Tuesday, February 21 was a rather special day on campus, not for us current students in particular but rather for those who aren't. It is called Tiger Tuesday, and it is hosted by the University every year with the purpose of allowing those students who applied and were accepted to Princeton under early action to acquire a small taste of what it's like to be a student here.

The day roughly started at 8 a.m. with the check-in session, lasting until 11 a.m. and during this time prospective students were given various packets of information about the University, as well as small bits of Princeton paraphenalia (which doesn't stop when you become a student by the way, I'm still getting free stuff). Afterwards, the prospective students had the opportunity to walk around, visit various open house sessions hosted by different centers on campus or even sit in on any class of their choosing, if they so please. Toward the end of the day, they congregated again in residential colleges, where they chatted with other eager prospective students, admissions staff, as well as current students. While I was there, I asked around if some prospective students knew what they might want to major in or what they enjoyed most about Tiger Tuesday. Needless to say, answers to the question about their possible major varied: English, Economics, Chemistry and many undecided, which makes sense and is totally fine, too. The day wrapped up at about 4:30 p.m., after a few closing remarks from various faculty members. I hope the admitted students has a positive experience on campus during their brief time here.

We hope to see you as a Princeton student in the fall! 

The prefrosh are here, which means the semester's almost over and, in my case, my Princeton experience. It's crazy to think that just four years ago, I was deciding whether Princeton was the place for me. So with the nostalgia kicking in big time, I spent some time thinking about advice I would give to my prefrosh self, and asked my fellow bloggers to contribute their thoughts too. Good luck, future Tigers!

Talk to current students and get to know your fellow prefrosh! Aside from exploring the beautiful campus and consuming all of the free food everywhere during Princeton Preview, what made me most excited about going to Princeton was meeting current students and other prefrosh. They were all so friendly, interesting, and easy to talk to, and I couldn't wait to return to campus and get to know more of them over the next four years!

—Serena Zheng '17

Congratulations! You were really hoping for this, and it happened, so you should really celebrate. Go hiking every week, or read 12 books over the summer, or watch all of Sherlock again. Just remember to spend time with family. It's going to be much much tougher for them than it is going to be for you.

Speaking of which, the next few years are going to be incredibly fun, very stimulating, but also challenging at many times. And when that happens, remember that you are extremely special and talented. And sometimes that may not be reflected in a letter or a number, but you are no less special.

On a more tangible note, take the classes that you are interested in, not the classes that you think you should be taking. Well, except Writing Sem, you have to take that. Explore: what you should be doing most at this point is stimulating yourself. 

And apply for the Bridge Year Program; there is no reason not to.

—Avaneesh Narla '17

My best advice to my prerosh self? Well, my best advice would probably be what I have learned about extracurriculars and balance here: that I can realistically engage in three things that I love at Princeton. You'll be bombarded (in the most fun and wonderful way!) with so many clubs and opportunities to try at first—and I definitely enjoyed trying a bit of everything during my first few months at Princeton. But I've found that it's ultimately most meaningful to engage fully with my schoolwork and two more major activities each semester. This, for me, has been most rewarding and has helped me define my priorities - and also leaves some free time for relaxation and friends! I would also say that taking a full day off and leaving campus to spend a fun day in New York City or Philadelphia with friends is sometimes the very best thing, even when you have a heavy work load and it feels irresponsible. I've realized the importance of taking a true break and have found that a day off is often just what I need to reset and to be committed to working hard again for the rest of the week. On a more practical and immediate level, definitely buy a (very) warm winter coat and quality rain coat—sooner than later! Take a lot of pictures—you (and your friends) will be very happy later. And while it's always important to think about the future, don't spend so much time planning for the next thing that you're not fully present here at Princeton. You'll get the most out of your Princeton experience if you see your time here as more than just a stepping stone. Lastly, don't wait as long as I did to realize how delicious the ice cream in the dining halls is! Congratulations, and welcome to Princeton!

