250 words)

Prompt: Please describe why you are interested in studying engineering at Princeton. Include any of your experiences in, or exposure to engineering, and how you think the programs offered at the University suit your particular interests. - 250 words.

"Which NASA are you talking about?" I asked my Princeton tour guide while struggling to pick my jaw back up from the floor. 

She chuckled and asked me which NASA I thought she meant. 

This exchange occurred last summer when I visited Princeton's Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering labs. I was excited to learn that students from the Princeton Rocketry Club had been instrumental in designing tools for the space program. I couldn't believe that undergraduate students were getting to contribute to the exploration of space. 

While I was excited to hear about this, I was definitely not surprised. One of the many reasons I am interested in pursuing my aerospace engineering degree at Princeton is that the program gives students a chance to explore, research, develop and invent independently. 

I have been working on a solar sailplane glider since last summer, and I am confident that with the knowledge and guidance that I will receive from the great minds at Princeton, I can use my senior year independent project to develop this project further. My aim is to improve the functionality of solar-powered airplanes, and I know that no other school can give the tools and facilities to do that. 

Lastly, I truly appreciate the fact that Andrea Goldsmith, the current dean of the school of engineering and applied sciences, is not only a brilliant mind but a woman who understands what it is like to be a woman in STEM.  (241 words)

Take the time to research! In order to write a strong essay in response to this prompt, you will need to research Princeton's engineering school and the specific engineering programs so that you can provide specific details. The admissions committee wants to know why you are applying to Princeton's engineering program, and general reasons like \"it's a highly ranked program\" are not going to cut it. ","label":"Tip","title":"Tip"}]" code="tab1" template="BlogArticle">

Prompt: Briefly elaborate on an activity, organization, work experience, or hobby that has been particularly meaningful to you. - 150 words.

When I first saw the flyer for community garden volunteers, I was confused. I didn't know we had a community garden, and more importantly, I didn't understand what a community garden was. That said, I had been looking for ways to get involved in my community, and I was intrigued. 

Two years later, I am one of the program's coordinators. I have gotten to work alongside people I might have never met otherwise, and they have taught me about giving back, gardening, and more. One of my favorite volunteers, Marjorie, an older lady with pink streaks in her greying hair who loves to tell me stories about the sixties, has even taught me how to cook the best collard greens I have ever had. 

I now understand that the community garden is there to grow food for the neighborhood and unite us by giving us a common goal.  (148 words).

Princeton supplemental essay example # 4

Prompt: At Princeton, we value diverse perspectives and the ability to have respectful dialogue about difficult issues. Share a time when you had a conversation with a person or a group of people about a difficult topic. What insight did you gain, and how would you incorporate that knowledge into your thinking in the future? -250 words.

I joined the Youth Collaboration Program at the end of my junior year of high school. It is a program that students from different schools in the city can apply for, and a select few are chosen to represent youth interests within the local government. I wanted to participate in the program to gain insight into the inner workings of local government and get practical experience.

What I did not realize is that this program is a collaborative enterprise and melting pot of ideologies, faiths, ethnic backgrounds, and socio-economic classes. Although I learned a lot from the program, I learned even more from the other students who participated in the program. We all shared our experiences with the representatives and each other. I particularly remember David talking about his cousin's body being stuffed into the trunk of a car after a gang killed him. 

Prompt: Princeton has a longstanding commitment to service and civic engagement. Tell us how your story intersects (or will intersect) with these ideals. – 250 words.

I started listening to French music a few years ago when I learned that it could help improve my vocabulary. That is how I came across a song called "Lettre à la Maison Blanche," in which the singer essentially begs the white house and the United Nations to help with the situation in Rwanda. The song was so touching that I googled the singer and found out it had been written about the Rwandese genocide. 

This led me to read about Rwanda and the fantastic progress that it has made as a nation since the end of the genocide. I was especially impressed by the country's efforts to conserve wildlife in the Nyungwe forest, which is one of the world's most biodiverse areas. As a volunteer for the Wildlife Conservation Society(WCS), I was able to spend last summer in Rwanda helping with WCS' education and outreach initiative.

It was one of the most enriching experiences that I have ever had. Not only because I am passionate about climate change but also because I got to travel, discover new cultures, and practice my French. This experience motivated me anew to keep working towards sustainability.

