Towards the end of every semester, students must answer the age-old question: what classes do I want to take next semester? While course selection seems like an impossible task when you haven’t even finished the current semester’s courses yet, this is a delicate art that all Princeton students come to master. So, I’d like to present you with a guide on how to select your courses.

Choose Classes Based on Your Concentration

This is a great way to get started on filling up your four- or five-course semester. Every concentration has its own set of course requirements tailored to students declaring that area of study. In fact, most departments even provide a sample curriculum or a general path to graduation to help students decide how to split up course loads. Granted, not every first-year student is certain of their concentration upon arriving on campus, but you should take the first two semesters as an opportunity to explore concentrations you might have not considered. Remember that Princeton allows a lot of leeway when it comes to choosing a concentration, so don’t feel like you’re wasting your time if you end up taking a class that’s not the best fit for you. Instead, you are one step closer to discovering your field of interest!

Choose Classes that Sound Exciting to You

I cannot stress this enough! While many of your classes will be taken for your concentration, do not miss out on the unique courses offered here! From “Princeton University Steel Band” to “Yaass Queen: Gay Men, Straight Women, and the Literature, Art, and Film of Hagdom,” there is always some course that attracts the attention of each student. Don’t worry if the class seems out of your comfort zone or intellectually demanding -- first of all, most courses at Princeton are, but more importantly, if you are motivated by your fascination, you will naturally excel in the course. Also, since not every course boasts a catchy title, I encourage you to read all the course descriptions as well to give each course a chance. 

Be Aware of Your Distribution Requirements

Students pursuing a Bachelor of Arts (A.B.) must fulfill general education requirements in addition to taking classes for their concentration. This includes one semester of a writing seminar, demonstrated proficiency in one foreign language, and an assortment of distribution requirements that will broaden a student’s level of knowledge. Overall, these courses may take up a significant amount of space in your schedule, so be sure to spread them out over your four years.

For most students intending on pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Engineering (B.S.E), you will have to take certain math, science and computing courses to prepare you for advanced engineering courses. Your adviser will recommend that you tackle introductory courses first so that you can fulfill most of the prerequisites early on in your Princeton career. And, you will still have room for humanities and social science electives!

Use Online Resources

Princeton’s registrar website has a lot of information and it may feel overwhelming to figure out how to create a balanced schedule for the semester. I recommend that you take advantage of these online resources carefully crafted by Princeton alumni who have faced the same challenges:

• Princeton Courses: This website allows you to explore course information, ratings and evaluations of courses and professors across different semesters. You can even look up courses by concentration and distribution requirement.
• Principedia: Once you have found some classes you might be interested in, you could head over to Principedia to read course analyses written by students who have taken these courses before to get a better idea of what to expect.
• ReCal: This course-selection tool helps you visualize your course schedule in a weekly calendar format. It is incredibly useful to ensure that none of your courses conflict with each other and that you have allocated sufficient time to eat lunch between classes.
• TigerPath: Finally, this is a tool for planning out your four-year course schedules. Especially if you are ambitiously pursuing multiple certificates or simply want to be well-organized, TigerPath can keep track of all courses you plan to take to ensure that you fulfill all of your concentration requirements.

That’s all I have! If you have any other questions about course selection, please feel free to reach out to me.

One of the most important milestones of the Princeton undergraduate experience is the senior thesis. Almost all departments require a thesis or some type of independent work. Writing a total of 28,000 words and 110 pages was definitely challenging, but extremely rewarding. I was able to embark on my own research project, choose a topic I was passionate about and put into practice all of the historical methods I had learned in class.

My senior thesis, ““Americanos Todos”: Redefining U.S. Latino and Latina Identity during the Second World War”, investigates the wartime experiences of Latinos who served in both the homefront and battlefront during World War II. Despite posing significant contributions to the war, Latinos remain neglected in dominant narratives of WWII. My work attempts to address this historical silencing and uncover the Latino wartime experience. I ultimately argue that the war influenced the emergence of new forms of identity by confounding what it meant to be “Latino” and “American” and catalyzed movements for inclusion that formed a Latino civil rights consciousness.

My research was based primarily on 47 interviews of Latinos and Latinas who participated in the war. Listening to their wartime experiences and how they championed sacrifice and patriotism despite encountering discrimination was extremely inspiring. They were constantly treated as second-class citizens and had to fight for their own inclusion and future in the country, motifs that resonate in modern discussions over Latino immigration. 

The overall process of crafting my own arguments and contributing to the historiography really helped strengthen my writing and critical thinking skills. Moreover, turning in this thesis, the longest research project I have worked on, demonstrated that I could do anything I set my mind to. There were many times that I was stuck with my topic or didn’t know how to approach the primary source, but my adviser was always extremely supportive. Everyone is paired with an adviser for the thesis and my adviser was extremely generous with her time and provided instrumental feedback.

