How to Get Into Princeton: Essays and Strategies That Worked
/How hard is it to get into Princeton? Learn strategies and review sample Princeton supplemental essays
learn how to get into princeton
----
Part 1: Introduction
As you consider the prospect of your child attending an Ivy League or Ivy Plus school, Princeton University, one of the oldest and most prestigious of the Ivies, has probably crossed your mind.
On Princeton’s leafy campus, Gothic towers and dormitories stand alongside colonial-era Nassau Hall, where George Washington once drove out British troops, and where Congress met in 1783, briefly making it the United States’ capitol. Beyond its stately beauty and rich history, Princeton’s campus is brimming with vibrant student life: a long running athletic tradition, eating clubs—posh alternatives to dining halls—and even the oldest touring collegiate musical-comedy ensemble in the nation.
What might a student admitted to Princeton expect? They can study with National Book Award winner Joyce Carol Oates or Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Tracy K. Smith. They can take courses in economics or physics or mathematics with one of the 27 Nobel Laureates currently on faculty, or study in the unique Woodrow Wilson School, which teaches a multidisciplinary approach to public policy.
They can spend a summer abroad as part of the International Internship Program, researching nanobiology in the Czech Republic or sustainable development in the Brazilian Amazon. They’ll access Princeton’s network of alumni—professionals with positions in America’s most esteemed financial institutions and museums and state-of-the-art laboratories.
And though sometimes people think about Harvard first among the Ivies, it’s Princeton that’s been ranked at #1 in U.S. News and World Report’s college rankings for the past 11 years straight. So if your child is an ambitious and big dreamer, read on to learn more about creating a successful strategy to get into Princeton.
Princeton University ranking
Princeton is situated at or near the top of Ivy League rankings:
Forbes: 1
Niche: 5
U.S. News and World Report: 1
Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education: 6
Where is Princeton?
Princeton is located in Princeton, New Jersey—a small town about an hour’s drive from Philadelphia and an hour and a half from New York City.
A special shuttle train, known as “the Dinky,” takes students directly from Princeton to the Princeton Junction Station, where commuter trains can be taken to Newark, New York City, Philadelphia and other urban centers.
Princeton setting
Princeton is a quiet suburban town of historic districts and colonial-era houses and churches. As the site of a key Revolutionary War battle, and the home of presidents and signers of the Declaration of Independence, it is a town steeped in American history.
But there are also plenty of local shops and eateries. Hoagie Haven, a sandwich shop, is a favorite among Princeton students, and Palmer Square offers dining and shopping options.
Princeton student population
Undergraduate students: 5,590
Graduate and professional students: 3,212
Princeton acceptance rate
Princeton has announced that they will not provide their acceptance rate during the early action, regular decision, and transfer admission cycles. Below are the admissions statistics for the class of 2027:
Applications: 39,644
Acceptances: 1,789
Matriculants: 1,366
Acceptance rate: 4.5%
(Suggested reading: Ivy League Acceptance Rates)
Princeton scholarships and tuition
Princeton’s 2024–2025 cost of attendance (i.e., tuition, room, board, and fees) is $86,700.
Princeton has need-blind admissions and covers 100 percent of demonstrated need without loans. Among recent Princeton grads, 83 percent graduated with zero student debt. For those who did elect to take on loans, the average amount owed at graduation was $9,400.
66 percent of the class of 2027 received financial aid, and the average grant amount was $70,500.
Who gets into Princeton?
To help you evaluate your child’s odds of getting into Princeton, we’ve compiled important statistics related to successful Princeton applicants.
Princeton average high school GPA: 3.92
Princeton average ACT score:
25th percentile: 34
75th percentile: 35
Princeton average SAT Evidence Based Reading and Writing score:
25th percentile: 760
7th percentile: 780
Princeton average SAT Math score:
25th percentile: 780
75th percentile: 800
International students: 14%
First-generation students: 17%
Among the class of 2027, 26% are Asian American, 9% are African American or Black, and 10% are Hispanic or Latino, 7% are multiracial, American Indian or Alaska Natives and Native Hawaiian American or Other Pacific Islander s both make up less than 1% of the class. Presumably, around 47% are white.
The most popular plans of study at Princeton are economics, the Woodrow Wilson School (a multidisciplinary major focused on public policy), and computer science.
----
Part 2: Princeton admission requirements
Princeton academic requirements
Like every Ivy League or Ivy Plus university, Princeton is seeking students with superb grades and test scores. Admissions officers also hope to see a robust interest in a limited number of clubs and extracurricular activities. This means that it’s not so much a matter of being well-rounded, but rather participating in one or a handful of passionate pursuits. Princeton wants to see that your child has made interesting and intense commitments to themselves and their community, and lived up to those commitments.