I would love to join the efforts of the students who run the many sustainability programs at Princeton. I am especially interested in the Princeton Environmental Activism Coalition (PEAC) and the Princeton Conservation Society, as I believe that my experiences with the WCS have given me the tools I need to be an asset to those teams.  (250 words)

The Princeton supplement requires students to provide some additional information about themselves. Students are required to answer the three questions below in 50 words or less. We recommend using as many of those 50 words as possible. You’re given space for 50 words for a response that could easily be one or two words, so take advantage of that space. 

Since these are not typical essay questions, you can play around with the format a little bit ( like in the example below) and get creative. Your responses to these questions should be honest but written with the audience in mind. Remember that the aim is to stand out and tell the admissions committee who you are. So stay away from generic answers, showcase your personality and highlight your strengths.

We recommend reaching out to a  college essay review service  if you have doubts about your answers or are unsure how to use these questions to showcase your strengths. 

Now, here are a few examples to give you a better idea of how to tackle these short answer questions:

What is a new skill you would like to learn in college?

I started writing my bucket list on my 16th birthday, and one of the items on my list is to learn how to speak at least five languages. I speak English, French, Spanish, and Portuguese. While in college, I'd like to learn Italian too. (43 words)

What brings you joy?

I derive joy from many things, including but not limited to the following:

·         The smell of new books

·         Warm chai lattes

·         Color-coordinated closets

·         Extended metaphors in rap music

·         That eureka moment when you solve a puzzle

·         Gilmore Girl re-reruns

·         Dancing toddlers

·         Musical sing-alongs ( especially Les Misérables)

·         Funny puns

Writing college essays is not easy, and the Princeton supplemental essays can be especially challenging. It is important that you give yourself enough time to research and plan before you start putting pen to paper for these essays. There is no golden template for college essays. The key is ensuring that your essay tells a story and teaches the admissions committee about you. This is especially important if you are trying to  get into college with a low GPA. 

Make sure you use specific examples from your background and experiences and include detailed information about the school to show the admissions committee that you are interested in this school in particular, not just any highly ranked institution.

If you want your Princeton supplemental essays to be as impactful as possible, you should consider investing in  college admissions consulting  so that you can benefit from the services of a college essay advisor. They can guide you through the brainstorming, researching, writing, and editing process to ensure you submit compelling essays that will stand out and help you beat the competition, even if you don't have perfect stats. 

Getting into Princeton requires a very strong application. Last year, the school had an acceptance rate of 4.3%, meaning that for every 100 applications received, only about four students were offered admission. So it is fair to say that getting into Princeton is no easy feat.

In addition to the  Common App essay , Princeton requires undergraduate applicants to submit four supplemental college essays, one graded written paper, and answer three short questions.

You can make your Princeton supplemental essay stand out by having a strong introduction, including specific details about the school's programs or majors, and showing instead of telling. If you're not sure how to do this naturally in your essay, we recommend reaching out to a  college essay advisor  for assistance.

You do not  need  one, but we recommend working with one if you want to maximize your chances of writing the best essay possible. As admission professionals, essay advisors can provide insight that the untrained eye can't.

Princeton no longer requires applicants to submit the optional writing section of the SAT or ACT. Instead, it asks applicants to submit a one or two-page paper, essay, research paper, or essay exam from one of their academic courses that a teacher graded. 

To be a competitive applicant for Princeton, you need a GPA of 3.9, as that is the current entering class' average.

Your Princeton supplemental essays are an integral part of your application. There are students with perfect stats who do not get in because of poorly written essays, so do not underestimate their importance.

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Princeton’s “More About You” Questions: Examples + Tips

Princeton asks applicants to respond to three short-answer questions in a section titled “More About You.” These questions have a 50-word limit, which can be extremely daunting.

This post will go over the purpose of these questions, tips for writing strong responses, as well as real example responses and analysis.

Princeton “More About You” Questions

The three “More About You” questions in the 2022-2023 admissions cycle were:

• What is a new skill you would like to learn in college?
• What brings you joy? 
• What song represents the soundtrack of your life at this moment?

These are questions that might come up in casual conversation, and the goal is to learn “more about you” in a down-to-earth way. This is an opportunity to humanize your application and show more of your “fun” side.

Tips for Princeton’s “More About You” Questions

These short-answer questions are really unlike other parts of your application. Here are our expert tips for writing an engaging response that will win over admissions officers.

1. Be more casual

These are casual questions, so you want your response to feel down-to-earth as well. There’s no need for academic writing here, or even complete sentences. You can even use slang!

Just make sure that your response is still well-written; it should feel like a response in a conversation to an acquaintance or stranger, not like something you’d text a friend.

2. Maximize the word count.

Do not repeat the question in your response. You only have 50 words, so make the most of them! Dive right into your answer.