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For prospective students, don't be afraid of the senior thesis! I know it seems daunting but Princeton prepares you and provides you with all of the resources and support you need to succeed. All of the papers I had written in other classes and previous independent work played a huge role in helping me navigate and complete my senior thesis. Looking back on my undergraduate career, writing my senior thesis is probably my proudest accomplishment.

Hi guys! Today I wanted to answer some common academic questions that pre-frosh might have. If you’re a prospective member of the Class of 2025, welcome, congrats and I hope this is helpful for you!

How competitive/collaborative are students?

Every class I’ve been in has been enhanced tenfold by the people I’ve met. In classes with problem sets, everyone is super willing to help each other - homework sessions actually become sort of fun when you’re working with your friends and classmates, and they go so much quicker too! I’ve also had numerous writing workshop classes where we discuss each other’s work.I always look forward to integrating my peers’ insights in my revisions. The students here are what make Princeton great.

What are first-year classes like?

Many, if not most, of Princeton’s classes are quite small. Every first-year student takes a writing seminar during their fall or spring semester, which have around a dozen students. Introductory classes tend to be the largest offered on campus, and can have over a hundred students. However, these classes almost always have weekly precepts led by faculty and teaching staff, which have at most around 20 students each. Many other classes, whether they be seminars or departmentals, have around 30 students at most. 

 Is it easy to talk to your professors?

Professors are super accessible! I’ve grabbed meals with both a professor I’ve spoken face to face with in a small seminar each week, as well as a professor whose 100-person lectures I really enjoyed. It's quick and easy to just email or drop by office hours and get to know your professors, both as scholars and people. 

How much work is it?

I get this question all the time, especially how many hours I work each day. I struggle to answer this sometimes because each day at Princeton really is different. While sometimes class assignments can pile up and you just have to settle down for a grind session in Firestone Library, I think finding a good work-life balance is definitely doable. For example, I spend hours each day chilling in the dining hall with my friends, wandering around campus on my bike, and playing pickup games of basketball and soccer. And when I do settle down to work, well, I’m often working alongside some wonderful people that make the process easier.   

In my very first semester at Princeton, I took a history seminar that sparked my interest.  It was about Princeton’s history and connection with slavery, and was being taught at a time when colleges and universities around the country were being asked to reckon with the ways in which the institutions of slavery had contributed or continue to contribute to their identities today.

The class itself was fascinating, however I want to discuss the part of the class that immediately felt the most intimidating — the reading! Before I came to college, everyone told me to be prepared for incredibly large workloads, including heavy amounts of reading. When making my college decisions, I noticed that Princeton courses, in particular, had very large reading requirements. This class was described as having 200+ pages of reading per week, which had me worried, but I decided to enroll anyway.

At first, I was overwhelmed. To make matters worse, the rest of the class, all juniors and seniors, seemed to take the workload in stride. Given all the time I was spending taking notes on the weekly readings, I started to wonder if I was really cut out for the Princeton course load.

It was only after I spoke to the other students that I learned I was approaching the workload all wrong. While Princeton courses, especially those in the social sciences, do tend to have heavy reading requirements (though 200 pages is really on the high end), part of being a Princeton student is figuring out how to engage with these sources effectively and efficiently. I developed four strategies for tackling the readings. Here’s what I learned:

1. How not to let heavy reading requirements deter me from taking a class or question whether I fit in at a place like Princeton. 
2. How to approach readings more thoughtfully, to focus on the most salient  points and make notes about those points instead of trying to crystalize and retain every single idea. 
3. How to do readings in a specific order, from less specific to more specific, was a useful way to better understand the connections between readings and to ensure I was understanding and retaining the key information. 
4. How to annotate and take notes more effectively, realizing that for me it was often better to read books on paper versus on the computer.

While my approach to reading more effectively developed gradually over my time at Princeton, I am grateful that I stuck with that original course, and that my classmates were so generous with their advice and tips. To all prospective Princeton students, I hope this post serves as a  reminder that while the adjustment to college can feel intimidating, and might even be difficult at times, it is manageable and that sometimes it just requires asking others for advice and making small adjustments in attitude and perspective.

It is quite easy to get overwhelmed and honestly swallowed by deadlines, due dates and syllabi at any institution. Making time to reflect or time to breathe is such an important part of my Princeton journey. Journaling is a part of my Princeton process and I would say that it's just as gratifying as turning in an assignment. Through journaling, I’ve been able to grow not just as a person but also as an academic!

Personal Growth

My journal entries sometimes follow a prompt that, for example, asks how many cups of water I’ve had or if I’ve complimented someone or myself today. Other times I can write freely and just tackle different parts of my day or week. This time of reflection allows me to decompress after a week full of good times, material and growth. I find that when I make time to journal at the end of a week, I am more mentally able to take on the next week because I've reflected on some challenges from the prior week. This reflection can sometimes lead to more confusion, resolution or even something to focus on as the weeks progress. But nonetheless I continue to grow and develop!

