Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Mrs Obama went to Princeton and was very unhappy. Her kids didn't apply there. One went to Harvard and other to U Mich/USC. Obviously if she wanted her girls to attend Princeton, college would've rolled a red carpet for them.

It's debatable whether Princeton would have rolled out the red carpet for both these kids.

Michelle Obama's niece (Craig Robinson's daughter) went to Princeton within the last decade and thrived. Obviously the entire family didn't turn up[ their noses at Princeton.

You've got to be kidding. Of course, Princeton would have rolled out the red carpet for the President's daughters. No questions asked.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't like all these attacks from alumni on the credibility of anyone who did not have a positive experience at Princeton. Big red flag as to the competitive and possibly unpleasant nature of the place.

Here’s your challenge: the overwhelming majority of students have a great experience and the overwhelming majority of alumni are both appreciative and loyal.

That does not mean every student will have a positive experience, but it does suggest that those who have had a negative experience need to recognize that far more have had positive experiences before trying to portray their own negative experiences as typical, much less anything remotely approaching universal.

And, of course, most people are aware that this is an anonymous forum, and that people with a particular axe to grind or animosity towards a school tend to be the most vocal. It’s not like Princeton, as a general matter, has to work overtime to sell itself.

I think it’s subtler than that. My friends and I are loyal and appreciative alums AND we have mixed feelings about our experience and think going someplace else might have served us better. But it’s hard to express that when it’s an expensive school and you’re getting an opportunity a lot of people want. It feels ungrateful to express doubt.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't like all these attacks from alumni on the credibility of anyone who did not have a positive experience at Princeton. Big red flag as to the competitive and possibly unpleasant nature of the place.

Here’s your challenge: the overwhelming majority of students have a great experience and the overwhelming majority of alumni are both appreciative and loyal.

That does not mean every student will have a positive experience, but it does suggest that those who have had a negative experience need to recognize that far more have had positive experiences before trying to portray their own negative experiences as typical, much less anything remotely approaching universal.

And, of course, most people are aware that this is an anonymous forum, and that people with a particular axe to grind or animosity towards a school tend to be the most vocal. It’s not like Princeton, as a general matter, has to work overtime to sell itself.

I have no in / out or beef with Princeton. I am a lowly midwestern state grad. But the sanctimony of your post is kind of proving the PPs point.

I will also say that, no, the kids who are unhappy don't "need to recognize" anything but their own truth. And while positive alumni may > negative, and you don't really cite anything in the way of proof but I'll take you at your word, it is also sounding like it is more than just "atypical" or an outlier as to those who also had a negative or lukewarm view of the place. You can also be grateful for the education, connections, and experiences and see that maybe lots of kids have that view a) that they succeeded despite the negatives and having toughed it out and b) they positives are easier to acknowledge being on the other side of the cap and gown now.

People tend not to go out of their way to document things that are well known, such as the loyalty of Princeton alumni. But if you want some evidence:

https://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/the-short-list-college/articles/colleges-where-the-most-alumni-donate

You can try and mischaracterize prior posts all you want, but it's clear people make a special effort to try and tear down the top schools on this sad little forum.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't like all these attacks from alumni on the credibility of anyone who did not have a positive experience at Princeton. Big red flag as to the competitive and possibly unpleasant nature of the place.

Here’s your challenge: the overwhelming majority of students have a great experience and the overwhelming majority of alumni are both appreciative and loyal.

That does not mean every student will have a positive experience, but it does suggest that those who have had a negative experience need to recognize that far more have had positive experiences before trying to portray their own negative experiences as typical, much less anything remotely approaching universal.

And, of course, most people are aware that this is an anonymous forum, and that people with a particular axe to grind or animosity towards a school tend to be the most vocal. It’s not like Princeton, as a general matter, has to work overtime to sell itself.

I think it’s subtler than that. My friends and I are loyal and appreciative alums AND we have mixed feelings about our experience and think going someplace else might have served us better. But it’s hard to express that when it’s an expensive school and you’re getting an opportunity a lot of people want. It feels ungrateful to express doubt.

My daughter is a recent grad and I think she feels the same way as the poster making a subtle point. She did have a great experience, but the perils of the pressure cooker were never that far away. I went to Duke in the late 70's and it was a fine academic experience. I was a scholarship athlete in a honors program with no time on my hands, and often found myself studying on Saturday night. You could count on one hand the undergrads studying on Saturday night at Duke (I didn't mind, I was all too grateful for the free education). While visiting my daughter at Princeton, the library was absolutely full on Saturday night, and this was nowhere near finals time. Now this is an anecdotal snapshot to be sure, but it really struck me as to the intensity of the place. I got in Princeton and it was my first choice, but with a single mother with addiction problems and a well off divorced father who abandoned us, in the absence of athletic scholarships in the Ivy League I could not go. My visits to the school with my daughter it reminded me it all works out in the end with effort. On a sad note, my daughter's advisor did commit suicide.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't like all these attacks from alumni on the credibility of anyone who did not have a positive experience at Princeton. Big red flag as to the competitive and possibly unpleasant nature of the place.

Here’s your challenge: the overwhelming majority of students have a great experience and the overwhelming majority of alumni are both appreciative and loyal.