3. Pay attention to presentation.

Grammatical and formatting mistakes will stand out even more in a short-answer question. Other than maybe using some stylistic fragments, make sure your grammar is correct. You should especially double-check spacing and punctuation/

4. Get an extra set of eyes on your responses.

While most students think to get their college essays edited, these short-answers may not feel like they need an extra set of eyes. Since these are still an important part of your application to Princeton, we recommend having someone else look over your responses. A friend is a great choice since these are more casual questions, and your friend can let you know if your personality shines through.

We also recommend using our free Peer Essay Review platform , where you can get feedback from another student. And, you can review other students’ essays to improve your own writing. If you prefer to have an admissions expert review your essay, you can do so as well on CollegeVine.

Princeton “More About You” Examples

Here are a couple strong responses to the “More About You” questions, as well as analysis on what the writers did well and what could be improved.

Example 1: Joy

Prompt: What brings you joy? (50 words)

The ancient, burlesque sounds of the violin. I love the feeling of completion, when I can finally play a piece I’ve been working at for months. The glide of a slur, the bounce of the spiccato, plentiful accents and tones; The diversity of music lights a fire in my heart. 

What the Response Did Well

This answer feels authentic. The student’s use of unique descriptors like “burlesque” and “bounce” communicate to the reader that they have a unique relationship with the violin — one that brings them joy in a specific and special way.

At the same time, the idea of “the feeling of completion” bringing joy is extremely relatable. This student pulls off unique and relatable in the same short answer.

What Could Be Improved 

Small mistakes make big impressions in short answers. For example, the word following a semicolon should not be capitalized. While this kind of grammar error could go unnoticed in a larger essay, it stands out when it is one of fifty words.

Example 2: Soundtrack

Prompt: What song represents the soundtrack of your life at the moment? (50 words)

As I sit lost in thought, an urge to stand and pace overwhelms me. The floorboards creaking echoes through the quiet–a familiar symphony accompanying my musings. New ideas take form, energizing, exciting me. In a way, floorboards are my muses fostering my creativity and inspiration, my growth and learning.

This student’s answer is more memorable than traditional answers due to their unique interpretation of the word “soundtrack.” I’m sure this is the only creaking floorboards essay that was submitted to Princeton last year! Originality and setting yourself apart from others is of the utmost importance during the college admissions process.

Admissions officers spend very little time reading short responses and don’t want to parse through your words to find your answer. Because of its roundabout structure, this response requires a second read for an aha moment (“Ohhh the creaking floorboards are the soundtrack!”).

Additionally, your response to a short answer question doesn’t have to be eloquent or figurative. It can be more like an answer to an interview question — to the point, memorable, and honest. This student might have been better off with a casual structure, writing something like:

The sound I hear most often is the creaking of my floorboards, so I’ll call that the soundtrack of my life. I pace when memorizing things, when trying to inspire creativity, when working through complex ideas. My floorboards are probably tired, but pacing is my method.

Finally, like with Example 6, the use of a double hyphen instead of an em dash (—) stands out in a short answer question. Ensure that your grammar is impeccable in your short answers.

More Princeton Essay Resources

How to Write the Princeton Essays

Princeton Essay Examples

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

Princeton University 2023-24 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

Regular Decision: 

Regular Decision Deadline: Jan 1

You Have: 

Princeton University 2023-24 Application Essay Questions Explanation

The Requirements: 2 essays of 250 words, 1 essay of 500 words, 3 short responses

Supplemental Essay Type(s): Community ,  Why , Oddball

This is Princeton, the Number One university in the nation. Maybe you’ve heard of it? JK, we can smell the sweat on your palms from here. So first, take a breath. The Princeton supplement is extremely straightforward (perhaps too straightforward?) and your greatest challenge will be to refrain from overthinking it. Don’t intimidate yourself with visions of what you think admissions officers want to see on an application. Self-aggrandizing or downright false stories aren’t going to win anyone over. It’s the unique, specific details that only you can share that will set you apart and seal you in an admissions officer’s memory. Take this as your mantra: be yourself! 

For A.B Degree Applicants or Those Who are Undecided:

As a research institution that also prides itself on its liberal arts curriculum, princeton allows students to explore areas across the humanities and the arts, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. what academic areas most pique your curiosity, and how do the programs offered at princeton suit your particular interests (please respond in about 250 words or fewer.) .