It’s also important that your child take advantage of whatever academic opportunities they’re afforded. This means taking IBs or APs and other advanced courses, as well as foreign language classes. Most Princeton candidates have also participated in some form in the visual or performing arts.
Princeton’s admissions website states that if possible, students are expected to complete the following coursework:
English: 4 years (including continued practice in writing)
Math: 4 years (including calculus for students interested in engineering)
Foreign language: 4 years of a single foreign language
Laboratory science: At least 2 years (including physics and chemistry for students interested in engineering)
History: At least 2 years
In addition, most successful applicants have studied some amount of visual or performing arts.
Princeton application requirements
Here is a checklist of what your child will need to assemble for their application. Princeton accepts the Common Application, the Coalition Application, and the Universal College Application.
Princeton supplement
Optional in 2024–2025: ACT or SAT test scores
Optional: IB, AP, or AICE test results
2 teacher letters of recommendation
1 counselor recommend
School report, transcript, and midyear senior year report
A graded written paper (“a paper you have written, preferably in the subjects of English or history”)
TOEFL, IELTS or PTE Academic scores (“If English is not your native language and you are attending a school where English is not the language of instruction…”)
Optional: Arts Supplement, if your child has excelled in creative writing, film, photography, theater, visual arts, etc.
Need inspiration for your Common App personal statement? Click below for instant access to 25 full-length example essays including advanced breakdowns of why they resonate with admissions committees.
Gain instant access to 25 exclusive full-length examples covering all seven prompts, plus comprehensive analyses for each to help you craft stellar essays.
----
Part 3: Applying to Princeton early action vs. regular decision
Your child may apply to Princeton in one of two ways: single-choice early action and regular decision.
To apply via single-choice early action, students must submit all materials by November 1st. Once a decision has been reached, admission will either be denied, offered, or deferred. If admission is deferred, your child will be reentered into the pool of regular decision applicants. Early action applicants are notified of the admissions office’s decision in mid-December.
Princeton, like most schools in the Ivy League, has a higher acceptance rate among those who apply early. This does not suggest, however, that your child will have a “better chance” of getting in by applying early, since early applicants tend to be more prepared and better qualified than the regular decision pool, overall.
To apply via regular decision, students must submit all materials by January 1st. Regular decision applicants are notified in late March.
Should my child apply to Princeton early?
Early action is a good fit if Princeton is your child’s top choice and their application is ready. If their grades could stand to be improved, or they need more time to strengthen test scores, we recommend waiting to apply regular decision.
(Suggested reading: Early Action vs. Early Decision: Pros and Cons and What Your Child Should Do)
----
Part 4: 2023–2024 Princeton supplemental essays (examples included)
Beyond the Common App personal statement, Princeton requires applicants to answer several short answer and essay questions. Princeton’s supplemental essays give the admissions office a more personal and comprehensive portrait of each applicant. They also provide students with an opportunity to stand out as a unique and promising candidate among other candidates who will have similarly high GPAs and test scores.
While we’ve provided sample essays that respond to the Princeton supplemental essay questions below, we also encourage you to look at additional college essay examples and Ivy League essays.
First, let’s meet a few students, all of whom are closely based on or composites of students we've worked with in nearly 20 years of advising college applicants.
Michelle has an avid interest in physics and astronomy. She’s taken Advanced Placement physics and other science classes, and she’s even taken an Intro to Astronomy course at her local community college. The practical application of scientific concepts is also of interest to Michelle, and she thinks she may end up deciding to major in engineering. She also loves theater, especially musical theater, and hopes to minor in it. She’s gone to theater camp since she was a kid, and taken voice lessons. Recently, she wrote a play about a physicist who builds a time machine and brings Einstein back to the present.
Atif is an aspiring poet and writer. He’s attracted to Princeton because of its esteemed English department faculty. Throughout his high school years, he attended youth writing workshops and summer camps for writers, and one of his poems won a Scholastic Art and Writing Award.
Camila wants to study medicine and earn a certificate in global health policy. She grew up in Puerto Rico, where her father worked as a family medicine physician. After seeing the impact he made in their community, and volunteering at a local nursing home herself, she realized that she wanted to devote herself to helping under-resourced communities, especially those with aging populations.
Lucas is passionate about public service and giving back to his community. In the neighborhood where he grew up in Chicago, Lucas played an active role in his uncle’s campaign for alderman, making calls and canvassing door to door. He wants to earn a degree from the Woodrow Wilson School.
Question 1: “Why Princeton?” essays
Depending on what your child hopes to study at Princeton—engineering or anything else—they’ll respond to either one of two prompts.
Option 1: 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.)
Here’s how Atif chose to answer:
Four summers ago, I traveled to Saudi Arabia with my dad for Hajj. My camera was stolen on the first day, and so in my free time, I described the sights and sounds in my journal. I wanted to remember everything about the experience, and this forced me to be specific. To this day, when I read the entries, I have a much clearer picture than any camera could provide.
