If you are currently enrolled in college coursework, either full-time or part-time, you should submit at least two academic recommendations from within the past 2-3 years, ideally in courses similar to those offered at Princeton, such as those listed in our General Education Requirements. In-person courses are preferred, but if your only options are from online courses and/or courses of a different nature, then you can submit letters from these courses instead.

We require all students to submit all transcripts from high school and (if applicable) all transcripts from college and postsecondary work. The greatest emphasis in admission review will be on your most recent work; older work performance will not factor in negatively if it was not as strong. However, we still require these records so we can see the full overall academic picture of your trajectory. School reports should be sent by the most recent institution you attended.

While available college coursework is often the ideal choice, some programs that may not grant credit or even provide grades can assist with this preparation. An example would include the Warrior-Scholar Project for active duty/military applicants, which can still provide valuable academic skills to prepare for the rigor of our curriculum.

Any college coursework will be evaluated in the admission process, whether in-person or online. Those that are most relevant are in subject matter similar to the courses offered at Princeton. Online courses can also be considered here, especially if they are taken in a synchronous setting, but are also valued in the admission process if they at least cover relevant material. The determination of whether they count for college credit is made by college deans and faculty during the transfer admission process only. You may not receive credit for all eligible courses.

We encourage you to add context and explain any challenges in the additional information sections, if not already addressed in the required responses. This includes both lower grades and any courses from which you withdrew. 

We review all academic work completed during and since high school, including any postsecondary college coursework, even if some of that work took place many years ago. It is possible to be a highly competitive applicant even if your past work was not your best, including during high school or your earlier college work. If this is the case for you, we strongly recommend considering more recent college coursework to build a solid transitional foundation, ideally in courses similar to those offered at Princeton.

On the application, please indicate your intention to submit an optional Arts Supplement in Princeton’s member questions. You will be able to access the link to submit an optional Arts Supplement in your Princeton Applicant Status Portal.