To ace this question, you’ll need to articulate for admissions why a well-rounded liberal arts education is important to you. Do you think Princeton’s liberal arts curriculum will allow you to build upon your communication and problem solving skills, preparing you for a career in civil service? Maybe you think it will help you be more marketable once you enter the working world, preparing you to work in a variety of fields (which is especially helpful if you’re undecided). What classes are you dying to take? Which academic programs call to you and why? Demonstrate your interest in Princeton’s academic offerings (and liberal arts curriculum, for brownie points) and admissions is bound to be impressed!

For B.S.E Degree Applicants:

Please describe why you are interested in studying engineering at princeton. include any of your experiences in or exposure to engineering, and how you think the programs offered at the university suit your particular interests. (please respond in 250 words or fewer.).

You can get an engineering degree at thousands of schools across the country, so why are you so keen to study engineering at Princeton specifically? Remember that this isn’t set in stone, so don’t stress over your vision; just show that you’ve done your research. Maybe your sister regaled you with stories about her experience studying engineering at Princeton, and you knew you wanted the same experience for yourself. Maybe there is an alum who is doing what you aspire to do, and you want to follow in their footsteps! Does Princeton have a specific program that many other schools do not offer? Whatever it is that draws you to Princeton’s engineering program, make sure that, after reading your essay, admissions has a clear understanding of your interest and goals.

1. Princeton values community and encourages students, faculty, staff and leadership to engage in respectful conversations that can expand their perspectives and challenge their ideas and beliefs. As a prospective member of this community, reflect on how your lived experiences will impact the conversations you will have in the classroom, the dining hall or other campus spaces. What lessons have you learned in life thus far? What will your classmates learn from you? In short, how has your lived experience shaped you?  (Please respond in 500 words or fewer.)

Engaging others in meaningful conversations about important issues can be incredibly intimidating and challenging, and the Princeton admissions department knows this. That is, in part, why they are curious to learn how your lived experiences will impact the way you engage with others on campus. What has shaped you as a person and how has that made your perspective unique? What lessons have you learned and applied? What can you share with others? Is there anything you can teach your classmates or peers about your hometown, culture, religion, identity, race, or ethnicity that they might not already know? Admissions wants to know how your lived experiences will affect the conversations you have and the ways in which you contribute to the Princeton community. Tell admissions a story that demonstrates your investment in listening, learning, and connecting.

2. Princeton has a longstanding commitment to understanding our responsibility to society through service and civic engagement. How does your own story intersect with these ideals? (Please respond in 250 words or fewer.)

Princeton wants to welcome motivated, socially aware students to campus next fall, so tell admissions about a time when you gave back to your community in a meaningful way. (Hint: your “community” can be as small as your neighborhood and as large as the entire world or even universe!) Maybe you’ve volunteered at your church’s food pantry every other weekend since you were in middle school or canvassed for political candidates that you believe will generate positive change for generations to come. Whatever your example(s) may be, don’t be afraid to touch on what those experiences meant to you (after all, you do have 250 words to work with!). And bonus points if you can connect your past service to the work you hope to do in the future. 

More About You

Please respond to each question in 50 words or fewer. there are no right or wrong answers. be yourself, what is a new skill you would like to learn in college, what brings you joy , what song represents the soundtrack of your life at this moment.

Do not, we repeat, do not overthink your responses to these questions. Admissions even goes so far as to say that there are no right or wrong answers. So, go with your gut. Maybe, in college, you’re hoping to learn how to speed read, or play frisbee, or even ride a bike! Perhaps you want to tell admissions about the look on your sister’s face everytime you agree to play dress-up with her (what brings you joy?). As for the song, we’d recommend keeping it clean, but other than that, let your freak flag fly. Are you currently listening to “Midnight Sky” by Miley Cyrus on repeat? Or maybe “Ooh La La” by The Faces really resonates with you as you’re growing up and learning life’s tough lessons. Whatever it may be, be true to yourself and you’ll ace these short answers.

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Article Cluster Illuminates “The World of Shakespeare and Company”

“What’s left to learn about Shakespeare and Company?”

The question motivates “The World of Shakespeare and Company,” a new cluster of articles co-published by the Journal of Cultural Analytics ( JCA ) and Modernism/modernity ( M/m ) and edited by Joshua Kotin , associate professor of English at Princeton University, and Rebecca Sutton Koeser , lead research software engineer at The Center for Digital Humanities at Princeton (CDH).