Academic Advantage

Journaling has even helped me in my junior paper process. An adviser recommended I journal through my reactions to texts or relevant social events that relate to my junior paper but aren’t necessarily important enough to include. These reflections allow me the space to just write without the pressure to tailor my words to sound more academic. With my ideas fleshed out and in conversation with current events, I can then approach my academic writing with a clearer path. 

Journaling, to me, is a way that I clear my head or make room for other thoughts. What ways do you see yourself decompressing after an eventful week?  I encourage you to find something that allows you to express yourself freely and authentically. I recommend doing something that you can do with others, by yourself, everyday or every week!

You might’ve heard of this thing called independent work. At Princeton, most students will experience at least one year of independent work: Bachelor of Arts (A.B.) students will write at least one junior paper (JP) and a full senior thesis, while Bachelor of Science in Engineering (B.S.E.) students typically have a senior thesis and the opportunity to conduct junior independent work as well. 

I’m in the Economics department, so I write one paper over two semesters. It’ll clock in around 30 pages. (If that seems long to you, wait ‘till you hear about our thesis!) In some concentrations, students write two, shorter length papers, one each semester. 

I spent the fall semester working on what we call a prospectus, which is basically a proposal for the JP. In an economics prospectus, once you’ve decided on a topic, you review existing relevant literature (studies and experiments), introduce the data sources you’ll be analyzing, and provide an overview of your methodology (econometrics, regressions, etc). 

I’m writing my paper about the impact of work from home policies on energy consumption, so I’m looking at government data on state monthly energy numbers combined with Google mobility data on time spent in the workplace.

Right now I’m working on refining my methodology and performing data analysis. I’m doing that work in STATA, but you can also use other software like R and Python.   

The Economics department, and Princeton overall, offer a lot of resources for doing independent work. Each semester, we have multiple workshops for data analysis and conducting research. Each student also works with a professor and grad student advising team, so if you ever feel lost about how to do a difference-in-difference regression or linear discontinuity like me, you can just hit them up! The University also has data consultants who anyone can schedule an advising session with.

So - not only have I learned a lot about economics and research this year, but I also got the chance to apply my classroom knowledge to an environmental topic I’m passionate about. I’m excited to finally see my paper finished in its full glory - and looking forward to a full-fledged senior thesis next year.

Like many students at Princeton, I did not end up concentrating in the department I had anticipated as an incoming first-year. It’s completely acceptable and in fact quite normal to change your concentration throughout your time at Princeton. 

As a first-year, I expected to end up in the English department. I’ve always loved to read and write and had originally planned on becoming an English teacher. I took a couple English classes and enjoyed them overall, but at the same time, my professional interests shifted away from teaching and towards the world of politics.

I first considered public policy and political advocacy as a potential career path after I attended an event on Capitol Hill focused on disability rights during my senior year of high school. I heard from leading disability rights advocates and then talked to members of Congress, and I found myself wondering what it would be like if I could do this every day. The summer after my first year of college, I interned at a disability rights organization. I loved my experience and I realized this really could be a career I could see myself pursuing in the future. 

When I began my sophomore year, I knew I needed to make a decision soon about my concentration. I decided to take an English class about science fiction, a politics class about state politics and a class in the School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA) about education policy. I found myself looking forward to my education policy class the most because I enjoyed learning about the importance of education and the barriers to academic success that still need to be addressed. I gained valuable experiences in policy research, such as writing a literature review and a policy memo. This amazing class helped me decide that SPIA was the right department for me. 

I want to be clear that there was nothing wrong with the English department. I just realized that as much as I love to read and write, I wanted to learn about public policy and the world as a whole instead of focusing on literature. I also really liked the format of SPIA’s junior independent work, which includes a policy taskforce. Luckily, I did not have to completely abandon my interest in reading and writing because I also decided to pursue a certificate in Journalism.

Although it was a tough decision, I feel confident that concentrating in SPIA was the right decision for my academic and professional interests. I am grateful that Princeton makes Bachelor of Arts (A.B.) students wait to declare a concentration until sophomore spring because it gave me the freedom to explore multiple departments to help me find the best fit.

In my freshman seminar, Ethics in Finance, there were several guest speakers that came to class to discuss their experiences in the finance world. One of those guests was John Bogle, the founder of Vanguard and 1951 graduate of Princeton. His innovative career and commitment to philanthropy truly inspired me and he remains one of my biggest role models. I was fortunate to meet him before he, unfortunately, passed away in 2019, leaving behind a legacy of service.

