Princeton, NJ

[gracieh]

I've seen the rooms in the Grad College and their kinda small. I would say the rooms are comparable to college dorm rooms. But for the price, it's not that bad. I guess it depends on the type of social life you're looking for, the amount of personal space you need/want, and the amount of $$$ you want to spend on living accommodations.

[opal32496]

I emailed grad housing a few weeks ago; they replied that new students will be emailed (via your princeton email address) housing assignments mid-summer. To me, the question is how to set up your email address...?!?!

I keep meaning to call IT, but haven't...

Do you have any info on that..?

[teabreeze]

I called the housing office back in April and they estimated having housing assignments ready in June. It's probably a little out-dated, though. As far as setting up Princeton e-mail addresses, it looks like we'll have to wait until mid-June for those, also.

[deuxieme]

I have been wait listed at Princeton, and at this point I think it's my top choice. For those of you who have been accepted, do you have any sense yet whether you might decline or accept? I'm just trying to figure out what my chances are!

If you would prefer not to comment publicly on this, please feel free to PM me.

Thanks!

[educate.me]

I'm looking for 2 bdr married housing at Princeton. Any recommendations between Butler, Lawrence, Maggie etc ?

Priorities are :

- space

- newer building

- proximity to Grad school (CS dept.)

I looked at the housing plans, but without making a trip there I can't seem to make up my mind. Help appreciated.

[gracieh]

I'm looking for 2 bdr married housing at Princeton. Any recommendations between Butler, Lawrence, Maggie etc ?

Priorities are :

- space

- newer building

- proximity to Grad school (CS dept.)

I looked at the housing plans, but without making a trip there I can't seem to make up my mind. Help appreciated.

It all depends on how much you want to spend. Since you mentioned an interest in living in a newer apartment building, I'd suggest New Lawrence or Old Lawrence. The New Lawrence apartments are modern, clean, and spacious, but they're also more expensive. The only problem is that you might have a hard time getting one of these apartments because they tend to be first on most people's lists. I prefer Old Lawrence because the apartments are big, clean, a cheaper than New Lawrence, and the school is renovating all the kitchens. In terms of proximity, there is a very efficient shuttle system that all grad students use. The school has recently updated the transportation system and the shuttles leave pretty regularly. Hope this helps!

[purplepepper]

Does anyone have any information or experience of spouses finding jobs in or around Princeton?

Also, (said without having made a campus visit) someone described Princeton as a town/university with a big group of blond pony-tailed entitled kids. Is that true, not true? Whats the graduate community really like?

Anyone particularly happy/unhappy in/at Princeton and care to share why?

Anything appreciated! PMs welcome.

[jaw17]

Does anyone have any information or experience of spouses finding jobs in or around Princeton?

It's pretty commutable from either Philadelphia (where I go to school) and NYC - recession aside, presumably your spouse should be able to find something in cities of that size!

Princeton itself seems to be pretty much one nice suburb with a university, nearby pharmaceutical companies, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. I am sure there are other things....but none that have crossed my own radar.

EDIT: In going back and reading some of your earlier posts, mims3382, I really think you should consider living in Philadelphia and driving up to Princeton on the days that you have class. I think it would be much, much easier for your husband to find not just a job but also a social network of other Japanese expats in a major city; although I'm sure that there are many foreign nationals at either school you're considering, it also sounds like he is at a very different stage in life than the average grad student. And Philly is much more affordable and livable (IMHO, anyway) than NYC.

[philothei]

I have a dog, so that knocks me out of the single housing. Not married. Knocks me out of the family housing. Are they any other options, does anyone know, for seminarians at Princeton? I would really like to avoid selling plasma to pay for housing. PM's welcome.

[purplepepper]

hey,

does anyone know of a place to buy beer (and take it home...) near campus? just got here, and can't find anywhere that sells beer except for at the grocery stores which are a bit far to walk (or drive during rush hour).

[rising_star]

There's a place on Nassau Street and another on Witherspoon St. Can't remember the names of either.

[belowthree]

Triumph Brewery also sells beer by the bottle. Hold on to the bottle for a discount the next time you want it filled.

 

[deckard]

Hi,

Does anyone know how the Butler apts are like? I know the rent excludes utilities so I should prob add $200 on top of the stated cost. But are the apts well-maintained and comfy enough for a married couple, one of whom will be in grad school and the other working in NYC? Not too cold in winter wIth heating, faucets and sockets all work, nice location near campus and transit, etc. Thanks!

[subrosa]

Hi,

Does anyone know how the Butler apts are like? I know the rent excludes utilities so I should prob add $200 on top of the stated cost. But are the apts well-maintained and comfy enough for a married couple, one of whom will be in grad school and the other working in NYC? Not too cold in winter wIth heating, faucets and sockets all work, nice location near campus and transit, etc. Thanks!

Never lived in Butler Apts myself, but had many friends who did and loved to complain about it. It's certainly one of the most affordable living options in Princeton, but bear in mind that it was constructed as *temporary* housing and somehow managed to never get torn down/rebuilt/renovated. Friends all complained of the poor insulation, how unbearably cold the floors were in the winter, etc.

Location-wise, it's not exactly the most convenient place, but not too bad if you have a bicycle. I'd say around 40min walk to campus? 15min bike? There's a shuttle, but it can sometimes take a while.

[iheartecoli]

Does anyone know how lame the gay scene is at Princeton (as in the University... I already know there's nothing going on in the town)? I assume they have the GLBT center and what not, but I'm talking more about opportunities for meeting other gay graduate students and stuff? Most of my friends aren't gay and that's fine, but it's always nice to have gay friends, and it seems like not living in a city could be a huge limitation. Anything anyone? You can PM me as well.