The cluster features eight articles using data from the Shakespeare and Company Project , a CDH-sponsored digital humanities initiative and web application launched four years ago, in May 2020 . Kotin and Koeser serve as project director and technical lead of the Project , respectively, which centers on Sylvia Beach’s celebrated bookshop and lending library in interwar Paris. Among Shakespeare and Company’s members were Gertrude Stein, James Joyce, Ernest Hemingway, and hundreds of other intellectuals, artists, and everyday readers who have been identified by Project researchers.

The Project allows users to explore Shakespeare and Company’s members and holdings —that is, the books that circulated at the lending library. It also offers public access to three datasets —members, books, and events (which comprises borrows and purchases, among other activities)—derived from Shakespeare and Company’s lending library cards, logbooks, address books, and inventories, many of which are available in the Beach Papers, held at Special Collections at Princeton University Library.

The Shakespeare and Company Project allows researchers not only to view members’ lending library cards, such as Ernest Hemingway’s 1925 card above, but also to see and interact with their borrowing and purchasing records.

As Kotin and Koeser write in their introduction ( JCA , M/m ), the essays in the cluster use these datasets to explore and analyze a wide range of topics—from individual authors (Virginia Woolf) and lending library members (Reed Peggram); to questions of canonization; to communities of readers, such as the Black intellectuals who frequented Shakespeare and Company; to methodological issues in the digital humanities.

“Readers of the cluster will learn about the differences between Woolf’s conception of ‘the common reader’ (a central idea in her work) and her actual readers in Paris; about how the reading habits of a small community of expatriates and French intellectuals determined the modernist canon; and how researchers might respond to the gaps that almost inevitably perforate historical archives,” Kotin explains. “The articles in the cluster transform Shakespeare and Company into a key for understanding literary history in the early twentieth century.”

By featuring articles that both engage with data produced by Project researchers and apply computational approaches to arrive at new insights, the cluster, write Kotin and Koeser, shows that the “ Shakespeare and Company Project is a work of scholarship and an instrument of scholarship.”

Table of Contents

• Joshua Kotin and Rebecca Sutton Koeser, Introduction to “The World of Shakespeare and Company” ( JCA , M/m )

Authors, Readers, and Books

• Helen Southworth, Alice Staveley, Matthew Hannah, Claire Battershill, and Elizabeth Wilson, “Virginia Woolf’s Common Readers in Paris” ( JCA , M/m )
• Ethelene Whitmire, “Unpacking Reed Peggram’s Library” ( JCA , M/m )
• Keri Walsh, “Sylvia Beach’s Final Book” ( JCA , M/m )

Reading Practices

• Fedor Karmanov and Joshua Kotin, “A Counterfactual Canon” ( JCA , M/m )
• Maria Antoniak, David Mimno, Rosamond Thalken, Melanie Walsh, Matthew Wilkens, and Gregory Yauney, “The Afterlives of Shakespeare and Company in Online Social Readership” ( JCA , M/m )

Communities

• Caitlin O’Keefe, “Black Internationalism and Shakespeare and Company ( JCA , M/m )
• Nissa Ren Cannon, “Lending Books on the Left and Right Banks: Borrowing Practices at the American Library in Paris and Shakespeare and Company” ( JCA , M/m )
• Rebecca Sutton Koeser and Zoe LeBlanc, “Missing Data, Speculative Reading” ( JCA , M/m )

The cluster’s co-publication in the Journal of Cultural Analytics , where Kotin and Koeser previously published an article , and Modernism/modernity not only broadens its readership but also highlights the diversity of approaches invited by the Project ’s dataset—and others like it. Several of the authors are trained as literary scholars, and others bring perspectives from history, library and information science, and computer science.

For instance, Koeser’s work in both literature and computer science informs “Missing Data, Speculative Reading” ( JCA , M/m ), co-authored by former CDH postdoc Zoe LeBlanc (School of Information Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign). In the essay, Koeser and LeBlanc engage with the gaps in the datasets—for example, missing lending library cards and logbooks—applying computational methods to predict the contents of these “archival absences.”

Koeser explains that “Missing Data, Speculative Reading” is one of several essays that feature “interactive charts and maps,” noting that she was “impressed” with how the editorial team of Modernism/modernity was “willing to work with me to figure out how to embed [them] into a few of the articles.”

“I know it made extra work for their team, but my hope is that it will make the work more engaging and the data more accessible to the readers, and particularly to those scholars who might not otherwise seek out the more quantitative work in the cluster,” she adds.

Clockwise from top left: interactive figures from cluster articles by Walsh; Whitmire; Koeser and LeBlanc; Karmanov and Kotin; and Antoniak et al.