That does not mean every student will have a positive experience, but it does suggest that those who have had a negative experience need to recognize that far more have had positive experiences before trying to portray their own negative experiences as typical, much less anything remotely approaching universal.

And, of course, most people are aware that this is an anonymous forum, and that people with a particular axe to grind or animosity towards a school tend to be the most vocal. It’s not like Princeton, as a general matter, has to work overtime to sell itself.

I have no in / out or beef with Princeton. I am a lowly midwestern state grad. But the sanctimony of your post is kind of proving the PPs point.

I will also say that, no, the kids who are unhappy don't "need to recognize" anything but their own truth. And while positive alumni may > negative, and you don't really cite anything in the way of proof but I'll take you at your word, it is also sounding like it is more than just "atypical" or an outlier as to those who also had a negative or lukewarm view of the place. You can also be grateful for the education, connections, and experiences and see that maybe lots of kids have that view a) that they succeeded despite the negatives and having toughed it out and b) they positives are easier to acknowledge being on the other side of the cap and gown now.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't like all these attacks from alumni on the credibility of anyone who did not have a positive experience at Princeton. Big red flag as to the competitive and possibly unpleasant nature of the place.

Here’s your challenge: the overwhelming majority of students have a great experience and the overwhelming majority of alumni are both appreciative and loyal.

That does not mean every student will have a positive experience, but it does suggest that those who have had a negative experience need to recognize that far more have had positive experiences before trying to portray their own negative experiences as typical, much less anything remotely approaching universal.

And, of course, most people are aware that this is an anonymous forum, and that people with a particular axe to grind or animosity towards a school tend to be the most vocal. It’s not like Princeton, as a general matter, has to work overtime to sell itself.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't like all these attacks from alumni on the credibility of anyone who did not have a positive experience at Princeton. Big red flag as to the competitive and possibly unpleasant nature of the place.

Here’s your challenge: the overwhelming majority of students have a great experience and the overwhelming majority of alumni are both appreciative and loyal.

That does not mean every student will have a positive experience, but it does suggest that those who have had a negative experience need to recognize that far more have had positive experiences before trying to portray their own negative experiences as typical, much less anything remotely approaching universal.

And, of course, most people are aware that this is an anonymous forum, and that people with a particular axe to grind or animosity towards a school tend to be the most vocal. It’s not like Princeton, as a general matter, has to work overtime to sell itself.

I think it’s subtler than that. My friends and I are loyal and appreciative alums AND we have mixed feelings about our experience and think going someplace else might have served us better. But it’s hard to express that when it’s an expensive school and you’re getting an opportunity a lot of people want. It feels ungrateful to express doubt.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't like all these attacks from alumni on the credibility of anyone who did not have a positive experience at Princeton. Big red flag as to the competitive and possibly unpleasant nature of the place.

Here’s your challenge: the overwhelming majority of students have a great experience and the overwhelming majority of alumni are both appreciative and loyal.

That does not mean every student will have a positive experience, but it does suggest that those who have had a negative experience need to recognize that far more have had positive experiences before trying to portray their own negative experiences as typical, much less anything remotely approaching universal.

And, of course, most people are aware that this is an anonymous forum, and that people with a particular axe to grind or animosity towards a school tend to be the most vocal. It’s not like Princeton, as a general matter, has to work overtime to sell itself.

Anonymous wrote:I don't like all these attacks from alumni on the credibility of anyone who did not have a positive experience at Princeton. Big red flag as to the competitive and possibly unpleasant nature of the place.

Anonymous wrote:I don't like all these attacks from alumni on the credibility of anyone who did not have a positive experience at Princeton. Big red flag as to the competitive and possibly unpleasant nature of the place.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Claudine Gay is not someone with much credibility on any subject. Didn't have it as a student; doesn't have it now.

Is that how you view all people in this world...if they're not credible 100% of the time, then they're never credible at all?

DP. I reserve judgement on whether she is ever credible, but do I extrapolate anything from her opinion given as a college student who clearly didn't like Princeton for whatever reason, and thus transferred after one year? No.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our youngest is at Princeton. It feels like there are far more rules and the administration is far less understanding and flexible compared to our oldest child's experience at another Ivy. For instance, Princeton students are forbidden from getting outside tutoring if they are having difficulty in a class (it is considered an honor code violation). The students are supposed to use the student tutors provided by the school, but there aren't nearly enough to go around. So a student having difficulties in a class who is unable to secure one of the few tutors is left to completely flounder or risk getting an honor code violation by seeking outside help. That doesn't make sense to me.

You know what else doesn't make sense? They are ok with admitting kids who have legacy advantage, paid tutors throughout high school, test prep, parents propping up a nonprofit or similar, high-priced college consultants, but once admitted you're on your own.

If you are a poor or URM kid who got in without a lot of advantages in life, I don't think you might fit in to the eating club culture at Princeton either.

You would have other options besides the eating clubs, but you also appear not to realize how much the eating clubs have adapted to the school’s changing demographics.

+1. My child is a low income student and is an officer at an eating club. It is an open sign up club (many are) with lots of diversity and a welcoming community. And the students seem to have a very good time based on pictures I’ve seen at social events.