—Makenna May '17

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One of the things I wish I had focused more on during my college process was researching some of the specific programs that the school offered that interested me. While some people come into college pretty undecided (which is totally fine!), I came in knowing I wanted a biology degree and to probably go to veterinary school. Of course my path can change, but I wish I had taken some time to see what types of biology classes the school offered, and if there was any animal care experience available for me to pursue while taking classes. Even if I didn’t actually do anything I had intended, it would have been helpful for me to do a bit of research, just so I could have a better idea of what opportunities were available to me before stepping foot on campus. Therefore, I highly suggest looking into any and all departments that sound interesting, just to get a sense of what opportunities you might have when you get to Princeton. Plus, it gives you a list of things to get excited about for when you get to campus.

—Michelle Greenfield '18

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They say hindsight is 20/20. Fitting, I think. (Haha. 2020, get it? Ignore my bad puns; I'm still mid-thesis.) Anyway, it's safe to say that after almost four years here, I'm starting to see things pretty clearly.

I didn't really have a prefrosh experience at Princeton, but I do remember that when I first set foot on this campus freshman year, I thought I had a very clear sense of who I was and the things I would enjoy doing. While there's nothing wrong with that  (it's mostly a good thing, in my opinion) I think it led me to inadvertently limit myself to certain experiences. I did what I knew myself to be good at and didn't jump at the chance to venture into new activities. But college is a perfect opportunity to explore all the things you're even remotely passionate about or interested in, and that's something I realize more and more with each passing day. Soon, I won't have all these options available to me in one place. 

So, dear prefrosh, my advice to you is the same that I give myself every day now: go for it. Even if you find out it's not your thing or you fail spectacularly at it, embrace the chance to learn something new about yourself. 

I didn't try out for the dance group that is now such a huge part of my Princeton experience until the spring of my sophomore year. I went to auditions to support a friend and ended up having so much fun that I came back twice to really try it out. My "prefrosh self" liked to dance, but had never done it seriously and didn't think she could be a dancer. I was so nervous about failing that I almost never went for it. Now, I can barely remember my life here without BAC.

So, to recap, I'm going to hit you with all the clichés: "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take." "You never know until you try." "Just do it." They're all true and all very useful. Consider holding on to them for at least your four years here.

—Tomi Johnson '16

Many of you reading this have probably recently gone through the college application process or are currently going through it (in which case, stay strong! You're great!).

About half of Princeton’s undergraduates work part-time jobs for a variety of reasons: to help contribute to their financial aid package, to save up for personal/future expenditures, or simply to do something they enjoy outside of their schoolwork.

Hey prospective students! I'll keep this one short and sweet. 

Come to Princeton.

Two years ago, I received one of the most life-changing messages of my life: Congratulations! I had been accepted to Princeton.

The adrenaline kept me excited for days. I scoured Princeton’s website as I imagined my future life as a tiger, and I pinched myself to see if I was dreaming! After a week or so, it started to sink it. But at that point, I also started to feel some nerves.

Coming from a small town in northern Idaho where I had attended a public school, I had to question if I was really prepared for Princeton. Did they really mean to accept me? Not many of my relatives had even gone to college, and my excitement about Princeton was coupled with uncertainty. I was definitely no legacy student, and I had not been groomed since childhood to attend an Ivy League school. In fact, I didn’t know they even offered financial aid, which would have been a huge concern for me coming from a low-income family, until I attended the Princeton University Summer Journalism Program the summer before my senior year of high school.

Furthermore, I felt more questioned than congratulated by my community about why I wanted to study at Princeton. I had not anticipated having to justify why I wanted to attend an Ivy League school, and it got to me after a while. Not only was this new for my family, it was different for my community. Was this right for me? During the month of April, several questions kept fluttering through my mind: Should I say “yes”? Could I actually do the work? And could I afford it?

If you are wondering or worried about any of these questions as well, let me try to offer some answers. First of all, you can, in fact, do the work. The fact that you were accepted without having had access to all of the resources that other students might have had is a testament to your hard work and drive. In fact, the resilience that you bring is an advantage. What came as a surprising relief to me was the plethora of resources that are available to help freshmen adjust to the academic workload at Princeton. Between the special Writing Seminars tailored to help freshmen learn how to write at college level, the workshops and one-on-one tutoring sessions provided by the McGraw Center, and the enthusiastic willingness of my professors to meet with me outside of class, I felt that I adjusted rather quickly to Princeton’s expectations.