As Kotin and Koeser point out in their introduction, the essays in the cluster represent only a few of the insights made possible by the Shakespeare and Company Project . Ongoing projects and updated datasets promise to shed new light on “the world of Shakespeare and Company,” as well as produce new ways to apply computational approaches to archival material.

“This is what the best digital humanities projects can do: harness intellectual and methodological differences to address a common set of concerns,” they write.

Kotin and Koeser wish to thank the editors of the Journal of Cultural Analytics and Modernism/modernity; English graduate student Emily Lobb, who coordinated co-publication; and the contributors to the Shakespeare and Company Project .

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Alumni news reunions 2024 rises above sad absence, protests.

Hours before the P-rade on Saturday at Reunions, word began circulating that Princeton’s oldest-ever alum,  Joe Schien ’37, had died Friday morning  at age 109. Schein had become a fixture at Reunions weekend, kicking off the P-rade while carrying the Class of 1923 Cane since 2016. That first year at age 101, Schein walked the entire P-rade route and continued to do so throughout most of his reign. 

“Our father always felt that Princeton was ‘paradise,’” his son Oliver Schein ’76 wrote in an email to PAW on behalf of him and his brother Roland Schein ’74. “He felt that way when he took us to his 25th reunion in 1962, when he attended our graduations in ’74 and ’76, and when we accompanied him to his 86th reunion in 2023!”

His love and dedication to Princeton will forever be cemented, as his family plans to bury Schein in his class jacket and his Einstein baseball cap that reads “E=mc².” Despite the sad news, Schein offered a final message to reuners through an Instagram video shared by the University on Friday. 

“I wish you a very happy Reunion and I wish you all the good fortune that life can bring if you are prepared for it, as you certainly have been at Princeton,” he said. “Go Tigers!” 

A day later, Don Fletcher ’39 *51, 105, took the Class of 1923 Cane and started the P-rade. As reuners made their way down Elm Drive, pro-Palestinian protesters rushed into the middle of the road and temporarily blocked the festivities. Security intervened, causing protesters to clear the road. The disruption lasted about two minutes. Protesters began chanting alongside the path near the Class of 2019 and 2020 staging areas and the P-rade continued without further incident. 

Reactions were mixed: Some alumni cheered and high-fived the protesters, as others voiced their disapproval — verbally and with hand gestures. One marcher threw his drink at the protesters. But largely the sea of paraders sporting orange and black tiger stripes proceeded as usual, with marching bands and music from floats often drowning out the chants.

A handful of other disruptions by protesters occurred during the weekend, including painting the words “pretty town bloody gown” across the white columns of Robertson Hall, dyeing the water in Princeton’s Fountain of Freedom red, and interrupting President Christopher Eisgruber ’83’s annual Q&A. But many alumni told PAW they were unaware of these incidents.  

Indeed, for a large majority of the roughly 25,000 alumni, family, guests, faculty, staff, and graduating seniors, Reunions 2024 was celebrated as usual, under warm and sunny skies.

There were alums in inflatable tiger and dinosaur costumes, various western attire for the Class of 2009’s Rodeo theme, as well as the Class of 2014’s bright and clashing pink-and-orange-striped outfits as part of their Malibu 10 theme, a nod to  Barbie .

Throughout the weekend, alumni partied under the tents, reconnected over meals, dove into a variety of topics at more than a dozen Alumni-Faculty Forums, and made memories at many other events and gatherings. 

The ripple effects of the Oct. 7 terrorist attack and the ongoing Israel-Hamas war were discussed in a handful of panels. On Friday, a packed room of more than 50 mostly Jewish alumni met at Princeton’s Chabad House for a panel titled “Crisis for Israel, Crisis for American Jews: What’s Next?” The hour-long discussion moderated by Rabbi Eitan Webb with panelists Owen Alterman ’99, Ilya Shapiro ’99, and Leah Powell ’26 covered the climate for Jewish students on campus, views on the situation abroad, and the ways the alumni community can help, among other topics. 

“I shouldn’t feel distressed walking through campus,” said Powell, vice president of the Chabad Student Board. She explained that some of the protesters' chants are offensive and that she’s been discouraged by the University’s response. 

Despite this, Alterman, a senior correspondent for Tel Aviv-based outlet i24 News, said the strengthened connection between the Jewish community has been one silver lining. “This is the ultimate stress test,” he said, adding it's been “an incredible positive surprise that really should give us a lot of strength going forward.”