During his guest lecture, he recalled how his senior thesis at Princeton served as a launchpad for Vanguard. While Bogle didn't invent the index fund, which bought and held all of the stocks in the S&P 500 index, his index fund was the first available to the masses and it changed the ways Americans saved and planned for retirement. He talked about the negative side of finance, in which banks are mostly interested in garnering profits. He disrupted this industry by providing the average American the tools to grow their investments in a reliable fund. 

Bogle's career is also one of philanthropy and intellectual curiosity. He has written more than ten books, one of which I received with his signature. He has also given back a great deal to Princeton, having donated what is now Bogle Hall in Butler College and providing funding for undergraduates to pursue their own summer internships in service.

His life story really resonated with me as I have always aspired to create good and leave my mark in this world. He was a pioneer of his time and his success is inspiring as he attended Princeton, meaning that I can aspire to do impactful things just like he did. Having the opportunity to meet alumni like Bogle has been one of the highlights of my Princeton experience. 

One of the toughest choices to make every semester as a Princeton student is course selection. This may not seem immediately apparent once you set foot on campus (especially as an engineering concentrator) as our first-year schedules are often congested with mandatory prerequisite courses. However, once you declare your concentration and move past the introductory courses, you have more availability to delve much deeper into specific interests and even explore courses outside of your comfort zone. Thus far, I have really enjoyed my classes this spring semester as a sophomore, and one in particular has changed my approach to understanding molecular biology and bioengineering -- Biomechanics and Biomaterials: From Cells to Organisms (MAE344).  While I am taking this course initially to fulfill one of my requirements for the Engineering Biology certificate, it's turning out to be an amazing class experience that I would recommend to any engineering concentrator.  

First of all, the instructor for the course, Professor Daniel Cohen, is extremely knowledgeable and is currently spearheading research in controlling group behaviors in tissues. His lectures, which never fail to spark my interest, strike a healthy balance between teaching important biology concepts and establishing mathematical intuition necessary for engineering. For example, one of the lectures dealt with one of the most groundbreaking methods employed in this field for cell imaging: atomic force microscopy (AFM). AFM relies on a tiny cantilever to detect specific features on the surface of a cell by measuring deflection forces that result from interaction with the cell. While Professor Cohen emphasized the cantilever equations that are pivotal for AFM, he also carefully explained the advantages of using different cantilever tips for certain applications. He ensured that we did not simply memorize the material, but that we were able to think critically and synthesize from the scientific techniques that we learned.

In addition to the lectures, the class also meets every other week for “journal club,” in which we read an assigned scientific journal article so that we can discuss anything we find interesting. This has been tremendously helpful because these sessions have trained me to skim through an article in order to parse through specific information. At times, academic writing can often be very dense, cluttered with jargon and indecipherable figures, and it used to take me hours to get the general gist of a paper. However, I can now take this newfound skill with me through the rest of college and even graduate school.

I’m also looking forward to the final project, where we will take all that we've learned and will individually attempt to solve a bioengineering problem by designing a biointerface, allowing us to fully embrace our creativity.

I have really enjoyed this class so far and encourage anyone interested in the physics of cells and tissues to take it!

One defining component of Princeton’s academic curriculum is its preceptorial system. While classes are already small, precepts offer students the opportunity to engage with course materials in small discussion groups. The precept is like an open forum in which the preceptor or professor guides students in an invigorating intellectual discussion.

Precepts provide you with the tools and framework necessary to fully grasp and understand the course material. You get to utilize what you learn in lectures to critically analyze texts. Often, while humanities precepts revolve around readings, for quantitative courses, precepts allow you to go over practice problems or tough concepts as a class.

One of my favorite precepts has been in “Approaches to American History.” In this course, the class was divided into two small precepts of twelve students and the professor. The course consisted of only primary sources related to 3 major historical events. While many of the readings were lengthy and at times difficult to understand, being able to deconstruct their meaning with my peers proved indispensable. I also noticed that at the beginning I was scared to voice my opinion or participate, but by the end of the class, I was more comfortable contributing to the conversation and crafting my own arguments. 

Another precept I really enjoyed was in the class “Technology and Society.” What made this precept really special is that this course was interdisciplinary, so there were students from a variety of concentrations, all the way from sociology to mechanical aerospace engineering, so we all had different perspectives on the readings. When we were discussing misinformation in the media, computer science concentrators shared potential technical solutions that could spot tweets with false information, while humanities concentrators shared the implications behind “fake news” and the role of social media companies. There were many times when my opinion changed on certain technological issues because of what a student shared. This is what precept is all about!

Before coming to Princeton, I was apprehensive at the prospect of participating in a precept, but I have gained so much from them in regards to crafting my own arguments and challenging my own thinking. I have also been able to form bonds with the professors and my peers because of the meaningful interactions that small precept sizes naturally facilitate. My academic experience at Princeton wouldn’t be the same without the preceptorial system!