[eikko]

Does anyone know how lame the gay scene is at Princeton (as in the University... I already know there's nothing going on in the town)? I assume they have the GLBT center and what not, but I'm talking more about opportunities for meeting other gay graduate students and stuff? Most of my friends aren't gay and that's fine, but it's always nice to have gay friends, and it seems like not living in a city could be a huge limitation. Anything anyone? You can PM me as well.

I want to know about the gay scene at Princeton too. I guess now we know that there'd be at least two hypothetical new gay grad students in the fall!

[babytuckoo]

Hello there, my fellow Princetonians!

I posted the following question under the 'Meet and Greet' forum, however no one has responded thus far, so I thought I might try my luck here. How common is it for first-year students to have single rooms in either the Old or New Graduate College?

Cheers!

[Aurelius]

For the former/current Princeton residents, I was wondering about living in the Plainsboro area. The on-campus grad student housing for a couple looks rather... uninviting compared to what we're used to, and not really all that cheap compared to the much nicer (judging by websites) apartments that are in the Plainsboro area.

It's very strange for me to go from a large college town where basically 100% of grad students live in off-campus apartments and there's an amazing free public bus system to a smaller town where 75% live on campus, and there's very little in the way of student-oriented apartments or public transport.

So I'd like any thoughts you have on living in that area, where a ~$1200/month 2BR apartment for a couple is much much nicer than the ~$1000 student housing option, the commute, how common it is... does it interfere with enjoying campus life (the grad student-only d-bar sounds just awesome)... any thoughts at all would be appreciated. Thanks!

Edited February 23, 2010 by Aurelius

[Yes]

I am so confused by the whole housing situation - it looks like we have to apply for the room draw by March 26th - but I won't even have visited some of my schools until then. Does the room draw deadline apply to new students as well?

I personally cannot imagine anything worse than having to share a room with someone - I havent done that since boarding school and it wasnt pleasant at the time. From casually browsing some property websites it looks like it would be possible to get a non-university appartment at equal/slightly higher rates. I just worry that my social life will suffer as a result. Any thoughts from already attending/former students would be appreciated...

[eikko]

I am so confused by the whole housing situation - it looks like we have to apply for the room draw by March 26th - but I won't even have visited some of my schools until then. Does the room draw deadline apply to new students as well?

By March 26th? uh oh!?! where did you get that information? As far as I can tell in the admission packet, you have to apply for housing by April 15th, same as the acceptance decision.

But yeah, the whole housing thing is very confusing. Who wants to go back to a dorm at age 25+, let alone a meal plan? Yeesh. And it says on the housing website that there are 'few spaces for new students' in the apartments/annex...

[Yes]

By March 26th? uh oh!?! where did you get that information? As far as I can tell in the admission packet, you have to apply for housing by April 15th, same as the acceptance decision.

But yeah, the whole housing thing is very confusing. Who wants to go back to a dorm at age 25+, let alone a meal plan? Yeesh. And it says on the housing website that there are 'few spaces for new students' in the apartments/annex...

I found that info on the housing website - but obviously doesn't apply to new students then, what a relief. My admissions package hasn't reached me yet (I live abroad).

Still.... sharing rooms does not fill me with joy. What about people who have boyfriends/girlfriends - not unheard of for 25 year olds! haha

[koosh21]

On 3/1/2010 at 3:50 AM, Yes said:

I found that info on the housing website - but obviously doesn't apply to new students then, what a relief. My admissions package hasn't reached me yet (I live abroad).

Still.... sharing rooms does not fill me with joy. What about people who have boyfriends/girlfriends - not unheard of for 25 year olds! haha

FYI on housing - you send in your housing stuff as an incoming student with the rest of your registration, by April 15th. The March 26 deadline is just for current students.

There are many 'singles' available in the GC, so you won't necessarily have a roommate. That being said, it's still a dorm, and you're still on a meal plan.

 

On 2/26/2010 at 4:45 AM, Yes said:

I personally cannot imagine anything worse than having to share a room with someone - I havent done that since boarding school and it wasnt pleasant at the time. From casually browsing some property websites it looks like it would be possible to get a non-university appartment at equal/slightly higher rates. I just worry that my social life will suffer as a result. Any thoughts from already attending/former students would be appreciated...

I don't believe that your social life will suffer as a result of not living on campus. I currently live in the GC, but only a few of my friends live there. Most of the people I hang out with are in my department (or related departments), or I've met through other means (intramurals, clubs etc.)

[enter]

I have the same questions as a previous poster.... Does anyone know what's the probability of a first year grad getting a single room the in GC? What exactly does a double room mean? Does a double room mean you share the whole room or just a bathroom with a roommate? Thanks.

[koosh21]

I have the same questions as a previous poster.... Does anyone know what's the probability of a first year grad getting a single room the in GC? What exactly does a double room mean? Does a double room mean you share the whole room or just a bathroom with a roommate? Thanks.

On your housing request form you can choose whether you want a single, double, or walk through double. I don't think you would have any problem getting a single, but it would most likely be in the New GC complex (or possibly in the GC annex if you choose that option).

[mmm35]

Does anyone know more specifics about the Butler apartments?

Someone mentioned that they get cold in the winter, is this the only negative? I've looked for pictures online and they seem like they aren't luxury apartments, but like they are decent enough for a year or two and like it is a nice community? Do mostly families live in them?

I have a pet so on campus housing doesn't leave me too many options, and it seems like I would at least have a shot at getting an apartment there since they aren't too popular?

Thanks!