I left Saudi Arabia not only with vivid memories but also with an itch to write. At home, I started composing short stories based on my travels as well as poems that responded to my experiences of growing up Muslim American in Texas.
Last summer, I attended the Iowa Young Writers’ Studio in Iowa City, a two-week summer program. For the first time in my life, I was surrounded by other poets and storytellers—kids from around the world who took writing seriously, and not just as a pastime. I was able to hone my craft and have my work read by published authors, and many of the people I met are still my friends.
I’m eager to keep developing my voice by taking Lewis Center classes from poets and writers I admire like Jhumpa Lahiri, Yiyun Lee, and Tyehimba Jess. I also want to deepen my knowledge of important literature, and I know that studying English at Princeton will not only allow me to dive into the canon, it will also teach me to think—and write—critically.
Atif tackles the prompt skillfully. Here’s how:
Atif hammers home his love of writing and literature in both halves of the answer, without flattening himself. By pointing to the time he spent honing his writing craft, he’s explicitly telling Princeton he’s invested in his art form. By pointing to the time he spent with his family, connecting with his culture and religious heritage, he’s pointing to his life, and his subject matter.
He doesn’t overstate the experiences or make them sound pretentious. The Young Writers’ Studio was not just an academic opportunity but also an opportunity to make friends and have fun doing something he loved.
He displays knowledge of the plentiful resources that Princeton has to offer and how they will help him accomplish his goals.
Option 2: 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).
Questions 3–4: Your voice
Question 3: 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).
Question 4: 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).
Questions 5–7: More about you
For the final three questions, Princeton writes: “Please respond to each question in 50 words or fewer. There are no right or wrong answers. Be yourself!”
You can take this to mean that your child need not be overly serious. These kinds of questions offer your child an opportunity to be playful, while still expressing genuine interests.
Question 5: What is a new skill you would like to learn in college?
Question 6: What brings you joy?
Question 7: What song represents the soundtrack of your life at this moment?
Gain instant access to essay examples for every supplemental essay prompt from the top universities and BS/MD programs in the United States. Subscribe today to lock in the current investments, which will be increasing in the future for new subscribers.
----
Part 5: Frequently asked questions
What GPA do you need to get into Princeton?
As mentioned above, the average GPA among acceptees to Princeton is 3.92. While Princeton doesn’t have a minimum GPA requirement, it’s common for applicants to have at or near a 4.0. However, even if your child doesn’t have a 4.0, keep in mind that Princeton practices holistic admissions, meaning they consider other aspects of the application when making admission decisions, such as the quality of supplemental essays, extracurriculars, and fit with their campus community.
What kind of student does Princeton want?
The rigorous academic environment at Princeton demands students who can cope with a high amount of challenging coursework. In addition to being academically gifted, your child will need to demonstrate that they are intellectually curious in their essays and extracurriculars.
While having a variety of interests is also beneficial, having too many interests risks your child appearing as though they can’t commit to one direction. Curiosity is good, but showing depth in their interests in their application is even better. Furthermore, if your child can show they have leadership experience or the capacity to take on and direct projects themselves, this will help leave a great impression on the admissions committee.
Is Princeton the hardest Ivy?
Usually, when students ask if Princeton is the hardest Ivy, they’re wondering if it’s the hardest to get into. This depends on a variety of factors, namely the program your child is applying to, as well as their particular interests and talents.
Princeton is currently ranked number one among Ivy League schools according to U.S. News and World Report but this is an overall ranking. Other institutions such as Harvard and Yale have similar acceptance rates and are just as selective. What’s more, either of these schools will provide your child with a world-class education and make high demands of them academically.
If your child possesses the profile of a Princeton acceptee, they will likely be a candidate for other Ivy League schools. Make sure they have specific reasons for wanting to attend Princeton (think programs, faculty, individual interests, and career goals) and that this message is clearly communicated in their overall application and essays.
Final thoughts
It’s easy to see why so many gifted students set their sights on Princeton. With its world-renowned faculty, regal campus, and vast network of alumni, attending Princeton can be a life-changing experience. By focusing on the passionate intellectual pursuits and community commitments that make applicants stand out from an otherwise well-qualified field, your child can present a strong case for admission.
About the Author
Dr. Shirag Shemmassian is the Founder of Shemmassian Academic Consulting and one of the world's foremost experts on college admissions. For nearly 20 years, he and his team have helped thousands of students get into top programs like Harvard, Stanford, and MIT using his exclusive approach.
THERE'S NO REASON TO STRUGGLE THROUGH THE COLLEGE ADMISSIONS PROCESS ALONE, ESPECIALLY WITH SO MUCH ON THE LINE. SCHEDULE YOUR COMPLIMENTARY CONSULTATION TO ENSURE YOU LEAVE NOTHING TO CHANCE.