A related conversation on free speech at universities between professor Keith Whittington and Jonathan Rauch, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, took place Saturday morning. Hosted by Princetonians for Free Speech, Rauch began the conversation by quoting a portion of Whittington’s 2018 book  Speak Freely  in which he stated campuses are not yet in crisis and asked Whittington if his feelings have changed since then. “I think we’re doing worse,” Whittington said. 

“Part of my concern is that the problems that we see are in some ways the surface problems related to free speech and academic freedom, and below that surface are potentially much deeper problems,” he continued.

The conversation, which went on for more than an hour, focused on the importance of defending free speech, cited a handful of examples of censorship, and closed with an open discussion.

Climate change was another popular topic that featured opposing views in two panels on Friday.

At “America the Beautiful: From Sea to Shining Sea,” sponsored by the Concerned Black Alumni of Princeton, speakers discussed how systemic racism continues to impact the environmental landscape of the United States through a variety of means, such as the geographic location of landfills and incinerators, which have been shown to disproportionally impact communities of color.

“Land is something that cannot be moved, and when we think about the ways in which the colonial system treated land, it has always been a racialized concept,” said Kevon Rhiney, a visiting professor in the environment and the humanities at the High Meadows Environmental Institute.

Moderator Ariel Rogers ’08, a professor at Dominican University, said the interstate highway system and redlining pushed people of color “literally downhill, where the waste from day-to-day life would flow and trickle,” which led to the destruction and separation of communities, with ripple effects such as the creation of food deserts and increased health concerns.

That afternoon, the Conservative Princeton Association hosted “The Great Escape from Net Zero Hunger Games,” where speakers discussed the opportunities for Africa’s energy and agricultural potential and claimed to debunk climate change “myths.” For example, Diana Furchtgott-Roth, director of the center for Energy, Climate, and Environment at the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, said “most sea-level rise is a response to the interglacial period,” and not caused by human-induced climate change, though there is broad consensus among the scientific community,  including at Princeton  that human-caused global warming is the cause of the current rise of global sea levels.

Lindianne Sappington ’76, executive director of Snake River Music Gardens, a nonprofit focused on rural farming, spoke about how American agricultural regulations implemented to mitigate climate change concerns can hurt farmers. “Most food-producing families are too polite to say how we feel about what’s being done to us,” Sappington said, but ultimately, “If we don’t grow food, you don’t eat.”

The speakers were intensely questioned by a couple of members of the audience, and one person, who shouted over the presenters as they attempted to respond to his questions, was ultimately asked to stop speaking and left the room.

Mental health was also highlighted in two panels during the weekend. PAW’s Reunions panel, “Student Mental Health: Is It a Crisis, and What Can Be Done?” delved into what’s causing the anxiety and depression on the rise among college students — including at Princeton.

“Health is the integrated sum of our behavioral, physical, social-emotional health, and spiritual health,” said moderator Lucy McBride ’95, a family health physician. “When mental health is on the fritz … every aspect of our health is at stake.”

At another panel, Noah Luch ’24, a past co-chair of the student government’s Mental Health Committee, said that six Princeton students died by suicide while he was here. Over time numbness seemed to set in on campus, he said, and he was disappointed that some administrators seemed uncaring.

Calvin Chin, director of Counseling and Psychological Services (CPS), said he hears that frustration but is encouraged by the changes he’s seen over 10 years in his job: Grade deflation was abandoned, staff at CPS increased 40%, and a push by students led to better handling of medical leave situations. “There are tangible things that have happened, and at the same time there is absolutely more that could be done,” Chin said.

The weekend ended with the annual fireworks show held in Princeton’s Stadium, a handful of alumni arch sings, plus more drinking and dancing under the stars into the early hours of Sunday morning. 

Jen Caudle ’99, a regular at Reunions, said the event seems to get better each year. While she participated in “a little of everything,” her favorite part was connecting with new people and developing new relationships that she missed out on the first time around as an undergraduate. 

“Princeton Reunions is the ultimate example and epitome of school spirit and community,” she said. “It’s just so neat to see how tight of a community we are and how much Princeton means to all of us.” 

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Guest Essay

Men Fear Me, Society Shames Me, and I Love My Life

By Glynnis MacNicol

Ms. MacNicol is a writer, a podcast host and the author of the forthcoming memoir “I’m Mostly Here to Enjoy Myself.”

I was once told that the challenge of making successful feminist porn is that the thing women desire most is freedom.

If that’s the case, one might consider my life over the past few years to be extremely pornographic — even without all the actual sex that occurred. It definitely has the makings of a fantasy, if we allowed for fantasies starring single, childless women on the brink of turning 50.