With respect to financial aid, I cannot emphasize Princeton’s generosity enough. By the time I graduate, Princeton will have invested well over $250,000 in my education, and this is truly empowering. I am so thankful. To know that the University and alumni care and believe in me as a student is incredible, and it has made me feel like I do indeed belong here. To be honest, there have been times when I have been stunned at the wealth of some of my peers. But I’ve also been surprised by how many friends I have met who come from low-income backgrounds similar to mine.

In sum, my take is that you should most certainly say “yes.” I’ve realized that the question is not so much if you fit the perceived profile of Princeton students, but rather how you can use a Princeton education in your life to achieve your goals. The question is how you will use Princeton as a way to make a difference, and the University indeed empowers you to do just that. Finally, to those readers who have recently been accepted: A huge congratulations to you!
 

I applied early action to Princeton. I was fascinated by the University, and I spent hours pouring myself into reading about Princeton, links opening in tabs like heads of a hydra on my browser. I wrote five different Common Application essays, and finally submitted the 14th draft of my fifth essay. The early action decisions came out at 3:30 a.m. in India, and I couldn't sleep for a second that night.

I kept refreshing the link given, until the page finally responded. I was hoping against hope to be accepted, prepared to be rejected, but instead the screen told me incredulously that my "application had been deferred to the regular admission cycle".

I wasn't prepared for this outcome. It was the first year that Princeton had revived its early admission cycle, and I expected it to be black or white. But I learned that the majority of the applications had in fact been deferred, a gray scale that offered no indication of how strong our application really was. I took it simply as a rejection.

I worked harder my final semester, doing better on schoolwork and completing an independent research project that I cherished and which meant a lot to me. And at the end of March, an orange tiger and the word 'Congratulations!' stared back at me. I wasn't expecting it in the least.

Later, in Princeton, I found out that this story was common to many, that being deferred really does mean that the Princeton admission office is closely reviewing deferred applications.  

College awareness is an issue that has interested me since my senior year of high school. I still clearly remember all the difficulties and confusion I endured during the college application process. At the time, my high school didn’t have the resources or knowledge to prepare students to apply to out-of-state universities, much less Princeton. Shifting through copious amounts of often contradictory information on the internet took months of research to accomplish. I had no mentor but myself, unless the internet counts as a mentor.

Somehow I survived, and now I’m on the other side of the college application gap. But I haven’t allowed my status as a college student to make me complacent.

This past summer was the second time I hosted the Pharr-San Juan-Alamo College, Scholarship, Leadership Awareness Program (PSJA CSLAP) for my hometown’s school district. It’s a summer program that offers workshops, information sessions, and test preparation for rising seniors. Three fellow PSJA alumni and I run this program so we can build mentor relationships with the students and help guide them through the application process.

One of our most memorable events was the “PSJA Alumni College Fair” in which 12 alumni from my high school represented their universities and spoke to the students about their college experiences. This event in particular stood out to me because of how amazing the atmosphere felt. I could tell that not only did the students truly enjoy this opportunity, but the alumni did as well.

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After PSJA CSLAP concluded for the summer, my college awareness work continued well into the fall. In September, I had the opportunity to represent Princeton at McAllen Independent School District’s College and Career Night. Alongside John Millin, a Princeton 1995 graduate and chairman of the Princeton University Alumni Schools Committee for the Rio Grande Valley, I spoke with hundreds of parents and students about Princeton. In early October, I held an hour-long question and answer session as a part of College Greenlight’s Diversity + Digital College Fair. These two events allowed me to branch out of the familiarity of my school district and reach students from different backgrounds around the country.

One of the most rewarding aspects of college awareness work is learning about the amazing stories behind each student. I don't remember being half as ambitious or intelligent as some of the students I've mentored. It gives me peace of mind knowing that I can give them the resources and knowledge I didn't have at their age so they can achieve even greater things. My ultimate goal is for this spirit of altruism to rub off on them so they, too, can mentor the next generation of students.

If young people really have the potential to change the world, then why shouldn't we help the next in line get a step ahead? If more college students would undertake college awareness work, whether through spreading crucial information or offering mentorship, without expecting anything in return, this spirit of altruism would never die.