It’s not just in enjoying my age that I’m defying expectations. It’s that I’ve exempted myself from the central things we’re told give a woman’s life meaning — partnership and parenting. I’ve discovered that despite all the warnings, I regret none of those choices.

Indeed, I am enjoying them immensely. Instead of my prospects diminishing, as nearly every message that gets sent my way promises they will — fewer relationships, less excitement, less sex, less visibility — I find them widening. The world is more available to me than it’s ever been.

Saying so should not be radical in 2024, and yet, somehow it feels that way. We live in a world whose power structures continue to benefit from women staying in place. In fact, we’re currently experiencing the latest backlash against the meager feminist gains of the past half-century. My story — and those of the other women in similar shoes — shows that there are other, fulfilling ways to live.

It is disconcerting to enjoy oneself so much when there is so much to assure you to expect the opposite, just as it is strange to feel so good against a backdrop of so much terribleness in the world. But with age (hopefully) comes clarity.

Fifty is a milestone. And the fact my 50th birthday lands on or around some other significant 50ths has brought some things into focus. Last year was the 50th anniversary of Roe v. Wade. This year is the 50th of the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, which may be less well known but remains significant: It allowed women for the first time to have bank accounts and credit cards in their own name, not needing a male signature.

That my birth date landed between the passing of these two landmark laws makes it easier for me to see that the life I’m living is a result of women having authority over both their bodies and their finances. I represent a cohort of women who lead lives that do not require us to ask permission or seek approval. I have availed myself of all the choices available to me, and while the results come with their own set of risks, they have been enormously satisfying.

The timing of my birthday also helps me see the violent rollback of women’s rights happening right now as a response to the independence these legal rights afforded women. Forget about the horror of being alone and middle-aged — there is nothing more terrifying to a patriarchal society than a woman who is free. That she might be having a better time without permission or supervision is downright insufferable.

My entry into middle age certainly had the makings of an unpleasant story.

Like many, I spent the early months of the pandemic by myself. It was the type of solitary confinement that popular science, and certain men with platforms, enjoy reminding us will be the terrible future that awaits a woman who remains single for too long. I went untouched by anyone. Unsmelled, too, which you might think is a strange thing to note, but it’s an even stranger thing to experience. Unseen except by the building exterminator and the remaining doormen of the Upper West Side who gave distant friendly greetings on my evening walks around Covid-empty New York.

Alone, unmarried, childless, past my so-called prime. A caricature, culture would have it, a fringe identity; a tragedy or a punchline, depending on your preference. At the very least a cautionary tale.

By August 2021, I was desperate — not for partnership but for connection. I bought a ticket to Paris, a place where I’d spent much of my free time before the pandemic and where I had a group of friends.

Paris, I reminded myself, prioritizes pleasure. I dived in. Cheese, wine, friendships, sex — and repeat.

At first it was shocking. I was ill prepared to get what I wanted, what it seemed I had summoned. There were moments when I wondered whether I should be ashamed. I had also never felt so free and so fully myself. I felt no shame or guilt, only the thrill that came with the knowledge I was exercising my freedom.

These days, generally speaking, there is little in cinema or literature, let alone the online world, to suggest that when you are a woman alone (forget about a middle-aged woman), things will go your way, as I have often experienced.

There have been better times. In the 1980s, sitcoms were stacked with starring women for whom men were a minor-character concern — “Designing Women,” “Murphy Brown,” “The Golden Girls” — all of which, if they premiered today (and that’s a big if), would feel radical. Later there was “Girlfriends.” Even “Sex and the City,” with its often regressive marriage plotting, remains surprisingly modern in its depictions of adult friendship and sexual mores. In each case, just as it looked as if these narratives might begin to fully take root in the real world, the women largely went back inside (or into body bags, in the case of many “Law & Order” plotlines). By the early aughts we were housewives again, real and imagined.

I suspect that a lot of this backlash is connected to the terror that men experienced at discovering that they are less necessary to women’s fulfillment than centuries of laws and stories have allowed them to believe. That terror is abundantly apparent today: From Harrison Butker’s commencement speech suggesting that women may find more fulfillment in marriage and children than in having a career, to the Supreme Court once again debating access to abortion to the push to roll back no-fault divorce laws: All are efforts to return women to a place where others can manage their access to … well, just about everything.

It’s in this light that my enjoyment begins to feel radical. Come fly with me. There’s no fear here.

Glynnis MacNicol is a writer, a podcast host and the author of the forthcoming memoir “I’m Mostly Here to Enjoy Myself.”

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